A Huge New Cafe Wants to Double as a Wedding Venue Next to the White House

SoHo Café & Market just announced plans to double its D.C. cafe count from three to six by summer, with one hoping to become an “I do” destination.

The new 10,000-square-foot location (1750 New York Avenue NW), dubbed Met Café, plans to capitalize on its rooftop access, prime Washington Monument and Ellipse views, and a large patio facing Rawlins Park. The incoming cafe will be shopped for weddings, ceremonies, and corporate functions when it’s not feeding a nearby 9-to-5 crowd.

Two more SoHo cafes are coming to The Portals III (1201 Maryland Avenue SW) and The Millennium Building (1909 K Street NW) in 5,300 and 7,000 square feet, respectively. Each location boasts a modern look, complete with an open kitchen, lots of seating, light wood accents, stone, and brushed metal.

Along with a hot breakfast buffet and lunch service, the 25-year-old homegrown chain offers deli and grilled sandwiches, pizzas, salad and fruit bars, and build-your-own Korean barbecue bowls called MyKup with noodles, rice, or veggies.

SoHo brands itself as a pioneer in D.C.’s hot bar movement.

“Modeled after the successful delis of New York City, my father was early to introduce the hot-cold buffet concept to the Washington market,” says Des So, son of the chain’s founder and current owner and operator of Soho, in a statement.

Newmark Knight Frank director of retail Bryan Ramos represented SoHo Café & Market in its three latest leases.