Surprise’s first DC location on the 14th Avenue hall. {Photograph} by Fashionable Angles courtesy Surprise.
Surprise. 1925 14th St., NW.
Serial entrepreneur Marc Lore co-founded diapers.com and e-commerce web site jet.com (the latter was acquired by Walmart in 2016 for $3.3 billion). However in recent times, the billionaire has been taking over the world of restaurant takeout along with his tech startup Surprise, a meals corridor of kinds that brings collectively dishes from a protracted listing of superstar cooks and different eating places below one roof. The corporate, which has greater than 50 areas throughout New York and the Northeast, opens its first DC outpost as we speak on the 14th Avenue hall, with seven extra areas coming to the realm this yr.
“Whenever you’re making choices about supply or the place to eat, you’re type of negotiating with your loved ones or your pals to say, ‘OK, what do you need to eat? I type of don’t need that, however I do. So any person loses in that often,” says Jason Rusk, Surprise’s EVP of Restaurant Operations. “For us, there aren’t any losers as a result of there’s a lot selection.”
The preliminary lineup consists of 21 completely different restaurant ideas below one roof, together with Streetbird by Marcus Samuelsson for fried hen, Walnut Lane by Jonathan Waxman for “rustic California delicacies,” and Bobby Flay Steak. You’ll additionally discover pizza, burgers, salads, wings, barbecue, poke, Thai, Chinese language, Magnolia Bakery desserts, and extra.
And that’s simply the beginning. Rusk says they plan to proceed so as to add eating places. Some Surprise areas in New York have greater than 30 completely different manufacturers below one roof. DC’s personal Center Jap hotspot Maydan is among the many eating places that companions with Surprise, although it received’t be supplied on the first DC retailer as a result of the restaurant itself is in shut proximity.
In some instances, Surprise companions with superstar cooks like Bobby Flay or José Andrés (who’s additionally on Surprise’s board of administrators) to create menu gadgets. In others, they purchase the rights to serve sure eating places’ dishes, like Texas-based Tejas Barbecue. Surprise additionally has in-house cooks who curate a number of the fast-casual ideas. Rusk says that elements stream via a central commissary, however the cooking occurs at every web site, sometimes 2,500 to three,500 sq. ft. Altogether, Rusk says they will produce effectively over 500 menu gadgets, although lots of these are simply slight variations of the identical factor.
Surprise acquired GrubHub earlier this yr for $650 million, and so it does its personal supply—with no supply charges and a promise to get you your meals in lower than half-hour. Rusk says that integrating that supply expertise permits them to offer extra correct supply occasions, as a result of they will see how busy the kitchen is and what number of drivers are on the highway. “That’s one thing no different restaurant firm has,” he says.
You may as well order from particular person ideas inside Surprise on different main supply platforms like DoorDash and Uber Eats. However if you wish to combine and match your order, it’s important to do it via Surprise. The “meals halls” may even have restricted indoor and patio seating. The 14th Avenue location will host a kick-off celebration as we speak, July 10, from 4:30 to 7 PM with reside music, samples of its meals, giveaways, and extra.
Surprise plans to just about double its footprint with a complete of 90 areas by the tip of this yr. Surprise’s subsequent DC-area location is ready to open in Rosslyn (1771 N. Pierce St., Arlington) on July 24 with areas to comply with in West Finish, School Park, Cleveland Park, Reston, Franconia, and Navy Yard.
“If I have a look at our progress plan, that may simply be the beginning of it,” Rusk says. “I might see us having full protection of DC, Northern Virginia, and Baltimore quickly. Very quickly.”
Meals Editor
Jessica Sidman covers the folks and traits behind D.C.’s food and drinks scene. Earlier than becoming a member of Washingtonian in July 2016, she was Meals Editor and Younger & Hungry columnist at Washington Metropolis Paper. She is a Colorado native and College of Pennsylvania grad.
