BUZZ DAILY DC
GHOST KITCHENS
A kitchen trailer in Clarendon that popped up last summer in a vacant lot has since been joined by two others. And now they’re producing meals from more than a half-dozen “ghost kitchens” available on food delivery platforms such as DoorDash and Grubhub. Out of these kitchens come fried chicken sandwiches, asada fries and Asian street food, among other dishes. The three trailers between the Clarendon Whole Foods and the PNC Bank are owned by REEF Technology, a company focused on turning underutilized, urban parking lots into food and logistics hubs. The food service arm of Reef is called NBRHD Kitchens. (ArlNow)
SUCCOTASH
Succotash, celebrity chef Edward Lee’s luxe Southern restaurant in Penn Quarter, has reopened with a new name reflecting a steakhousestyle makeover that took place while it was temporarily closed for over a year. Now known as Succotash Prime, the restaurant introduces a revamped menu listing smoked steaks with a range of sauces and a la carte sides that maintain the Kentuckian and Korean influences Lee imbued into the original. (DC Eater)
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JOHN ERIC HOME
AMAZON
Amazon has plans in the works to open large brick-and-mortar stores the size of small department stores to sell clothing, household items and electronics. The stores, which are expected to be approximately 30,000 square feet and will likely prominently feature Amazon’s private-label goods like electronic devices so customers can have a hands-on experience with them, those familiar with the plan said. In Greater Washington, Amazon has two Amazon Books stores in Bethesda and Georgetown and one 4-star in Bethesda. It has also opened two Amazon Fresh stores open and has a handful of other grocery or convenience stores in the works locally. Click here for an accounting of the company’s D.C. area holdings. (WBJ)
INTERNATIONAL PIZZA CHALLENGE
A New York-style pizza won the top prize at the International Pizza Challenge on Wednesday—but the pie didn’t come from a Manhattan slice joint. Andy’s Pizza owner Andy Brown is behind the winning pizza, impressing judges with a cheese pie on the menu at his DC and McLean pizzerias. The 14-year-old pizza competition splits contenders into three categories: traditional, non-traditional, and pan. Brown clinched the top spot in the traditional category, also prevailing as the champion of the Northeast region. Connoisseurs scored the pie on a variety of taste metrics, including crust, sauce, cheese, toppings, and overall taste. Brown’s prevailing pizza? Foldable slices of shredded cheese and red sauce layered on dough that ferments for 72 hours. The win garnered the pizzaioli a pie-shaped trophy and a $7,500 check. (Washingtonian)
