DC Restaurant Groups Denounce 'Baseless' Democratic Boycott Threat Allegedly Supported by AOC and Sanders
Hospitality workers' union urges Democrats to boycott D.C. eateries over alleged union busting actions.
Labor tensions in Washington, D.C.'s bustling restaurant scene have escalated as dozens of Democratic lawmakers announced a boycott of several high-profile eateries over ongoing disputes regarding worker unionization and alleged unfair labor practices. The action, which targets establishments owned by STARR Restaurants and Knightsbridge Restaurant Group, marks a significant escalation in a months-long campaign by hospitality workers seeking greater representation and workplace protections.
The boycott effort is being spearheaded by Local 25, a prominent hospitality workers' union. According to a flyer circulating among activists, “hundreds of workers at some of D.C.’s most prominent and lucrative restaurants – including Le Diplomate and Rasika – have been organizing to join UNITE HERE Local 25. These workers have endured months of union busting from their employers – STARR Restaurants and Knightsbridge Restaurant Group.” The union claims employees have staged informational picket lines outside popular venues such as Osteria Mozza, The Occidental, Le Diplomate, Rasika, Modena, and Bombay Club, urging the public not to eat, meet, or drink at any of these locations.
The owners of the targeted restaurants have pushed back forcefully against the boycott. A representative from STARR called the allegations “baseless” and insisted, “a majority of Le Diplomate employees have no interest in engaging in that process nor in being represented by a union.” The statement emphasized that boycotts like this could result in “lost hours, wages, and tips that our hardworking employees rely upon,” suggesting that the union’s approach was ultimately detrimental to the workforce it seeks to represent.
Knightsbridge Restaurant Group, owner of local favorites such as Rasika and Bombay Club, responded with skepticism about lawmakers' involvement. The group’s owner questioned, “How many of these congress members even know themselves that they're signing?” Knightsbridge has not offered further comment on the dispute.
The restaurants at the center of the controversy are known as regular gathering spots for political luminaries. STARR’s Le Diplomate has long been a favorite among D.C. elites, attracting high-profile guests including former Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden. Earlier this year, President Obama was seen dining at Osteria Mozza alongside Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, underscoring the social and political significance of these establishments.
Among the lawmakers supporting the boycott are Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, Nancy Pelosi of California, and Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, all of whom have publicly supported workers’ rights and unionization efforts in the past. Their participation signals a growing divide between the city’s influential dining scene and the national conversation around labor rights, with D.C. restaurant workers increasingly at the forefront.
As informational picketing continues and calls for a broader boycott grow, the dispute highlights the complex interplay between high-dollar dining, political power, and the rights of service industry workers. With the city’s culinary and political establishments clashing, the coming weeks will be pivotal in determining whether workers’ unionization efforts will succeed—and how customer habits might shift as a result.
