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J. Hollinger's Waterman's Chophouse Link Open for: Dinner and AYCE Sunday brunch Price range: $$ Restaurateur Jerry Hollinger (the Daily Dish and the Dish & Dram) delivered to downtown Silver Spring an Art Deco-styled American chophouse and raw bar celebrating local farmers, watermen, and purveyors. Shrimp and pork belly toast adorned with homemade kimchi are good ways to start; follow those with Rohan duck confit, homemade spinach ricotta ravioli, or anything from the luxe lineup of steaks. Augment dishes with underwater add-ons like butter-poached crab, lobster, jumbo shrimp, and fried oysters. A whale of a deal is in store during happy hour (4 p.m. to close and all night on Tuesdays), when oysters are just $1, and a robust bar program stars New York Sours and fig-sage rye cocktails. Vibe check: The throwback space near the Fillmore takes tips from Sinatra’s era.
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17 Best Steakhouses Around D.C. Dec 15, 2025
17 Best Steakhouses Around D.C.
D.C.’s Best Oyster Happy Hours Aug 5, 2025
D.C.’s Best Oyster Happy Hours Aventino Cucina Link Open for: Brunch, lunch, and dinner Price range: $$ One of the newest spots from Italian hitmaker Mike Friedman, known for Red Hen and All-Purpose, landed in Bethesda in January 2024 with dishes that evoke the longstanding culinary traditions of Rome and Italy’s Lazio region. The sprawling emerald- and gold-covered dining room transports diners with airy pizza rossa, light salads like the citrus and fennel-filled agrumi, and fantastic pastas that steal the show. House-made dried pastas make up classic Roman dishes, like creamy cacio e pepe and all’amatriciana zipped up with Calabrian chiles. But there are more experimental bowls on the menu as well, like a springtime toothsome cavatelli with a crushed broccoli and ricotta sauce and toasted almond-chile crunch on top. Don’t miss out on dessert options like a chocolate torte balanced with blood orange and earl grey gelato or affogato served with an Italian butter cookie and Madagascar vanilla gelato. Best for: A spritz-fueled happy hour, especially with spritz and pasta pairings for $22 from 5 to 6:30 p.m.every day at the bar (martinis for $8 as well).
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The Best Places to Eat and Drink in Bethesda Dec 29, 2025
The Best Places to Eat and Drink in Bethesda Cielo Rojo Link Open for: Lunch, dinner Price range: $ The Takoma Park favorite for vegan-friendly Mexican fare since 2018 moved into stylish new digs up the street in 2024. Husband-and-wife owners David Perez and Carolina McCandless turn to hand-pressed tortillas made with nixtamalized heirloom corn to produce an array of sophisticated tacos, ahi tuna tostadas, and savory enchiladas with tres moles. Crunchy pepitas add a pleasantly surprising crunch to quesadillas that can be ordered with vegan cashew cheese. Besides fabulous margaritas, the chic bar sends out inventive mezcal and rum-based cocktails. Brunch calls for brioche French toast with mezcal mascarpone, chilaquiles rojo, and a nopales (cactus) scramble Chef de cuisine Rachel Bindle formerly cooked at Michelin-starred Gravitas, and the growing team recently flipped Cielo’s old space into San Francisco-styled San Pancho Burritos. If you drive: Feel free; Takoma Park is still blessed with parking.
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The Best Vegan Spots Around D.C. Jul 1, 2025
The Best Vegan Spots Around D.C.
The Best Tacos Around D.C., According to Eater Editors Apr 29, 2025
The Best Tacos Around D.C., According to Eater Editors Motorkat Link Open for: Dinner and weekend brunch Price range: $$ Takoma Park’s award-winning raw bar led by chef Danny Wells has quickly become a hip local hot spot for happy hour, fresh local bivalves, and excellent cocktails. The menu offers something for everyone, including a catfish po’boy, seafood stew, house-made potato gnocchi, mojo-braised pork Cubano, wood-grilled steaks, and garlic focaccia. Go big or go home with a bloody mary oyster shooter swimming in a house-made mix. Must-try dish: The team’s own proprietary oyster, the Shellraiser, is grown on Virginia’s Chincoteague Island by War Shore Oyster Company.
Motorkat 2Fifty Texas BBQ (Multiple locations) Link Open for: Lunch and dinner Price range: $ Riverdale Park, Maryland is long home to drive-worthy brisket, courtesy of Fernando González and Debby Portillo. The couple behind wildly successful 2Fifty pay homage to Central Texas by using oak smoke to develop a dark bark on fatty hunks of prime and American wagyu beef that jiggle on the chopping block. Beef ribs, pulled pork, sliced turkey, and St. Louis-style ribs are all available, while daily specials like brisket tacos, lamb ribs, pastrami sandwiches, and barbecue pupusas give the kitchen a creative outlet, and González and Portillo excitingly nod to their Salvadoran heritage in sides like red kidney beans braised with brisket and coleslaw interspersed with raisins. Mondays recently joined the fold (still closed Tuesdays), with preorder for pickup; devour meats there or take the loot to go. To D.C. diners’ delight, 2Fifty expanded with a sit-down smokehouse in Mt. Vernon Triangle in 2024. Know before you go: Lines can get long, especially on weekends.
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Where to Find Outstanding Barbecue Around D.C. May 29, 2025
Where to Find Outstanding Barbecue Around D.C.
Where to Score Game Day Specials for Super Bowl LVI in D.C. Feb 1, 2022
Where to Score Game Day Specials for Super Bowl LVI in D.C. Thip Khao Link Open for: Dinner only Price range: $$ Considered the standard-bearer for Lao cuisine in D.C., Thip Khao comes from mother-and-son chefs Seng Luangrath and Boby Pradachith. Their Columbia Heights standby continues to satisfy heat-seekers with a menu full of fermented fish sauce, a heavy dose of chiles, offal, and cured meats. Hit orders include crispy tamarind-glazed wings, grilled pork shoulder with lemongrass, and a fiery Lao papaya salad with eggplant. Over in Shaw, the space that formerly housed the team’s cocktail bar Hanumanh recently turned into a modern Southeast Asian eatery called Baan Mae. The more casual Laotian spot is known for hosting chef pop-ups and also serves $15 bowls of noodles for brunch. If you find yourself out in the suburbs, the family’s Northern Virginia staple Padaek recently settled into a new Arlington home. Best for: Family-style dining, bring a group of friends or family that are down to try an array of dishes
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Outstanding D.C. Restaurants That Open on Mondays Aug 18, 2025
Outstanding D.C. Restaurants That Open on Mondays
Every D.C. Restaurant Featured in Netflix’s Newest ‘Somebody Feed Phil’ Season Feb 29, 2024
Every D.C. Restaurant Featured in Netflix’s Newest ‘Somebody Feed Phil’ Season Purple Patch Link Open for: Brunch, lunch, and dinner daily Price range: $$ The Washington Post called Purple Patch the 2023 Restaurant of the Year eight years after the Mount Pleasant spot debuted as one of D.C.’s first upscale local Filipino restaurants, now the institution is celebrating 10 years of feeding D.C. diners. The sizzling, spicy pork belly and pork shoulder sisig remains a favorite dish, along with such staples as longanisa (sweet garlic sausage) and tocino (sweet grilled pork). There are also a surprising number of satisfying vegetarian dishes on the menu, with highlights like sweet and spicy calamansi tofu with pineapple fried rice and three different umami-packed vegetarian adobos (eggplant, cauliflower, or a seasonal mushroom and carrot). You also can’t leave without trying an ube-flavored dessert (which you can also snag from their shop upstairs) or the ube waffle with fried chicken marinated in soy sauce and vinegar at brunch. Chef and owner Patrice Cleary, who was born in the Philippines, also opened casual Joia Burger a block away in 2024, serving up wagyu beef smash burgers or housemade bean burgers with chopped toppings and ube soft serve. A second Joia recently debuted in Glover Park. Even celebrities like comedian Jo Koy have made a stop in Mount Pleasant to praise Cleary’s cooking. Vibe check: The small indoor space was newly renovated during the pandemic but the covered patio remans the best spot at Purple Patch, with moody twinkle lights, purple curtains, and great people watching on Mount Pleasant Street.
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15 Fabulous Desserts Around D.C. May 28, 2025
15 Fabulous Desserts Around D.C.
The Best D.C. Restaurants For Big Groups Apr 17, 2025
The Best D.C. Restaurants For Big Groups Perry's Restaurant Link Open for: Dinner, drag brunch and select breakfasts Price range: $$$ Perry’s has long been an under-the-radar reliable spot for sushi, and with (and 2024 James Beard Award winner for Emerging Chef of the Year) Masako Morishita at the helm, the revitalized Adams Morgan restaurant is generating lots of attention for her flavorful Japanese creations. Standout starters include a Japanese take on ceviche with shrimp, scallops, octopus, and fish eggs; crispy kaarage fried chicken; and garlic edamame dumplings hidden under a snowy blanket of parmesan. The sleek, wood-framed restaurant with a strong sake collection continues to host one of D.C.’s best drag brunches on Sundays, with plenty of playful cocktails like the Not an Espresso Martini made with cacao nib tea. Morishita introduced Japanese breakfast service on select Saturdays as well; both the drag brunch and breakfast service require reservations on Resy. Must-try dish: The shrimp katsu burger combines a deep fried shrimp patty with cheddar cheese and togarashi tartar. Catch happy hour at the bar (5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday to Thursday; starting at 4 p.m. on Friday and Saturday) to get the stellar sandwich for only $12.
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Where to Find the Best Sushi Around D.C. Jul 14, 2025
Where to Find the Best Sushi Around D.C.
7 Fabulous Drag Show Brunches to Try in D.C. Jun 27, 2025
7 Fabulous Drag Show Brunches to Try in D.C. Elmina Link Open for: Lunch and dinner Price range: $$ Food Network star Eric Adjepong puts a modern spin on traditional West African food at his first brick-and-mortar restaurant. Open since February, Elmina showcases classic Ghanaian dishes like fufu and kelewele (spicy fried plantains) across a la carte and tasting menus, along with new interpretations like spicy cassava udon noodles and egusi hummus. Situated in Seven Reasons’ former 14th Street NW home, two-story Elmina carves out room for 124 diners. The Top Chef Season 16 finalist also introduces the same roti flatbreads and doubles that were supposed to be featured at On the Double, his fast-casual Union Market stall that fell through during the pandemic. Cocktails turn to regional flavors like mango, hibiscus, soursop, and passionfruit. Fun fact: Elmina just tacked on Dawa inside, a casual takeout featuring the West African flavors Adjepong’s known for.
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Where to Celebrate the New Year in D.C. Dec 23, 2025
Where to Celebrate the New Year in D.C. Ceibo Link Open for: Dinner Price range: $$ Local hospitality vets Juan and Manuel Olivera granted Adams Morgan a candle-lit getaway that pays homage to the brothers’ native Uruguay and its surrounding countries. Two-level Ceibo — the name refers to the flowering tree blooming at the bottom of the South American continent — captures the communal culture of asado, or preparing meats like beef, pork, and chorizo over an open flame. On the seafood side, highlights include oysters adorned with caviar farmed in Uruguay and Patagonian shrimp caught off the icy Atlantic coast of Argentina. Sweet potatoes, one of Uruguay’s biggest exports, play a prevalent part in the menu as savory starters, dessert, and inside drinks. A dimly lit downstairs bar spotlights South American wines, spirits, and other earthy ingredients and stays open until late on weekends. A popular Monday night sandwich pop-up full of Cubanos and Uruguay’s meaty chivitos (sliced steak) entered the fold this summer. Best for: Intimate date night (with a toned-down noise level on Sunday evenings)
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New Tasting Menus to Try Right Now Around D.C. Aug 23, 2024
New Tasting Menus to Try Right Now Around D.C. Bresca Link Open for: Dinner only Price range: $$$ Chef Ryan Ratino’s buzzy bistro on lower 14th Street NW whips up dinners dreamed up by the ambitious chef, who’s among the youngest to have a restaurant earn a Michelin star. For spring, sample yellowtail crudo with shiso, cacio e pepe with taleggio and Pecorino, or its much-loved Amish chicken. The restaurant pushes boundaries everywhere: The menu incorporates a vintage French duck press gifted by gourmet supplier D’Artagnan into a theatrical tableside offering, while the bar program spearheaded by beverage director Will Patton is also not to miss. Chef’s tasting menus ($155) can be augmented with seasonal delicacies, and there’s now a la carte availability and abbreviated prix fixe options starting at $65. This fast-growing team, which is also behind two-Michelin-starred tasting room Jônt upstairs, is a 2025 James Beard finalist for Best New Restaurant (Ômo by Jônt in Winter Park, Florida). Must-try dish: Pull-apart brioche bread with cultured butter accented by fleur de sel
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D.C.’s Michelin-Starred Restaurants, Mapped Nov 21, 2025
D.C.’s Michelin-Starred Restaurants, Mapped
Terrific Tasting Menus to Try in D.C. Right Now Mar 12, 2025
Terrific Tasting Menus to Try in D.C. Right Now Anju Link Open for: Brunch, dinner Price range: $$$ Situated between Dupont Circle and Adams Morgan, Anju, which is from the 2025 James Beard Award-nominated restaurant group behind casual hit Chiko, serves Korean bar food with a refined touch. James Beard Award-nominated chef Angel Barreto leads a kitchen that plates up standouts ranging from pork and kimchi mandu (dumplings) and smoky gochujang-glazed fried chicken with white barbecue sauce to a seafood fried rice (bokkeumbap) and seared rib-eye galbi boards. Weekend brunches brings on a smash galbi burger with caramelized onions and pickled gochu peppers (plus an impossible version), the gochujang chicken with corn cheese waffle, and a juk (rice porridge) topped with kimchi, lamb sausage, and a poached egg. Meanwhile, Chiko’s Capitol Hill flagship that started it all revived its experimental tasting menu a few nights a week ($75 or $105). Best for: Happy hour down in the bar from 5 to 6 p.m. on weekdays, where you can sample the flavorful mandu ($6 for 3) or a honey barbecue chicken sandwich ($10) before committing to a full meal.
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Outstanding D.C. Restaurants That Open on Mondays Aug 18, 2025
Outstanding D.C. Restaurants That Open on Mondays
The Best Old Fashioneds to Sip On in D.C. May 27, 2025
The Best Old Fashioneds to Sip On in D.C. Joon Link Open for: Weekday lunch, brunch, and dinner Price range: $$$$ Joon continues to rack up accolades for its upscale takes on Iranian cuisine since opening in June 2023, with James Beard semifinalist nods, joining the New York Times’ 50 Best Restaurants in America, and more. It’s easy to see why, with the tucked-away Tysons Corner spot serving up inventive Persian dishes like the sour orange and ginger infused pistachio soup and braised lamb shoulder served with pickled garlic and tomato honey, all dreamed up by Persian cookbook author and executive chef Najmieh Batmanglij and chef-owner Christopher Morgan. If you’re looking for smaller bites, any iteration of the hummus and kashke bademjan (a roasted eggplant dip topped with crispy onions) pairs perfectly with drinks at May Bar, a beautiful lounge in front of the royal blue dining room where diners sip on classic cocktails with Persian flavors. Great choices include a rich fig Old Fashioned or the Tehrooni Negroni with saffron ice. During the warmer months, don’t miss Morgan’s lively outdoor grilling nights, Live Fire Fridays, that combine entrees grilled on the patio by Morgan himself and eclectic live DJs. If you drive: There is complimentary valet parking at the entrance, along with free self-parking in the massive lot in front of nearby Patsy’s.
Joon See more
Where to Eat Around Tysons Corner Feb 4, 2025
Where to Eat Around Tysons Corner
The Best Mocktails Around D.C. Right Now Jan 6, 2025
The Best Mocktails Around D.C. Right Now Amparo Fondita Link Open for: Dinner, plus Friday lunch and weekend brunch Price range: $$ After years of searching for the right space, acclaimed chef and Oyamel alum Christian Irabién finally found a Dupont home for his long-awaited ode to modern Mexican cuisine and his roots. The Chihuahua, Mexico native, who grew up working in his grandfather’s Mexican restaurant in El Paso, seamlessly melds coastal flavors, seafood, and local seasonal ingredients, as in an expertly engineered salsa with ramps and a soft shell crab sandwich topped with red onion-habanero escabeche and green tomatoes. The constantly changing lineup may include a tropical big eye tuna ceviche surrounded with bright passionfruit and fresno; briny, mezcal-friendly oysters; and nixtamalized corn masa cakes topped with grilled pineapple. Must-try dish: Anything slathered with mole negro (all-Oaxacan chiles, chocolate, and sea salt), which takes Irabién three days to perfect.
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New Lunches to Check Out Around D.C. Dec 17, 2025
New Lunches to Check Out Around D.C.
The Best Mexican Restaurants Around D.C. Apr 22, 2025
The Best Mexican Restaurants Around D.C. Oyster Oyster Link Open for: Dinner only Price range: $$$ Chef Rob Rubba puts vegetables on a pedestal, so Oyster Oyster’s presence in Shaw is ideal for diners who don’t eat meat but still want to enjoy an avant-garde tasting menu with a Michelin star. Crowned Outstanding Chef at the James Beard Awards in 2023, Rubba first attracted D.C. critics’ attention as the former chef at Hazel and partnered with Estadio owner Max Kuller on this venture — which prioritizes sourcing from hyperlocal farms and mills. Think: a bird’s nest of fried celery root wrapped around a morsel of smoked tofu and shiitake chip cookie for dessert. The 28-seat Shaw dining room offers a vegetarian or vegan tasting menu ($135) and wine pairings ($85). The sustainably-minded restaurant also won a Michelin green star in 2024 for its environmental and ethical practices, like re-using empty wine bottles as pressed plates. Vibe check: Take notice of creative votive candles made of repurposed oyster shells and local beeswax.
Oyster Oyster See more
D.C.’s Michelin-Starred Restaurants, Mapped Nov 21, 2025
D.C.’s Michelin-Starred Restaurants, Mapped
The Best Vegan Spots Around D.C. Jul 1, 2025
The Best Vegan Spots Around D.C. More Maps Where to Find Fabulous Wings Around D.C. The Best New Restaurants in D.C., January 2026 Where to Enjoy the Best Afternoon Tea Around D.C. Shia Link Open for: Dinner Price range: $$$$ This hidden Korean tasting menu spot is actually a nonprofit restaurant from celebrity chef Edward Lee (who created pint-sized Shia in late 2024) where the team experiments with sustainable alternatives for restaurants. That means not using any plastic in the kitchen, firing up all-electric cookware, and making physical menus and coasters from leftover paper. The research in the kitchen hasn’t stopped the team from making cutting-edge Korean food in a prix fixe format that invites diners into the open kitchen, where they snack on first bites while chatting with chef de cuisine Max Chuvalas at the counter before diving into black sesame guksu (saucy cold noodles) topped with caviar, delicate seared black grouper with house-made fish cake, and a Korean mustard-glazed duck with umami-rich black garlic sauce. There are seven- ($185) and five-course ($100) options, plus a la carte snacks at the bar and $75 beverage pairings. Don’t skip out on the drinks, there are plenty of rare soju and sake options on the menu, along with Korean takes on classic cocktails like a toasted pine nut Old Fashioned. Know before you go: The five-course menu is served in the front bar area, not in the open kitchen dining room, but you can ask for a peek into the cave-like kitchen during the shortened tasting.
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Best Places to Dine in NoMa and Around Union Market Jan 29, 2025
Best Places to Dine in NoMa and Around Union Market Karravaan Link Open for: Lunch and dinner Price range: $$$ Indian chef Sanjay Mandhaiya, the creative force behind Logan Circle’s Pappe (and forthcoming replacement to the Passenger in Shaw), unveiled an all-new culinary endeavor across town last June. Karravaan celebrates various cultural influences along the Silk Road, with Persian, Portuguese, Indian, and Turkish cuisines showcased under the same roof. Endless Indian naan and Persian barbari joins jamon-wrapped dates, Tibetan momos, and family-style orders include seasonal sabzi tagine in its eponymous cooking vessel. A railway motif proliferates across the restaurant, from the train-platform ceiling design to the open kitchen design meant to evoke the look of a parked train car. After a first few months of successfully tweaking the bar and food menu, Karravaan is running on all cylinders. Must-try dish: Cheesy Georgian khachapuri brings the heat
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Where to Celebrate the New Year in D.C. Dec 23, 2025
Where to Celebrate the New Year in D.C.
The Best New Happy Hours in D.C. Nov 17, 2025
The Best New Happy Hours in D.C. Causa/Amazonia Link Open for: Dinner only (and Amazonia starts service at 3 p.m. on weekends) Price range: $$$$ for Causa and $ for Amazonia Causa, named for Peru’s iconic national dish, sailed into Blagden Alley in 2022 with an ambitious, prix fixe format that aims to capture the bounty of the South American country. The fine dining venture with a Michelin star joins Amazonia, its color-soaked, more casual counterpart up top with lots of skewers, scented walls, leafy patio, and a polished lineup of pisco sours that are just $9 at happy hour. At Causa, six-course menus ($179) send diners on a seafaring voyage along the Peruvian coastline and into the Andes Mountains. The intimate space with 26 seats lends itself to an immersive, personalized experience. Peruvian-born chef and co-owner Carlos Delgado just snagged the 2025 James Beard Award for Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic. Vibe check: Amazonia’s tropical bathrooms covered in monkey murals make for a great selfie.
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Where to Eat and Drink in Shaw Aug 8, 2023
Where to Eat and Drink in Shaw Unconventional Diner Link Open for: Daily brunch, dinner Price range: $$ Situated right next to the convention center since 2017, chef David Deshaies continues raise eyebrows by applying classic French technique to American-style diner food. Think a haute take on meatloaf, or mini-pot pie poppers that explode with flavor. Regardless of the day or time, there’s always something to on the menu from happy hour menu or daily brunch (9 a.m. to 4 p.m.), including popular offerings like chicken and waffles, blueberry-lavender pancakes, Cajun shrimp and grits, Lebanese fried rice, apple pie French toasts with caramelized apples and vanilla ice cream, and an everything lox bagel. For something a little more refined, head to next-door downtown siblings L’Ardente (Italian) and Love, Makoto (Japanese). Vibe check: This swanky diner with bright blue booths and an illuminated winding bar always gave playful vibes.
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The Best Breakfast Spots Around D.C. Dec 12, 2025
The Best Breakfast Spots Around D.C.
D.C.’s Best Holiday Pop-Ups Dec 9, 2025
D.C.’s Best Holiday Pop-Ups L’Avant-Garde Link Open for: Dinner Price range: $$$ Partner-chef and hospitality vet Sébastien Giannini taps into his French Riviera roots at L’Avant-Garde, Georgetown’s ultra-chic showpiece he took over in early 2024. Popular orders include saffron-infused bouillabaisse (which draws from his grandmother’s recipe), branzino garnished with candied lemon and capers, and filet mignon. The seafood-centric menu straight out of Saint-Tropez also spotlights a freshly cracked lobster-and-grapefruit salad, King crab tartare with cucumber gazpacho, and caviar from the French Arcachon Bay with all the accoutrements. Also not to miss: crispy clarified butter french fries dipped in a house-made bearnaise. The hands-on chef is constantly in the kitchen, where the same 17th-century recipe for creme brulee, reportedly served to the brother of King Louis XIV, comes to fruition. Decked out in sleek wooden panels, dimly lit booths, and Parisian-styled murals, the date-night hot spot currently offers a four-course lobster tasting menu (in addition to a la carte). Pro tip: Next-door sibling cocktail bar L’Annexe is great for a night cap, complete with a petite patio up front.
L’Avant-Garde See more
The Best Places to Eat and Drink in Georgetown Dec 10, 2025
The Best Places to Eat and Drink in Georgetown
D.C.’s Best Fireside Destinations for Cozy Dining and Drinking Dec 2, 2025
D.C.’s Best Fireside Destinations for Cozy Dining and Drinking Kyojin Sushi Link Open for: Dinner Price range: $$ The team behind outer Arlington’s raw fish hit Yume Sushi sauntered into Georgetown in 2023 with a flashy flagship that was named Eater DC’s best new restaurant that year. Tucked inside the mixed-use cluster of Cady’s Alley, the striking sushi cave from executive chef Saran “Peter” Kannasute and co-owner Jeff King breathes fresh life into the old home of L2 lounge. Kannasute’s calling cards like truffle wasabi, monkfish liver, uni with torched wagyu, and widespread use of edible flowers show up across a lengthy list of rolls, and a full kitchen with a hood gives the Bangkok-born chef room to build upon his boundary-pushing menus and introduce hot izakaya offerings for the first time. Kannasute taps into his Thai roots last fall with the opening of Rimtang, a fast-casual street food spot in the nearby space that formerly housed Kintaro. Vibe check: Rotating DJs on weekends, with a scene-y bar slinging stellar espresso martinis until late
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The Best Places to Eat and Drink in Georgetown Dec 10, 2025
The Best Places to Eat and Drink in Georgetown
Have It Their Way: Where to Find Omakase Menus in D.C. Sep 24, 2025
Have It Their Way: Where to Find Omakase Menus in D.C. Imperfecto Link Open for: Dinner and weekend brunch Price range: $$$$ Venezuelan chef Enrique Limardo’s follow-up to tropically appointed (and recently relocated) Seven Reasons gives the West End a fine dining venue for Mediterranean-Latin fusion full of surreal plating and modernist technique. Sturdy staples like fried Spanish octopus with Amazonian chimichurri anchor the rotating dinner menu. Go a la carte or choose the omakase tasting experience at the chef’s counter (currently 16 to 22 bites) that has a Michelin star. A soaring white bar lined with cranberry-colored stools sends out sharply conceived cocktails with Mediterranean ingredients like Greek olives, truffle honey, and limoncello. The team expanded its West End portfolio with the opening of Spanish-themed TheSaga in the Ritz-Carlton, followed up by its first foray into Virginia with avant-garde bistro Surreal near Amazon HQ2. Must-try dish: Moussaka cigar (crispy phyllo dough, smoked eggplant, ground lamb, and goat-manchego cream)
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D.C.’s Michelin-Starred Restaurants, Mapped Nov 21, 2025
D.C.’s Michelin-Starred Restaurants, Mapped
The Hottest New Brunches to Try in D.C. Nov 14, 2025
The Hottest New Brunches to Try in D.C. Casa Teresa Link Open for: Lunch and dinner Monday through Saturday Price range: $$$ Spanish chef Rubén García’s flagship restaurant and tapas bar brought a lively new destination for live-fire cooking to the Square, downtown’s ambitious new food market spearheaded by García and fellow José Andrés Group veteran Richie Brandenburg. Casa Teresa, García’s first solo venture, revives ancestral recipes of the culinary matriarchs he grew up around in Terrassa, Spain, and celebrates the time-honored cooking traditions of Basque Country and Catalonia through family-style feasts — think whole fish, local veggies, and pass-the-plate meats — all theatrically grilled over open flames and oak charcoal from a kitchen within diners’ view. The terracotta-toned dining room carves out space for a bar centered around gins, vermouth, and Spanish wines, plus an intimate “Teresa’s Table” that encourages chatty chef-guest interactions over tastings. A Saturday brunch full of vermouth and family recipes entered the fold this spring. Must-try dish: The How to Pa Amb Tomáquet is a fun dish that supplies diners with the crispy cristal bread, sliced tomatoes, and high-quality olive oil to build their own pan con tomate, plus a fun illustration card showing you how it’s done.
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Thanksgiving Day Dining Options Around D.C. Oct 29, 2025
Thanksgiving Day Dining Options Around D.C.
Terrific Tasting Menus to Try in D.C. Right Now Mar 12, 2025
Terrific Tasting Menus to Try in D.C. Right Now Cucina Morini Link Open for: Dinner, weekend brunch Price range: $$ Mt. Vernon Triangle got the Italian eatery of its dreams in 2024, complete with fresh crudo, small plates, fish soup, homemade pastas (in half or whole portions), $7 martinis, and best-selling imports from its decade-old Osteria Morini sibling in Navy Yard. Matt Adler of Capitol Hill-born hit Caruso’s Grocery — who was Osteria Morini’s opening executive chef back in 2013 — is back on board to produce spot-on Sicilian meals at Osteria Morini. NYC-based parent company Altamarea Group combined its former Nicoletta Italian Kitchen and adjoining Brew’d cafe into one chic Southern Italian restaurant under DC Bar’s headquarters, complete with a reimagined aperitivo bar and stylish new dining room. Must-try dish: Adler’s weekend cornettos stuffed with Nutella
Cucini Morini See more
16 Best Happy Hours in D.C. Dec 16, 2025
16 Best Happy Hours in D.C.
Outstanding D.C. Restaurants That Open on Mondays Aug 18, 2025
Outstanding D.C. Restaurants That Open on Mondays Baan Siam Link
Rey Lopez/Eater D.C. See more
The Best Restaurants and Bars Near Capital One Arena, Home of the Washington Wizards and Capitals Apr 21, 2025
The Best Restaurants and Bars Near Capital One Arena, Home of the Washington Wizards and Capitals
Where to Go for Terrific Thai Food in D.C. Feb 24, 2025
Where to Go for Terrific Thai Food in D.C. Tapori Link Open for: Dinner Price range: $$ The team behind critically acclaimed Daru doubled down on H Street in early 2025 with a vibrant new South Indian restaurant and cocktail bar. Tapori, which means “vagabond” in Hindi, centers around communal eating and flavors that span from Kerala to Nepal. Nepalese chef Suresh Sundas and beverage director Dante Datta teamed up with faraway chef Baburam Sharma to develop a menu that reflects his Nepalese background, upbringing in Delhi, and decades of experience in cooking South Indian cuisine. Dishes like pani puri, vada pav, dosas, and a clever “chop” riff on paneer join cocktails made with indigenous spices and fruits like chaat masala, jackfruit puree, and hibiscus. The former home of Fancy Radish got a complete overhaul from Edit Lab, complete with a 20-person communal table, patchwork tile-covered bar, and booths peering into a bright open kitchen. Must-try dish: The red-tinged Cauliflower 65 starter is a deep-fried favorite, dusted with roasted garlic, curry leaf, and mustard seed.
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The Best Old Fashioneds to Sip On in D.C. May 27, 2025
The Best Old Fashioneds to Sip On in D.C. Centrolina Link Open for: Lunch and dinner Price range: $$ Nearly a decade in, seven-time James Beard nominee chef Amy Brandwein’s polished osteria continues to shine in CityCenter DC. The five-time James Beard Award finalist goes all in on seasonal ingredients to construct a frequently changing Italian menu; that could mean melon-flanked snapper sashimi; peachy gazpacho; pristine pastas pumped up with purple broccoli and eggplant ragu; wood-fired mains like halibut and chanterelle mushrooms, lamb rib-eye, and pancetta-wrapped rabbit. Memorable desserts like an almond cake with fresh citrus, yuzu, and white chocolate come from James Beard-nominated pastry chef Pichet Ong. For something a little more casual (and affordable), consider Brandwein’s all-day sibling cafe Piccolina across the street. If you drive: Don’t — there are plenty of nearby Metro stops and little parking
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16 Best Pasta Places Around D.C. Nov 19, 2025
16 Best Pasta Places Around D.C.
15 Fabulous Desserts Around D.C. May 28, 2025
15 Fabulous Desserts Around D.C. Tonari Link Open for: Weekend brunch, dinner Price range: $$ Katsuya Fukushima’s wafu restaurant in Chinatown brings a Japanese spin to Italian dishes like pizza and pasta. That means thick, square pies with a crust made from Hokkaido wheat flour and smothered with Wisconsin brick cheese, available in varieties like pollock roe-covered Mentaiko corn. The chef is always experimenting; he recently introduced a first-Monday-of-the-month only menu focused on Japanese-influenced cheesesteaks (don’t forget to add an order of fries dripping with S&B curry sauce). The buzzy two-floor restaurant has a spacious bar downstairs, but if crowds are an issue, fear not: Fukushima, Yama Jewayni, and Daisuke Utagawa also own neighboring ramen shop and Izakaya Daikaya, plus chicken ramen haunt Bantam King around the corner. Takeout and delivery here. Best for: An ambitious, reasonably affordable dinner before or after a Capital One Arena event
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The Best Pizza Places in D.C. Oct 31, 2025
The Best Pizza Places in D.C.
D.C.’s Top Destinations for Private Dining Sep 17, 2025
D.C.’s Top Destinations for Private Dining Moon Rabbit by Kevin Tien Link Open for: Lunch, dinner Price range: $$$ After closing at the Wharf, James Beard-nominated chef Kevin Tien’s fine dining Vietnamese gem made a triumphant comeback to D.C. in January 2024. With fresh Penn Quarter digs comes all-new dishes filled with his familiar contemporary touches. Highlights include koji-marinated cumin lamb, aromatic perilla leaves stuffed with beef wagyu, and impossibly soft dinner rolls from pastry chef and two-time James Beard Award finalist Susan Bae. Bar manager Thi Nguyen, a 2024 Punch bartender of the year, whips up a savory Out Of Dipping Sauce cocktail that makes creative use of Tien’s fermented fish sauce. Moon Rabbit 2.0 isn’t done yet, with plans to add a next-door cocktail room and Vietnamese bakery at a TBA location. Moon Rabbit just placed No. 17 on North America’s 50 Best list. Best for: Post-work camaraderie and impressing out-of-town guests
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Thanksgiving Day Dining Options Around D.C. Oct 29, 2025
Thanksgiving Day Dining Options Around D.C.
Best Pre-Theater Meals Around D.C. Sep 26, 2025
Best Pre-Theater Meals Around D.C. The Occidental Link Open for: Lunch and dinner Price range: $$$ James Beard Award-winning hospitality magnate Stephen Starr (St. Anselm, Le Diplomate, El Presidente, Osteria Mozza, Pastis) resurrected an iconic D.C. power spot two blocks from the White House in March. The Occidental, billed as Starr’s “most glamorous and decadent” D.C. restaurant to date, serves tableside martinis (complete with a mini shaker for refills), Champagne, and caviar alongside a classic midcentury American menu full of prime rib, lamb chops with mint jelly, sourdough dinner rolls, luxe lobster, and playful starters like pigs in a blanket wrapped in a puff pastry. First opened in 1906 by the Willard hotel’s founder Henry Willard, Starr’s revival of the legendary two-story venue showcases white-tablecloth hospitality at its best. Must-try dish: Avocado-encased crab surrounded in fresh citrus.
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Best Pre-Theater Meals Around D.C. Sep 26, 2025
Best Pre-Theater Meals Around D.C.
Eater Denver 19 Stellar Denver Sports Bars for Watching the Big Game Feb 25, 2025
19 Stellar Denver Sports Bars for Watching the Big Game Pascual Link Open for: Dinner Price range: $$$$ Culinary couple Isabel Coss and Matt Conroy opened Pascual in 2024 in Capitol Hill with the Popal Group and have been picking up accolades for the inventive Mexican spot ever since, including being named one of Eater’s Best New Restaurants in America in 2024. The hearth-focused menu honors Coss’s native Mexico City and the chefs’ combined experience working at top-tier Mexican restaurants. Smoked chicken and whole grilled fish shine on the seasonal menu, but vegetables are also given special treatment whether they’re roasted whole or fill the rotating selection of tamales. Oaxacan flavors are also present throughout the menu, with tlayudas topped with in-season vegetables and classic mole sauces in many dishes. Coss flexes her pastry muscles with must-try desserts, like the colossal cinnamon-dusted buñuelos that never leave the menu. The Popal Group is also behind , French Georgetown gem Lutèce, Adams Morgan’s Afghan hit Lapis, the neighborhood’s new Maison Bar a Vin. Must-try dish: Whichever seasonal tamal is currently on the menu
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Vegetables Are the Move at Capitol Hill Standout Pascual Sep 29, 2025
Vegetables Are the Move at Capitol Hill Standout Pascual
Where to Eat and Drink on Capitol Hill Jun 17, 2025
Where to Eat and Drink on Capitol Hill Lucky Danger Link Open for: Lunch and dinner Price range: $$ Chinese American takeout Lucky Danger unveiled a full-on flagship last spring in Penn Quarter. Founded by restaurateur Tim Ma during the pandemic, the menu is full of allium pancakes with whipped tofu and caviar; blue crab lo mein with leek fondue; and duck fried chaufa (Peruvian fried rice) with fish sauce caramel. The restaurant features four distinct areas: a bright entryway bar with classic cocktails integrating Asian flavors, an intimate dining room, and the moody “Lucky Club” with drinks using Chinese herbal medicine. In the back sits a secret surprise: the only public mahjong bar in D.C. An additional outpost sits in Arlington, Virginia. Must-try dish: The mapo tofu bowl with fermented black beans, leeks, shiitake, and rice cakes
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The Best Chinese Restaurants Around D.C. Dec 19, 2025
The Best Chinese Restaurants Around D.C.
The Most Fun Restaurants in D.C. Jul 18, 2025
The Most Fun Restaurants in D.C. SER Restaurant Link Open for: Lunch and dinner Price range: $$ Ten years in, Spanish stalwart Ser continues to shine in its evolving Ballston neighborhood. It’s hard to go wrong with any of the 12-plus tapas on the list, but the tomato bread, croquetas, and deep-fried eggplant are not to miss. Seafood, meat, or vegetable paella for two is another excellent choice, and for a dash of drama at the table, go big with a whole roast suckling pig. Other standouts include crab-topped lobster from the raw bar, gorgeous seasonal salads, and gazpacho when summer calls. Its Spanish co-owner Javier Candon infuses his own spirits, as seen in Ser’s superior gin and tonic. Joselito, its sister spot in Capitol Hill, recently closed — which means the team is all in on Ser now. A newly expanded patio is a nice spot to sip sangria. Must-try dish: Gambas al ajillo
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Feel Right at Home at Arlington’s Decade-Old Spanish Dining Destination Oct 20, 2025
Feel Right at Home at Arlington’s Decade-Old Spanish Dining Destination
Outstanding D.C. Restaurants That Open on Mondays Aug 18, 2025
Outstanding D.C. Restaurants That Open on Mondays Dōgon Link Open for: Dinner Price range: $$$ Celebrity chef Kwame Onwuachi made a hotly anticipated return to D.C.’s dining scene in fall 2024 with an Afro-Caribbean restaurant situated at the foot of the 373-room Salamander Washington DC. Dōgon pays homage to D.C.’s late-1700s land surveyor Benjamin Banneker and his ties to the West African Dōgon tribe. Onwuachi’s menu explores his own Nigerian, Jamaican, Trinidadian, and Creole heritage, including barbecue greens with candied Cipollini onions, roasted garlic, and beef bacon; plantain hoe cakes; carrot tigua (pickled onion, peanut crustacean stew, burnt carrots); and “H Street” chicken and rice with Ethiopian berbere spices, jollof rice, and herbs. Drinks designed by vet D.C. mixologist Derek Brown are also not to miss. Must-try dish: Coco bread with malted sorghum butter
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Best Brunch Bets for Martin Luther King Jr. Day in D.C. Jan 17, 2025
Best Brunch Bets for Martin Luther King Jr. Day in D.C.
Where to Find Festive Afternoon Tea Service in D.C. Dec 11, 2024
Where to Find Festive Afternoon Tea Service in D.C. Ama Link Open for: Morning-to-night service Price range: $$ Open since June, Navy Yard’s elegant new Italian eatery comes courtesy of husband-and-wife industry vets Micah Wilder (Chaplin’s, Zeppelin) and Johanna Hellrigl (formerly of Doi Moi, Proof, Mercy Me). Drawing influence from chef Hellrigl’s northern Italian heritage, Ama transitions from an indoor-outdoor caffè and Genovese-style focacceria by day into an afternoon aperitivo bar and convivial restaurant by night. Kick off dinner with hard-to-get Tuscan salami and a peppery fennel salad, followed by mains like comforting rabbit stew served with homemade sourdough, spaghetti al pomodoro, and gloriously good gelato served in sliver cups. Negronis, spritzes, frozen Bellinis, and martinis take center stage at the bar come 4 p.m. A morning “cafè bancone” component showcases coffee and pastries starting at 8 a.m. This month’s feel-good menu is guided by best-selling NYT author Dr. William Li. Must-try dish: Lasagna engineered with mushroom bechamel
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16 Best Pasta Places Around D.C. Nov 19, 2025
16 Best Pasta Places Around D.C.
Outstanding D.C. Restaurants That Open on Mondays Aug 18, 2025
Outstanding D.C. Restaurants That Open on Mondays Fish Shop Link Open for: Lunch and dinner Price range: $$$ Scotland’s decorated seafood stop Fish Shop traveled across the pond to plant roots at the Wharf this spring with next-level nautical decor. The Bib Gourmand-designated restaurant and fishmonger, named one of the best new restaurants in the world by Conde Nast Traveller, comes from the London-based team behind high-powered art world hospitality group Artfarm. At Fish Shop’s first stateside location, chef de cuisine Ria Montes steers a hyperlocal menu full of crab-topped crumpets, Tall Timbers oysters grilled with ‘nduja brown butter, roasted rockfish, and vegetables sourced from the Dupont farmers market. Best for: Everything from date night to big groups in search of a scenic private dining room overlooking the Southwest Waterfront.
Dave Watts See more
New Lunches to Check Out Around D.C. Dec 17, 2025
New Lunches to Check Out Around D.C.
D.C.’s Top Destinations for Private Dining Sep 17, 2025
D.C.’s Top Destinations for Private Dining Albi Link Open for: Dinner Price range: $$$ The 2024 James Beard Award winner for Outstanding Chef Michael Rafidi manipulates smoke with a master’s touch, sending out dishes from the wood-burning hearth at his recently renovated, high-end Palestinian restaurant that have a way of commanding a diner’s full attention. The Maryland native’s tweaks dishes to incorporate peak produce — see the crab hummus decorated with sunflower shoots — but the snack-sized lamb meat pies with toum and lemon should never go out of style. Cocktails, desserts, and a lengthy wine list full of hard-to-find Eastern Mediterranean labels all rise to the occasion. An a la carte menu joins a new five-course “Sofra” menu ($145) that’s a surprise on the plate every night, plus $65-$95 beverage pairings. For something more affordable, head to sibling cafe Yellow, which expanded to Georgetown with fiery pies at night, and added a Union Market locale with lively Levantine bar La’ Shukran up top. Best for: Date night, larger groups, an arak cocktail, and everything in between
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D.C.’s Michelin-Starred Restaurants, Mapped Nov 21, 2025
D.C.’s Michelin-Starred Restaurants, Mapped
Best Places to Eat and Drink in Navy Yard Jul 22, 2025
Best Places to Eat and Drink in Navy Yard Mama Chang Link Open for: Lunch and dinner Price range: $$ The “home-style” Chinese restaurant in Peter Chang’s portfolio pays tribute to the women that influenced the legendary former embassy chef, with fiery dishes that call back his childhood in the Hubei province of central China and his home life in Virginia. Chang, a master of numbing spice, has woven Sichuan and Hunan techniques into a menu of vegetable-heavy plates, dim sum, and family-style orders. And there’s more to like in Chang’s sprawling empire: There’s dine-in seating across its plant-filled, zen dining room in Fairfax. The famed Chinese chef planted roots in Dupont Circle with the opening of Chang Chang, his first-ever D.C. restaurant with a supersized menu. The latest namesake spot (his 19th restaurant to date) is coming to Alexandria, following up 2024 NoVa openings in Herndon and NiHao in National Landing. Must-try dish: Scallion bubble pancakes
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The Best Chinese Restaurants Around D.C. Dec 19, 2025
The Best Chinese Restaurants Around D.C.
Where to Eat and Drink in Fairfax, Virginia Jul 29, 2025
Where to Eat and Drink in Fairfax, Virginia (责任编辑：) |
