Our top 9 Washington DC restaurants from tried-and-true classics to new hotspots
From revolutionary Ukranian dishes to unbeatable ramen spots, Washington, DC is abundant in flavor. In the Local Palate’s 2024 Restaurants Issue, Adele Chapin offers a guide to new and tried-and-true local spots with these 9 Washington DC restaurants.
5 New Washington DC Restaurants
A new spin on breakfast sandwiches—featuring scallion pancakes wrapped around fluffy eggs, cheese, and chili-crisp sauce—made Any Day Now a brunch destination. But it’s worth visiting chefs Tim Ma and Matt Sperber’s all-day cafe any time for dishes like mozzarella-stuffed potato croquettes, kimchi spaetzle, or yuzu curd pie. @anydaynowdc
Celebrity chef Makoto Okuwa’s flagship DC outpost features multiple Japanese restaurants under one roof. Splurge on omakase at Dear Sushi, grill Wagyu steaks tableside at Beloved Barbecue, kick back with highballs and skewers at Hiya Izakaya, or snag to-go dumplings and bowls of ramen at the fast-casual Love on the Run. @lovemakotodc
Restaurateur Stephen Starr’s fantastical follow-up to DC’s ever-popular Le Diplomate is draped in red velvet, with a 3-D shark sculpture posted above the bar and waiters in white jackets cruising the dining room. The Mexico City-inspired dishes span guacamole with Maryland blue crab to carne asada tacos and tomahawk ribeye. @elpresidentedc.
Billed as DC’s first Ukrainian restaurant, Ruta even serves a yellow-and-blue-hued cocktail reminiscent of the flags you’ll see around neighboring Capitol Hill supporting the country’s war efforts. Chef Dima Martseniuk is eager to share his culture, serving everything from borscht to dumplings, as well as nalysnyky (Ukrainian crepes) with farmer cheese for brunch. @ruta.dc
Chef Enrique Limardo is a master of fusing Latin American flavors with all sorts of global cuisine, and his latest DC fine-dining spot explores all things Spain. That translates to a “not traditional” patata brava with pepita seeds or Spanish suckling pig served alongside coconut rice and pickled pineapple. @thesaga
4 Tried & True Washington DC Restaurants
This modern Indian restaurant serves shareable appetizers and entrees with a focus on tawa, sigri, tandoori, and regional curries from James Beard Award-winning chef Vikram Sunderam. @rasikadc
Steps from the White House, this oyster bar and restaurant serving American cuisine is the oldest saloon in Washington. @oldebbitt
Diners can order bowls of Sapporo-style ramen downstairs at The Ramen Shop and small plates of Japanese tavern food upstairs at The Izakaya. @daikaya_ramen @daikaya_izakaya
This Penn Quarter restaurant serves rotating lunch and dinner menus of regional Italian dishes, in addition to selling pasta and specialty items at the adjacent mercato. @centrolinadc
keep reading
Radar
10 Most Anticipated Restaurant Openings in 2024 | Listen
From re-envisioned Bayou favorites to eagerly awaited brick and mortars, find our top 10 most anticipated restaurant openings for 2024.
Dining Out
9 Noteworthy North Carolina Restaurants | Listen
From powerful Japanese cuisine to classic American dishes, North Carolina has a restaurant selection sizzling with flavor.
Dining Out
9 Noteworthy South Carolina Restaurants | Listen
From fresh, local seafood to inventive New American dishes, South Carolina welcomes a diverse food and dining scene.
share
trending content
-
What’s Cooking at JXN Food & Wine Festival 2025
by Maggie Ward -
Our Top 5 Southern Cookbooks of the Year | Listen
by Erin Byers Murray -
Explore the Coastal Communities of Franklin County & Florida’s Forgotten Coast
by TLP's Partners -
Cookbook Review: Bayou by Melissa M. Martin | Listen
by Erin Byers Murray -
Brewing Up a Celebration
by TLP Editors
More From Dining Out
-
Our Guide to Top Culinary Towns
-
Everything You Need to Know About The Catbird Seat’s New Chefs
-
9 Noteworthy West Virginia Restaurants | Listen
-
9 Noteworthy Texas Restaurants | Listen
-
9 Noteworthy Florida Restaurants | Listen