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Lady Bird Rooftop Bar opens in Washington D.C. with views of the White House

The restaurant on top of the Kimpton Banneker hotel was named for Lady Bird Johnson

Holly Petre, Assistant Digital Editor

October 13, 2021

1 Min Read
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D.C. has a new presidential bar with views of the White House – Lady Bird Rooftop Bar. Named for Claudia Alta “Lady Bird” Johnson, former first lady and wife of President Lyndon B. Johnson, Lady Bird is the newest D.C. bar to open.

The restaurant and bar officially opened on October 8 to the public inside the Kimpton Banneker hotel, a new Valor Hospitality Partners property in the heart of Washington D.C. The rooftop bar and lounge feature panoramic views of the city including the White House, Washington Monument and more.

Lady Bird is led by executive chef Laurent Hollaender, previously of Grand Bohemian in Orlando. He is also overseeing the Banneker’s restaurant Le Sel.

The menu of small plates will be seasonal (though the rooftop will not be) and this season’s offerings include goat cheese and cornmeal beignets and an heirloom tomato tartine.

Cocktails include the Harvey Wallbanger with vodka, orange juice, St. Germain and rosemary; the Bramble with Old Forester bourbon, Pimm’s giffard blackberry, lemon and ginger beer; and Lady Bird’s signature summer shaken cocktails such as the Caipirinha with novo fogo cachaca, simple syrup, lime wedges and kiwi wheels. 

The 1,200-square-foot rooftop bar will be open year-round and is located on historic 16th street in the nation’s capital. The bar’s design pays homage to D.C.’s official bird, the Wood Thrush, with a mural.

The Banneker is named for its own historical figure: Benjamin Banneker, the free man who educated himself and became an important D.C. figure during the nation’s founding.

The hotel features 144 guest rooms in its 10-story building.

About the Author

Holly Petre

Assistant Digital Editor

Holly Petre is a digital editor for Nation’s Restaurant News as well as the host of NRN’s podcast, Extra Serving, and producer for Informa Restaurant and Food Group’s other three podcasts, One On One by Food Management, Off the Shelf with SN and In the Kitchen with Bret Thorn. Holly holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts with a concentration in Sculpture, fibers and Material Studies and Ceramics from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. A native New Yorker, Holly enjoys her place on staff as the resident pop-culture expert and millennial with a sassy attitude and great sense of style.

Holly Petre’s work on Nation’s Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality often covers marketing and trends, either aimed-at or examined-through the millennial mindset. Holly is responsible for introducing TikTok and Twitch to NRN and RH readers as well as explaining terms like “Karen” to staff and readers alike. She also spends her time on staff trying not to make every headline a pun.

Holly Petre hasn’t spoken at any events or on panels, but she is readily available with a killer shoe wardrobe and several witty quips.

 

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