Wilmer Valderrama and Daniella Senior debut Elegancia cocktail bar at La Cosecha in Washington’s Union Market district

A celebrity-backed hospitality project lands in a well-established D.C. food hall

Actor and entrepreneur Wilmer Valderrama has opened Elegancia, a Latin-inspired cocktail bar and restaurant inside La Cosecha in Washington’s Union Market District. The project is co-founded with restaurateur Daniella Senior, known locally for building the Colada Shop brand. Elegancia is located at 1280 4th Street NE, in the central bar space within La Cosecha.

The launch adds a high-profile concept to a venue positioned as a Latin American marketplace and cultural hub. The new bar also represents a shift for the address: the space previously housed Serenata, a cocktail-focused operation that operated within La Cosecha for years.

Concept: “nostalgic” flavors, ritualized service, and an all-day-to-night format

Elegancia is built around the idea of pairing contemporary cocktails with food designed to evoke familiar Latin American flavors and home-style memories. The founders have framed the concept as intentionally welcoming, with hospitality rituals meant to distinguish the experience beyond standard bar service.

One signature element highlighted around the opening is a complimentary serving of sancocho, a stew commonly associated with comfort food across parts of Latin America and often treated as a hangover remedy. The practice is positioned as part of the bar’s closing routine.

• Location: La Cosecha, Union Market District (1280 4th Street NE, Washington, D.C.)
• Focus: Latin-inspired cocktails and upscale bar bites
• Service feature: a late-night ritual that includes sancocho served at last call

Team and menu direction

The culinary and beverage programs are being led by chef Jovana Urriola and mixologist Juan Coronado. Dishes and drinks discussed around the launch include small plates such as tequeños (Venezuelan cheese sticks) and items like ceviche, alongside cocktails built around fruit, corn-forward flavors, and other regional references.

Branding and design elements incorporate South American wildlife motifs, signaling an effort to tie the room’s visual identity to the broader cultural themes of the menu.

“Food is where memory lives.”

Why it matters for D.C.’s dining economy

For the Union Market area, Elegancia extends the district’s ongoing growth in destination dining and nightlife, while also testing how a celebrity partner can drive attention to a concept rooted in local operators and established venues. For La Cosecha, the opening functions as a notable tenant change in a centerpiece location, with the stated goal of bringing additional traffic and momentum to the market’s central bar area.

Valderrama and Senior have also signaled ambitions beyond the bar itself, including plans tied to media production at La Cosecha, suggesting the project is designed to operate at the intersection of food, culture, and programming.