Reverie tasting room reopens in Georgetown after fire
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Comeback kid Johnny Spero. Photo: courtesy Reverie
Michelin-starred tasting room Reverie is rising from the ashes Tuesday, reopening in Georgetown more than a year after an electrical fire.
Why it matters: Not every chef is as doggedly passionate as Johnny Spero, who kept his upscale restaurant on life support through the pandemic by cooking burgers and pizza — so we're excited to taste what's next.
⭐ Catch up quick: Spero, a former head chef at José Andrés' Minibar, earned Reverie's first Michelin star three months before the fire, while it was transitioning to a prix-fixe tasting room.
Zoom in: The chef/owner is now barreling down on tastings and whimsical dishes like scallops in edible shells with yuzu koshō or grilled lobster brushed in Korean rice honey.
- An evolving, seasonal tasting menu ($225 per person) is built on seafood and vegetables — many local and East Coast — and techniques Spero gleaned from a global pop-up tour he did in Kyoto, Seoul, and beyond.
- Diners can opt for alcoholic pairings ($165) or non-alcoholic ($95), carefully curated since Spero no longer drinks.
The vibe: Intimate and sexy in a Scandinavia-meets-Japan way. Half of the tables are gone — replaced by just 36 seats, servers in sharp suits, and a stage-like kitchen heavy on black granite and burnt wood.
🐟 The intrigue: Don't expect luxury staples like Wagyu beef. Instead, Spero specializes in sustainable delicacies: Think tiny soft-shell green crabs, an invasive New England species, or moon snails.
- He's most excited about kokotxas, or cod necks, a Basque delicacy that Spero is sourcing from his "fish whisperer" up north. They're fried and served with a spicy Spanish pil-pil sauce. Fancy, yes, "but at the end of the day it's like fish sticks," he says.
Between the lines: Spero knows there's a lot on the line. The restaurant is expensive, and fine dining has its ups and downs. "But I don't think fine dining is dying — it's transitioning," he tells Axios. "There are certain experiences that are out, like dress codes. If you allow us to cook for you for two to three hours, you can show up in a Snuggie."
The bottom line: A lot of chefs would have walked away by now. So why keep Reverie running forward? "I ask myself every day," Spero says. "We got a lot of love, but [Reverie] wasn't where I wanted to be. We need our chance to show what it can be."