Upper Wisconsin Avenue Is Rebuilding Itself Around the Order Counter

"It's hard to find well-designed, appropriately sized spaces in DC [for smaller businesses]," Jonathan Askarinam told Axios in September. He's one of the developers behind Nesso Plaza, which plans to turn a former PNC Bank on Wisconsin Avenue in Tenleytown into a cluster of small storefronts by spring 2028. He calls the old bank "a dead zone."

He was describing a project two years away. He was also describing what already happened on the strip between City Ridge and the Friendship Heights line this year. In 2026, the places that went quiet on upper Wisconsin were mostly full dining rooms. The places that opened were counters, a juice bar, a bakery, and a single kitchen space shared by three concepts. Here is where things stand in the first week of October, block by block.

The rooms that went dark

City Ridge took the biggest hit. Acqua Bistecca, Michael Mina's steakhouse at 10 Ridge Square, served its last meal on Monday, August 10, less than a year after it opened. Mina cited operating challenges, the effect on travel and tourism, and rising product and energy costs. He said a Washington Post review was not the reason. No successor for the space has been announced.

A few doors away, King Street Oyster Bar at 7 Ridge Square has been in limbo for most of the year. A December 2025 report said an "American Grill style restaurant" would arrive in about a month. By late April, the operator's site still said "temporarily closed." In early September, paper went up on the windows, with no word on what is coming.

Farther north, the year's turnover started in February. Maman Joon at 4531 Wisconsin had opened in July 2021, and that month its space was cleared out. The same week, Z Burger closed at 4321 Wisconsin after operating there since 2008. Z Burger is a counter shop. It's a reminder that the counter format doesn't protect anyone, and that an 18-year run can end for reasons no sign in the window explains.

4700 Wisconsin, a diner address since 1931

The single address that best shows the year is the old Steak 'n Egg. According to Eater, the diner's roots at 4700 Wisconsin go back to the Toddle House in 1931. The locally owned Steak 'n Egg took over in 1993 and at one time stayed open 24 hours a day. In July 2025, developer Constandinos Economides told Eater that labor costs tied to Initiative 82, plus taxes, were among the reasons he put the diner on the market. At that point it was still open, with no closing date set.

The space did not become another standalone restaurant. On June 24, Tenley Provisions opened there with three concepts under one roof:

• Sofie's, a fast-casual café with crêpes and all-day breakfast
• Bistro Metzger, a chef-driven menu with global influences, led by executive chef Colin Graham
• El Jefe Woodfired Pizza, a neighborhood pizzeria

The opening announcement said the model was built to give independent chefs and operators "a platform to share their food and creativity without the barriers typically associated with opening a standalone restaurant." That's the same problem Askarinam described, solved inside one building.

Three months later, the piece of the building that worked most like a traditional restaurant is the piece that paused. Bistro Metzger was advertising steak-frites dinner service as "NOW OPEN" by May 19. On September 30, a sign on the door read "Closed Until Further Notice." That same report said El Jefe Pizza & Pasta was still open. No reason was given, and nothing since has said what is happening with Sofie's. Pizza is still coming out of the old diner, so the address that has served food for 95 years is still serving it.

The counters that filled in

Here is what opened along the corridor this year, listed from south to north.

1. Paris Baguette, 4000 Wisconsin at Upton. A May 29 post said the bakery would open "this Sunday." The company's ordering page now lists the 4000 Wisconsin location with online ordering. Maison de Beauté Salon & Spa had already opened next door by late May.
2. South Block, 4523 Wisconsin. The juice and smoothie shop moved into the former Robeks space, which had been empty since Robeks closed in August 2025. A June 29 post said it opened that day. The company's release set its official grand opening for July 11. Either way, it has been running since summer.
3. Tenley Provisions, 4700 Wisconsin. Covered above. El Jefe was open as of September 30.
4. Marv's Dogs, 4936 Wisconsin. It opened May 13 with Chicago-, Detroit-, and New York-style hot dogs. Its website currently shows business hours and online ordering.
5. Wonder, 5300 C Wisconsin. Just past Tenleytown at the Friendship Heights edge, the food hall held its grand opening on March 12. It runs on the same idea as Tenley Provisions, with several menus out of one space.

There's a shared thread. Not one of these needs a large dining room full of servers to work. A counter, a pickup window, or a kitchen split among several brands covers the business. The one opening still to come is a new example of the same approach.

The one still on the way

Botiwalla by Chai Pani at 4000 Wisconsin is the most anticipated arrival on the corridor. It comes from the James Beard Award-winning team behind Chai Pani D.C. at Union Market, and it's their more casual format, an Indian street-grill concept. The same team is opening Spicewalla, a spice counter, at 1317 Wisconsin in Georgetown. Chef-owner Meherwan Irani's first cookbook came out September 22.

A September 1 opening was going around by word of mouth, but PoPville said at the time that it hadn't been confirmed. By September 4, the paper was off the windows and the space looked nearly ready. Eater still listed it as a fall opening on September 8. As of this week, the operator's website still says "Coming Soon" for Tenleytown. Once it opens, the 4000 block at Upton will have a bakery and a fast-casual Indian grill sharing the same address.

The October watch list

Several storefronts on the corridor are in between, and the most recent reports don't settle what happens next. This table shows each one's last confirmed status.

CAVA is the one to watch through the end of the year. It's the rare case on this corridor of a business taking more space rather than less. The closure started June 11, so the six-month estimate points to around December. That's an estimate, though, and no reopening date has been announced.

Upton Place is filling in on the non-food side too. A Charles Schwab branch is coming near Wegmans at Wisconsin and Upton, with no address or opening date yet. The same September report raised a question about whether Yu Noodles, which had been announced for Upton Place, is still coming.

What the old PNC Bank becomes

Nesso Plaza is going into the former PNC Bank at Wisconsin and Warren. It takes the approach Tenley Provisions tried in one building and stretches it across a whole site. The plans include a rooftop restaurant, bar, and event space, plus a rebuilt back lot for outdoor dining. Tenants haven't been named. Askarinam says to expect local food and drink, wellness, retail, and businesses aimed at kids. One idea is a sauna, a bathhouse, or a golf simulator in the bank's old basement. The same developers have a sister Nesso Plaza on H Street Northeast that is expected to open next year, with tenants including Bread Par Avion and Qualia Coffee.

For Tenleytown, construction is expected to start next year, with completion planned for spring 2028. Until then, this October's map of the corridor looks like this. You can get breakfast at Paris Baguette, a smoothie at South Block, pizza at the old Steak 'n Egg, and a Chicago dog at Marv's. Botiwalla is still on its way.

If you own a storefront or a building on upper Wisconsin, these changes affect what your space is worth, whether you're leasing it, selling it, or planning around a project like Nesso Plaza. Chuck Burger follows these corridors block by block for owners, operators, and investors. Request a Free Market Valuation to see where your property fits on Wisconsin Avenue right now.