Little Engine sticks to two things: rotisserie chicken and wings, dressed with in-house sauces and seasonings like Sticky Sichuan, Guava Glaze, Chipotle Ranch Dust, and Thai Peanut. It sits right across from Eastern Market, run by a small crew built around straightforward food meant to be eaten often.
Chef Rob Sonderman leads the kitchen. He grew up a few blocks from where the restaurant now stands and set out to build the kind of neighborhood spot he'd actually want to eat at. Before Little Engine, he helped build DCity Smokehouse and Federalist Pig into two of DC's known barbecue spots, then co-founded Honeymoon Chicken, working in bold, fast-casual flavor.
The restaurant has settled into Capitol Hill as a local go-to, drawing on chicken and wings executed with roasting fundamentals rather than gimmicks, and has been covered by The Infatuation.
Chef Rob Sonderman leads the kitchen. He grew up a few blocks from where the restaurant now stands and set out to build the kind of neighborhood spot he'd actually want to eat at. Before Little Engine, he helped build DCity Smokehouse and Federalist Pig into two of DC's known barbecue spots, then co-founded Honeymoon Chicken, working in bold, fast-casual flavor.
The restaurant has settled into Capitol Hill as a local go-to, drawing on chicken and wings executed with roasting fundamentals rather than gimmicks, and has been covered by The Infatuation.