The hospitality scene in Washington D.C. is seriously booming right now. The restaurant and bar scene has grown tremendously since the city was named Bon Appetit’s 2016 Restaurant City of the Year and Michelin launched their D.C. guide that same year. So we spoke to Flight Wine Bar’s co-owners and husband-wife duo, Swati Bose and Kabir Amir to share some of their favorite spots to drink their way through D.C.’s Chinatown area where their spot is located.
They opened the intimate wine bar, Flight, back in 2014 in the historic neighborhood is an intimate wine bar as a way to bring their love of hospitality to fruition through food and wine – a passion that they developed while traveling around the globe to wine-centric destinations. Swati and Kabir, both Certified Sommeliers, have been in the District for almost a decade and have seen the city’s hospitality industry evolve first-hand. They’re active in the local restaurant community and love to support other local bars and restaurants like Maxwell Park and DBGB.
‘Hood Guide to Drinks in D.C.’s Chinatown with Swati Bose and Kabir Amir of Flight Wine Bar
Kabir Amir and Swati Bose L-R (photo by Scott Suchman)
Kickstart Your Day
We love walking down the block from Flight to the La Colombe on 6th and I Streets Northwest. Their coffees are delicious! We both get the Workshop Latte. We might go in on a Sunday when Flight is closed for service to get some work done. Sometimes, we might pop by in the middle of a long day for the perfect pick-me-up. Some of the best coffee in the neighborhood!
Lunching or Brunching
Although Swati is of Indian descent, the only time we have Indian food is at a restaurant. So, we were thrilled when Karma Modern Indian restaurant opened in our neighborhood. The restaurant is beautiful and airy with lots of light which is always great for lunch and/or brunch since most of our time is spent in our dark wine bar. Their menu is very elevated and the is very filling!
Happy Hour / After Work Drinks
Kabir rarely makes it out during these hours, but Swati will often find a quiet bar where she can work for a bit on her laptop and then meet friends when they get off work. The bar at Bistro Bis in the Hotel George is one of her go-to places. It is a longer walk from Flight, but the bar tends to be quiet most nights and the bartenders are very friendly. It is one of the few older “DC” places we still go to, which adds to its charm.
Essential Eats for Dinner & Drinks
The bar at Kinship is on the top of our list. It is hard for us to make it there before their kitchen closes, but we try. It is an easy walk from Flight and luckily, they are open on Sundays, so we can treat ourselves there once in a while.
Image – Columbia Room
Crafty Cocktail Strolling
Columbia Room is always on our list for pre-dinner or post-dinner drinks. Their Spirits Library is beautiful and cozy. They have top-notch cocktails and we always get a snack or two to pair with them.
Late Night Libations
We’re always on the lookout for late night spots that are walking distance from Flight, seeing as this is one of the only times we can steps away from the wine bar for a bite or drink. One of our favorite bars is the Irish Channel. It’s your friendly neighborhood pub and is right around the corner from us on 5th Street Northwest. They have live music on certain nights – in fact, Kabir was recently serenaded on his birthday! The place always has a good number of regulars hanging out. We will wander over once every few weeks to grab a beer with our staff and if their kitchen is still open, we order some fish and chips!
Another late-night spot we like to visit is New Big Wong. When Swati was a teenager in DC, it was just the Big Wong but at some point, in the 90s, it was bought by the now current ownership and renamed. The restaurant has great authentic Chinese food. Swati tends to get her fill of greens and vegetables but Kabir will often go with the suggestion of our servers.
Another one of our favorite spots for late night drinks, where we often send our guests, is Free State. Like Flight, Free State is family owned and focus on locally sourced beverages. They have a wonderfully curated list of sipping spirits and beers. You can just put your feet up after a long day and grab a bag of Utz chips or beef jerky to go with your drink.
Flight Wine Bar Details
777 6th St NW, Washington, DC 20001
(202) 864-6445 | @flightwinebardc | flightdc.com
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