DC Restaurant Groups Condemn Dems' 'Baseless' Boycott Threat Allegedly Supported by AOC and Sanders

Dozens of Democratic lawmakers have launched a boycott against several high-profile Washington, D.C., restaurants, escalating an ongoing labor dispute involving prominent industry groups and a local hospitality workers’ union. The boycott targets six upscale establishments operated by STARR Restaurants and Knightsbridge Restaurant Group, all of which are staples on the city’s political and social circuit.

The campaign is being spearheaded by Local 25, a hospitality workers’ union that alleges staff at the affected restaurants have endured months of what they term “union busting” tactics from both STARR and Knightsbridge. According to a flyer circulated by the union, hundreds of workers across renowned venues such as Le Diplomate, Rasika, Modena, and Bombay Club are organizing to join the union effort, prompting calls for both patrons and lawmakers to cease supporting these businesses until negotiations progress.

Despite mounting public pressure, representatives for STARR Restaurants, which owns Le Diplomate, Osteria Mozza, and The Occidental, have dismissed the boycott’s rationale as “baseless.” In a statement, a company spokesperson emphasized, “To the best of our knowledge, a majority of Le Diplomate employees have no interest in engaging in that process nor in being represented by a union.” The spokesperson added that any boycott could jeopardize the financial well-being of employees, stating, “It is unfortunate that an organization that claims to want to represent the employees of Le Diplomate would call for an action that would harm them.”

Knightsbridge Restaurant Group, which operates Rasika, Modena, and Bombay Club, took a sharper tone. The group’s owner questioned the lawmakers’ commitment to the cause, remarking, “How many of these congress members even know themselves that they're signing?” While Knightsbridge has yet to issue a formal response to requests for comment, the company’s position underscores the friction between restaurant owners and union supporters.

The stakes are high for both sides. These restaurants have long been gathering spots for political elites and celebrities alike; former Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden have frequented Le Diplomate, while earlier this year Obama was spotted at Osteria Mozza alongside Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. Such visibility raises the profile—and potential impact—of the ongoing boycott campaign.

Leading progressives, including Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), are reportedly among those backing the boycott. The union is asking D.C. residents and visitors to avoid eating, meeting, or drinking at any locations affiliated with the two groups, and has been staging informational picket lines outside the targeted venues as part of its mobilization.

As the conflict intensifies, it remains to be seen whether mounting political and public pressure will result in substantive changes to labor practices at these iconic D.C. restaurants—or spark broader conversations on workers’ rights within the city’s lucrative hospitality industry.