Imbibe 75 Place to Watch: Death & Co D.C.

Think of it as rebirth rather than death. This past summer, the Death & Co empire opened their first D.C. location in the former home of local cocktail institution the Columbia Room, originally helmed by beloved industry figure Derek Brown. “We knew that no matter where we went in D.C. that we’d be living in Derek’s very long shadow,” says Death & Co founder David Kaplan, noting their aim to preserve the spirit of the bar.

Implementing their signature catalog of elevated-yet-playful cocktails like the Hot Sauce Committee (tequila, raspberry brandy, Campari, hot sauce), Death & Co also reimagined the space to create a new expression of the bar’s aesthetic while honoring the nostalgic elements of the Columbia Room, including its signature mosaic.

“It represents an important piece of cocktail bar history in D.C.,” says co-owner Alex Day. “We wanted to celebrate that as we take the physical space into its next chapter.”

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