Thursday, December 17, 2009

Liberty Tree (1016 H St): Coming early 2010


Liberty Tree aims to open at 1016 H St within the next month or two, bringing brick oven pizza and New England seafood restaurant to H Street. Liberty Tree comes from Scott Hamilton of Hamilton's on Capitol Hill and will fill the space previously occupied by Tropicana Eatery, which closed shop over the summer. Hamilton has reconfigured the restaurant to include seating for 35 and intends to open a summer garden for al fresco dining in the patio area along the building's east side.

Liberty Tree has put itself before the ANC where it has been subject of some concern regarding potential noise issues for some neighboring residents, but the property was previously home to another restaurant with a liquor license and Hamilton has indicated a willingness to restrict hours, construct noise mitigation, and make other concessions, which should help ensure that a voluntary agreement can be achieved to get this restaurant opened in early 2010.

Once open, Liberty Tree should provide a nicer, more upscale dining option than many of the establishments that have opened on H Street to date. With Biergarden Haus, Vendetta, and Joe's Coal & Ice House to follow over the course of the next year, it could signal the beginning of a new wave of better dining options along the corridor. Here's hoping the ANC members engage positively to reach a favorable agreement for all involved, which allows Liberty Tree's kitchen and brick oven to get up and running soon, while ensuring that its impact on the community is no greater than other establishments.

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