photo by reema desai for punch
Andra johnson
market where she became an accomplished barista and bartender with Mayorga Coffee, eventually opening a franchise and serving as the General Manager and Events Coordinator.
As a Level I in the Court of Master Sommeliers and Cicerone Certified Beer Server, Andra’s unique skillset and expertise has made her a highly sought-after partner in many hospitality ventures. She has gained invaluable experience by serving in management positions for celebrated restaurants such as Open City, The Diner, Eola, and Le Diplomate. Notably, in 2014 Andra teamed up with Tony Brown and Gene Alexeyev at Macon Bistro & Larder where she served as the General Manager, Beverage Director, and managing partner.
Andra brings a breadth of experience to the table, literally and figuratively. But what sets Andra Johnson apart from her peers is that for her, crafting cocktails is a gateway to storytelling and collaboration. Each cocktail creation is imbued with meaning: the drink is more than a mere alcoholic beverage, it has a story to tell, and oftentimes that story amplifies voices that have heretofore been silenced.
Currently, Andra serves as the Managing Partner at Serenata, nestled in the Latin American market, La Cosecha near Washington D.C.s hip Union Market District. Here, she invites patrons to join her on an unparalleled gustatory journey where she curates complex and eclectic libations.
When she is not working on her forthcoming book 'White Plates, Black Faces', which tells the stories of people of color in the restaurant industry, you can find Andra upping the ante of the DC restaurant scene, regaling patrons with cocktail masterpieces, or fielding inquiries about Alsace region wines with ease.
Andra Johnson is a renowned hospitality industry leader based in Washington DC and known throughout the Mid-Atlantic region as a conscious creative, and industry game changer. A veteran in the hospitality industry, Andra’s career began
at the age of 14 when she served as a hostess for a local restaurant chain in Maryland. Thanks to her tenacity, talent, and work ethic, Andra quickly rose through the ranks in the competitive Washington D.C.
photo by scott suchman for imbibe
Andra’s creativity is further illustrated through her charitable work and activism. In 2018, Andra co-founded DMV Black Restaurant Week which spotlights Black owned restaurants in the DC-Maryland-Virginia (“DMV”) area. Additionally, Andra founded Back to Black in 2020, a charitable cocktail pop-up initiative that raises funds to donate to organizations in the D.C. area that are perpetually overlooked and underfunded.