A new restaurant called Ela is expected to open in Virginia-Highland in February of 2024.
The pan-Mediterranean restaurant comes from Fifth Group Restaurants, according to a press release. Ela is slated to open in the former El Taco space and will serve a mix of dishes with Greek, Moroccan, Israeli, and Turkish flavors.
The kitchen will be led by Executive Chef Darragh Dudley, an Irish chef whose previous experience includes working in the Michelin-starred New York City restaurants Restaurant Marc Forgione, Daniel and Dovetail. His first sous chef role was at abc kitchen.
“Ela’s menu takes a modern approach to Mediterranean cuisine. We’ve drawn inspiration from countries like Greece, Turkey, Morocco and Israel, and the cuisine is excitingly different from what most people have come to associate with Mediterranean food,” said Fifth Group Restaurants VP of Culinary Operations Mark Jeffers in an emailed statement. “At the same time, it’s anchored by those beloved ingredients, bold spices and pops of flavor, and we’re looking forward to officially rejoining the VA-Hi neighborhood and introducing it to the community that has supported us for so many years.”