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Washington has long benefited from a constant infusion of different cultures, making it a stellar culinary host for visitors and transplants from around the world. But recent years have made the fifth or sixth banana of American haute cuisine into a foodie town in its own right. You can find almost any cuisine here, from Salvadoran to Ethiopian, despite the lack of true ethnic neighborhoods in the city. You can now also sample cooking from some of the country’s hottest new chefs, find already established celebrity chefs who have just made their D.C debuts, and sip craft cocktails on par with some of the world's best.
Although most neighborhoods lack a unified culinary flavor, make no mistake: D.C. is a city of distinctive areas, each with its own style. Chinatown, for example, is known for chic small plates of various origins. You'll find Japanese noodle shops next to Mexican taquerias and Indian bistros. These spots wax and wane on the popularity scale with each passing season; it's worth taking a stroll down the street to see what's new. Downtown, you'll find many of the city's blue-chip law firms and deluxe, expense-account restaurants, as well as stylish lounges, brewpubs, and upscale eateries that have sprung up to serve the crowds that attend games at the Verizon Center.
Wherever you venture forth in the city, there are a few trends worth noting: artisanal cocktails, charcuterie-and-cheese plates, and back-to-basics new American cuisine are in vogue. You'll find tapas-style portions pervasive, whether you're at a Greek, Asian, or American restaurant. High-end restaurants in town also have begun to add bar menus with smaller plates that are much less expensive than their entrées, but created with the same finesse.
Though Italian, French, and fusion spots continue to open at a ferocious pace, Washingtonians are always hungry to try something new, whether it's Chinese smoked lobster, fiery Indian curry, or crunchy and addictive Vietnamese spring rolls.
From the owners of Daikaya, Bantam King is another fun option for ramen in the Penn Quarter neighborhood. Chicken broth serves as the base of their flavorful ramen with noodles sourced from Sapporo, Japan. There's also a vegetarian option on the menu. In addition to ramen, Bantam King offers crispy Nashville hot fried chicken, a favorite among regulars.
This spacious restaurant is on the ground floor of the 130-year-old Riggs Bank Building, now known as the Riggs Hotel. The café boasts large Corinthian columns, original stone floors, a sky-high ceiling, and Palladian windows. The menu is as luxurious as its surroundings: an ample raw bar featuring caviar, oysters, and crab. If seafood is not your thing, there are plenty of other choices, like steak frites and duck breast.
For those looking for a quick Mediterranean-inspired bite, Cava is a great option. Start with a base of grains, salads, or pita and top with a selection of proteins and savory dips and spreads such as hummus, tzatziki, spicy feta, and harissa. Don't be intimated by the long line—it moves pretty fast.
Chaia started its vegetarian taco fast-casual restaurant in Georgetown and has expanded its popular concept to Downtown D.C. Guests can choose from veggie tacos featuring braised mushrooms, kale and potato, roasted eggplant, and sweet potato hash. The menu also includes enchiladas, quesadillas, and sides like rice and beans. Although the selections feature cheese, they are easily customizable to vegan.
This upscale gastropub chain just a block from the convention center offers more than 40 beers on tap and loads of bottles. The high ceilings, reclaimed wood walls, and copper bar give the large spot a warm, rustic feel. Expect standard American pub comfort food with a few upscale plates like grilled ahi tuna and miso-glazed salmon. There's also a solid brick-oven-pizza selection. It gets a nice crowd, but you never feel crowded in the spacious bar–dining room. The jumping happy hour offers great prices.
L’Ardente serves traditional Italian flavors in a glamorous setting (think Missoni curtains) in the heart of the city. The buzzy restaurant, known for its 40-layer lasagna and tiramisu flambé, is a place to be seen by politicians and celebrities, including former president Barack Obama. The best seats in the house are at the chef's counter, where you can see the team assembling pizzas and crafting their indulgent pasta dishes.
Located in the Eaton DC hotel, Michele’s is home to a gorgeous bar and lounge producing exceptional craft cocktails and a chef's counter where guests can experience a unique raw bar tasting menu. Created by Michelin-starred chef Matt Baker, Michele's is named after his mother and draws inspiration from the American South, especially New Orleans and Texas, where the chef spent most of his formative years. Try dishes like grilled quail, roasted quail, and caviar from the raw bar.
For those looking for a high-end gastronomic experience, head to minibar, a two-Michelin-starred restaurant owned by Spanish chef José Andrés. Here, his team showcases his molecular-gastronomy techniques with the 20 or so courses on the tasting menu that vary regularly (no à la carte orders allowed). The small plates have included beef-tendon churros, corn on the cob served on a spoon, and chocolate-coated foie gras. Four seatings a night of six guests each means reservations are required.
Modena, the Italian restaurant by DC restaurateur Ashok Bajaj, takes power dining to the next level with deliciously beautiful dishes inspired by the Italian region and beyond. Start your meal with a perfectly executed negroni and a starter from the antipasti trolley that stops at each table so diners can choose their favorite starters, from braised artichokes to panzanella salad. Main dishes include handmade pasta and proteins like branzino and pork collar cooked on a charcoal grill.
Adventurous wine lists, stellar service, and inventive presentations that don't scrimp on the spice—this Indian kitchen is a local legend. A warm, romantic atmosphere means couples snatch up reservations weeks in advance. The menu highlights unique tandooris and grills, from lamb to chicken, and popular vegetarian dishes such as the fried spinach leaves with sweet yogurt sauce called palak chaat. Vegetarians and vegans will be pleased with their extensive veggie-forward menu. There's another location in the West End near Georgetown.
Yes, it's a chain made most famous in New York City, but if you're craving a burger, you can get your fix at the D.C. Chinatown outpost. Juicy burgers with a special sauce, classic fries (get them with cheese), and tasty shakes make it worth the short wait—especially if you're looking for a delicious, reasonably priced lunch between visits to Downtown attractions. Other D.C. Shake Shacks are in Dupont Circle, Logan Circle, Union Station, and Nationals Park.
This sophisticated urban dining room with soaring ceilings is a local favorite for meeting friends or dining with a group (and popular enough that reservations can still be difficult to get). Here chef José Andrés devotes practically the entire menu to Turkish, Greek, and Lebanese small plates, known as meze. To get the full experience, make a meal of three or four small plates, perhaps the spicy lamb bahar served with tabbouleh and tahini or the hearty fattoush shepherd's salad in a bright pomegranate dressing. Finishing the shareable roasted lamb shoulder is a worthy quest for diners with big appetites. So many options make this an excellent choice for both vegetarians and meat lovers. Reservations get snapped up quickly here, but you can snag a meal when a roomy bar table opens up. Eating at the bar itself is fun since the bartenders are attentive and friendly.
One block from the White House, the beautiful Bombay Club serves classic and modern Indian fare in a refined setting. On the menu are unusual seafood specialties and a variety of vegetarian dishes, but the real standouts are the aromatic curries. The bar, furnished with rattan chairs and dark wood paneling, serves hot hors d'oeuvres at cocktail hour. You can enjoy live piano music by the bar from Thursdays to Saturdays.
Give in to sensory overload at this homage to the railway dining rooms that catered to the prewar European elite. The food is just as rich as you'd expect: entrée-size salads with Belgian frites, fruits de mer platters with enough shellfish for a small army, and a dizzying lineup of artisanal beers. Every detail of Beck's interior exudes luxury, from the vintage-accented clocks that stand above mahogany booths to the exposed stainless-steel kitchen. The production is impressive, and you'll remember the food fondly after returning home—but you might consider a fast the next day.
This bright, airy Italian osteria has an adjoining market and a daily changing menu that is all about locally sourced meats and produce and sustainable fish. Authentic and innovative with pasta and sauces made in-house, and the specials change regularly. Eclectic, fresh, and fun, the restaurant is in the CityCenterDC development near the convention center. There's a fun bar with knowledgeable, friendly bartenders and a casual vibe. There's also a full-service coffee bar. Don't forget to pick up some fresh biscotti or olive oil in the market on your way out.
The José Andrés formula is pleasantly familiar to D.C. diners who have visited his ever-growing empire of small-plate restaurants since Jaleo first opened in 1993. This hybrid of Peruvian and Chinese-Japanese styles, inspired by a 19th-century wave of migration to South America, is a popular spot amongst locals. Find chili-speckled dim sum alongside ceviches, donburi bowls, and Peruvian-style fried rice. Cocktail stars are the macerados, Peruvian pisco liquors infused with fruit flavors.
Sadly, D.C.'s Chinatown has lost many Chinese restaurants due to gentrification. Thankfully, China Garden still stands, offering the classics of American-Chinese cuisine such as General Tso's chicken, beef and broccoli, and fried rice. You can't miss the location: a bright-red pagoda-like facade that is a neighborhood landmark. Vegetarians rejoice since there are plenty of plant-based options. The menu is diverse, and you can still get an affordable meal in the heart of D.C.
Cranes, a Michelin-starred restaurant at Penn Quarter is the brainchild of chef/owner Pepe Moncayo who creates a kaiseki experience (small, delicate plates) combining Japanese techniques and the flavors of his native Spain. In the evenings, you can experience an intricate omakase menu where the chef surprises you with a series of delicately crafted small courses featuring ingredients such as soft shell crab, oysters, and tender duck breast. Lunches are also a luxurious experience but at a more affordable price point, offering photogenic bento boxes with sashimi and pickled veggies.
This intimate, no-reservations, Sapporo-style ramen shop is one of the city's best bets for the tasty Japanese noodle soup. It offers five excellent types of ramen, with the vegan version a welcome option. The bustling atmosphere is underscored by the loud music. Upstairs is the izakaya, which takes reservations and specializes in Japanese-inspired comfort food like tuna poke, Maryland blue catfish with ginger tartar sauce, and stuffed shishito peppers.
Dauphine’s, a restaurant inspired by the playful spirit and iconic cuisine of New Orleans, is a new, exciting addition to the D.C. dining scene. The menu pays homage to the diverse cultural influences and rich culinary traditions of New Orleans. On the menu, you will see classic Louisiana dishes like pommes soufflé, trout amandine, and other original dishes inspired by New Orleans. The expansive 145-seat restaurant features a large sunken dining room anchored by a custom raw bar and wood charcuterie case, a double-height wrought-iron pavilion linking the dining room and bar area, and an intimate mezzanine and adjoining private dining room.
Inside trendy Hotel Monaco, Dirty Habit woos diners with a towering skylit space that until 1901 was the general post office. Homing in on globally inspired shared plates, the chef conjures up such satisfying dishes as poached hen dumplings and smoked Chilean sea bass. In warmer months, the neoclassical courtyard is a popular spot for fruit-infused cocktails and brunch. The bar is a mix of travelers, people coming in for pre- or post-concert drinks, and locals ready for a night out.
The line out the door at lunchtime is a dead giveaway that D.C.'ers have taken to this fast-casual, Yucatán-style Mexican restaurant that got its start as a food truck in 2009. While you can customize the toppings of your tacos or burritos, ordering them the Mexican way (with cilantro and onion) is a sure bet. Similarly, the breakfast tacos (served all day) never disappoint. And before grabbing your table, make sure you hit up the salsa bar.
For those looking for an upscale Italian dining experience, Fiola is an option for you. Its dapper servers know their menu inside and out, and there's a sommelier to help with the wine choices. This Michelin-starred restaurant offers a series of decadent tasting menus oozing with truffles handpicked from Alba. For those looking for a scaled luxury experience, Fiola also offers items à la carte.
The selection of authentic Chinese restaurants continues to dwindle in the neighborhood, but Full Kee remains a local's favorite. Overlook its unassuming exterior and interior and sample its addictive shrimp or scallops in garlic sauce or try the wide assortment of Cantonese-style roasted meats. Tried-and-true dishes include dumplings, crispy duck, eggplant with garlic sauce, and gingery steamed lobster.
Few who stop by this bustling hive of smoky brisket and gooey ribs can deny it does Texas meat right. This is evident in the pay-by-the-pound ethos that lets you sample one slice of lean beef and one scoop of gooey white shoepeg corn pudding alongside a succulent turkey breast. But this family-friendly retreat becomes a social destination come happy hour and beyond, when margarita pitchers reel in the twentysomethings, and Wednesday becomes a rollicking country western love music night.
Crispy Chick’n, juicy burgers, creamy shakes, and legendary sweet potato fries—HipCityVeg makes it easy for people to eat plant-based by presenting it in a way they already know and love. Created by Latina plant-based powerhouse Nicole Marquis, HipCityVeg is a 100% plant-based, fast-casual restaurant serving American Classics. Don't be intimidated by the line, it moves pretty fast. Make sure to order one of their decadent milkshakes. You will forget they're vegan!
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