The landlord behind Shaw's Atlantic Plumbing development is trying to force out Mita, the Michelin-starred vegetable-forward restaurant at 804 V St. NW, claiming the business owes more than $183,000 in back rent and fees.
Atlantic Retail B. LLC, an affiliate of real estate investment trust JBG Smith Properties, filed the eviction lawsuit July 23 in D.C. Superior Court against M&T Hospitality LLC, the corporate entity behind Mita, according to Washington Business Journal, which first reported the case Aug. 13.
The suit alleges Mita owes $183,254.67 in unpaid rent, operating costs, taxes and attorney fees. Court documents show the restaurant has not paid rent since February, according to City Cast DC. The lease ledger breaks down to roughly $151,000 in unpaid rent and $32,000 in additional expenses.
The landlord is seeking a nonredeemable judgment for possession of the property.
That means even if Mita paid the full balance tomorrow, the court could still order the restaurant removed.
At its peak in April, Mita's outstanding balance reached $288,639.34, combining $128,639 in unpaid rent with a $160,000 security deposit charge. The owners paid the security deposit, but the remaining debt was not enough to satisfy the landlord, WUSA9 reported.
JBG Smith declined to comment. Mita did not respond to requests for comment.
Mita's rise
Co-owners Miguel Guerra and Tatiana Mora opened Mita at the Shaw location in 2023 after starting as a pop-up in 2020 at La Cosecha, the Latin American food hall in Union Market. The 2,000-square-foot restaurant earned a Michelin star in 2024, making Guerra the youngest Venezuelan chef to receive the honor and Mora the first Venezuelan female chef to earn a Michelin star.
"We wanted vegetables to be the stars, not sides," Guerra told the Washington Post in 2024, describing the restaurant's plant-based philosophy.
In 2025, Mita was a finalist for a James Beard Award for Best New Restaurant. In 2026, Guerra and Mora were semifinalists for James Beard's Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic. The restaurant offers prix fixe tasting menus at $105 and $165, with a four-course bar menu at $75. It is one of only five Hispanic restaurants in the D.C. Michelin Guide to hold a star and the only one that is plant-based.
Broader industry pressure
The lawsuit lands as D.C.'s restaurant industry continues to contract. A record 102 restaurants, bars, cafes and carryouts closed in the District in 2025, up from 73 in 2024 and 53 in 2023, according to the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington's spring survey. Notable 2025 closures included Shouk, Petite Cerise, Logan Tavern and Brookland's Finest.
There are signs of stabilization in 2026: 36 restaurants closed in the first half of the year, down from 56 during the same period in 2025, according to RAMW. President Shawn Townsend attributed the improvement in part to the D.C. Council's decision to pause a planned increase in the tipped minimum wage.
No court hearing date for the eviction case has been publicly scheduled.
