Chef Marcus Samuelsson Opens Rooftop Bar Sly in NoMa

April 18, 2025

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Eating returns to NoMa’s two-year-old Morrow Lodge this spring, beginning with a scorching new rooftop bar known as Sly. Again in January, award-winning NYC chef Marcus Samuelsson assumed all meals and beverage operations on the 203-room Hilton by Curio Assortment property close to the Union Market district, and Sly marks his world restaurant group’s first-ever opening within the nation’s capital.

Sly’s colourful cocktails embrace the Metropolis Royale, the Electrical Sly, and Cool Congo (within the again).

Kimberly Kong/Sly

The sprawling rooftop bar seats 114 inside and 179 exterior, the place clients can absorb prime views of the NoMa neighborhood and U.S. Capitol within the distance (222 M Avenue NE). The “L” in Sly’s brand reimagines the long-lasting water tower in NoMa, which can also be seen from the rooftop. Sly is the primary of three thrilling new venues that Samuelsson will debut within the lodge by summer time.

The primary eating attraction on the Morrow can be Marcus DC, a seafood-focused, full-service brasserie positioned proper off the foyer. The lodge’s anchor restaurant replaces Le Clou, D.C. chef Nick Stefanelli’s bold French vacation spot for frog legs and frisee salads that quietly fizzled out final fall. Stefanelli beforehand led the menu on the rooftop, too.

A chef smiling — Chef Marcus Samuelsson simply made a splash within the nation’s capital.

Sly, which opened on Wednesday, April 16, for all-day service, showcases dishes like crispy crab muffins with kohlrabi apple slaw; yellowfin tuna tostadas; uncooked East Coast oysters fired up with black cherry piri piri; and a hen sandwich slathered with D.C.’s beloved mumbo sauce. Different mains embrace miso-spiced cauliflower steak and steak frites jazzed up with berbere spices. Sides for the desk embrace truffle fries, grilled asparagus with a chile crunch, and mac and cheese made with white cheddar.

Sly’s cocktails embrace the Electrical Sly (tequila, mezcal, chile, lime, honey, ardour fruit, hearth tincture); Crimson Line Treatment (rum, raspberry, sage, peach, lime); Metropolis Royale (bourbon, amaretto, Campari, lemon); and M Avenue (pineapple, honey, lime, mint, berbere spice).

Sly is Samuelsson’s first venture in D.C. correct, however he’s been within the space earlier than. The Ethiopian-born, Swedish-raised chef made a short-lived DMV debut inside MGM Nationwide Harbor again in 2016, christening the Maryland on line casino alongside different notable names like José Andrés. (Marcus Nationwide Harbor served fried hen, mac and cheese, and native seafood over its year-long lifespan.)

Govt chef Anthony Jones, a part of the opening staff at Samuelsson’s Miami outpost of Crimson Rooster in 2020, reunites with the restaurateur on the Morrow. The Maryland native and Meals Community Chopped champ most lately led the kitchen at Penn Quarter’s Soiled Behavior.

A bright salad in a bowl — Farmer’s salad (tomato French dressing, stracciatella, sunflower seeds, candied gooseberries).

Sly friends can begin the day with drip espresso and a facet of scenic views. Sly is open every day from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., Sunday to Thursday, and till midnight on Friday and Saturday. Completely happy hour runs weekdays from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. on the black marbled bar.

The third piece of the puzzle at Morrow can be an Eleventh-floor cocktail lounge and personal occasions area — which by no means got here to life below Stefanelli’s watch — that’s additionally set to open by summer time.