Don’t call it a comeback, but one of DC’s most promising and unique burger concepts is getting a second chance to serve the DMV. Mélange, the passion project of James Beard award semi-finalist chef Elias Taddesse, will be opening a new location after a COVID related shutdown, reports the Washington Business Journal.
Taddesse is bringing his distinctive culinary vision to a 3,200 square foot space in the Bridge District mixed-use development, located in the 600 and 700 block of Howard Road SE. The chef is aiming to open Mélange-which he describes as “an upscale brasserie”-in the fall of 2025.
An early version of Mélange may be familiar to some local diners. Taddesse previously launched an iteration of the restaurant at 499 K Street NW. The restaurateur was never able to realize his full vision for the concept at that location, and is looking forward to bringing Mélange to its full potential.
Taddesse’s ideal Mélange will offer freshly baked bread alongside its burgers and French-Ethiopian fusion cuisine. He is also weighing the possibility of an included market and a butcher shop.
