Restaurant Development & Design

July-August 2015

restaurant development + design is a user-driven resource for restaurant professionals charged with building new locations and remodeling existing units.

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3 8 • r e s t a u r a n t d e v e l o p m e n t + d e s i g n • J U L Y / A U G U S T 2 0 1 5 When searching for a location for their second restaurant, Roofers Union owners Roger and Betsy Marmet weren't looking for a multilevel space. But when they spotted a rundown bar in the city's Ad- ams Morgan neighborhood, they saw the potential of its three foors, one of which is a rooftop deck. "Outdoor dining and outdoor bars do really well in D.C. when the weather allows," Roger says. After debuting their frst restaurant, Ripple, an upscale farm-to-table eatery in 2010 in D.C.'s Cleveland Park neigh- borhood, the Marmets came up with the concept for Roofers Union, which opened in 2014. For Roofers Union, ex- ecutive chef Marjorie Meek-Bradley, who heads up both kitchens, created a sim- pler menu of creative American classics and bar snacks with a sustainable twist, and each of the three foors features a bar with its own specialty. The foors transition from an intimate bar with high-top tables and painted brick feature wall on the frst level (craft cocktails and wine) to a loft-like main dining room and bar with foor-to-ceiling windows overlook- ing the bustling 18th Street scene below on the second (beers on tap and craft spirits) to a covered rooftop deck with heat lamps and 15-seat horseshoe bar (punch bowls and frozen cocktails). Warm, industrial materials such as repurposed barn wood and old tin roofng used as wainscoting tie all of these spac- es together. Mismatched seating adds personality: metal stools and navy chairs, painted wooden chairs, schoolhouse chairs and tufted vinyl banquettes. The casual vibe of the interior, designed by Betsy, who's also an interior designer, refects the menu of "elevated bar food." Since guests would frequently use the front stairs, Marmet highlighted it. It's made of poured concrete with metal Roofers Union Washington, D.C. Roofers Union created different environments on each level. The frst- foor bar (below) is rustic and intimate, with high-top tables and a painted brick feature wall. The main dining room on the second level (above) is bright and airy, with its own bar, foor- to-ceiling windows and an eclectic, industrial design aesthetic. A third level offers yet another environment — a covered rooftop deck — with its own 15-seat horseshoe-shaped bar. Photos by Elizabeth Parker

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