Cranes Loses Its Michelin Star — and Finds a New Purpose
Cranes restaurant in Washington DC lost its Michelin star — here's how Chef Pepe Solla is channeling that setback into a bold new culinary direction.
In brief
Cranes restaurant in Washington DC lost its Michelin star in the most recent Michelin Guide ratings cycle. The Penn Quarter destination, known for its rare Spanish-Japanese fusion cuisine, was removed from Michelin's starred list — but Chef Pepe Solla has responded publicly by framing the loss as motivation to rebuild and refine, not a reason to pull back.
🔑 Key Takeaways
Cranes, DC's only Spanish-Japanese fine dining restaurant, lost its Michelin star in the latest guide cycle.
Chef Pepe Solla is treating the demotion as creative fuel, not a crisis — signaling a menu and concept refresh.
Penn Quarter's competitive fine dining corridor, which includes José Andrés' Minibar, makes the stakes especially high for Cranes' recovery.
Michelin star losses are rare but historically have preceded dramatic reinventions at restaurants worldwide.
DC's dining establishment is watching closely — Cranes' next chapter could reshape the city's fine dining conversation.
What Losing a Michelin Star Actually Means for a DC Restaurant
A Michelin star is not simply a trophy — it is a reservation engine, a talent magnet, and a price anchor. When the Michelin Guide Washington DC removes a star, the ripple effects touch every corner of a restaurant's operation, from sommelier recruitment to the premium a table can command on a Saturday night in Penn Quarter.
Cranes earned its star by doing something genuinely unusual in the American fine dining landscape: marrying the restrained elegance of Japanese kaiseki technique with the bold, fat-forward flavors of Spanish coastal cuisine. The pairing worked because Chef Solla — who helms the Galician seafood institution Casa Solla in Pontevedra, Spain — understood that both traditions share an almost religious reverence for ingredient quality. That philosophy won Cranes a place on DC's short list of must-book dining experiences.
Losing the star does not erase that history, but it does reset the public conversation. In Washington, where status and symbolism carry outsized weight — this is, after all, the city where a Georgetown dinner reservation can signal political alignment — a Michelin demotion lands harder than it might in, say, Nashville or Denver. For more on how DC's restaurant hierarchy shapes power dynamics in the capital, see our DC Restaurant Power Rankings.
Chef Pepe Solla's Response: Motivation Over Mourning
What separates a restaurant that survives a Michelin loss from one that quietly folds is the public posture of its leadership. Solla's response has been notably forward-looking. Rather than retreating into defensiveness or blaming the Michelin inspectors — a move that rarely serves a chef's long-term reputation — Solla has leaned into the moment as an opportunity to interrogate what Cranes is and what it wants to become.
This approach has historical precedent. Gordon Ramsay famously wept when his New York restaurant lost two stars in 2013, but his London flagship bounced back. Closer to home, several DC restaurants have cycled in and out of Michelin recognition only to return stronger. The Washingtonian's food coverage has documented how post-star reinventions — when handled with genuine creative urgency rather than panic — can actually generate more press and public interest than a quiet year of holding steady.
Solla's calculus appears to be exactly that. The kitchen at Cranes, located at 724 9th Street NW, sits in one of DC's most unforgiving dining corridors — walking distance from José Andrés' Minibar, one of only two DC restaurants currently holding two Michelin stars. Competing in that ZIP code without a star demands either a dramatic pivot or a surgical refinement. Solla appears to be choosing the latter.
Penn Quarter's Fine Dining Wars and Where Cranes Fits Now
Penn Quarter and its immediate neighbors — Chinatown, the Gallery Place corridor, and the edge of Mount Vernon Triangle — have undergone a significant culinary reconfiguration over the past several years. The neighborhood that once anchored DC's fine dining ambitions around the Verizon Center (now Capital One Arena) has grown more competitive, more casual-leaning in places, and more attuned to the experiential demands of a post-pandemic dining public that wants meaning alongside technique.
Cranes' Spanish-Japanese identity gives it a positioning advantage that pure French or modern American competitors cannot easily replicate. No other restaurant in Washington DC holds that specific culinary territory. The question Solla and his team must answer in the months ahead is whether the execution can return to the level that originally caught Michelin's eye — or evolve past it into something the inspectors haven't seen yet.
For context on how DC's broader culinary power structure is shifting, WDCM's Best of DC guide and our ongoing DC Power Players Index track which chefs, restaurateurs, and dining institutions are gaining and losing influence across the capital.
According to Eater DC, the local fine dining scene has seen increasing pressure from elevated casual concepts that blur the line between tasting-menu ambition and neighborhood accessibility — a tension Cranes will need to navigate as it recalibrates its identity for a star-less chapter.
Why This Matters in Washington
Washington DC is not simply a government town that happens to have restaurants. It is a city where dining functions as a form of soft power — where Cabinet secretaries entertain foreign ministers, where Hill staffers seal alliances over omakase, and where a chef's reputation can intersect with a city's global image. The Michelin Guide DC is one of the few external validators that the capital's dining class takes as seriously as a Senate confirmation vote.
When a restaurant like Cranes loses its star, the story is never purely culinary. It is a story about ambition, identity, and resilience in a city that has very little patience for stagnation. The diplomatic and political circles that cycle through Penn Quarter — particularly given Cranes' proximity to the FBI headquarters construction zone and the Federal Triangle — demand that their fine dining options project confidence. Solla's public framing of the demotion as motivation rather than defeat is, in that sense, perfectly calibrated for a DC audience.
The most consequential months for Cranes will be the next two to three quarters. Michelin inspectors do not announce their visit schedules — anonymity is foundational to the guide's credibility — which means Solla and his team must perform at star-worthy levels every service, not just when the stakes are visible. That sustained pressure is both the burden and the clarifying gift of a Michelin demotion.
Watch for potential menu restructuring, possible changes to the tasting menu format or price point, and any new hires in the front-of-house leadership that might signal a strategic shift. A restaurant that lost its star and earned it back — in the same city, in the same location — would be one of the more compelling redemption arcs in recent DC dining history.
The bottom line: Cranes lost its Michelin star, and that loss is real and consequential for a Penn Quarter fine dining destination operating in one of America's most scrutinized culinary markets. But Chef Pepe Solla's decision to treat the demotion as a creative catalyst rather than a verdict is the right instinct — and in Washington, how you respond to a setback often matters more than the setback itself. The city, and the inspectors, will be watching.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Cranes DC and Its Michelin Star
Q: Did Cranes in Washington DC lose its Michelin star? A: Yes. Cranes, the Spanish-Japanese fine dining restaurant at 724 9th Street NW in Penn Quarter, was removed from the Michelin Guide's starred restaurant list in the most recent DC guide cycle. Chef Pepe Solla has publicly framed the loss as motivation for a creative renewal.
Q: What kind of food does Cranes DC serve? A: Cranes serves a distinctive Spanish-Japanese fusion cuisine, blending Galician coastal cooking traditions from Chef Pepe Solla's family restaurant in Pontevedra, Spain, with Japanese kaiseki technique and aesthetics. It remains the only restaurant of its kind in Washington DC.
Q: Where is Cranes restaurant located in DC? A: Cranes is located at 724 9th Street NW in the Penn Quarter neighborhood of Washington DC, within walking distance of Capital One Arena and several other Michelin-recognized restaurants including José Andrés' Minibar.
Q: Can a restaurant get a Michelin star back after losing it? A: Yes. Michelin stars are awarded and revoked annually based on inspector evaluations. Restaurants around the world — including several in Washington DC — have lost and subsequently regained stars following menu or leadership changes. Cranes' path back depends on sustained execution at the highest level.
Q: Who is Chef Pepe Solla? A: Pepe Solla is a celebrated Galician chef who leads Casa Solla, a Michelin-starred restaurant in Pontevedra, Spain. He brought his Spanish-Japanese culinary vision to Washington DC through Cranes, which earned a Michelin star before its most recent demotion.
Q: How many Michelin-starred restaurants does Washington DC have? A: The number shifts with each annual guide release. As of the most recent Michelin Guide DC cycle, Washington maintains a competitive roster of one- and two-starred restaurants, led by José Andrés' Minibar at the two-star level. The full current list is maintained at the official Michelin Guide DC page.
Reporting drawn from: The Wash (thewash.org). Washington DC Magazine provides original analysis, DC-specific context, and editorial perspective beyond the source material.This article was produced with AI assistance and reviewed by WDCM editorial staff. Washington DC Magazine is committed to accuracy, transparency, and editorial integrity. If you believe any information in this article requires correction, please contact editor@washingtondcmagazine.com.
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CAN I KICK IT? screens New Jack City at the Sylvan Theater, Washington Monument, on Aug. 22. (Courtesy SHAOLIN JAZZ)
The live-cinema series CAN I KICK IT? returns to the National Mall this month with what its producers are calling the "Gangsters on the Mall" chapter of their free outdoor summer run. On Saturday, August 22, the SHAOLIN JAZZ production brings the 1991 crime classic New Jack City to the Sylvan Theater at the Washington Monument for a night of film, music, and community under the DC summer sky.
What sets the event apart is the sound. As the film plays, DJ 2-Tone Jones builds an original score in real time, reimagining one of the most iconic crime movies of the ’90s through hip-hop, soul, funk, and more. It is less a movie screening than a live performance built around the film.
The details:
Film: New Jack City (1991), with a live soundtrack by DJ 2-Tone Jones
When: Saturday, August 22 — seating opens at 7:30 p.m. (bring lawn chairs and blankets); film begins at 8:30 p.m.
Where: Sylvan Theater at the Washington Monument, Independence Ave SW & 15th St NW
A parking note from the organizers: expect road closures and restricted parking east of 14th Street NW due to a separate race event in the District. Roads west of 14th Street NW will be accessible and available for parking.
New Jack City is the second of three screenings in this year’s free CAN I KICK IT? outdoor series, which opened with Black Panther at Skyland Town Center and concludes with Scarface at the Lincoln Memorial on September 5. Produced by the Washington, DC-based multimedia arts company SHAOLIN JAZZ, the series has presented more than 150 live cinematic experiences at venues across the country, from Lincoln Center to SXSW.
"I wanted to be able to tell good stories with substance and remove the ‘ego’ out of the art," said Andrew Huang during a recent interview. Now, he’s building his career at the intersection of discipline, creativity and innovation.
Andrew Huang, founder of New Place Studios. (Courtesy photo)
As a Chinese American, Huang was reared with a deep respect for hard work, consistency and excellence. He describes his childhood as "not so affluent" and later attended college to hone his passion for videography. "In college I tried to do something I loved, which was video, but along the way I knew that I had to find a job. And so I thought, ‘what was the low hanging fruit to get to that stable 9 to 5 job?,’" he stated.
Later in life, Huang found himself working for corporations where his creativity was often limited, eventually leading to burnout. "I worked in a corporation for a long time and there were a lot of missing pieces. I wanted to fill in gaps missing in corporate video production," said Huang.
He later described how his upbringing and a mindset of "survival" led him toward a corporate career. However, his desire for balance and authentic storytelling ultimately pushed him to take the entrepreneurial leap.
"I founded a new place where you can create video and film with ‘substance and style,’" said Huang. His desire for work-life balance and passion for storytelling naturally evolved into a small business based in Virginia. With the launch of New Place Studios, the entrepreneur quickly found himself reconnecting with the values that would become the foundation of everything he creates behind the camera.
Huang said being a business owner has allowed him to first embrace himself. While others may see video as simply capturing moments, he sees it as a way to preserve stories that inspire, connect and leave a lasting imprint.
By combining cinematic visuals with cutting-edge production techniques and a keen understanding of branding, Huang helps organizations and individuals communicate their vision with purpose. He said understanding a client’s "why" serves as the compass for delivering the services they need.
One benefit of working with a small business, he said, is that clients get to see the production process unfold through a micro lens while working with the same faces throughout the entire project. "The work feels personal," said Huang.
Huang does not regret leaving behind the flash-over-substance mentality and corporate hustle culture. That does not mean the Asian American entrepreneur has been without challenges in the industry. "It’s relatively hard to find other Asian American creatives or people who would want to work with me in the DMV," said Huang.
He identifies the industry culture in which everyone is trying to blend in, creatives may fear displaying their Asian identity and some feel pressure to adopt an American corporate persona. He also points to what he describes as a level of gatekeeping within the industry. According to the U.S. Small Business Administration’s 2024 statistics, Asian American and Pacific Islander entrepreneurs own more than 3 million businesses and employ 5.2 million people in the United States.
After tapping into organizations such as SCORE, which offers free small business mentorship, New Place Studios has become a trusted creative partner throughout the DMV (Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia). The company produces a range of creative services, including commercials, corporate branding, documentaries, film, 2D animation, motion graphics and photography.
For Huang, entrepreneurship has become more than a departure from corporate life. It has given him the freedom to create with intention, build meaningful connections and tell stories that go beyond the surface.
The 2026 CAN I KICK IT? outdoor series. Poster courtesy of SHAOLIN JAZZ.
For three Saturdays this summer, some of Washington’s most familiar public spaces will do something they rarely do after dark: fill up with blankets, lawn chairs, and the sound of a movie being scored live, in real time. CAN I KICK IT?, the traveling “live cinema” series produced by the DC-based multimedia arts company SHAOLIN JAZZ, is bringing a free outdoor run to the city — pairing three era-defining films with an original soundtrack performed on the spot by DJ 2-Tone Jones.
The premise is what sets it apart from a normal screening in the park. Rather than simply pressing play, 2-Tone Jones builds a score as the film unfolds, pulling from hip-hop, soul, funk, jazz, rock, electronic music, and sounds from around the world. The result, the organizers say, is less a movie night than a one-time performance — the same film you know, wired to a soundtrack you have never heard and will not hear again. Guest DJs warm up the crowd starting at 7:30 PM before each 8:30 PM screening.
The 2026 outdoor schedule
All three events are free and open to the public.
Saturday, August 8 — Black Panther at Skyland Town Center. A pop-up marketplace and community activities kick off the evening; guest DJs at 7:30 PM, film at 8:30 PM. Marvel’s superhero epic gets a one-night-only live score in Southeast DC.
Saturday, August 22 — New Jack City at the Sylvan Theater, Washington Monument. Seating begins at 7:30 PM; the film starts at 8:30 PM. The 1991 crime drama plays out at the foot of one of the country’s most recognizable landmarks.
Saturday, September 5 — Scarface at the Lincoln Memorial. Seating at 7:30 PM; film at 8:30 PM. The series closes with Brian De Palma’s crime saga against the backdrop of the Memorial, scored live from start to finish.
First up: Black Panther at Skyland Town Center on August 8. Poster courtesy of SHAOLIN JAZZ.
A DC company with a national footprint
SHAOLIN JAZZ describes itself as a Washington-based arts company working at the intersection of music, film, art, and culture, and CAN I KICK IT? is its signature production. According to the organizers, the series has staged more than 150 live cinematic experiences around the country — at performing arts centers, museums, festivals, and cultural institutions including Lincoln Center in New York, SXSW, the Denver Center for the Performing Arts, Republic Square in Austin, the Tacoma Armory, and The Cary Theater.
“CAN I KICK IT? has always been about creating a shared experience,” said Gerald Watson, co-founder of SHAOLIN JAZZ. “When you combine iconic films with live music in public spaces, something special happens. People aren’t just watching a movie — they’re experiencing it together. That’s what makes these nights so memorable.”
Cinema as a community event
The DC run lands as cities across the country look for new ways to activate public space through arts and culture — and this series is a straightforward pitch for how to do it: take a landmark everyone already knows, add a film everyone has an opinion about, and let a live soundtrack turn the evening into something neighbors experience shoulder to shoulder. Families, film buffs, and music fans are all invited, and admission won’t cost a thing.
The CAN I KICK IT? outdoor series runs August 8, August 22, and September 5. All events are free; check SHAOLIN JAZZ (shaolinjazz.com) for the latest details and any weather updates before heading out.
