If you’ve ever watched Carla Hall light up a television screen, you already know what she brings to the room: warmth, authority and an infectious love of good Southern food. Now, that same spirit has found a permanent home in bumblebirds, her new Washington, D.C. restaurant venture. The celebrity chef, bestselling author and beloved television personality Carla Hall is partnering with Washington, D.C.-based Sunnyside Restaurant Group, the family-run restaurant company—led by Spike, Catherine, Harvey and Micheline Mendelsohn—behind concepts such as Good Stuff Eatery and We, The Pizza.
To understand bumblebirds, it helps to know where Hall has been. She grew up in Nashville, raised in part by a grandmother whose cooking left a permanent mark on her palate and her purpose. After studying at L’Academie de Cuisine in Maryland, she built a career that took her from catering to the national stage. Audiences came to know her through her exuberant appearances on “Top Chef” and later as a co-host on “The Chew,” where she spent seven seasons. Throughout it all, Hall has championed the idea that cooking is an act of love, that Southern food deserves the same reverence as any culinary tradition and that the table is where people come together.
The star of bumblebirds’ menu is the fried chicken sandwich, available with a rotating selection of globally inspired sauces that take the classic American staple on a tour around the world. Another intriguing item is the Southern Sharing Board, comprised of pimento cheese, shaved country ham and pickled vegetables. The menu also includes golden tenders, crispy nuggets and sides like homemade biscuits. To drink, bumblebirds offers a signature Iced Tea and Lemonade Bar, which feels exactly right for a restaurant built around this kind of food. For those in the mood for something stronger, mixologist Andra “AJ” Johnson has crafted a menu of Southern-inspired cocktails, including the namesake Bumblebird, made with gin, lavender honey, lemon juice and prosecco.
In addition to collaborating on the menu, Hall tapped into another personal passion, bringing her signature flair and color to help design the vibrant dining space. The interior features a custom mural and a selection of Hall’s handcrafted paper yo-yo quilts. An avid paper quilter, Hall will be showcasing her textile artwork in a restaurant setting for the first time. “Most people know me through food, my cooking, my cookbooks, my time on television. What’s less visible is that I am also a lifelong crafter,” Hall says via press release. “Hanging this work at bumblebirds feels like carrying my grandmother, who is my guardian angel, with me.”
The restaurant marks the next chapter for a chef who has spent years sharing herself with audiences on screen and is now inviting you to sit down at her table. “bumblebirds is my love letter to the South and to D.C., a place that’s been home for a long time. “It’s crispy, saucy, bright, and joyful—exactly how I like my food and my hospitality. I can’t wait for people to taste the chicken, sip something fun, and feel the warm welcome the moment they walk in,” Hall shares via press release. The food is generous and flavorful, and the atmosphere feels welcoming and home-like.
