Developer JBG Smith’s Water Park in Virginia’s Crystal City is ready for its close-up. The 1.6-acre park will be open to the public on Oct. 6.
JBG began work on redeveloping the park in early 2022, and signed on nine food operators for food kiosks lining Crystal Drive. Those chosen are a diverse and eclectic blend of cuisines from local, minority and women-owned businesses.
- Brij, a D.C. wine bar and cafe which uses some of its proceeds for causes for single mothers, the unhoused and the LGBTQ community
- Bubbie’s Plant Burger, from the operators of D.C.’s fast casual Asian restaurant Pow Pow
- Cracked Eggery, the egg-centric restaurant in Cleveland Park and Shaw
- DC Dosa, an Indian street food concept at Union Market
- Dolci Gelati, the D.C. gelato shop with several locations
- Falafel Inc., with a restaurant in Georgetown
- PhoWheels, which currently operates a Vietnamese food truck in D.C.
- Tiki Thai, a Reston restaurant with Thai and Polynesian food
- Queen Mother’s, with a fried chicken restaurant on Columbia Pike
The park also includes new water features, outdoor seating areas and a live performance stage.
In addition to the kiosks, a 1,400-square-foot full-service restaurant, called Water Bar, is also part of Water Park, with a raw-bar focused menu and an open air terrace. There is also a New York-style pizza restaurant called Crush Pizza.
Water Park will be open to the public daily from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Water Park is one of two restaurant-centric redevelopments JBG Smith has in the works. Work continues on what will be Dining in the Park, featuring a restaurant from Michelin-starred D.C. chef Enrique Limbardo, whose restaurants include Seven Reasons and Imperfecto.
