A James Beard award winning chef is working hard to bring a DC institution back to life. Stephen Starr is reinventing the Occidental, with plans for an early 2025 opening, reports the Washington Business Journal.
Starr is revamping the restaurant’s Willard InterContinental hotel location. The restaurateur has 11,000 square indoor feet at 1475 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW-as well as an outdoor patio area-to realize his vision for a chic, modern American restaurant.
Starr describes his aspirations for the space, stating “We’ll have, maybe, a tableside prime rib, great drinks, great cocktails; a classic American restaurant, somewhere between the Polo Lounge in Beverly Hills and the 21 Club in New York…. think it’ll be a destination, I really do.”
While a precise opening date is not currently available, The Occidental is aiming to open early next year. Stephen Starr is a certified hitmaker in the restaurant industry, practically ensuring the rejuvenated Occidental will be as much of a triumph as the original, if not more so.
