dLeña, DC Modern Mexican
dLeña, DC Modern Mexican, designed by GTM Architects in collaboration with Peter Bowden of PETERMAX Co.
Opened in 2021, dLeña is an upscale modern Mexican restaurant in Washington, DC’s Mount Vernon Triangle neighborhood. Designed by GTM Architects in collaboration with Peter Bowden of PETERMAX Co., the project transforms an existing two-story shell into a custom restaurant with new interior walls, finishes, kitchens, mechanical systems, lighting, plumbing, entry canopies, awnings, and an exterior patio café.
The 6,636-square-foot project includes a 5,000-square-foot restaurant with seating for approximately 120 guests, an outdoor patio for approximately 80 people, and a private dining room. The design balances luxury and comfort through rustic warmth, worldly materials, leather banquettes, handcrafted tasseled chandeliers, and expansive dining areas.
Inspired by “leña,” the Spanish word for firewood, the interior uses varied wood accents throughout. Sawed tree-trunk rounds adorn the walls, rustic beams stretch above the wraparound bar, and dLeña Roja, the underground cocktail lounge, features a walnut-lined arched ceiling. The restaurant’s seating arrangement gives guests views toward the wood-burning grill and the food being prepared.
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