On a beautiful, sunny day, when the sudden craving for a pleasant brunch or a hearty cup of coffee arises, residents in the Cleveland Park area can always count on Open City.

Owner and restaurateur Constantine Stavropoulos is a proud member of the local community. Working in the food industry his whole life, ranging from bartender to server to cook, Stavropoulos has accumulated a wealth of expertise in the industry.

While he was born and raised in Philadelphia, Stavropoulos remains in touch with his Greek roots, giving him an international perspective which is important for leading a successful business within the diverse neighborhood of Cleveland Park.

                

Opening his first restaurant in 2005, Stavropoulos noticed the dearth of eateries in the area that specifically cater to the locals of Cleveland Park, Woodley Park, and Adams Morgan.

“All the restaurants at the time [2005] were catering to tourists,” Stavropoulos said. “Our main focus is the people of the neighborhood.”

His restaurant aims to create a welcoming atmosphere in which people from all walks of life can congregate and socialize. Stavropoulos believes Open City does a great job sparking these unconventional social dynamics that enrich the community.

“At the restaurant, we are able to mix tourists with locals, young with old, students, construction workers, all sorts of people coming together,” he said.

Considering that D.C. has such an international population and receives millions of tourists annually, Stavropoulos understands the importance of embracing cultural diversity and ensuring a hospitable environment for all. This ideology is the primary driving force behind the unique nature of his restaurants.

“We managed to make it so that even tourists feel that they are welcomed,” Stavropoulos said. He went on to mention that some visiting individuals even contacted him, showing their appreciation for his establishment. 

“We received emails from people who were visiting from Michigan, France, or New Mexico, saying that they felt at home,” he said. 

Stavropoulos noticed that the neighborhood lacked a niche, relaxed cafe, offering only quick-stop coffee shops and fast food restaurants. 

Residents living in this pleasant neighborhood “wanted a place more than just in-and-out, a place where you can actually hang out and connect with people,” he said. 

The warm inside of Open City, filled with a diverse group of customers. (Derin Kirtman/Stroll Magazine)

In terms of Open City’s gastronomical concept, they specialize in everyday comfort food with a large menu and countless options to choose from, “and of course, the best coffee,” Stavropoulos said. 

Stavropoulos emphasizes how Open City consistently tries to stay economically accessible for people to visit daily, even with recent price surges due to inflation. 

“Our prices have not changed since 2018, even with inflation, so we have kept our prices reasonable so people can come every day,” he said. 

Further demonstrating Stavropoulos’s commitment to the community, he has partnered with local schools such as Oyster Adams Elementary School and other businesses. 

As a successful entrepreneur and restaurant owner in the Cleveland Park area, Stavropoulos shared some words of advice for individuals looking to follow in his footsteps. 

“Learn about the local regulations, put together a very good business plan, how you want to get it financed, and make sure to have experience and passion in that business,” he said.

Over the years, Open City and Stavropoulos’s other restaurants have had an incredible impact on the vibrance of these neighborhoods' culinary scene. His focus on establishing genuine relationships is key to his establishments’ successes and makes them one-of-a-kind.  

“It looks like any other restaurant,” Stavropoulos said. “But our unique concept is our mission statement which is to build meaningful connections, one animal cracker at a time.”

By Andrea Brudniak-Berrocal and Derin Kirtman 

Visit Open City at the locations listed below, or visit its website at: https://www.opencitydc.com/

2331 Calvert Street NW,  Washington, DC 20008