🌸 One Actor, Five Shots of Whiskey, Romeo & Juliet Tonight

Good morning, DC. One week into 2026, which means your New Year's resolutions are either holding strong or already quietly abandoned. Either way, the Caps host Dallas tonight with live country music, Axios dropped its annual trends forecast, and the city's operating at full speed again.

In today’s District Download:

Let’s get to it.

Axios DC published its annual "What's In and Out in D.C. for 2026" trend forecast Monday, and if you want to sound like you know what's happening in DC before everyone else does, this is your cheat sheet.

The list tracks cultural shifts that define how the city is evolving—which neighborhoods are rising (and which are quietly fading), what dining concepts are gaining traction, and which social behaviors are on their way out. It's the kind of annual tradition that lets you understand where DC is headed instead of just reacting to where it's been. Previous years have correctly called the rise of natural wine bars, the death of the power lunch, and the Adams Morgan renaissance before most people noticed.

This year's list arrives at an interesting moment: federal workforce uncertainty, a restaurant industry still hemorrhaging mid-priced spots, and neighborhoods like National Landing continuing their transformation from office parks to actual destinations. Whether you use the list for cocktail party conversation fuel, group chat credibility, or genuine year-ahead planning, it's worth the five-minute read before everyone else catches on.

Here's a fact worth having in your back pocket: violent crime in Washington, DC, decreased in 2025 for the second consecutive year, according to data released this week. This despite recent claims from President-elect Trump that DC needs federal intervention to address a crime crisis.

The Metropolitan Police Department's Real-Time Crime Center—a policing tool launched to support officers with data and technology—contributed to the improvements. Traffic deaths in the DC region also fell roughly 18% in 2025, continuing a trend of safer streets even as the narrative around urban crime nationally has intensified.

The data contradicts the rhetoric suggesting DC is spiraling. It won't stop your uncle from bringing it up at the next family gathering, but at least you'll have the numbers. The kind of factual context worth having when someone at dinner starts talking about how unsafe the city has become—especially if that someone is citing national talking points rather than local reality.

Episcope Hospitality kicked off 2026 with a dual opening at 2011 Crystal Drive in National Landing: Altitude, a wine bar, and Constellation, an all-day cafe occupying the same address but serving different purposes.

Altitude is built around wine-centric experiences—curated selections paired with small plates designed for grazing rather than full meals. Think after-work drinks that turn into accidental dinner, or the kind of place where you can spend two hours with a friend without anyone rushing you. Constellation handles the other half of the day: morning coffee runs, lunch meetings, and that 3 PM "I need to get out of the office" break. The dual concept means you could theoretically start your day at Constellation and end it at Altitude without leaving the building, which is either convenient or concerning depending on your relationship with work-life balance.

The location matters. National Landing (formerly Crystal City, rebranded when Amazon HQ2 arrived) has been transforming from a place you passed through on the way to DCA into an actual dining destination. Crystal City Metro station (Blue/Yellow lines) puts both spots within walking distance, and the growing residential and office population in the area means these won't be struggling for customers. If you work in National Landing or have friends who do, add these to the lunch rotation and the after-work options list.

Washingtonian's food team just released their most anticipated restaurant openings for 2026, and it's the kind of list worth bookmarking now so you can pretend you heard about these places before everyone else. Fair warning: 2026 is also predicted to be another rough year for DC restaurants thanks to economic uncertainty, so some of these may not make it—but the ones that do could define where we're eating for years.

Leading the list: Alfie's, a 25-seat Georgetown spot from chef Alex McCoy, who's returning to the DC dining scene with Isaan-style Thai dishes like beef-rib khao soi alongside natural wines and cold beer. The intimate size means reservations will be a fight—start practicing your Resy refresh now.

Georgetown is getting another heavy hitter: Jônt/Bresca chef Ryan Ratino is taking over the former Reverie space for Ox & Olive, described as a "contemporary gothic" steakhouse and martini bar. If you've eaten at Jônt (two Michelin stars, $300+ tasting menus), you know Ratino doesn't do anything halfway—expect the same precision applied to dry-aged beef and perfectly chilled glasses.

Outside the District: Victor Albisu's Electric Bull lands in Vienna, specializing in lesser-seen cuts of meat, elevated egg dishes, and a raw bar. Albisu (Poca Madre, Taco Bamba) has built a reputation for serious cooking with accessible vibes. And closer to home, Phia brings Appalachian cooking to the Takoma Park/Takoma DC border in early 2026—a cuisine style DC doesn't have much of and probably should.

The restaurants worth rallying the group chat for, debating reservations about, and bookmarking for when you need a proper date night. Start the list now; these spots will fill up fast once they open.

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Here’s what’s going on around DC this week:

Capital One Arena | Capitals vs. Dallas Stars (Country Music Night) | Caps riding Monday's 7-4 win, live country during intermissions | 7 PM

Sage Theatre | Drunk Romeo & Juliet | One actor does 5 shots of whiskey then attempts Shakespeare while sober actors try to keep it together, 21+ | 7 PM, $162+

Kennedy Center Opera House | Shen Yun | Classical Chinese dance through January 18 (family-friendly) | Multiple showtimes, $85+

Kennedy Center | Washington National Opera Orchestra | Chamber music, intimate setting | FREE

City-State Brewing, H Street NE | Wednesday Comedy Show | Free weekly comedy with Encore Comedy DC | 8 PM

Shakespeare Theatre Company | Guys and Dolls | Extended run of the classic musical closes Thursday—last chance | Multiple showtimes

DC Brau, 3178-B Bladensburg Rd NE | Thursday Night Trivia | Free trivia, winning team gets $50 gift card, $3.50 pints | 7 PM

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Wednesday

56 🌡 34 | 🌧️ 10% | 💨 11 mph

Thursday

53 🌡 33 | 🌧️ 10% | 💨 5 mph

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9:30 Club | Snow Strippers | 7 PM

Howard Theatre | Mostafa Amar + Disco Misr | 8 PM

Kennedy Center | Dale Watson | Evening

Soundcheck | Krewella (Last Call Closing Series) | 10 PM

9:30 Club | Earlybirds Club | 6 PM

Birchmere Music Hall, Alexandria | Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder | 7:30 PM

Kennedy Center | Comedy Showcase (Mike Kurtz, Abbas Wahab) | Evening

Echostage | Nora En Pure | 10 PM

Soundcheck | GHENGAR with Ghastly (Last Call Closing Series) | 10 PM

The Capitals exploded Monday night, crushing the Anaheim Ducks 7-4 behind Justin Sourdif's first NHL hat trick (five points total) and two more goals from Alex Ovechkin, who now sits at 914 career goals and counting. The Caps (21-15-6) host the Dallas Stars tonight at 7 PM for Country Music Night—live performances during intermissions if you need more incentive than a team that's actually winning. The Wizards (6-25) continue their rebuild season, and at this point the only question is draft positioning and which young players (Alex Sarr, Kyshawn George, Bub Carrington) can build the future.

Till next time,