A Bipartisan Oasis in Washington: Ama Restaurant Offers a New Kind of Politics

In a city where partisanship has become increasingly divisive, one restaurant stands out as an exception: Ama, a casual Italian eatery located in the Navy Yard neighborhood of Washington, D.C. What sets Ama apart is its ability to attract a diverse crowd of politicians and officials from both sides of the aisle, all united by a shared commitment to healthy, sustainable food.

Key Takeaways:

• Ama, a restaurant in Washington, D.C., has become a bipartisan hotspot, attracting politicians and officials from both sides of the aisle who share a commitment to healthy, sustainable food.
• The restaurant's chef and co-owner, Johanna Hellrigl, has taken a unique approach to creating a detoxified environment by banning single-use plastics, using ozonated water as a disinfectant, and serving only organic and locally sourced ingredients.
• Ama's commitment to sustainability and healthy food options has resonated with politicians and officials, including House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Senator Cory Booker, and Surgeon General nominee Dr. Casey Means.
• The restaurant has become a popular destination for political meetings and gatherings, offering a space for individuals from different backgrounds and ideologies to come together and find common ground.
• Ama's success has also highlighted the challenges of running a restaurant in a highly politicized city, where even the choice of a lunch or dinner spot has become highly politicized.

Statistics:

• Ama has a $30,000 catalytic carbon filtration system to remove contaminants from the water used in cooking and cleaning.
• The restaurant serves only organic and locally sourced ingredients, including pasture-raised meats and regionally grown grains.
• Ama has banned single-use plastics and uses custom-designed stainless-steel food storage containers, beeswax wrap, and paper coffee cups that can biodegrade within 180 days.
• The restaurant has a private meeting room that has become a popular destination for political meetings and gatherings.

Sources:

• "New York Times"
• Scott Suchman for The New York Times
• Al Drago for The New York Times
• Eric Lee for The New York Times