The best restaurants in D.C. right now (2024)

Inspired by her extensive travels with her NPR-reporter husband, Rose Previte opened this neighborhood spot to bring global flavors to curious DC diners. The menu reflects the stamps on her passport, taking cues from international street foods. Since day one, the breakout star has been the khachapuri, the Republic of Georgia’s beloved canoe-shaped cheese bread. The space resembles a garden patio, where patrons are encouraged to linger over destination-driven co*cktails like the eponymous tipple, which features sparkling wine flavored with pomegranate, rose, and mint.

Chef-restaurateur David Deshaies is a newly minted member of the Maîtres Cuisiniers de France, but don’t let his Gallic roots get in the way of enjoying some of the city’s best pasta. At his “glam Italian” restaurant, the 40-layer lasagna, filled with short rib sugo and truffle-scented mornay sauce, gets the most word-of-mouth. But don’t miss the oversized veal parmigiana, blanketed in bubbly cheese, which will eclipse any version of the dish you’ve had before.

Chef power couple Matt Conroy and Isabel Coss bring their culinary cred to the cuisine of her homeland with this creative Mexican restaurant. The live-fire hearth is responsible for the kiss of flame that touches nearly everything that emerges from the kitchen here. That includes tacos al pastor carved from the turning trompo, meaty lamb neck barbacoa, and even skate. Coss got her start baking at Mexico City’s venerated Pujol, so don’t skip desserts like her Mexican chocolate cake.

Immigrants from Africa and Asia color the vibrant food of Trinidad. In the U Street Corridor, restaurateur Jeanine Prime shares the diverse influences in an upscale form. Start with callaloo soup, a collection of puréed greens that’s spiked with chiles, calmed with coconut milk, then topped with a liberal handful of lump crab meat. Large plates like the whole fried snapper and smoked “dino” beef rib necessitate sharing with someone you love.

This pearl of the Georgetown waterfront comes from local favorite Fabio Trabocchi. It’s hard to focus on your meal with welcome distractions like docking boats or glistening chandeliers in the opulent dining room where maritime kitsch need not apply. For the full experience, order a seafood tower featuring preparations inspired by the Amalfi coast. The stack is brimming with cooked and raw treats, crustaceans and bivalves, all served chilled atop crushed ice. This is definitely the place for a special occasion—with a price tag to match.

The sister joint to celebrity chef José Andrés's minibar, barmini offers co*cktail flights designed to incorporate all five senses. The funky, modern, and bright environs perfectly complement the fun and creative vibe, where anything from vapor clouds to liquid nitrogen, from sous-vide cooking to color-changing co*cktails, are put to use for guests’ entertainment.

Thank goodness chef Katsuya f*ckushima was never told to stop playing with his food. (Or if he was, thank goodness he didn’t listen.) The former culinary director at Jose Andres’s ThinkFoodGroup has so many good ideas he opened two restaurant concepts under one roof. Downstairs: a Sapporo-style ramen shop set to a soundtrack of ’90s music and satisfied slurps. Upstairs: a fast-paced izakaya with clever small plates and inventive co*cktails. Don’t miss his nearby Italian-Japanese restaurant, Tonari, and its memorable pizzas, either.

Chef Jeremiah Langhorne—formerly the chef de cuisine at the much-lauded McCrady’s in Charleston—takes a near-obsessive approach to local sourcing at his mid-Atlantic tasting-menu restaurant in Blagden Alley. His dishes come steeped in history and are made primarily using produce grown and raised nearby, including the rooftop garden. The interior feels like a chic barn with dark wood floors, tables, and rafted ceilings. The open kitchen is anchored by a wood-burning hearth that churns out new dishes daily.

When Italian-born chef Fabio Trabocchi opened Fiola in 2011, he quickly established his flagship as the place to go in Washington for sumptuous iterations of the cuisine of his homeland. This Michelin-starred marvel is a grand celebration of beauty and brilliance, where every dish on the varied tasting menus is almost as photogenic as it is delectable. As long as you’re splurging, order the caviar—harvested from Calvisano, Italy, and served with milk bread and whipped ricotta.

Cassoulet, a bean stew from the south of France that’s known for its sumptuously meaty overkill, is one of chef-owner Cedric Maupillier’s specialties. Get it here stacked with two kinds of sausage, duck confit and cured pork butt. Reservations are a must, and the happy hour offer is great for anyone looking to save a dollar or two.

Slightly off the main drag at the Union Station end of H Street, Ethiopic is one of the best Ethiopian restaurants in a city that’s known for the cuisine’s earthy flavors. Vegetarians and meat-eaters alike can find something they enjoy here, from lamb and lentils to baklava. The decor blends traditional elements of Ethiopian culture, like the country’s ancient scripts, with more contemporary designs.

Ben’s Chili Bowl, which opened in 1958, looks like a relic on the yuppified stretch of U Street once known as Black Broadway. But this family business has kept up with the times. The institution’s appeal rests on three legs: nostalgia (past customers include Duke Ellington, Miles Davis, and Barack Obama), the insatiable late-night hunger of young partiers, and, of course, the great bang for the buck afforded by burgers, fries, and chili. In-the-know customers order chili on a dog or half-smoke (arguably Washington’s signature specialty) and cheese fries, but you can also get a turkey burger sub or a salad bowl.

If you’re looking for a decadent splurge and a high probability of a celebrity sighting, head to this modern restaurant from California chef Michael Mina inside Georgetown’s Four Seasons hotel. Here, steaks are baptized in butter and movie stars and power players rub shoulders. The addictive fries are crisped in duck fat. The swank bar is a regular hangout for VIP guests and, true to its name, offers a vast selection of rare Bourbons and Scotches.

Etto is a 14th Street darling, where small plates and oven-blistered pizzas are shared amongst friends. This is a very good thing, as you’ll be hard-pressed to choose just one of the displayed antipasti you’ll spot on the way to one of the restaurant’s 42 seats. The entire space radiates warmth (from the oak-fueled fire in the corner) and aromas of freshly milled flour (from the hand-crank grain mill at the back of the restaurant).

Cozy doesn’t begin to describe this rustic corner bistro in Bloomingdale. The restaurant is centered around the wide-open kitchen’s Argentine-style grill, which runs on Virginia oak. Most of the Italian-leaning dishes make a pit stop in the fire before hitting plates, but best of all is chef Michael Friedman’s handmade rigatoni with sausage ragu; the Biden-beloved dish that will have you throwing all your carb cares to the wind.

With three locations around the city, this stalwart’s reputation for fresh fish and masterfully prepared rolls at bargain prices has remained since the inception of the tiny Capitol Hill restaurant. Our advice; ask your waiter to pick your dishes rather than opting for the omakase. They can tell you exactly what arrived that day and what’s worth trying.

Walking into Jimmy T’s is like walking into a living room straight out of a 1970s sitcom. That’s because not much has changed since the diner opened in 1969. This true greasy spoon is a Capitol Hill favorite that serves up the basics, just like mom used to make. The prices can’t be beaten, and it’s small enough that politicians and regular folks may literally rub elbows over egg-and-cheese sandwiches and corned beef hash.

It’s easy to see why Michel Richard’s Pennsylvania Avenue brasserie wins rave reviews. The playful menu fuses American and French classics with Richard’s signature whimsy, including "faux" gras (made from chicken liver, not one from a fatted duck or goose), a stunning shrimp burger, the chef’s spin on fried chicken, and a monstrous banana split that’s sure to attract any nearby spoon.

The menu changes constantly at Peter Pastan’s circa-1987, prix-fixe-only townhouse. But you can always count on an array of antipasti; pasta, meat, cheese, and dessert courses; and exemplary service. Squab makes regular appearances—it’s worth the awkwardness of dealing with the tiny bones—as do seasonal vegetables and fish. The wine list is extensive, the bread baked in-house, and the atmosphere unpretentious.

This small, local gastropub chain is famed for its award-winning burgers with conventional beef, veggie, or wagyu patties served on brioche. The short and sweet menu changes daily and is inspired by East London’s eclectic restaurant scene. Head to the Woodley Park location before or after a trip to the zoo.

Husband-and-wife team Todd Gray and Ellen Kassof's 25-year-old collaboration exemplifies how plant-based dishes can thrill. The menu isn't entirely vegan, but it's easy enough to ignore the meat or fish and select veggie-only options. Well, “easy” is a relative term, as we wouldn’t turn up our noses at the Mid-Atlantic-sourced hanger steak or Amish chicken. Visit on a Sunday to enjoy the famous family-style vegan brunch.

Owners Jeff and Barbara Black were among the first restaurateurs to tap into Washington’s bivalve addiction. Pearl Dive offers a variety of both East and West Coast oysters, all of which come expertly shucked (read: you won’t mistakenly find any shell fragments in your mouth) and served with a cilantro-jalapeño “dive sauce.” For a real treat, ask for a list of the premium oysters available.

What’s good for the body can be good for the soul, too. The hearty plant-based mac ‘n’ cheese and fried chick’n, coupled with the relaxed environment at this local chain assures both. Choose an entrée or a sandwich from the diverse lineup and request a pressed juice, smoothie, or shake with your meal. Don’t forget to also try out the eatery’s baked treats.

This Philadelphia-based fast-casual chain is a D.C. crowd favorite, offering tasty, 100-percent plant-based fare. Try the Crispy HipCity Ranch, a battered chick'n sandwich with creamy peppercorn ranch, or the Ziggy Burger, with smoked tempeh bacon and special sauce. Also, find salads, sweet potato fries, dips, juices, and smoothies.