Two immigrant brothers who could not return home, Michael and Tony Askarinam, turned instead to making a community space of their own. Nearly 40 years after debuting their casual, gay-friendly restaurant, the (straight) owners of Dupont Italian Kitchen are expanding, reinforcing their status as a center of gay life on 17th Street. By early fall, they plan to debut a casual Mexican restaurant, complete with a spacious patio, tons of tacos, and big margarita energy that will please outdoor diners and karaoke singers upstairs alike.

DIK Bar, as it is affectionately known, still serves fan-favorite lasagna and eggplant parmesan, though no longer for a cool $4.25 from its opening menu. Michael, who moved to the U.S. from Iran to study in 1974, graduated in 1980 – less than a year after the Iranian revolution. Part of a Jewish family, he felt unsafe going back to his homeland with the new regime, and has never returned. Instead, he and his brother, who also fled, opened a restaurant that still sits on the same corner as the day it opened. Though he is not Italian, Michael had plenty of relevant experience: He had worked in Italian restaurants during summers while studying, and another brother owned the now-closed restaurant Spaghetti Garden (where Pitchers stands today). The menu, he admits, pulled heavily from his family influence.

Opening on 17th Street in the mid-‘80s, the brothers knew the community vibe. Annie’s, just a block away, was already well known as an LGBTQ-friendly institution. At the time, he says, the street was a bit grittier — not the well-manicured lane it is today. Still, they decided to open a restaurant and Italian Kitchen was born. His brother at Spaghetti Garden suggested adding “Dupont” in front to help ground the location, and DIK came into being. “At the beginning I admit I was a little uncomfortable with the name, having young kids. But it grew on me,” he says. Leaning in, he’s embraced the name.

A few years later, the restaurant expanded vertically: taking over the apartments upstairs to turn it into a bar; a new chef came in who introduced DIK Bar’s popular brunch. But he and his brother never really relinquished the cozy space that he had envisioned. Each pushing 80 years old, they come in nearly daily: cooking, bartending, even washing dishes.

DIK has evolved, but only slightly. Eggplant and chicken parm, lasagna, pizza, pasta, and a $1 garden salad: the opening menu from the ‘80s reads like a genuine old-school Italian joint. Today, you will still find classic gems, though now they are nestled alongside Brussels sprouts and arugula salads.

As longtime patrons know, the restaurant is more than the sum of its pasta parts. “It’s an atmosphere where everybody is welcome. I got that from my mother,” he added, noting that she had experienced discrimination as part of the Jewish minority in Iran. Given this background, it was logical for them to build a space where “you have a place to be who you are and feel comfortable.”

In 2020, as the restaurant’s lease was expiring, he had the opportunity to buy the building, which included adjacent Argentine restaurant Malbec. “The landlord let us know that they felt we deserve to own the building after being here for so long,” says Michael.

It was a blessing; to him, it meant the sustainability of Dupont Italian Kitchen. Earlier this year, when Malbec’s lease expired, they decided against finding another tenant and instead they would make it their own. The two eateries already shared one storage basement, where the Malbec kitchen was located. Saving costs by sharing procurement, staff, and utilities (as well as liquor), they took the leap. “Plus, we can be our own great tenant,” he said with a smile.

The refurbishment thus far has included a new HVAC system and a new bar. The new restaurant allows them access to a more spacious kitchen that can cook up sizzling Mexican favorites with speed and in volume. Customers at upstairs DIK Bar have always requested more bar-style finger food, he says, and tacos are better suited to a drinking atmosphere than fettuccine alfredo or creamy Cajun sausage pasta. Mexican food is also well suited to the patio. He also has a family tie to Mexico: relatives own Johnny Pistolas in Adams Morgan. The rest of the menu is being developed, including shareable small plates and “Mexican pizza.” Drinks will feature tequila, mezcal, and margaritas; and there is a happy hour in the works. “I’m hoping this expansion can help cement our future,” he says.

The opening timeline is early fall.

Looking back on almost 40 years and looking forward with the expansion, he mused that the restaurant still maintains its authenticity and its central role in LGBTQ life in D.C. “I’m really proud of the fact that it caters to this community. We are an institution, we want to continue to be part of this place.”

As You Are, D.C.’s only LGBTQ location in Barracks Row, announced that it has completed necessary repairs and received sufficient funding to reopen on Aug. 1 at 12 p.m. The two-level community space, café, and bar temporarily closed on April 8, citing debt and structural issues in the building. 

Co-owners Rach (“Coach”) Pike and Jo McDaniel said that they “are thankful for the community’s support and for the opportunity for As You Are (also referred to as AYA) to continue to be a welcoming, inclusive space for the community to gather.” The duo announced the AYA reopening on Instagram with @queertalkdc, during which Pike and McDaniel stated, “we’re back, baby! We miss the hell out of y’all.”

Pike and McDaniel first opened the bar in March 2022, but AYA’s path has been littered with roadblocks even prior to this setback.

Pike and McDaniel overcame concerns from the local Advisory Neighborhood Commission 6B, which expressed concerns regarding noise, crowds, and trash. McDaniel and Pike, with the backing of the LGBTQ community, were forced to defend and change their model, allaying concerns over a series of ANC meetings through the fall and winter of 2021, before finally receiving ABRA approval to open. The two installed extra soundproofing and earlier closing times, and were then able to open. U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg and husband Chasten Buttigieg, who live in the area, were in attendance during AYA’s first night of service, and became regular customers.

This most recent shutdown came on the heels of a GoFundMe that the owners set up in February, seeking financial support to prevent it from closing. Their fans responded: the $150,000 goal was reached in a week. The GoFundMe stated that, “We have faced some particularly tall and costly hurdles that have set us back significantly since the beginning. As we are tapping every resource we can imagine with creativity and open minds we need urgent assistance.” After receiving the necessary funding, the owners posted that “With your support we were able to survive a very scary time and now we are on a mission to determine how to become sustainable in the best way for this community.” They also said that the queer community showed support on social media, attended pop-ups at Serenata and Last Call in Union Market, and virtually tipped staff while they were out of work.

McDaniel and Pike have expressed that AYA is more than a bar, but a gathering space. They show professional sports games, boast a café, host local social sports leagues, and have tea parties, among other inclusive events.

The fundraising mission eventually raised just under $175,000 and helped complete structural work, including new support posts.  

Pike said, “We’re so thrilled to feel the warmth of community again in our Capitol Hill location, and we want to thank everyone who has supported us over the past few months. From checking in, staying connected on social media, donating to our team, and attending our pop-up events across the city, we have really felt the love.” McDaniel added, “We have been honored to build an inclusive, vibrant space with everyone who has walked through our doors.” The two also note that they’re hoping to renegotiate their lease to place them on more sure financial footing.

To celebrate the reopening, As You Are is hosting a festive weekend featuring diverse events, including dance parties, karaoke, brunch, and other activations. The bar’s reopening comes alongside other local LGBTQ hospitality movements: recently closed AdMo restaurant Duplex Diner will be replaced by a new restaurant called Her Diner, run by (former) Duplex manager Kelly Laczo. No opening date has yet been set.

Reopening AYA Weekend Events Schedule

Thursday, August 1

12 p.m.: AYA officially reopens

7 p.m.: Karaoke upstairs 

Friday, August 2

12 p.m.: AYA opens for the day

10 p.m.-2 a.m.: Mother dance party – Rihanna, Chappell Roan, Beyoncé, & more

Saturday, August 3: 

12 p.m.: AYA opens for the day

10 p.m.-2 p.m.: Fishnets and Feelings – emo night dance party 

Sunday, August 4: 

12 p.m.: AYA opens for the day

7 p.m.: Karaoke upstairs