Bar Japonais © Nina Palazzolo
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Wine and dine your way around these hot places to eat and drink in the District.
The owners of Mt. Vernon Triangle’s French-Chinese restaurant Bar Chinois have expanded to 14th Street with a new fusion concept. Bar Japonais, a French-Japanese Izakaya, has replaced the Spanish restaurant Estadio in Logan Circle. The sleek and sophisticated ambiance has plenty of sharable plate offerings, sushi, crudos, French wine, Sake and cocktails.
From DIY appetizers that pay homage to Spanish chef Rubén García’s abuela Teresa to the family-style entrees of whole fish, pass-the-plate grilled meats and veggie dishes prepared over open flames and oak charcoal, Casa Teresa offers a progressive dining experience unlike anything else in the city. You’ll feel like you’re eating at grandma’s house in the heart of Spain.
Rooftop Kitchen
Anyone can get a taste of resort life at City Ridge's modern and exclusive Rooftop Kitchen. Over a burger and cocktails, soak in not only pool vistas, but a 360-degree DC panorama from one of the highest points of the city. Other buzzworthy features include gas fire pits and large outdoor screens, making it a perfect spot to follow major sporting events.
Apapacho
Husband-and-wife team Alam Méndez and Elisa Reyna opened their lively taqueria Apapapacho in La Cosecha, Union Market's hub for Latin food and culture. The spot embodies its name by providing guests an "embrace with the soul" through both hospitality and menu, combining the founders' expertise in traditional Oaxacan cooking and pastry arts. The resulting specialty? Some really memorable tortillas.
The newest restaurant concept from Long Shot Hospitality (the same group behind The Salt Line) is led by critically acclaimed Chef Kristen Essig. Dauphine’s evokes New Orleans in its Cajun-flavored and inspired dishes, served at a convenient location right near the McPherson Square Metro. Expect an elegant yet relaxed environment that will feel like Louisiana in the heart of DC.
Perry’s in Adams Morgan has long been a fan-favorite for its community-minded drag brunches, its idyllic yet low-key rooftop and its killer Japanese menu. Yet, in 2022, Chef Masako Morishita began authoring an exciting new chapter in the restaurant’s forty-year story. The first Japanese woman to helm the kitchen, Morishita has refreshed the menu to reflect her adventurous brand of “modern comfort food," including parmesan-topped edamame dumplings, shrimp katsu burgers on potato buns (held together by pink flamingo cocktail picks), udon carbonara and a special Japanese breakfast service. Morishita has been honored by the James Beard Foundation and the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington.
From the minds behind Rooster & Owl comes "little sister" concept Ellie Bird. The "unfussy" a-la-carte spot – named after founders Yuan and Carey Tang's youngest daughter – serves New American plates a few blocks away from where the restauranteur power couple grew up in Falls Church, Va. While you may recognize some familiar menu items like pineapple buns and kimchi bouillabaisse, diners are delighted by notable new items like "fancy tater tots," Vietnamese French onion soup and mochi waffles for brunch. And to top it all off? Metropolitan DC's restaurant association recently named Ellie Bird its new restaurant of the year.
Albi
Chef Michael Rafidi pours his heart into his Navy Yard restaurant. That’s no joke, either; Albi literally means “heart” in Arabic, a nod to the chef’s Levantine roots that matches his signature mix of mezze plates and mashawi, dishes cooked over an open flame. Savor Mediterranean staples with a twist, like a saccharine fattoush with pear and cucumber or the sumac bok choy with honey, whipped feta and smoked peanut harissa.
As if you needed more convincing, Chef Rafidi was honored with the 2024 Outstanding Chef Award from the James Beard Foundation.
2Fifty’s second location on K Street in Mount Vernon Triangle touts handcrafted and wood smoked Texas-Style BBQ with what they describe as “a pinch of the tropics.” The pitmaster embraces the “low and slow” method, smoking ethically sourced meats over their specially selected wood for anywhere between six to 14 hours. At communal tables, guests can combine their cut of choice with American classics and Salvadoran favorites like esquites and plantains – for dine-in, take-out or catering.
Mita elevates vegetarian dining with five, seven or 14 courses' worth of plant-based selections. Co-owners Miguel Guerra and Tatiana Mora, who have gained recognition for their other DC spot El Cielo, combine cross-continental South American ingredients with contemporary methods to showcase the versatility of veggies. Aside from crowd-favorite arepas, sample a few staples you may never have tried before – or, enjoy classics in new formats and combinations, like yuca cake or charred banana with barley.
Darvish Kitchen
Masoud Aboughaddreh, known for Greenhouse Bistro and Lima Twist, is thrilled to bring Darvish Kitchen to Connecticut Avenue. With a deep passion for promoting Persian culture and food, Aboughaddreh ensures the space offers an authentic Persian dining experience. The kitchen serves traditional Persian dishes like kabobs and khoresh and desserts such as Persian cream puffs.
Petite Cerise
Petite Cerise, created by the team behind The Dabney, provides an additional reason for joie de vivre with its quiet Coffee Counter operation, open Tuesday through Friday. Feel like a Parisian by picking apart a pastry layer by layer and relaxing at one of the bistro tables while the staff preps in the back for the rest of the day's service. Separate a la carte menus are available for brunch and lunch, while dinner’s showcase is a four-course prix fixe that journeys through the history and creativity of French cuisine using mid-Atlantic ingredients.
Mallard © John Rorapaugh, Leading DC
Neighborhood Restaurant Group and Chef Hamilton Johnson opened Mallard in the prime real estate that used to house Birch & Barley. The restaurant offers a modern twist on classic Southern dishes using locally sourced ingredients. Menu highlights include – you guessed it – foie gras and other duck delicacies, plus favorites like shrimp and grits and southern fried green tomatoes.
Shilling Canning Company
The legacy of the Shilling family's Baltimore canning company continues on in Navy Yard, where the Chesapeake region shines through wood-fired flavors, locally-sourced seafood and popular thick-cut fries. On the rustic but modern outdoor patio, diners can sit back and relax surrounded by beds of greens and herbs to be used in the seasonally changing menu.
© Scott Suchman
If you've enjoyed a trendy evening at the popular Residents Cafe in Dupont Circle, be sure to bop down to Washington Harbour for the same colorful, buzzy vibe and quality craftsmanship with a more global spin. River Club combines flavors from Lebanon, Italy and Spain into a mix of mezze plates and desserts. "Rooted in attainable luxury," the team seeks to maintain a groovy vibe all around, so the patterned paradise proffers funky multilingual tunes and a table service featuring arak (Lebanon), amaro (Italy) or vermut (Spain).
This Mexican cocina and mezcaleria comes from Chef Richard Sandoval. dLeña is derived from the Spanish word “leña,” which means “firewood.” As you may imagine, the restaurant features a wood-fired oven, which serves as a nod to the rustic, open-fire cooking techniques of Mexico’s past. The menu offers signature smoked entrées, several types of ceviche and unique sharing plates. If you’re planning on grabbing a drink, the bar features hand-crafted margaritas, Latin cocktails, mezcal, cervezas and vino.
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