photo by Scott Suchman
From Primrose (3000 12th Street, NE):
“Nestled in the charming neighborhood of Brookland sits Primrose– a French-Euro bistro wine bar focused on providing guests with an engaging dining experience backed by intentionality. Primrose was opened in 2017 by seasoned restaurateur and sommelier, Sebastian Zutant alongside his business partner and interior designer, Lauren Winter under the belief that food raised holistically and prepared with simplicity evokes immense joy. With sustainably sourced ingredients at the forefront of their culinary program, Primrose works in collaboration with local purveyors to curate a seasonal, rotating menu of high-quality, French-inspired dishes. Well-regarded for its eclectic yet elegant beverage program, Primrose also specializes in providing clean, low-intervention wines alongside seasonally inspired and expertly crafted cocktails.
photo by Scott Suchman
WHAT’S NEW
Primrose is debuting a refreshed and refined concept this Spring adding intentional changes to their culinary offerings, a new head chef, service, and design. New interior design elements including a newly renovated bar and outdoor Solarium create a lush and decadent atmosphere to enjoy a completely refocused menu of dishes that emit the countryside of France by way of Paris. The dinner menu and new bar-exclusive menu highlight small and medium-sized plates to pair with selections from the eclectic low-intervention wine program or new craft cocktail list. Primrose is also proud to bring on a new Executive Chef, Whitney Caceres (former Chef de Cuisine at Michelin starred Rose’s Luxury for 8 years). The minds behind Primrose welcome their dear friends, neighbors, and newcomers alike to enjoy a casually elegant approach to dining for dinner on weekdays and Saturday brunch.
photo by Scott Suchman
ABOUT THE MENU
The Primrose team has implemented a renewed focus on culinary offerings with one foot in France while sourcing from local purveyors and leveraging the robust offerings of the mid-Atlantic region. The seasonal menus are completely new, highlighting only the freshest in-season produce while aiming to create more of a collective dining experience that brings people together over shared, small-to-medium-sized plates.
Dinner Menu: New dinner menu highlights include Leige Salad, Salt Cod Antilles, Fluke with Sauce Grenoblaise, Scallops, Steak au Poivre, and the Poulet Roti.
Happy Hour Menu: From 5-7pm at the bar, guests can enjoy $6 draft beers, $10 wines and cocktails, and a $15 bar-exclusive burger or Liege Salad.
Bar Dinner Menu: A new bar-exclusive menu features dishes from the main menu with the addition of the Burger crafted with Coulter Farms Gruyere, griddled onion, and Dijonaise.
Brunch Menu: The new brunch menu is offered on Saturdays and features dishes like Petit Déjeuner, Croque Monsieur, Pâtisserie, and Mushroom Tartine.
photo by Scott Suchman
ABOUT THE BEVERAGE PROGRAM
Continuing to evolve, Primrose’s beverage program ranges from an eclectic collection of sustainable, low-intervention wines handpicked by founder and sommelier, Sebastian Zutant, to a rotating cocktail list boasting the freshest seasonal flavors. The skilled cocktail directors believe that a great cocktail brings a balance of unique flavor profiles and use the cocktail program as a major creative outlet in which seasonal, farm-fresh ingredients come together. Also new to Primrose’s beverage offering is a focus on French Brandy, as well as an exclusive reserve list that will include hard-to-find “unicorn wines” for those looking to splurge with picks like the extremely rare Verticle of Clos Rougeard Breze (Chenin Blanc), Ulysse Collin Blancs de Noir ‘Les Maillons’, and Jean Francoise Ganevat, ‘Plain Sud,’ Trousseau, 2018. Immersive guest experiences are also new to the program, including cocktail classes and more.
DESIGN
Designer: Lauren Winter with EditLab
Design details:
As a cohesive mission among the leadership team, Primrose has transformed its interior space from a whimsical Parisian feel to a more moody atmosphere taut with elegant sophistication. Spring 2024 design renovations include a facelifted bar, a new enclosed “solarium”, and a streamlined open-concept kitchen. The open-concept kitchen is intended to reinforce the idea of engaging guests and welcoming all into the dining experience at Primrose, with the addition of the kitchen window now displaying ornate decor including their fresh selection of seasonal veggies that are undergoing the pickling process and housemade marmalades. Despite recent renovations, the restaurant still maintains its homage to classic French design with elements like bodacious ostrich feather chandeliers, a zinc bar, and floor-to-ceiling graphic wall coverings.
HOURS OF OPERATION
Sunday: Closed
Monday: Closed
Tuesday – Thursday: 5:00PM – 8:30PM
Friday – Saturday: 5:00PM – 9:00PM
Saturday: Brunch 11:00AM – 2:00PM
MENUS
Dinner
Wine + Cocktail
Brunch“