Cielo Rojo is set to close on Sunday evening as it prepares to relocate to a larger space in Takoma Park.
The restaurant will stop seating guests at 6 p.m. and close the kitchen at 7 p.m. No reservations will be accepted next week due to the closure:
This Sunday, NYE will be our last service in this location (7056 Carroll Ave) and we’re closing early (6pm is last seating and 7pm, our kitchen will close). We are not taking any reservations next week due to this. We hope to see you this weekend one more time to enjoy a cheers in our cozy space ! 🥃 We will be closing for a little bit before opening in our new location down the street at 7211 Carroll Ave. This cozy space will eventually be @sanpanchoburritos. For now, we are focused on the beautiful new Cielo Rojo that is right around the corner and soaking up the memories of the past (almost 5) years in this space ! ❤️❤️❤️
Construction started during the summer at Cielo Rojo’s new location at 7211 Carroll Ave., next to the Takoma Park fire station.
Last year, Nevin Martell of Washington City Paper reported that the new location, overseen by DesignCase, will have 120 seats inside, 30 patio seats, an open kitchen, a 16-seat bar, and a private dining room for 20-30 diners.
The current Cielo Rojo location will soon become San Pancho, a fast-casual restaurant that will serve Mission-style burritos, which became popular during the 1960s in the Mission District of San Francisco. “We wanted to stay in Takoma Park because the people here are very loyal,” co-owner Carolina McCandless said to WCP last year. “They have been so good to us, especially during the pandemic.”
The restaurants have not announced an opening date yet.
In early 2019, Cielo Rojo opened its doors at 7056 Carroll Ave. in Takoma Park. The Mexican restaurant, known for its “fine-casual” dining style, has received acclaim for its pozole soup, tacos, and outdoor seating area. Former Washington City Paper food editor Laura Hayes commended the restaurant, including their Quesa Birria on the list of the “13 Best Under $35 Dishes D.C. Area Restaurants Served in 2021.”
Additionally, the restaurant’s pozole verde was featured in the season premiere of WETA’s ‘Signature Dish’, which aired in September.
San Pancho premiered at the Mess Hall’s “New Kitchens on the Block” food festival during the summer.
Photo: Cielo Rojo / Facebook