Several new spots to eat, drink & enjoy music coming to H Street between 10th & 14th

There's been a flurry of new applications to open restaurants along the eastern half of H Street in recent weeks.  While many of the new businesses have been relatively quiet, here's a quick preview of the most recent additions to our coming soon to H Street list. 

HR-57 is moving from 816 H Street to 1007-1009 H Street and plans to open a cafe in the front of the new buildings.  Tony Pusean has had a lease on these buildings since before he opened HR-57 in its current location and has always intended to move it here and to open another music venue, which he's described to us in the past as a Blues spot at 816 H St.  What's new is the plans to install a cafe called Alchemy in the front of the shop.  Look for regular cafe hours with 7 am opening, caffeinated beverages, house roasted coffee beans, and fresh pastries early next year.  These 1007-1009 buildings are single story in height and not especially impressive from the street, but we understand HR-57 plans to make some changes to improve the facades, including adding windows and french doors.  The new venue for HR-57 will also have a full kitchen and a larger capacity.  Once HR-57 is open, they'll start getting the blues spot, which will be called Be Bop Cafe ready to go at 816 H.

1128 H Street was formerly home to Naby's Island at the NW corner of 12th & H and will be home Casbah an Indian/Pakistani (South Asian) restaurant next year.  The owners have applied to use the public space along 12th Street for al fresco dining and plan to add additional windows along 12th Street as well with the possibility of an outdoor bar area, akin to what the Argonaut added after the fire. 

1200 H Street was previously considered a possibility for a wine, cheese, and hookah bar, but now appears destined to be a Mediterranean restaurant.  We understand this was from the current owner of Souk. 

1251 H Street was until recently home to Danny's carryout, next door to Smith Commons.  It's now going to be the permanent home to Sol Mexican Grill.  Sol already operates a food truck by that name.  They plan to use both of the building's two levels with a casual dining space downstairs and a tequileria upstairs offering 100 tequilas and sit down dining.
1255 H Street was until recently home to a store specializing in incense and scented oils.  That store has reopened on the 1400 block of H Street and the building has been sold.  The new owners of the building plan a restaurant called The Spot specializing in Latin American cuisine and have some changes to the building planned as well.  The restaurant will be large and will use both floors and plan to install a roof garden deck.  There will also be cooking classes in the back of the building.

1324 H Street is slated to be home to Chicken Tortilla. This will be the second outpost of a Barracks Row rotisserie Peruvian chicken restaurant.  The restaurant is slated for the building next door to Shawafel.  Taylor Charles Steak & Ice -- the cheesesteak spot from the Taylor Gourmet guys -- is planned for the other side of Shawafel.

Finally, we don't yet know what type of business will open at 1216-1218 H Street, but the construction of the new building here has resumed after some permitting issues held it up.  We're told the new building will be in full compliance with the H Street Overlay and applicable zoning.

These venues join already in the works Taylor Charles Steak & Ice (1320 H St) (Philly Cheesesteaks), Impala (1358 H St) (Mexican), and a new spot from Ben's Chili Bowl (1001 H St) in the long and growing list of new restaurants coming to the eastern half of H Street next year.