Lupo Verde – An After Hours Place to Dine in D.C.
09/19/2016
Except for the two chambers on Capitol Hill, Washington, D.C. is not the city that never sleeps. For two New Yorkers who temporarily find themselves living in the D.C. area, this lack of after hour dining options has come as something of a shock. Since I am often found attending film or theater previews until 10 p.m., seeking a restaurant for a bite to eat afterwards has been a challenge. Either we are politely told that the chef is no longer serving food, or we find ourselves the lone patrons with the servers who remain giving us the fish eye to hurry up and leave.
So we were excited to discover Lupo Verde, a terrific Italian restaurant at 14th and T Streets, NW, that not only keeps late hours, but also serves fabulous food. When we entered the restaurant at 10 p.m., we were greeted by an enthusiastic hostess and found the place hopping. Tables and bars on both floors were filled with young people enjoying food and drinks. We finally managed to find two seats at the first floor bar.
The bartender quickly produced menus and took our drink orders. We followed his advice and ordered the salumeria, three cured meats for $17, to start and a pasta dish Fusilli Campani, homemade fusilli, Neapolitan ragu, pecorino romano, and pinenuts. Both were excellent.
When we left shortly before 11 p.m., Lupo Verde was still very lively. The restaurant is open nightly, from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m., with late night hours Sunday through Thursday until 2 a.m., Friday and Saturday until 3 a.m. Perfect. We will be back.
Lupo Verde
1401 T Street, NW
202-827-4752