Acqua al 2 Returns to Eastern Market
by Larry Janezich
Posted January 20, 2024
Capitol Hill’s Acqua al 2, which closed in September of 2020, is returning to its former location at 212 7th Street, SE, across from Eastern Market. A placard for a liquor license in the window signaled the return, and an employee at work inside said that the restaurant would reopen in a couple of months with the same menu and the same owners as before, Ari and Stacy Gejdenson.
After Acqua al 2 on 7th Street closed, the space was occupied by a surf and turf restaurant – Harvest Tide – which closed in March of 2024. Meanwhile, Acqua al 2 continued to operate at other locations, including Annapolis and Florence, Italy.
Restaurateurs Ari and Stacy Gejdenson were owners of the Mindful Restaurant Group (MRG) which at its peak had eight restaurants and bars operating in the DMV. The businesses struggled during the pandemic and the Gejdensons dissolved MRG in 2020, closing some restaurants and turning others over to employees, though the Gejdensons remained involved as investors.
It may be a sign of the times – The Lobby Bar (formerly Boxcar) is opening a few doors away in the space formerly occupied by The Hill Restaurant Group’s Boxcar.
Here’s a link to the Annapolis restaurant where you can take a look at their menu: https://acquaal2.com/
CAPITOL HILL CORNER 