Bar Spero, in Washington DC, nods to the playful nature of Spanish cuisine
Bar Spero is a Spanish seafood bar and grill designed by Streetsense and led by chef Johnny Spero

Capitol Crossing, a trendy area between Union Station and Chinatown in Washington DC, welcomes Bar Spero to its roster of effortlessly cool eateries. The new Spanish seafood restaurant emerges from the vision of the Maryland native chef and owner Johnny Spero, who tapped global design studio Streetsense to bring the project to life.
Bar Spero focuses on a spirited Spanish fare
By taking inspiration from the dynamic energy of the District’s downtown culture, Bar Spero encourages lively conversations in spirited interiors. The space exudes a minimal atmosphere through a simple palette of blonde woods, toffee leather and cotton velvet seating but also presents dramatic accents, such as 6,500 sq ft LED lights that soar to the heights of the 20-foot lofty ceilings in the shape of mountain ranges.
The lower bar adjacent to the kitchen creates the energetic vibe of a lively Basque dining bar, while the tables ringing the window line allow for a more relaxed experience. Angled chevron flooring by Havwoods expands the perception of space, and the use of European Honey Oak accentuates Bar Spero’s warm atmosphere and prepares guests’ palettes for the inviting flavours of the Mediterranean.
Chef Johnny Spero’s culinary style focuses on mid-Atlantic fare, with a seafood-forward spread that includes a plentiful raw bar selection. The restaurant relies on the raw power of its fire-fed grill to prepare everything from elegant Spanish turbot to meaty pork from the Shenandoah Valley. While the cocktail programme focuses on high-quality spirits that elevate classic recipes, guests can also choose from a tightly curated wine list, as well as regional beers on tap.
Bar Spero is located at 250 Massachusetts Ave NW Suite 155, Washington, DC
Sofia de la Cruz is the Travel Editor at Wallpaper*. A self-declared flâneuse, she feels most inspired when taking the role of a cultural observer – chronicling the essence of cities and remote corners through their nuances, rituals, and people. Her work lives at the intersection of art, design, and culture, often shaped by conversations with the photographers who capture these worlds through their lens.
-
Fender American Professional Classic models are the pinnacle of the guitar maker’s craft
We visit Fender’s California factory to see the latest American Professional Classic models take shape
-
Apple and Design Miami celebrate the new guard of creativity with the inaugural Designers of Tomorrow
Apple and Design Miami's Designers of Tomorrow make Paris debut with a cohort of four designers, including Atelier Duyi Han, Jolie Ngo, Marie & Alexandre, and Marco Campardo
-
Step inside Casa Moncler, the brand’s sustainable and highly creative Milanese HQ
Casa Moncler opens its doors in a masterfully reimagined Milanese industrial site, blending modern minimalism and heritage, courtesy of ACPV Architects Antonio Citterio Patricia Viel
-
The return of Genghis Cohen: LA’s cult Chinese diner lives on
The 1980s Chinese-American landmark returns with red booths, neon nostalgia, and a fresh dose of Hollywood eccentricity
-
A24 just opened a restaurant in New York, and it’s as cinematic as you’d expect
Hidden in the West Village, Wild Cherry pairs a moody, arthouse sensibility with a supper-style menu devised by the team behind Frenchette
-
Seven kitchens, one fire: inside LA’s hottest new food market
At Maydan Market, chef Rose Previte turns global street food and layered design into a vibrant, fire-lit experience
-
The Viceroy Hotel Group wants you to get on your bike
Across properties in Santa Monica, Chicago, Washington DC and the Algarve, Viceroy guests can experience curated cycling routes and community events
-
Big flavours and bold design define La Nena Cantina, Los Angeles's newest Mexican hotspot
From handmade tortillas to 40-ingredient mole, this new Sunset Boulevard restaurant takes Mexican cuisine seriously
-
Aperitivo time is this Los Angeles bar’s ‘ragione di vita’
Located in Echo Park, Bar Bacetti is a welcoming haunt celebrating the great Italian ‘art of snacking’
-
This boisterous cocktail bar in Denver was inspired by Le Corbusier
A 1950s furniture showroom has been reborn as a modernist social hub in the city’s Sunnyside neighbourhood. Its cocktails? Semiprecious
-
In Los Angeles, Darling doesn’t want to be your average dinner spot
Vinyl, live-fire cooking, and California’s finest ingredients come together in this immersive new concept from a celebrated Southern chef