Must-see restaurants in Washington, DC

  • Washington, D.C. Ben's Chili Bowl, a major landmark restaurant founded in 1958 located at 1213 U Street in the Shaw neighborhood. Known locally for its chili dogs, half-smokes, and milkshakes

    Ben’s Chili Bowl

    Logan Circle, U Street & Columbia Heights

    Ben’s is a DC institution. The main stock in trade is half-smokes, DC’s meatier, smokier version of the hot dog, usually slathered with mustard, onions…

  • Dabney

    Washington, DC

    Chef Jeremiah Langhorne studied historic cookbooks, discovering recipes that used local ingredients and lesser-explored flavors in his quest to…

  • Comet Ping Pong

    Upper Northwest DC

    Proving that DC is more than a city of suits and corporate offices, Comet Ping Pong offers a fun and festive counterpoint to most of the city's eateries…

  • Busboys & Poets

    Logan Circle, U Street & Columbia Heights

    Busboys & Poets is one of U Street's linchpins. Locals pack the place for coffee, boozy brunches, books and a progressive vibe that makes San Francisco…

  • Bistrot du Coin

    Washington, DC

    The lively and much-loved Bistrot du Coin is a neighborhood favorite for roll-up-your sleeves, working-class French fare. The kitchen sends out…

  • Compass Rose

    Logan Circle, U Street & Columbia Heights

    Compass Rose feels like a secret garden, set in a discreet townhouse a whisker from 14th St's buzz. The exposed brick walls and sky-blue ceiling give it a…

  • Shouk

    Washington, DC

    Fast and casual, Shouk creates big flavor in its vegan menu of Israeli street food, served with craft beer and tap wines. A crazy-good burger made of…

  • Rose's Luxury

    Washington, DC

    Michelin-starred Rose's is one of DC's most buzzed-about eateries. Crowds fork into worldly Southern comfort food as twinkling lights glow overhead and…

  • A Baked Joint

    Washington, DC

    Order at the counter then take your luscious, heaped-on-housemade-bread sandwich – perhaps the smoked salmon and scallion cream cheese on an open-faced…

  • Donburi

    Washington, DC

    Hole-in-the-wall Donburi has 14 seats at a wooden counter where you get a front-row view of the slicing, dicing chefs. Donburi means 'bowl' in Japanese,…

  • Ambar

    Washington, DC

    Ambar buzzes, especially at happy hour, when the convivial, European-style restaurant slings heaps of small plates. Roasted pepper and eggplant, smoked…

  • Little Serow

    Washington, DC

    Set in a cavern-like green basement, Little Serow has no phone, no reservations and no sign on the door, and it only seats groups of four or fewer (larger…

  • Tail Up Goat

    Washington, DC

    With its pale-blue walls, light wood decor and lantern-like lights dangling overhead, Tail Up Goat exudes a warm, island-y vibe. The lamb ribs are the…

  • ChiKo

    Washington, DC

    ChiKo stands for Chinese and Korean, and it fuses the cuisines with low-key style. Dishes such as pork and kimchi potstickers and chilled acorn noodles…

  • Fiola Mare

    Georgetown

    Fiola Mare delivers the chichi Georgetown experience. It flies in fresh fish and crustaceans from Maine and Tasmania daily. The yacht-bobbling river view…

  • Baked & Wired

    Georgetown

    This cheery cafe whips up beautifully made coffees, bacon cheddar buttermilk biscuits and enormous cupcakes (like the banana and peanut-butter-frosted…

  • Sichuan Pavilion

    White House Area & Foggy Bottom

    Many Chinese come to this few-frills restaurant to feast on fiery, aromatic Sichuan classics. Around the world, piquant Sichuan (or Szechuan) cuisine is…

  • Bub & Pop's

    Washington, DC

    A chef tired of the fine-dining rat race opened this gourmet sandwich shop with his parents. Ingredients are made in-house from scratch – the meatballs,…

  • Equinox

    White House Area & Foggy Bottom

    Chef Todd Gray has long eschewed imported ingredients in favor of meat, fish, fowl, vegetables and fruit sourced from farms in the Shenandoah Valley and…

  • Central Michel Richard

    Washington, DC

    Michel Richard was one of Washington's first star chefs. He died in 2016, but his namesake Central blazes onward. It's a special dining experience, eating…

  • Bread Furst

    Upper Northwest DC

    Watch the bakers hand-shape artisanal breads and traditional pastries at this bustling bakery. Owner Mark Furstenberg was dubbed 'Outstanding Baker of the…

  • Old Ebbitt Grill

    White House Area & Foggy Bottom

    Established in DC in 1856, this legendary tavern has occupied prime real estate near the White House since 1983. Political players and tourists pack into…

  • Simply Banh Mi

    Georgetown

    There's nothing fancy about the small, below-street-level space, and the compact menu sticks mostly to sandwiches and bubble tea. But the brother-sister…

  • Hank's Oyster Bar on the Wharf

    Washington, DC

    Chef Jamie Leeds has built a name for herself in DC, with several restaurants showcasing 'urban beach food,' and others focusing on pasta and cocktails…

  • Union Market

    Logan Circle, U Street & Columbia Heights

    The cool crowd hobnobs at this food hall, where culinary entrepreneurs sell their banana-ginger chocolates, herbed goat's cheeses and smoked meats. Among…

  • Minibar

    Washington, DC

    Whimsical Minibar is a two-Michelin-starred foodie nirvana, where 12 lucky people get wowed by animal bits spun into cotton candy and cocktails frothed…

  • Bad Saint

    Logan Circle, U Street & Columbia Heights

    Lines form early at this wee, 24-seat restaurant. It doesn't take reservations, so expect to wait. The reward is Filipino flavors like none you've laid…

  • Kinship

    Washington, DC

    Round up your friends and enjoy a convivial night at this Michelin-starred restaurant by James Beard Award–winning chef Eric Ziebold. Pick and choose…

  • Blue Duck Tavern

    Washington, DC

    A reliable rave winner, the Michelin-starred Blue Duck creates a rustic kitchen ambience in the midst of an uber-urbanized corridor of M St. The changing…

  • Komi

    Washington, DC

    There is an admirable simplicity to Komi’s changing menu, rooted in Greece and influenced by everything – but primarily genius. Its Michelin star proves…

  • Duke's Grocery

    Washington, DC

    'A taste of East London in East Dupont' is Duke's tagline, and that means black pudding for brunch, curried chicken for lunch, and the famed burgers and…

  • Toki Underground

    Washington, DC

    Spicy ramen noodles and dumplings sum up wee Toki's menu. Steaming pots obscure the busy chefs, while diners slurp and sigh contentedly. The eatery takes…

  • Chercher

    Logan Circle, U Street & Columbia Heights

    Ethiopian expats have been known to compare Chercher’s food to their grandma’s home cooking. It prepares terrific injera (spongy bread) for dipping into…

  • Chez Billy Sud

    Georgetown

    An endearing little bistro tucked away on a residential block, Billy's mint-green walls, gilt mirrors and wee marble bar exude laid-back elegance…

  • Farmers Fishers Bakers

    Georgetown

    The folksy cow above the front door might tip you off. Or the larder-designed corner lined with farm-canned goods. This eco-chic restaurant on the…

  • Mintwood Place

    Washington, DC

    In a neighborhood known for jumbo pizza slices and Jell-O shots, Mintwood Place is a romantic anomaly. Take a seat in a brown-leather booth or at a…

  • Masseria

    Logan Circle, U Street & Columbia Heights

    Chef Nicholas Stefanelli’s Michelin-star-winning Italian oasis flourishes in the industrial neighborhood near Union Market. A festive outdoor terrace and…

  • Del Mar

    Washington, DC

    Treat yourself to an impeccable meal at Michelin-star-winning Del Mar, Fabio and Maria Trabocchi’s latest culinary vision. Spanish cuisine is celebrated…

  • Timber Pizza

    Logan Circle, U Street & Columbia Heights

    Bon Appetit magazine crowned Timber one of the best new restaurants in America in 2017, while the James Beard Foundation nominated the chef as a rising…

  • Rasika

    Washington, DC

    Rasika is as cutting edge as Indian food gets. The room resembles a Jaipur palace decorated by modernist art-gallery curators. Top marks go to the murgh…

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