The District is welcoming several new businesses to treat your palette, but, now they have to figure out how to survive the sluggish economy.

The price at the pump may be changing business habits and some new restaurants are trying new options to avoid the financial pinch. Daniel Colace, owner of The Rome, is working hard to keep his business growing and his customers happy.

"We're here early in the morning," said Colace. "Seven in the morning, making the things from scratch so that lowers the food cost, rather than buying things pre-packaged."

Colace says his business is cutting back on cost up to 30 percent from making the main ingredients such as sauces and pastas from scratch.  Not only is The Rome restaurant making an effort to cut back on food cost, but the soon to be finished Bleu restaurant is going to make an effort to do the same by buying locally. Regardless of the increase in cost for some of the items on the menu of the new restaurant, the owner is counting on local loyalty.

"I still think Columbia is a very social town, people still go out, people still get together, people want to connect with each," said Tina Patel, co-owner of Bleu. "I think despite the economy we'll have a crowd. There's been a great excitement about bleu so we're just looking forward to all of our loyal patrons that have followed us through the year."

Colace calls making his ingredients from scratch the "life blood" of his businesss

"I would say if you're starting a mom and pop type business. Which is what this is, small, it's not a chain that would be the best bet to do as many things from scratch as possible," said Colace.

The Rome and Bleu aren't the only new restaurants opening in The District. There's also a new nightclub, Room38. It plans to open its doors this weekend.

These new additions come on the heels of a June news release from the national restaurant association saying restaurant activity is down point 3 percent from May and is at the lowest level in three months.