Cafe Atlantico closing; new restaurant from Jose Andres

Cafe Atlantico is going on hiatus, the Washington Post reports.  The restaurant will be closing on June 12th to make room for a pop-up restaurant, also by Jose Andres, that will coincide with an exhibit at the National Archives.

The National Archives has a new exhibit coming called: What's Cooking, Uncle Sam?  The Government's Efffect on the American Diet."

In conjunction with that, Jose Andres will be opening a new restaurant called America Eats Tavern.

The menu at America Eats will feature iconic U.S. dishes (quite different from Cafe Atlantico).

The new restaurant will open on July 4th.  Downstairs it will feature lobster rolls, hot dogs, and cheesteak; however, upstairs the atmosphere will be more formal, with things such as shrimp and grapefruit cocktail, Brunswick stew, and maple syrup drizzled over pulverized ice.

A portion of the profits from this new restaurant will benefit the Foundation for the National Archives.

Throughout this whole transition (except for three weeks when they  literally transform the restaurant), Minibar will remain open.  After the exhibit, Minibar will likely expand to 18 seats on mutiple floors.  No word on when Cafe Atlantico will return, but Andres says a refreshed Cafe Atlantico will eventually open, though not necessarily in the same space.
You can read more about it from the press release, available here.