Union Market District is absolutely buzzing with excitement, and the media can’t stop talking about it. Adjacent to the NOMA Business Improvement District (BID), EDENS’ major redevelopment project in the city’s Ward 5 neighborhood is experiencing fast-paced growth and engagement.
In a 32-minute digital read and 6-page full–color spread in the Weekend section, The Washington Post published a definitive guide to eating and drinking in Union Market District. Fast-growing national news outlet Axios has taken notice too, giving us an all-encompassing preview of everything new and anticipated for this 45-acre neighborhood:
The area has gone from a place you'd mostly visit to catch a Greyhound bus, to one of D.C.'s most eclectic, destination-worthy spots for shopping, dining, and entertainment.
Since its grand opening in 2012, the Market has been a trailblazer for DC’s food scene. Collecting Michelin stars since 2016, Masseria is known as the burgeoning neighborhood’s first standalone restaurant. In 2022, after opening a block away in La Cosecha, chef JuanMa Barrientos garnered a Michelin star for ElCielo—Colombia’s first. Likewise, Stellina boasts a BIB Gourmand award. Haute cuisine blends seamlessly with scalable chef-driven concepts, bolstering the area’s reputation as a culinary hotspot.
It’s the entrepreneurial drive, the sense of discovery and a clientele of trend-seekers eager to explore that inspired Stephen Starr to open not one but three establishments here, with Pastis on the way early next year, and fellow restaurant icon Keith McNally following suit with Minetta Tavern.
Keith McNally & Stephen Starr will bring New York City hot spot Pastis to the city’s vibrant Union Market neighborhood, which will also become home to McNally’s Minetta Tavern.
But wait, there’s more! Washington Business Journal and Eater just announced the arrival of British import F1 Arcade, aptly timed to resonate with the ever-growing demand for novel ways to connect and engage in cool concepts. F1 announced plans earlier this year to open its first stateside location in Boston, followed by DC, a testament to the city’s rising influence on the national and international stage.
By 2026, Union Market District will be the second most densely packed retail hub in D.C. The constant influx of new residents and visitors guarantees a thriving consumer base. In the past year alone, twenty-five new stores, eateries and services have popped up, along with several new residential buildings. These newcomers won’t be strangers for long; they’re new threads intricately woven into the vibrant tapestry of this fantastic community.
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