The small, Northeastern neighborhood Ivy City has been in the news recently as neighbors urge the city to remove a dangerous chemical plant from their community. The neighborhood has a rich working-class history and its unique industrial architecture has been subject to a lot of recent development. Here’s what’s going on in Ivy City.
A Quick History
Ivy City was established in the late 1800s following the expansion of the Baltimore and Ohio railroad into D.C. The community was small, housing largely African American railroad workers, and was home to the National Fair Grounds Association race track. By the 1950s, a decrease in railwork led to the community’s decline, with some residents lamenting its status as the city’s “dumping ground”. More recently, business owners and developers have taken advantage of the cheap land, leading to an influx of development and gentrification.
A delicious Gravitas meal. (Julia Karron/City Cast DC)
Where to Eat
Ivy City Smokehouse claims to be the community’s first neighborhood restaurant. Stop by for brunch to try their house-made smoked salmon, or drop in later for some of the city’s best barbecue. Gravitas brings locally sourced, Michelin-starred cuisine to an old warehouse, with a four-course tasting menu available for $125 per person. Just down New York Avenue and on the opposite end of the price spectrum is Panda Gourmet. Attached to a Days Inn, the small spot serves some of the best Chinese food in the city.
Where to Sip
Ivy City’s industrial architecture has made it a mecca for local brewers and distillers. Atlas Brew Works’ taproom and Other Half Brewing bring the beer to the neighborhood, and both have pleasant patios. Make sure to try Other Half’s “Daydream” Oat Cream IPA – it’s way yummier than it sounds. At Don Ciccio & Figli, taste a range of delicious Italian herbal liqueurs 🤌Republic Restoratives brings house-distilled spirits to the table, and even has a bourbon named after new presidential hopeful Kamala Harris, the “Madam.”
Where to Throw an Ax
What better activity after some heavy drinking: ax throwing! Ivy City is home to Kick Axe Throwing, a bar, event space, and one of D.C.’s only spots to yeet an ax legally. If ax-throwing isn’t exhilarating enough for you, Beat the Bomb, a multi-challenge escape room where losers get paint-bombed, is just across the street.
