The Riggsby is back with caviar hash browns and parlor cocktails
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The Riggsby reopens in Dupont Circle with the same throwback supper club vibes. Photo: Tim Kubasik/OPN Agency
One of D.C.'s favorite old haunts is getting a second act: The Riggsby 2.0 opens in Dupont Circle Wednesday.
Why it matters: If you've been craving "Ned's pork chop" or that off-menu amatriciana since the original closed, your wait is almost over.
Dig in: Restaurateur Michael Schlow has been searching for a new home for what he calls one of his "favorite restaurant concepts ever" since the Riggsby shuttered in 2019 when its former Dupont hotel home (now Lyle) changed ownership.
- His landing spot — inside the Royal Sonesta on P Street — feels like a natural fit.
- The supper-club vibe, icy martinis, caviar-capped hash browns and shrimp cocktail align perfectly with D.C.'s ongoing love affair with nostalgic American dining.
What's back: Pretty much everything we missed.
- Deep corner booths.
- Dim lighting that somehow makes schnitzel feel sexy.
- A snug bar built for Old Fashioned conversations.
Zoom in: The $6 million redesign comes from Edit Lab by Streetsense, the team behind the original look.
- You'll recognize plenty on the menu, too, including the chopped salad and steak Diane.
- Other dishes have evolved, Schlow says, including a tartare topped with fried capers and crispy frico.
What's new: More cocktail-friendly bites in the parlor, including tuna tartare with caviar and salmon rillettes.
- The new layout is packed with cozy corners for lingering over wine and house-made pasta.
- And yes, Schlow says to ask about the off-menu amatriciana — or keep an eye on the specials board for similar dishes.
The big picture: Schlow's restaurant footprint has shrunk in D.C. and nationally since he arrived with Tico in 2014.
- He cites the pandemic, its lingering effects and softer downtown traffic that recently helped doom restaurants like Alta Strada near Logan Circle.
Yes, but: He's still betting on D.C.
- "I always try to be a positive person," Schlow tells Axios. "D.C., like any city, has its ups and downs. What I love about our industry is perseverance."
If you go: The Riggsby. 2121 P Street, Northwest