Open Road and Salt to Open Next Week

A new watering hole for Rosslyn office-dwellers and residents is planning to open next week.

Open Road and Salt will both open on Tuesday at 1201 Wilson Blvd in Central Place Plaza, according to owner Metropolitan Hospitality Group.

Open Road is an award-winning bar and grill that is expanding to a second location, from its original Merrifield spot. Salt is described as “a hidden and cozy cocktail bar featuring an array of classic and seasonal cocktails” — “an entirely new concept” from the company.

The decor at Open Road will be Americana “inspired by music and the great outdoors.”

“Reclaimed wood, an American flag mural, a suspended Harley Davidson Fatboy motorcycle, and paintings of Marilyn Monroe and Bruce Springsteen from local artist Jack Labadie adorn the space,” the company said in a press release.

Open Road will seat 16 at the bar, 66 in the dining room and 54 on a seasonal, outdoor patio, while Salt, on the bottom floor, will be a more intimate venue.

The head of the Rosslyn Business Improvement District said the new drinking and dining establishments will serve visitors as well as locals.

“Rosslyn has a population of foodies who have been craving cocktail bars like Salt and award-winning gathering places like Open Road,” said Mary-Claire Burick, president of Rosslyn BID. “We’ve been seeing an uptick in people staying in Rosslyn after work and visiting on the weekends, so now they’ll have even more opportunities to enjoy our neighborhood.”

The full press release is below, after the jump.

Metropolitan Hospitality Group (MHG) – a locally owned and operated restaurant group focused on providing exceptional seasonal fare, craft cocktails and hospitality – announces the opening of Salt, a new cocktail bar and restaurant in Rosslyn on Tuesday, December 17. Located in the Central Place Plaza Development, at 1201 Wilson Boulevard, Salt occupies the adjoining space with sister restaurant, Open Road, the RAMMY award winning bar and grill, which also opens on the same day.

Salt, an entirely new concept from the MHG family of restaurants, is a hidden and cozy cocktail bar featuring an array of classic and seasonal cocktails alongside zero-proof drinks. Paul Williams, Beverage Program Director, has created offerings like Silly Rabbit made with Roku gin, yellow Chartreuse, carrot-star anise juice, almond orgeat, ginger and fresh lemon, and Savor The Moment made with shiitake infused Toki Suntory whiskey, yellow Chartreuse, maple and Angostura bitters. Seasonal drinks are ever-changing such as Into The Woods with Maximo mezcal, Salers aperitif, Zirbenz pine liqueur, honey, and Angostura bitters, and classics like a Mai Tai and a barrel aged Maple Old Fashioned round out the menu.

Chef Mike Huff, Culinary Director at MHG, has created an elevated and approachable menu of shareable items to larger format plates, all perfect accompaniments to the cocktail-forward menu. Guests can expect a seafood-forward menu with classics from Oysters on the Half Shell and Classic Jumbo Shrimp Cocktail to more light-hearted offerings like Tinned Ortiz Seafood Selections with sesame crackers, butter, pickled mustard seeds and cornichons and Tuna Tartare Nachos with wonton chips, wasabi guacamole, pickled ginger cream, dried seaweed, diced raw tuna and tobiko. Larger plates include Scallops & Pork Belly featuring jumbo sea scallops, braised pork belly, sticky icky sauce, scallions and sesame, and the Wagyu Burger made with Mashima Reserve American Wagyu, roasted wild mushrooms, gruyere cheese, crispy onions and white truffle aioli.

Designed by Gensler, the two-level space is home to a new location of Open Road, an American restaurant inspired by music and the great outdoors located on the top floor. Reclaimed wood, an American flag mural, a suspended Harley Davidson Fatboy motorcycle, and paintings of Marilyn Monroe and Bruce Springsteen from local artist Jack Labadie adorn the space. The total space accommodates 16 seats at the bar and 66 in the dining room, and a 54-seat patio will open in the warmer months. Salt, located on the bottom floor, is a sleek and cozy space with comfortable ruby red booths, exposed brick, textured wallpaper, wood paneling and black polished concrete floors. An 8-seat bar is subtly lit, featuring brass lighting fixtures and a gorgeous granite bar.

“We’re so excited to bring two distinctly different, yet very exciting restaurants to the dynamic Rosslyn neighborhood,” said Matthew Carlin, President of MHG. “With Salt, we had a lot of fun playing with creative cocktails which push the boundaries with ingredients, and a food menu that’s classic with a touch of whimsy. Upstairs at Open Road, we’ve designed a space and menu that can accommodate full-service lunches and dinners, as well as grab and go online ordering for the busy offices in the area. Of course, Happy Hour will be a big focus for us and we’ll have 10 TV screens for all the games.”

“Rosslyn has a population of foodies who have been craving cocktail bars like Salt and award-winning gathering places like Open Road,” said Mary-Claire Burick, president of Rosslyn BID. “We’ve been seeing an uptick in people staying in Rosslyn after work and visiting on the weekends, so now they’ll have even more opportunities to enjoy our neighborhood.”

Operating hours for Salt will be Monday to Thursday from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. and Fridays and Saturdays from 4 p.m. to 1 a.m. Happy Hour is forthcoming. Open Road will open with lunch and dinner service and operating hours are Monday to Thursday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., Friday from 11:00 a.m. to 12 a.m., Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 12 a.m. and Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. Happy Hour will be available from Monday to Friday from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. and includes $5 draft beers, $7 house wines and $8 small plates. Brunch service will launch in the coming weeks.

Salt and Open Road Rosslyn are located at 1201 Wilson Boulevard in Rosslyn, Virginia. For more information, please visit www.saltrosslyn.com and www.openroadgrill.com or follow on social media at @saltrosslyn. Open Road can be found at @openroadgrill on Twitter and Instagram and @openroadrosslyn on Facebook.