As first reported extensively last month by WCP’s Laura Hayes, The Eastern, a new wine bar from the owners of Barrel, is coming to the new 700 Penn building in Eastern Market. It will be located along 7th St. SE across from Pitango. At last night’s ANC 6B ABC meeting, owners Mike Schuster and Matt Weiss laid out a few additional plans about the new concept:

• Hopes to open this May/June
• Despite not having a hood for much stovetop cooking/grilling, will serve enough food for folks to have dinner (small plates, charcuterie, possibly house-made pasta;
• Plan on serving weekend brunch starting around 10:30a (tentative);
• There will be around 50 seats interior, 30 seats outside;
• Slightly larger than Truxton Inn (owned by Weiss);
• 30-50 wines available by glass
• Full bar available.

Weiss explained that Stanton-Eastbanc, the building developers wanted a wine bar for the space and they were able to make a deal.

During the meeting, the committee (partial disclosure: I’m a member) voted to support the application for a tavern license with full interior hours authorized and somewhat long patio hours considering fact there are no residents directly above or across street. Expect the full ANC to support application next week with liquor license approved shortly thereafter.