“Hola Union Market!” Latin Cuisine is Welcomed at D.C.’s Growing Culinary Epicenter
Currently, more than 100 businesses employ 1,500 people in food production and distribution at Union Market, making it DC’s new and upscale culinary epicenter. Established in the NoMa neighborhood, Union Market has served as a place where a wide variety of ethnic groups and diverse social-economic groups can come together and share a spirit of community since September of 2012.
Though not yet confirmed, according to a letter submitted to the D.C. Zoning Commission last month, a brand new cuisine will be welcomed soon at the Union Market Establishment: Latin!
Edens, the Union Market developer, has (according to aforementioned letter) signed a lease for a 20,000 square foot Latin market that will be located in a brand new 520 unit residential building planned for 1270 Fourth Street, NE. The market will be a new concept from chef Jose Garces, offering a variety of Latin groceries and prepared foods. Garces is the owner of more than a dozen Latin-inspired restaurants in Philadelphia, Arizona, California and Illinois. He was welcomed by D.C. this past summer with Rural Society, a Latin steakhouse in the Loews Madison Hotel.
Following the opening of the Union market, the NoMa neighborhood has become a hot-spot for all things delicious! Adding Latin would be only the latest addition to an already rapidly growing cullinary epicenter. Since the market’s opening, Edens has also opened a Dolcezza Gelato Factory, the Artisan Coffee Lab, as well as Red Apron Butcher’s meat professing facility behind the market. Edens also opened the second floor event space called Dock 5 and a temporary pop-up movie theater from Angelika Film Center in advance of a permanent Angelika that will open as part of the redevelopment of the existing market building.
Whether we have confirmation on the Latin market or not, Edens has big plans for the further development of Union Market and it’s surrounding areas. In addition to the Fourth Street building that would house Garces’ market, Edens’ developing company has been quietly acquiring a number of properties on Fifth Street NE, making it clear that NoMa neighborhood is yet another developing D.C. hot spot to keep an eye on.
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