The 800-square-foot Ivy Room is a collaboration between lobbyist Vinoda Basnayake and Republic Restoratives Distillery’s Pia Carusone and Rachel Gardner. (Photo Credit: John Robinson)
Nestled next to the Republic Restoratives Distillery like a fancy sun room, a new cocktail bar opened in Ivy City.
The Ivy Room, a well-appointed and airy tasting room, will serve cocktails made with Civic Vodka. Civic is made in the distillery mere steps away. You can easily see the tanks reflecting light through the giant windows. Those windows open, giving it the perfect atmosphere on a sunny day or evening.
Cocktails featuring Civic, like the Blackberry Sour and the Moscow Mule, are refreshingly good. Republic is also distilling a batch of bourbon, which will be ready in the next few weeks. I’ll need to venture back.
There will not be a kitchen on-site, but they will plan to arrange for food trucks to park nearby.
Ivy City is a burgeoning neighborhood, with multiple distilleries and a brewery (Atlas Brew Works). Yet it is not Metro accessible. Luckily there is a parking garage next door, along with some free parking nearby. You can also find a Capitol Bikeshare station only one block away.
Ivy Room hours
Thursday/Friday: 5pm to 11pm
Saturday: Noon to 11pm
Sunday: Noon to 5pm
Blackberry Sour with Civic Vodka
Republic Restorative Distillery tanks shine next to Ivy Room