A new wine bar with a menu inspired by Northern Italy and decor hearkening back to the golden age of air travel has opened in Crystal City.
With an on-site sommelier offering suggestions on wines from around the world, a bar modeled after a cross-section of an airplane wing and a listening room with a wide library of vinyl records, Altitude has opened its doors at 2011 Crystal Drive.
“You can have an experience at the bar that is simply just a glass of wine, a little bit of food, or you can have a full four-course, five-course meal,” Daniel Grajewski, Virginia director of operations at Episcope Hospitality, told ARLnow.
Altitude’s wine menu includes about 70 offerings by the bottle and 20 by the glass. They’re selected by head sommelier Sarah Gaines, “who guides guests through offerings ranging from cult classics to cellar-worthy vintages,” according to a press release.
The bar’s aesthetic seeks to honor the glamor of mid-century jet travel, with booths modeled after first-class cabins and a live map of flights all over the world.
Dining options lean heavily on Italian fare.
Pasta dishes include ricotta gnocchi with brown butter, sage and pine nuts, agnolotti with spiced artichoke and crispy kale, and pappardelle with braised rabbit and pecorino cheese. Mains feature seared branzino with shaved fennel and a roasted half chicken with Italian Calabrian glaze.
For dessert, diners can choose between tiramisu, panna cotta with strawberries or budino, a creamy Italian custard served with dark chocolate, smoked almonds and extra virgin olive oil.
“With Altitude, we wanted to create a concept that offers Northern Virginia a distinct experience, designed for lingering evenings and connection,” said Episcope Hospitality founder David Morton.
Altitude is located near one end of the planned pedestrian bridge connecting Crystal City and Reagan National Airport. It’s a sister establishment to Constellation, a “slow bar” serving coffee, loose-leaf tea and light breakfast and lunch items that opened last month on the ground floor of the same office building.
Altitude’s current hours are listed as Monday through Saturday from 4-9 p.m.
