The Room
Sebastian Zutant and Michael O'Malley opened The Red Hen in Bloomingdale in 2013 — a serious neighbourhood-Italian dining room dedicated to the proposition that the Bloomingdale neighbourhood needed its own working full-service Italian destination. Twelve years later the room is the working argument for Bloomingdale's neighbourhood-Italian identity.
The Washington Post has held The Red Hen on its top-twenty rankings every year of operation. The dining room is intentionally restrained — exposed brick, a long bar facing the open kitchen, banquettes along the eastern wall.
The Food
The pasta programme is hand-rolled in the kitchen daily. The wood-fired pizza programme runs four rotating pies. The seasonal-rotating Italian secondi, the antipasti programme, and the chef's Tuesday-through-Thursday tasting handle the menu's wider draws.
Wine programme is Italian-classic with an honest by-the-glass programme. Cocktails are aperitivi-led. Service is informed and warm.
Best Occasion Fit
First Date: The bar at The Red Hen is one of Bloomingdale's most-reliable first-date seats.
Birthday: Birthdays at The Red Hen are warm, pasta-led, neighbourhood-Italian affairs the room handles with twelve years of practice.
Team Dinner: The back of the dining room handles tables of eight to twelve. The family-style Italian format scales naturally.