The booming National Landing neighborhood near Amazon’s headquarters is gearing up to welcome a pair of exciting new dining destinations this spring. Altitude is a wine bar, Italian-leaning restaurant, and vinyl listening lounge — a genre having a moment around D.C. — and its casual counterpart, Constellation, is an all-day cafe with pastries, single-origin roasts from D.C.’s Small Planes Coffee, craft beers, and a market selling local goods and snacks for the home or office. Constellation opens on Wednesday, May 20, and Altitude is scheduled to arrive in June. They both come from the fast-growing Episcope Hospitality group.
The Altitude and Constellation— was created with the “golden age of travel and exploration” in mind — a play off its proximity to Reagan National Airport. The two-level project (2011 Crystal Drive, Arlington, Virginia) sits right next to an incoming pedestrian bridge connecting Crystal City to DCA and the planned Virginia Railway Express/Amtrak rail station. A 330-room hotel is also underway.
The stunning design draws inspiration from an airplane wing cross-section. A striking digital display of a real-time flight tracker oversees the midcentury-chic lounge area outfitted with brown leather sofas. “The planes are mesmerizing to watch,” says Episcope’s CEO David Morton. Aisle lighting reminiscent of the cabin in a retro Pan Am airline line Altitude’s banquettes.
“I dare say, of our 20-plus restaurants across the country, Altitude might be one of the most beautiful rooms that we’ve ever been a part of,” Morton tells Eater, of the project two years in the making.
In NYC, Episcope recently added the Landing restaurant and bar and upper-level lounge, the Perch, to the shiny new mixed-use Penn project attached to Penn Station. Tenants that work within the 10 million square feet of the Penn District can enjoy two bars, an electric kitchen, a Mediterranean menu, and an acre of outdoor space. In Chicago, it added similar social hubs to the revitalized Mart complex in River North.
Episcope has roots in National Landing already, having worked on the 2023 opening of all-outdoor food hall Water Park, which includes Water Bar and Crush Pizza. Altitude and Constellation are the first concepts Episcope has developed from scratch in over a decade. Episcope is also behind Daydrift, a nearly year-old coffee shop-bookstore located a few blocks away. “As an ‘old parent,’ Daydrift is like if one of your kids is sent to Berkeley. And Constellation is a little bit more NYU,” he says. Constellation starts the day with French toast, egg scrambles, smoked salmon on a locally made bagel,
and breakfast burrito with house-made chorizo.
Of Altitude, Morton says, “You’re welcome to grab an album and put it in the queue, everything from British invasion to contemporary jazz.” Look for themed nights dedicated to Elvis music lovers, for instance.
Leading the kitchen for both locations are two alums from Michelin-starred Pineapple & Pearls, and its beverage director hails from the membership-only Ned’s Club across from the White House.
Crudo and house-made focaccia are a focus, along with whipped ricotta and heirloom tomato puree dips, cheese, and salami. Mains include all sorts of freshly made pastas, gnocchi, grilled branzino, and roasted half chicken.
Around 30 wine options by the glass and 70 by the bottle join a list of cocktails like “Autodromo,” a spritz paying homage to Emilia-Romagna’s Formula 1 site, and a classic New York sour with an Italian twist.
The Arlington area’s marquee tenant, Amazon, recently announced plans to cut 14,000 corporate jobs, but those based at HQ2 will mostly be spared, per ARLnow. The nationwide hospitality management company was founded by Morton in 2009 as DMK Restaurants and rebranded to Episcope in 2024. It focuses on up-and-coming urban hubs rooted in fresh hotels, residential, and office developments.
The area around Amazon has continued to experience an influx of new dining options as of late, including arrivals from the Peruvian Brothers, Bar Chinois, NiHao, and Flight Wine Shop, as well as the opening of North America’s largest AC Hotel. Duke’s Grocery will soon add a new burger stall at Water Park – its first foray into Virginia.
