10-05-2025
Award winning restaurant brings Scottish seafood heritage to US with new eatery
The restaurant which earned Michelin gongs after opening in 2023 has opened a new branch in Washington DC
A celebrated Scottish seafood restaurant has crossed the Atlantic, opening a branch in Washington DC. Fish Shop, which launched in Ballater, Aberdeenshire, in May 2023, officially opened its doors in the US capital on Tuesday, April 29.
The seafood restaurant, the latest venture by international hospitality group Artfarm, quickly became a local sensation after opening in Ballater. It earned a Michelin Bib Gourmand, the first-ever Michelin Service Award, and a place on Condé Nast Traveller's list of the Best New Restaurants in the World.
Now welcoming guests to The Wharf, the historic waterfront district that houses the oldest open-air fish market in North America, Fish Shop brings its distinctive mix of sustainable seafood, craftsmanship and art to the US capital. The new restaurant offers a modern, informal setting with space for 180 guests, including three private dining rooms available to hire.
Deeply rooted in sustainability, every detail of the restaurant has been carefully considered, from its packaging and furniture to the fit-out and retail design, to reflect a low-waste philosophy.
The menu is driven by the seasons, using seafood from the Mid-Atlantic region caught by a network of small-scale boats employing responsible methods such as pound nets, rod and line, and bow and arrow.
Farm-raised molluscs and potted crustacea also feature, along with locally grown meat and vegetables sourced from regional farmers and purveyors.
Signature dishes from the original Scottish location, including the famed crab crumpets, will appear on the menu when in season.
Diners can also expect innovative new creations such as Tall Timbers rocks served with 'nduja brown butter, smoked trout crumpets from the Smoke in Chimneys dish, kombu-cured fluke with blood orange, urfa chilli and crispy kale, and steamed clams paired with homemade sausage and chickpea ragu.
Other standout items include grilled striped bass with cauliflower, gnocchi and English peas, Woodson's Mill grits with ramp butter, 75 per cent Potomac chocolate ice cream drizzled with Californian olive oil and sea salt, and a Virginia candied peanut tiramisu.
The restaurant features an open kitchen and a dedicated fish preparation room where whole fish are handled in-house to minimise waste and allow chefs to cure, dry and age seafood on site.
Wine lovers will find a list that celebrates low-intervention wines crafted in harmony with their terroir. It includes bottles from Glen Manor Vineyards in the Blue Ridge Mountains and Lightwell Survey in the Shenandoah Valley.
The cocktail menu is inspired by Fish Shop's Scottish heritage, with drinks like the Hardy Negroni, a twist on the original that swaps samphire for the Hardy ice plant, a succulent invasive to the area. Local breweries including Other Half and Soul Mega provide beer and cider.
Fish Shop's commitment to creativity is evident in every corner of the space. A 200-piece fish shoal sculpture, suspended above the bar and woven from native wisteria and willow, was created by North Carolina artist Angela Eastman and Aberdeenshire-based Helen Jackson.
Bar lamps by Washington DC eco-artist Erwin Timmers are made from recycled glass, including whisky bottles, while ceramic bowls and jugs were hand-thrown by Richmond ceramicist Emily Wicks.
Tables fashioned from recycled yoghurt pots, seaweed pendant lamps, and rugs woven from reclaimed plastics and fishing nets all feature.
In the private dining rooms, table tops are made from 200-year-old reclaimed timber salvaged from a building on Troutman Street in New York, with legs repurposed from decommissioned ships.
Throughout the space, guests will spot items salvaged from old fishing boats, enhancing the maritime feel.
Paying homage to its Scottish heritage, Fish Shop also features a custom-designed tartan from Araminta Campbell, inspired by the colours of traditional fishing net twine and woven into the chairs and walls.
Art plays a central role in the restaurant's identity. Nine large 'pompoms' by acclaimed British artist Phyllida Barlow are suspended above the dining area.
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Guests will also find vintage Mac Fisheries posters by Hans Schleger, known as Zero, hanging in the Boat Room. In Ballater Room East, a new oil-on-linen piece titled Shoal Study I (2024) by Canadian artist Ambera Wellmann is proudly displayed.
The restaurant's interiors were designed by Russell Sage Studio, the creative team behind the original Fish Shop in Ballater and the award-winning Fife Arms Hotel in Braemar.
Their latest project follows the opening of Manuela in New York, and once again showcases their signature approach to thoughtful, eco-conscious design. All lighting and textiles used in Fish Shop, including leather, are vintage, recycled or made from off-cuts.
