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
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
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.
-
Out of office: what the Wallpaper* editors have been up to this week
This week, the Wallpaper* staff kept it local in London for a week of inaugurations: new members’ clubs, furniture collections, car models and studio albums
-
Google I/O 2025 melded light-touch UI interactions with an enhanced AI-driven core
We take stock of Google’s new AI offerings. Under a new Material 3 Expressive aesthetic that softens and smooths, AI arrives to take stock of you, your choices, desires, innermost thoughts and exactly what it is you want for dinner
-
Gorillaz mark 25 years with an immersive new exhibition
Step into ‘House of Kong’, the virtual band’s exhibition coming to London’s Copper Box in August 2025 – watch the trailer and buy tickets
-
You can now stay at this iconic modernist house in Palm Desert
The Desert Wave, a modernist revival project by Stayner Architects, with interiors by Design Within Reach and Paul Smith, is available to book
-
Find bubbly, chewy, perfectly crusted pizza at Cosetta, LA’s new Westside Italian gem
Located in a slightly industrial area by the Santa Monica airport, Cosetta, from pizza maestro Zach Pollack, champions the local Italian dining scene with tradition and innovation
-
Ghanaian cuisine has a story to tell at Washington, DC restaurant Elmina
The new restaurant is chef Eric Adjepong’s colourful ode to the recipes he grew up loving
-
Fancy a matcha-beer cocktail? Visit this dashing new LA restaurant
Café 2001 channels the spirit of an American diner with the flow of a European bistro and the artistry of Japanese cuisine
-
Visit this Michelin-star New York restaurant that doubles as an art gallery
Artist Mr.StarCity is exhibiting his emotionally charged yet optimistic ‘Bloomers’ portrait series at Frevo, a Greenwich Village hidden haunt
-
With glowing honeycomb-shaped booths, this futuristic Japanese restaurant is ramen heaven
After a successful U.S. expansion, Kyuramen touches down in Los Angeles.
-
Tour the best contemporary tea houses around the world
Celebrate the world’s most unique tea houses, from Melbourne to Stockholm, with a new book by Wallpaper’s Léa Teuscher
-
Seven things not to miss on your sunny escape to Palm Springs
It’s a prime time for Angelenos, and others, to head out to Palm Springs; here’s where to have fun on your getaway