Restaurant Openings?

[PCircles]

Does anyone know how to find out about restaurant openings? I look at Digital City, but I was wondering if there is another way of finding out?

Thanks!

[Al_Dente]

Digital City isn't a good source. This website sure is, and so is the Wash Post food section on Weds, and sometimes the style section mentions these things too.

[Holly Moore]

Apart from the usual:

Help wanted classified ads - under restaurant, chef, cook, etc.

Also, back when I was writing about such things, my best sources were sales types who sold to restaurants.

[Steve Klc]

You mean besides reading eGullet, Tom Sietsema's weekly online chat, his Wednesday mini-column in the paper, and the Washingtonian magazine Best Bites column? Are those already givens for you? I'd be surprised if you need some other source for relevant openings, closings, chef and service changes. If you are a food writer, the publicists will find you! For the rest of us, Tom's weekly chatters do a pretty good job alerting him to or asking about all these issues, albeit this usually occurs anonymously so take that with all the appropriate grains of salt. And Digital City? I haven't seen much that was interesting or especially timely there--last time I dropped by it was perfunctory and stale. Chowhound, though somewhat predictable and not that discriminating, has a much much more active and knowledgeable DC core than Digital City.

Al-D--so true about Style--especially the at times snarky Lloyd Grove, "Reliable Source," the tremendous Roxanne Roberts and "Out & About" section on page 3 of Style. Some restaurants get play there that don't get play elsewhere.

[vengroff]

Welcome, PCircles.

Judging from your website, I would say that you shouldn't have much trouble getting yourself on the mailing lists of the major restaurant PR firms around town. I suspect they'll keep your mailbox more than full with notices about what's new, hip and trendy, or at least what's aspiring to be.

[Al_Dente]

Does anyone know how to find out about restaurant openings? I look at Digital City, but I was wondering if there is another way of finding out?

Thanks!

By the way, checked out your site and joined. I look forward to giving this a try...

[BBhasin]

Does anyone know how to find out about restaurant openings? I look at Digital City, but I was wondering if there is another way of finding out?

Thanks!

Checking city reccords and staying abreast of agendasof planning/zoning/city council meetings might be another good sourse.

Most restaurants have to go through, planning, zoning, code enforcement, health department etc. Have to apply for special use permits, Beer/wine/liquor sale permits ( ABC Licences), have to appease the concerns of the neighborhood ( noise, trash, crime etc). They are required to advertise their intent with dates of hearings etc. so look in the local newspapers too.

Edited June 5, 2003 by BBhasin (log)

[PCircles]

Thanks for all the suggestions.

Al, I look forward to seeing you in the Perfect Circles :)