After winning over foodies in Alexandria and Arlington, a lauded DMV restaurant is preparing to bring the flavors of Russia and Uzbekistan to DC. The aptly named RusUz is making moves towards opening a location on Pennsylvania Avenue, as evidenced by a recent liquor license application.
The restaurant is bringing authentic cuisine to the storefront that previously housed La Perla at 2600 Pennsylvania Ave, NW. Paperwork filed with the Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis Administration shows that RusUz will have seating for up to 130 guests inside with a total capacity of 161 visitors. The concept requested a summer garden endorsement with 20 seats and a total capacity of 30.
The form further establishes RusUz’s hours of operation as Sunday, from 12 pm to 9 pm, closed on Monday, Tuesday through Thursday from 12 pm to 9 pm, and from 12 pm to 10 pm on Friday and Saturday.
RusUz owner Ismoil Rakhmatullaev kindly set aside some time to speak with What Now DC about introducing the restaurant to a new audience. He states: “We are very excited to expand Rus Uz into Washington, DC, and to open the first Uzbek restaurant in the history of Washington, DC. It is a proud moment for us, especially at a time when Uzbekistan is achieving so many historic accomplishments, including its first-ever World Cup appearance in FIFA 2026.”
RusUz is sure to bring a special spark to the DC dining scene; as the website explains: “Here we try to bring our vision of traditional Uzbek and Russian dinning to the Washington DC area. Our mission is to provide a unique customer experience while introducing you to our cuisine. “Rus Uz”, how did we come up with that name? Our cuisine is a mixture of both Russian and Uzbek dishes, allowing you to have a taste of the old-world right in the Washington DC area.”
Rakhmatullaev sums up the eatery’s arrival beautifully, saying: “We are excited to continue helping put Uzbekistan on the map through its food, culture, and hospitality, and we look forward to welcoming the DC, Georgetown, and Foggy Bottom communities soon.”
