2026 is bringing something exciting to DMV diners hungry for European flavors and flair. Entrepreneur Nicholas Mounts is ensuring Virginia foodies won’t need to renew their passports to enjoy the tastes of France and Italy with his newest project, a collaboration with Chef Nikita Greene coming to the neighborhood next year called Ember Kitchen and Spirits, reports local media outlet ARLNow.
The new restaurant will be filling the void left at 1301 South Joyce Street when Mattie’s and Eddie’s shut down last year. What Now DC spoke with owner Nicholas Mounts about bringing his vision to life. He generously provided some insight into what made the location so appealing, saying “I lived in Pentagon City for a long time-I don’t anymore but I’m very excited to be back in the neighborhood and part of the community. Pentagon City is my favorite place in the DMV, I love the vibes. I’m just really excited to be back.”
Mounts owns an events business and hopes to combine his passion for great food with his talent for event coordination. He states: “The floor layout is partitioned into very customizable areas for private events. We have a dance floor for Fridays and Saturdays. We are event heavy. For Fridays and Saturdays we plan on having live music, alternating between having a DJ and bands. On our website we’re planning on having an event calendar. Not only events hosted by outside groups but also hosting our own events-general stuff like trivia nights but also chef’s tastings and meet and greets or culinary classes…a creative array of what people like.”
Of course, a restaurant is only as good as its cuisine, and Mounts assures future guests that they can anticipate a delicious Eurofusion meal, that is “a base of French and Italian, with little twists of Greek and German. We have a menu that’s about 75 percent final. It is more or less seasonal.”
Mounts provided a peek at a sample menu, suggesting what’s in store; with the promise of dishes like Kefir and garlic-marinated chicken breast, sous-vide ribeye, and braised lamb shoulder, Ember Kitchen is certain to become a foodie’s paradise.
Ember Kitchen will be bringing Pentagon City a chic but warm experience. Mounts describes his vision for the space, saying: “We’re going for a very sleek, modern, and upscale atmosphere. It’s a place where we want everyone to feel welcome, relaxed, have as much or as little privacy as they want, for both introverts and extroverts.”
Guests will have plenty of means and opportunities to wet their whistles at Ember Kitchen. Mounts states: “We are planning to have a wine list of between 45 and 55 wine bottles. We have a cocktail program that’s going to be quite unique that’s being designed right now. We’re trying to make it as unique and European as possible. We also have a tea menu. All of our teas come in liter sized teapots with candles to heat them. We have fruit teas, berry teas, herbal teas, and milk teas. We’ll have a good coffee program as well.”
Helping to ensure that Ember Kitchen becomes an essential part of the surrounding community, Mounts hopes to source ingredients from local vendors. He explains: “I spent a lot of time at local farmers markets, I know a lot of the vendors personally and when we get a bit closer to opening, we’re going to approach them.”
Once Ember Kitchen opens, it will serve Sunday brunches and offer a separate lunch menu for business lunches on weekdays. As to when, precisely, it will be ready to greet guests, Mounts states: “Realistically it’s March. We’ve just started construction. It’s a process and it’s constantly evolving.”
