Vegetate Leaving 1414 Ninth

The depressing news has hit the Shaw blogosphere that my friends Jennifer and Dominic Redd are closing the current location of Vegetate. Their lease term ends next month, but in order to allow time to move out, they will only be in business for the remainder of this month. They are currently looking for a new location, and we all collectively wish them the absolute best (and hope they stay nearby!).

Vegetate has been very good to and for our neighborhood. I've written about them a lot -- praising their delicious cocktails (RIP Vegetate's Spicy Thai Bloody Mary, Ninth Street Iced Tea, etc.), amazing food (from their mouthwatering curried butternut squash soup to their cashew cream sauce to their risotto croquettes) and awesome atmosphere (DJ Dredd spinning in the dimly lit upstairs). They've added a draw and a cache to Ninth Street that will be impossible to replace. I loved walking by Vegetate en route home from work and waiving at familiar faces working and dining inside.

Although Vegetate is irreplaceable, here's to hoping another unique and cool restaurant soon occupies 1414 Ninth Street. Fortunately no one else will have to endure the struggle Vegetate did to obtain a liquor license now that the law has changed.

Image courtesy of Washingtonian Magazine.