District diners seeking “Naturally Fast Food” will soon have a second restaurant to get their LEON fix in D.C. Taking yet another step in their U.S. journey, LEON has signed a lease for a second location at 655 New York Avenue, with the new restaurant opening in late spring 2019.
“Since our successful opening of LEON on L Street earlier this year, we have been searching for our next great location in D.C. and are thrilled to have found it in Mount Vernon Triangle,” says Glenn Edwards, Managing Director of LEON. “We’re excited to expose the beauty of the original building as a second major milestone in bringing the future of fast food to D.C.”
LEON continues making it easy for people to eat well and live well, swiftly meeting the demand for more nutritious, quick, affordable and sustainable options. Based on the proven health benefits of the Mediterranean diet, LEON uses rich, flavorful ingredients as well as fresh herbs and spices when preparing their dishes, many of which are vegan and gluten-free.
LEON’s menu includes dishes such as the Smoked Salmon & Avocado Egg Pot and Sausage & Bacon Muffin for breakfast. Customers can enjoy the $5.50 Breakfast Meal Deal when they pair their breakfast dish with a regular coffee. The daytime/evening menu features favorites like the Moroccan Meatballs Hot Box, Truffled Portobello & Halloumi Sandwich and Lebanese Mezze Salad. All-day menu items range from $4.95 to $9.95 with breakfast being served until 11am and lunch/dinner served from 11am onwards.
LEON is also dedicated to being ahead of the curve in terms of sustainability. As with their London restaurants and L Street location, this one also will be powered by sustainable energy (100% wind power). LEON has also proactively removed plastic straws and cutlery, and all packaging is compostable or recyclable.
The New York Avenue space was originally constructed in 1874 for the George M. Barker Company, a lumber, coal and wood distribution warehouse and remained as such for most of its existence until it became a hot spot for apple martinis and fuzzy navels for a brief foray. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984. LEON will occupy part of the newly redeveloped 768,000 square foot building by Douglas Development in a joint venture with Brookfield Properties, across from the new Apple flagship store, which will provide consumers with a coveted shopping and eating destination.
Echoing many customer sentiments, Amanda Carroll of The Gluten & Dairy-Free Review said, “I can’t wait to see where LEON goes next. Hopefully everywhere.”
D.C. represents the fifth international city for the U.K.-based restaurant concept. LEON has grown to 61 restaurants since 2004 with locations in Oslo, Amsterdam, Utrecht and Gran Canaria, and has plans to grow in other cities across Europe and the U.S.
LEON was founded in 2004 with the mission to ‘make it easier for everyone to eat and live well.’ The company has 61 locations in the U.K., Norway, and the Netherlands. LEON is led by co-founder and CEO John Vincent and is backed by two principal investors including Brazil-based GP Investments, a leading global private equity fund, and London-based, Active Private Equity. In 2017, GP Investments’ subsidiary, Spice Private Equity invested in LEON to fund its growth in Europe and the US.
