Charlie Palmer Steak, a favorite among lobbyists and lawmakers, will close its Capitol Hill location after 22 years on Friday, November 29. The restaurant and its landlord were unable to reach an agreement on the terms of new lease after “lengthy discussions,” according to an email statement.
When it opened in 2003, the $6 million celebrity chef restaurant set itself apart from other steakhouse around town with its light-filled, modern dining room and 10,000-bottle wine cellar focused exclusively on American labels. Washingtonian called it “the most ambitious and expensive restaurant” to open at that time.
The proximity to the US Capitol quickly turned Charlie Palmer into a congressional power spot—a reputation that it’s maintained over the decades. This past election cycle, political spending at the restaurant reached nearly $700,000, according to campaign finance data from OpenSecrets. (Republicans outspent Democrats nearly two to one.)
A lot of top wine and culinary talent also came out of the restaurant. Perhaps most notably, Bryan Voltaggio was executive chef and a partner in Charlie Palmer Steak before competing on Top Chef and opening his own high-profile restaurants.
“More than two decades of successful restaurant operations is remarkable, especially in today’s restaurant landscape and lifecycle,” Charlie Palmer says in a statement. “At this time, we look forward to focusing on our existing properties in New York and the west coast, as well as our new restaurant openings and hotel openings under our Appellation Hotels brand.”
Jessica Sidman covers the people and trends behind D.C.’s food and drink scene. Before joining Washingtonian in July 2016, she was Food Editor and Young & Hungry columnist at Washington City Paper. She is a Colorado native and University of Pennsylvania grad.
