Though demolition and redevelopment loom in its future, a new restaurant is set to take over a long empty space on Broadway in a move that should also be good news for another longtime Capitol Hill favorite.
Capitol Hill’s food and drink boom years have sent the neighborhood veering from high concepts to ramen noodle-soaked herd mentality. But the ongoing wave of openings still has a few small surprises to throw our way. Sometimes the ideas are as simple as filling a space.
Albacha Restaurant’s planned opening next week on Broadway is one of those one-offs. Albacha is shaped more by the space available on Broadway than foodie trends in the neighborhood.
“We’ll have two kinds of food Greek and Spanish,” owner Abbas Ahmed Kaddar tells CHS. “The restaurant is so big, I have room for both.”
Albacha is under construction in the space left empty since the 2012 exit of Peet’s Coffee from the corner of Broadway and E Denny Way. The building across the street from the sprawling Capitol Hill Station block is slated to eventually be torn down for a much-needed six-story apartment project. We warned you to enjoy another tenant in Albacha’s building, Annapurna, while you can.
Albacha’s current timeline stretches out about two years, the veteran restaurateur behind the venture tells CHS. Given the way the economy can zigzag, Albacha could be part of Broadway for a decade. Hopefully, that is also good news for Annapurna. We’re checking in with management to see if they have any updates on the situation.
Albacha, meanwhile, should be ready to open next week on the busy corner. You’ll be able to enjoy gyros and shawarma Ahmed Kaddar says. And, yes, tacos. With its days numbered, you don’t want to wait. You might only have ten years or so to visit.
Albacha is located at 1833 Broadway. Hours and more details to come . You can learn more at albacha.com.
Can’t tell from this article or the one linked- when is the building slated to be demolished?
Unknown. Like I wrote, maybe never.
The day Annapurna closes will be a sad day indeed. Guess I know what I need to do for dinner!
KEEP YOUR DIRTY DEMOLITION HANDS OFF THE ‘PURNA >:I
I love the Annapurna kitchen smells when I walk by there and hope they stay around for many years to come. Also, if you can’t spell it, don’t sell it. “Mediterranean.”
That, and don’t try to tell me tacos are Spanish!
I’m totally don’t get the Annapurna fascination… ate there once, the food was OK, but nothing super special. The cockroach on my plate kind of ruined the experience for me though….
How can any restaurant except a high-end one even make it on Broadway with the huge rents expected. Since I arrived in the neighborhood over 20 years ago one of the only constants is the shoe repair place in the Broadway Market. Everything else is gone.