The Top 100 Places to Eat Near Milaidhoo Maldives
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Rank 1. The Red Hen
Italian
A rustic Italian spot in Bloomingdale that's been earning its Michelin Bib Gourmand for a reason, The Red Hen is reliably packed with the kind of neighborhood crowd that books weeks out and still shows up early. Exposed brick, reclaimed wood, and moody lighting give it a farmhouse warmth without trying too hard. The pastas are the move, and the bar is a solid fallback when you forgot to make a reservation, which you did.
- Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand
- The Rammys 2025 · Finalist · Chef of the Year · Mike Friedman
- Washingtonian 2026 · #18 · 100 Very Best Restaurants
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Rank 2. Mita
Vegetarian Peruvian
Michelin-starred plant-based Peruvian tasting menu in Shaw sounds like a sentence designed to start arguments, but Mita genuinely earns it. The kitchen ranges across Latin America, and the food is inventive without being smug about it. The crowd is curious and mostly sober, here for the ride. Two format options mean you can commit as much as you want. Wear something that says you made a reservation two weeks ago.
- Michelin Guide 1 Star
- Punch 2025 · Best New Bartenders · Lou Bernard
- James Beard Awards 2025 · Nominee · Best New Restaurant
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Rank 3. Elcielo Restaurant
Colombian
A Michelin-starred fine dining tasting menu that reads as a love letter to Colombia, right next to Union Market. The chef's cooking is personal and theatrical, the kind of place where dishes arrive with a little drama and a story behind them. The crowd leans toward date night and special occasions, everyone dressed up just enough. Go hungry, go curious, and let the warm staff walk you through it.
- Michelin Guide 1 Star
- The Rammys 2025 · Finalist · Service Program of the Year
- The Rammys 2025 · Finalist · Formal Fine Dining Restaurant of the Year
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Rank 4. Oyster Oyster
American
A Michelin-starred vegetable tasting menu in Shaw that will make you forget you're not eating meat, and actually mean it. The chef turns local farm produce into nine courses of genuinely surprising food, the kind where a potato or a squash does something you didn't expect. The crowd skews thoughtful and curious rather than preachy about it. You leave feeling weirdly good, which isn't something tasting menus usually pull off.
- James Beard Awards 2023 · Winner · Outstanding Chef · Rob Rubba
- Michelin Guide 1 Star
- Food & Wine 2025 · The Top 15 US Restaurants
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Rank 5. Masseria
Puglian Italian
A Michelin-starred tasting restaurant in a converted warehouse that somehow pulls off glamorous and unfussy at the same time. The chef's Puglian roots shape everything, and the pasta and bread courses alone justify the trip. The room draws a well-dressed crowd who came to linger, and the staff seem genuinely happy to let them. The cocktail bar up front is worth a stop on its own if a full tasting feels like a commitment.
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Rank 6. Causa
Nikkei Peruvian
Tucked into Blagden Alley, Causa is a Michelin-starred tasting menu spot for about 20 people, so it already feels like a secret. The chef blends Japanese technique with Peruvian ingredients in a way that actually makes sense, moving you from Lima's coast up through the Andes and into the Amazon over the course of a meal. The crowd leans date-night and serious-eater, the kind of people who researched this place weeks ago.
- Michelin Guide 1 Star
- James Beard Awards 2025 · Winner · Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic · Carlos Delgado
- James Beard Awards 2023 · Nominee · Best New Restaurant
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Rank 7. Shia
Korean
Edward Lee's 22-seat Korean fine dining room is one of those places where every course makes you wonder why more restaurants don't cook like this. The tasting menu takes traditional Korean ingredients seriously without being stiff about it, and the Korean spirits list goes deep into territory most people have never tried. First-daters and food-curious regulars fill the tiny room, all quietly impressed and pretending they're not.
- Esquire 2025 · 50/50 · The Best Martinis in America
- Washingtonian 2026 · #37 · 100 Very Best Restaurants
- Eater The 38 Essential Restaurants Around D.C.
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Rank 8. PhoXotic
Noodles
A Bib Gourmand pho shop in Bloomingdale where the broth is serious business and the menu stays in its lane, which is exactly the point. The chef came up in butchery, and it shows in bowls loaded with brisket, short rib, and beef shank, finished with torched bone marrow if you're feeling dramatic. Counter seating, QR codes, no reservations, no fuss. The crowd comes hungry and leaves very quiet, which is the highest compliment a bowl of pho can get.
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Rank 9. La' Shukran
French, Levantine
Finding it is half the fun: duck into a Union Market alley, spot the green door, and climb the stairs into a jewel-toned bistro where French technique meets Levantine soul. Chef Michael Rafidi runs one of DC's most genuinely original rooms, all habibi-funk vinyl and cool-kids energy. The menu is built for sharing, the cocktails are saffron-spiked, and snapping a reservation requires actual effort. That's usually a sign.
- The New York Times 2025 · Falafel Jibneh · The Best Restaurant Dishes We Ate Across the U.S.
- The Rammys 2025 · Finalist · New Restaurant of the Year
- The New York Times 2025 · The Restaurant List
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Rank 10. Amazonia
Amazonian Peruvian
- Spirited Awards 2026 · Top 10 Nominee · World’s Best Spirits Selection
- Spirited Awards 2026 · Top 10 Nominee · Best U.S. Restaurant Bar
- James Beard Awards 2025 · Winner · Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic · Carlos Delgado
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Rank 11. The Dabney
American
A Michelin-starred fine dining room tucked down a cobblestone alley in Shaw, which already tells you something about its personality. The hearth does real work here, giving everything a quiet smokiness that ties the Mid-Atlantic cooking together. The crowd skews date-night and special-occasion, but the recently added à la carte option means you're no longer locked into a full tasting menu commitment just to get in the door.
- Michelin Guide 1 Star
- James Beard Awards 2025 · Semifinalist · Outstanding Restaurant
- Washingtonian 2026 · #15 · 100 Very Best Restaurants
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Rank 12. Yellow
Levantine Middle Eastern
- The Rammys 2025 · Finalist · Fast Casual Restaurant of the Year
- The Rammys 2025 · Finalist · Pastry Chef or Baker of the Year · Alicia Wang
- Eater The Best Bakeries Around D.C.
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Rank 13. Marcus
American
Marcus Samuelsson's hotel restaurant in NoMa is the rare kind of upscale dining room that actually earns its price tag. The cooking pulls from all over, Southern, West African, Scandinavian, and somehow it coheres into something genuinely exciting rather than confused. The room draws a well-dressed crowd that came with a reservation and a plan. The crab rice, despite its modest name, arrives as a full production, and the blue cornbread lives up to the talk.
- Washingtonian 2026 · #32 · 100 Very Best Restaurants
- Eater Rising Chef · The 2025 Eater DC Award Winners · Anthony Jones
- James Beard Awards 2026 · Semifinalist · Emerging Chef · Anthony Jones
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Rank 14. Chai Pani
Indian
Chai Pani brings the James Beard Award-winning Indian street food party from Asheville to Union Market, and it fits right in. The DC outpost is loud, color-drenched, and genuinely festive, the kind of place where everyone looks like they're having more fun than you until you order something. Go for the snacky stuff, the crispy bites and tangy tamarind things, and don't plan on getting out of there without overeating.
- James Beard Awards 2026 · Nominee · Outstanding Restaurateur · Meherwan Irani and Molly Irani - Chai Pani Restaurant Group
- Washingtonian 2026 · #29 · 100 Very Best Restaurants
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Rank 15. Stellina Pizzeria
Neo-Neapolitan Pizza
Stellina earned a Michelin Bib Gourmand for a reason: the neo-Neapolitan pies coming out of that wood-burning oven are blistered, chewy, and genuinely great without costing a fortune. It's a casual counter-service spot in NoMa with colorful tiles, red stools, and an open kitchen that makes the whole place feel alive. The crowd is mostly neighborhood regulars and the occasional pizza pilgrim who did their homework. Bring cash for tiramisu on the way out.
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Rank 16. Bresca
Contemporary New American
Bresca is a Michelin-starred bistro on 14th Street that somehow feels like your neighborhood spot and a special-occasion splurge at the same time. The room is pretty wild, with a moss wall and surreal gold accents that make first-daters and dressed-up regulars feel equally at home. The cooking is genuinely creative without making you feel dumb for enjoying it, and the service hits the rare sweet spot of polished but not precious.
- AAA Four Diamonds
- Michelin Guide 1 Star
- Spirited Awards 2024 · Top 10 Nominee · Best U.S. Restaurant Bar
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Rank 17. 2Fifty
Barbecue
Counter-service BBQ done with serious conviction, 2Fifty smokes everything over wood until it's exactly right, and the room fills up fast with people who drove across town on purpose. The brisket and smoked turkey are the main reasons to show up, though the sides hold their own. Order more than you think you need, grab a spot if you can find one, or just take the whole fragrant haul home.
- The Rammys 2025 · Finalist · Rising Culinary Star of the Year · Fernando Gonzales
- The Rammys 2025 · Finalist · Casual Restaurant of the Year
- Time Out #8 · Best restaurants in Washington, D.C.
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Rank 19. Jônt
American, Japanese
Ryan Ratino holds two Michelin stars here, and the room earns every one of them. It's a counter-style tasting menu above Bresca, with sharp-suited servers and chefs moving like they choreographed the whole thing. Japanese seafood and wagyu meet flawless French technique, and dessert gets its own dedicated counter. The crowd dresses up and means it. Worth every penny if you're the kind of person who thinks dinner should feel like an event.
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Rank 20. Pluma by Bluebird Bakery
Modern Bakery
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Rank 21. Rooster & Owl
American
A Michelin-starred prix-fixe spot in Columbia Heights where the menu bounces from steakhouse classics to Japanese yam to a pear salad doing a cacio e pepe impression, all in four courses. It sounds chaotic and it kind of is, but the kitchen sticks the landing every time. The crowd leans creative-class, dressed like they read the right newsletters. The bar will even match wines to whatever you end up ordering, which is a genuinely nice touch.
- Michelin Guide 1 Star
- The Rammys 2025 · Finalist · Formal Fine Dining Restaurant of the Year
- The Washington Post The 40 Best Restaurants In and Around D.C.
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Rank 22. Cucina Morini
Italian
A Sicilian-leaning trattoria in NoMa where the bar crowd spills into every corner and the energy never really dips. The kitchen makes its pasta in-house and offers half portions, which is the kind of move that actually lets you eat well instead of committing to one bowl and having regret. Comfort food done with real skill, and a room full of after-work regulars who clearly know something you don't yet.
- Michelin Guide Selected Restaurant
- Time Out #12 · Best restaurants in Washington, D.C.
- Washingtonian 2026 · #36 · 100 Very Best Restaurants
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Rank 23. Baan Mae
Laotian
Seng Luangrath basically put Laotian food on DC's map, and her Shaw restaurant is where she's having the most fun with it. The menu roams across Southeast Asia, the room skews young and curious, and the vibe is casual enough that you won't feel weird ordering the FiLao-O-Fish sliders, a deadpan McDonald's riff that somehow works better than it has any right to. Go hungry and share everything.
- Bon Appétit 2025 · America's Best New Restaurants
- Washingtonian 2026 · #25 · 100 Very Best Restaurants
- The Washington Post 9 of the best restaurants in Shaw
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Rank 24. Pop FizzBar
Wine Bar
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Rank 25. Your Only Friend
American
A Bib Gourmand sandwich bar that takes the format way more seriously than it has any right to, which turns out to be a good thing. The menu reads like someone who actually knows cocktail bars decided to open a deli instead, and the drinks are genuinely worth ordering. The crowd skews young and neighborhood-casual, the kind of people who appreciate a good sandwich and aren't embarrassed about it.
- Spirited Awards 2026 · Regional Top 10 Honoree · Best U.S. Restaurant Bar – U.S. East
- Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand
- The Rammys 2025 · Finalist · Hottest Sandwich Spot of the Year
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Rank 26. St. James
Caribbean
Modern Caribbean restaurant on 14th Street where the cooking genuinely earns its hype, which is a rare thing. The room has an industrial-cool look softened by color, and the menu is built for sharing, which gives you an excuse to order too much. Start with a rum cocktail, then work through smoky jerk brisket and whatever else the table can handle. The crowd skews date-night and friend-group, dressed up just enough to feel like the evening matters.
- Michelin Guide Selected Restaurant
- Time Out #4 · Best restaurants in Washington, D.C.
- The New York Times The 25 Best Restaurants in Washington, D.C., Right Now
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Rank 27. Unconventional Diner
Modern New American
It looks like a classic diner, white walls and seafoam booths, but the menu is doing something a little sneakier. This Bib Gourmand spot in Shaw takes comfort-food staples and nudges them just far enough that you feel like you discovered something. Brunch draws the weekend crowd, and the lemon meringue pie has a devoted following. Book ahead, because the locals already figured this one out.
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Rank 28. Baan Siam
Thai
- The New York Times The 25 Best Restaurants in Washington, D.C., Right Now
- Eater The 38 Essential Restaurants Around D.C.
- Washingtonian 2026 · #76 · 100 Very Best Restaurants
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Rank 29. King Street Oyster Bar
Seafood
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- Esquire 2023 · Medina's Martini Service · The Best Martinis in America
- The Rammys 2025 · Finalist · Cocktail Program of the Year
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Rank 34. Tapori
Indian
- James Beard Awards 2026 · Nominee · Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic · Suresh Sundas
- Eater 2025 · The Best New Restaurants in America
- Washingtonian 2026 · #43 · 100 Very Best Restaurants
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Rank 35. Maydān
Middle Eastern
The open fire at the center of this Middle Eastern restaurant isn't just for atmosphere, it does most of the actual cooking, and you can tell. Go for the prix-fixe and let the spreads, grilled meats, and rice pudding arrive in waves while you work through the cocktail list. The crowd leans date-night and special-occasion, everyone looking slightly more dressed up than they needed to but not mad about it.
- James Beard Awards 2022 · Nominee · Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program
- Bon Appétit 2018 · #2 · America's Best New Restaurants
- Eater 2018 · The Best New Restaurants in America
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Rank 36. Gravitas
Contemporary
Gravitas is a Michelin-starred tasting spot in Ivy City that makes you feel like you discovered it yourself, even though word is very much out. The exposed brick and open kitchen give it just enough edge to balance the serious cooking happening inside. Set menus run three to six courses, so you can calibrate how deep you want to go. The crowd dresses up slightly, takes their time, and pretends not to notice the table next to them.
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Rank 37. Moon Rabbit
Vietnamese
Moon Rabbit is a modern Vietnamese restaurant where the chef's Louisiana upbringing crashes into his Vietnamese roots, and the result is genuinely surprising without feeling like a gimmick. Mochi beignets, Cajun-leaning preparations, Vietnamese classics rerouted through the American South. The Penn Quarter room is bright and lively, full of people who came ready to be curious. Dessert holds its own, which isn't something you can say everywhere.
- 50 Best 2025 · North American's Best Pastry Chef Award 2025 · Susan Bae
- James Beard Awards 2026 · Winner · Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker · Susan Bae
- 50 Best #24 · North America's 50 Best Restaurants
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Rank 39. ROYAL DC
Latin American
A chill, all-day Latin American spot in Shaw where the food punches well above what you'd expect to pay for it. Locals who know, know. The vibe is low-key and unpretentious, the kind of room where nobody's performing for anyone. Breakfast draws a loyal crowd, and dinner moves upstairs to a cozy second floor with real character. Come hungry and order generously, because the kitchen clearly knows what it's doing.
- Michelin Guide Selected Restaurant
- Eater The 15 Best Coffee Shops Around D.C.
- Time Out The 20 Best Coffee Shops and Cafés in Washington, DC
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Rank 40. Le Diplomate
French
- The Rammys 2025 · Finalist · Best Brunch of the Year
- Time Out #14 · Best restaurants in Washington, D.C.
- The Washington Post The 40 Best Restaurants In and Around D.C.
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Rank 41. minibar by José Andrés
Contemporary
José Andrés holds two Michelin stars here, and the room earns every one of them. It's a tasting counter experience where the whole point is that nothing is what it looks like, and the chef's team seems genuinely delighted to watch you figure that out. Sharply dressed servers hover at the edges while guests in their best outfits crowd a curved counter, watching cooks work close enough to touch. Weird, smart, and genuinely fun.
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Rank 42. Karravaan
Silk Road Middle Eastern
Karravaan is a Silk Road-inspired Middle Eastern spot in Northeast DC that makes sharing feel mandatory in the best way. Think bold, spiced flavors and generous plates meant to be passed around, drawing a neighborhood crowd that comes hungry and leaves happy. The smoky eggplant dip with house-made flatbread is reason enough to show up. Wear whatever you want, order more than you think you need, and let the table figure out the rest.
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Rank 43. Eatopia Eatery
Ethiopian
- Washingtonian The Hot List: 10 Restaurants Around DC We’re Loving Right Now
- The Washington Post The 8 best Ethiopian restaurants in and around D.C.
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Laos in Town is a casual Northeast DC spot that takes Southeast Asian cooking seriously, which means the spicy dishes are actually spicy and the menu goes places most Thai restaurants don't bother with. The crowd is a mix of neighborhood regulars and people who clearly did their homework. There's a solid cocktail list if you need something cold to cope with the heat, and vegans eat well here too, which is rarer than it should be.
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Rank 45. Elmina
Ghanaian
Eric Adjepong runs this stylish Ghanaian restaurant on 14th Street, and it's the kind of place that makes you wonder why West African food hasn't had a bigger moment in this city until now. You can do a full tasting menu or graze from the bar menu, which riffs on Ghana's casual chop-bar tradition. The room draws a well-dressed crowd that clearly did their research, and nobody looks like they're in a hurry to leave.
- Michelin Guide Selected Restaurant
- Washingtonian The Hot List: 10 Restaurants Around DC We’re Loving Right Now
- Washingtonian 2026 · #6 · 100 Very Best Restaurants
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- Food & Wine 2023 · Mentaiko and Corn Pizza · Best Dishes Our Editors Ate This Year
- Eater The 38 Essential Restaurants Around D.C.
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Rank 49. L'Ardente
Italian
- The Washington Post The 40 Best Restaurants In and Around D.C.
- Washingtonian 2026 · #44 · 100 Very Best Restaurants
- James Beard Awards 2023 · Semifinalist · Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic · David Deshaies
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Rank 50. Karizma
Modern Indian
Modern Indian in Penn Quarter with a Michelin Bib Gourmand, and it earns it. Karizma is a proper sit-down restaurant where the cooking takes Indian cuisine seriously without taking itself too seriously, so the room stays lively rather than hushed. The naan alone is worth the trip. The drinks menu, including some genuinely good alcohol-free options, is more creative than you'd expect, so don't just default to beer.
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Rank 51. Centrolina
Italian
- James Beard Awards 2022 · Nominee · Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic · Amy Brandwein
- James Beard Awards 2026 · Semifinalist · Outstanding Restaurant
- James Beard Awards 2025 · Semifinalist · Outstanding Chef · Amy Brandwein
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Rank 52. Queen's English
Chinese
A cozy Columbia Heights neighborhood spot doing inventive Hong Kong-inspired cooking at prices that won't wreck your night. The room is small and quietly stylish, with blue banquettes and geometric screens giving everyone a little privacy, and the Michelin Bib Gourmand crowd filling the place most nights. High-heat wok dishes that actually taste like someone's been thinking hard, not just showing off.
- James Beard Awards 2025 · Nominee · Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic · Henji Cheung
- Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand
- Time Out #9 · Best restaurants in Washington, D.C.
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Rank 53. Fiola
Italian
Fiola is a Michelin-starred Italian tasting restaurant sitting on Pennsylvania Avenue, which means you're eating exceptional pasta roughly halfway between the White House and the Capitol, which feels appropriately dramatic. The room pulls off retro glitz without the stuffiness, and the crowd tends to run toward people who've loosened their ties but not their ambitions. The kitchen does modern regional Italian in a way that makes the classics feel genuinely exciting rather than dutiful.
- AAA Four Diamonds
- 50 Top Italy 2026 · #7 · The Best Italian Restaurants In The World
- Michelin Guide 1 Star
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Rank 54. Pascual
Mexican
Capitol Hill's hottest reservation right now is this lively, sharing-focused Mexican spot where the cooking feels more Mexico City than D.C. The vegetable dishes are quietly the stars of the table, though the lamb barbacoa will make carnivores very happy. It draws a young, neighborhood crowd who knew early and booked faster than you did. Go with a group, order everything, and sort out the logistics of getting a table before you get excited about going.
- 50 Best #42 · North America's 50 Best Restaurants
- The Rammys 2025 · Finalist · Chef of the Year · Matt Conroy & Isabel Coss
- The Rammys 2025 · Finalist · New Restaurant of the Year
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If someone asks where to get Buffalo wings in DC, this is your answer. Upstate FTW is a bar tucked inside the U Street spot Sport & Social, run by a chef who grew up in upstate New York and clearly has something to prove. The wings are crispy, properly sauced, and the result of a multi-day prep process that you won't taste so much as feel. The crowd is exactly what U Street suggests: loud, happy, not thinking about calories.
- Washingtonian 2025 · Buffalo Wings · Our Favorite Dishes of the Year in the DC Area
- James Beard Awards 2026 · Semifinalist · Outstanding Restaurateur · Scott Drewno and Danny Lee - Fried Rice Collective
- Washingtonian 2025 · Buffalo Wings · Our Favorite Dishes of the Year in the DC Area
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Rank 57. Cane
Trinidadian Caribbean
Cane is a tiny, colorful street food spot on H Street serving some of the most soulful Trinidadian cooking in the city, and it's got a Bib Gourmand to prove it. The room is cheerful and snug, with pastel walls and a photo of Obama mid-doubles that tells you everything you need to know. Rich stews, spiced chickpeas, and flaky fried fish draw a loyal crowd happy to squeeze in and stay a while.
- Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand
- The New York Times 2021 · The Restaurant List
- James Beard Awards 2022 · Semifinalist · Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic · Peter Prime
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Rank 59. Karma Modern Indian
Modern Indian
- The Washington Post The 40 Best Restaurants In and Around D.C.
- Eater The Best Tasting Menus in D.C. Right Now
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Rank 60. Rasika
Modern Indian
Modern Indian done right, in a room loud enough that nobody's listening to your conversation anyway. Rasika pulls in a real cross-section of D.C., from Hill staffers unwinding to couples on a proper date night, and the vibe works for both. The food is confident and unfussy, the kind of cooking that makes you wonder why Indian food ever got saddled with a cheap reputation. Do yourself a favor and order extra naan, because you will run out.
- Eater The All-Time Eater 38
- Michelin Guide Selected Restaurant
- The New York Times The 25 Best Restaurants in Washington, D.C., Right Now
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Rank 61. Chaplin's
Noodles
Shaw's answer to ramen that actually earns the hype, Chaplin's is a noodle bar with a 21-plus door and a cocktail list that gives people something to talk about. The ramen comes hot or cold, both built with real intention, and the dumplings and small bites are as central to the meal as the noodles. The crowd skews young and loud in the best way, and nobody's leaving without dessert.
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Rank 62. Albi
Palestinian
A Michelin-starred live-fire restaurant in Navy Yard where the Palestinian-rooted cooking is genuinely exciting, not just interesting on paper. The open kitchen's hearth runs everything, and the smoke and char show up in every course. Go à la carte if you want, but the tasting menu is the move. The room is warm and lively, the kind of crowd that dressed up a little but not too much, and the wine list leans hard into the Mediterranean.
- James Beard Awards 2024 · Winner · Outstanding Chef · Michael Rafidi
- 50 Best #6 · North America's 50 Best Restaurants
- Michelin Guide 1 Star
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Rank 63. Family Ethiopian Restaurant
Ethiopian
A family-run Ethiopian spot on Ninth Street that genuinely feels like someone's aunt is cooking for you, which is basically the point. The room is cheerful and unpretentious, with art on every wall and serious women running the kitchen. Order the family platter and let the injera do the heavy lifting, scooping up stews and greens that taste like they've been made with actual care, because they have.
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Rank 65. Beloved BBQ
Japanese
A Japanese steakhouse in Capitol Crossing where the dark walls, neon hallway, and circular tabletop grills make it clear you're not at a regular chophouse. The crowd leans toward expense-account dinners and special-occasion splurges, which makes sense once you see the A5 Wagyu on the menu. The chef keeps things sharply Japanese in spirit, and the server folding your fried rice tableside is the kind of move that makes everyone at the table stop talking.
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Rank 67. San Lorenzo Ristorante + Bar
Tuscan Italian Cocktail Bar
A veteran of one of DC's most beloved Italian kitchens hung up the white tablecloths and opened this warm, neighborhood trattoria in Shaw, named for his son. The exposed brick and painted tile floor feel genuinely Tuscan rather than decorator-Tuscan, and the pasta here is the real reason to go. It draws regulars who already know what they're ordering and first-timers who don't realize they'll be back next week.
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Rank 68. Zaytinya
Mediterranean
José Andrés runs this sleek mezze spot pulling from Greek, Lebanese, and Turkish cooking, and it's earned a Michelin Bib Gourmand for good reason. The room feels breezy and modern, full of suits loosening up over spreads and pita alongside groups of friends with no plans to leave anytime soon. Order a bunch of small plates, let things pile up on the table, and let someone else figure out the bill.
- Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand
- The Washington Post The 40 Best Restaurants In and Around D.C.
- Washingtonian Where to Eat Near the National Mall
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Rank 69. L’Ardente
Italian
The 40-layer lasagna here has been the talk of DC for a good reason, so go ahead and order it before you even sit down. It's a casual-ish Italian spot inside a gleaming Capitol Crossing development, wood-burning grill and pizza oven humming away while the after-work crowd unbuttons their collars. Grab a counter seat to watch the kitchen move. The Michelin Bib Gourmand nod confirms it punches well above the room's price point.
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Rank 70. Anju
Korean
Anju is a Korean gastropub on 18th Street where the whole concept is food made for drinking, which means everything arrives salty, spicy, or rich enough to justify another round of soju. The crowd is young and loud and clearly regulars, packed into a brick-walled room that manages to feel cozy at full capacity. The menu pulls from real home cooking, and that warmth comes through in every bowl.
- James Beard Awards 2025 · Nominee · Outstanding Restaurateur · Scott Drewno and Danny Lee - The Fried Rice Collective
- James Beard Awards 2022 · Nominee · Emerging Chef · Angel Barreto
- James Beard Awards 2022 · Nominee · Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic · Angel Barreto
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Rank 72. Eunoia
Bulgarian, Mexican
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Rank 73. Sushi Nakazawa
Sushi
Tucked into the back of the Waldorf Astoria, this Michelin-starred omakase room is the kind of place where everyone at the counter is quietly trying to look like they do this all the time. Twenty courses of immaculate nigiri, paced over a couple of unhurried hours, with rice seasoned so precisely it almost feels personal. Splurge for a counter stool over a dining room table if you can. It costs more, but watching the chefs work is half the point.
- Michelin Guide 1 Star
- Washingtonian 2026 · #48 · 100 Very Best Restaurants
- Washingtonian Where to Eat Near the National Mall
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Rank 74. Perry's
Japanese
Perry's is an Adams Morgan neighborhood Japanese spot that's been around forever, but the kitchen has quietly become one of the more talked-about in the city. The menu mixes sushi with Japanese comfort food that doesn't play it safe, think fried mochi, katsu burgers, and dumplings that have no business being as good as they are. The crowd is relaxed and local, the kind of place regulars treat like their living room.
- James Beard Awards 2024 · Winner · Emerging Chef · Masako Morishita
- The Washington Post The 40 Best Restaurants In and Around D.C.
- Eater The 38 Essential Restaurants Around D.C.
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Rank 75. Ivy City Smokehouse
Smokehouse Seafood
This Bib Gourmand seafood smokehouse does something you rarely see: a working fish market and smoker on the ground floor, a tavern upstairs, and an open-air rooftop on top of that. The fish is genuinely fresh, the staff is warm without trying too hard, and on nights with live music the whole place hums. It's the kind of spot where you feel like you stumbled onto a secret even though everyone in the room looks pretty happy about being there.
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Rank 76. Mandu
Korean
A Korean restaurant that's been proving this city thinks too small about Korean food for years now. The soaring ceilings and long bar give it a neighborhood-restaurant-that-means-business feel, and the crowd tends to be regulars who already know what they're ordering. The broths and stews are the move here, deeply comforting and genuinely fiery, and the gamjatang alone is worth the trip.
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Rank 77. Dōgon by Kwame Onwuachi
Afro-Caribbean
Kwame Onwuachi is a genuine celebrity-chef name, and his Afro-Caribbean restaurant inside the Salamander Hotel is exactly as cool as that sounds. The menu is built for sharing, with bold, technically sharp plates that somehow also feel personal to DC. The room draws the kind of crowd that dresses up just enough to mean it. The cocktail list, including the non-alcoholic side, is worth your full attention.
- AAA Four Diamonds
- Condé Nast Traveler 2024 · The best new restaurants in the world
- 50 Best #37 · North America's 50 Best Restaurants
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Rank 78. Rumi’s Kitchen
Persian
Persian food done properly in a grand dining room that somehow still feels warm and welcoming, with earthy colors, a lively bar, and a tandoor oven you can watch from your seat. This is a full sit-down dinner spot, the kind where you settle into a high-backed banquette and let the meal stretch out. The crowd skews date night and celebration, dressed just enough to feel like the room deserves it.
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- Spirited Awards 2026 · Regional Top 10 Honoree · Best New U.S. Cocktail Bar – U.S. East
- Eater Best New Bar · The 2025 Eater DC Award Winners
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Rank 80. Tiger Fork
Hong Kong-style Chinese
Hong Kong-style bar and kitchen tucked off the main road, which means half the fun is actually finding it. Inside it's all brick walls, dragon murals, and lanterns doing the most, with a crowd that dressed up just enough to feel good about it. The cocktails are genuinely clever, and the food, especially the chili wontons and cheung fun, holds its own. The fortune cookies dispense rap lyrics, which tells you everything about the vibe.
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Rank 81. Imperfecto
Latin American
A Michelin-starred fine dining room in DC's West End where modernist Latin cooking gets a serious workout. The glass-and-marble space looks like it's trying to impress someone, and honestly it pulls it off. Snag a counter seat directly under the chef's perch and you're basically inside the kitchen, watching an elaborate tasting menu unfold. The crowd dresses like they have reservations somewhere important, which, to be fair, they do.
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Rank 83. Ottoman Taverna
Turkish
The room alone is worth the trip: honeycomb walls, a massive Hagia Sophia mural, and deep-blue pendant lights that make the whole place feel like a fever dream of Istanbul. Ottoman Taverna is a proper sit-down Turkish restaurant in Mt. Vernon Triangle, the kind where you work through cold meze and kebabs while sipping apple-rose tea. The crowd skews date-night and special-occasion, which the setting absolutely delivers on.
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Rank 86. Rania
Contemporary Indian
A Michelin-starred prix-fixe doing contemporary Indian in a way that feels genuinely exciting rather than just dressed up. The kitchen takes the classics seriously and then quietly does something unexpected with them, and the cocktails are built to keep pace with the bold flavors on the plate. The crowd leans date-night and special-occasion, everyone looking like they planned the outfit. Worth every bit of the commitment.
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Rank 87. Pineapple & Pearls
New American
Most tasting menus whisper at you reverently. This Capitol Hill spot with a Michelin star does the opposite, and that's exactly the point. It's a full prix-fixe production with caviar, tableside absinthe, chefs in gold Nikes, and the kind of energy that makes it feel less like fine dining and more like a very well-fed party. The crowd dresses up and leans in. Come hungry, come festive, and don't expect a quiet night.
- Michelin Guide 1 Star
- The Rammys 2025 · Finalist · Formal Fine Dining Restaurant of the Year
- James Beard Awards 2024 · Semifinalist · Outstanding Restaurant
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Rank 88. Daru
Indian
Daru is a neighborhood Indian spot in Capitol Hill that takes the cuisine somewhere new without losing the plot. The team behind it cut their teeth at Rasika, and it shows in the cooking, which earns a Michelin Bib Gourmand for good reason. Blue cheese on tandoor chicken sounds like a dare, but it works. The room hums with good music and regulars who look pleasantly surprised by their own plates.
- Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand
- The Rammys 2025 · Finalist · Rising Culinary Star of the Year · Suresh Sundas
- The New York Times 2022 · The Restaurant List
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Rank 89. Reveler's Hour
Italian
Cozy Adams Morgan wine bar and pasta spot that feels like a date night even when you're just catching up with a friend. The housemade pasta is the reason to come, the natural wine list is the reason to stay, and the sommelier owner will talk you into a bottle you've never heard of and will immediately want a case of. Snug tables, arched ceilings, and a crowd dressed just well enough to feel like they tried.
- Wine Enthusiast 2023 · Forward 50 Restaurants
- Michelin Guide Selected Restaurant
- The New York Times The 25 Best Restaurants in Washington, D.C., Right Now
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Rank 90. Call Your Mother
Jewish American
- Bon Appétit The Very Best Bagels in the US (Yes, Outside New York)
- Eater 2019 · The Best New Restaurants in America
- Bon Appétit 2019 · America's Best New Restaurants
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Rank 92. Rose's Luxury
American
Rose's Luxury holds a Michelin star and somehow still feels like dinner at your most talented friend's place, complete with string lights and an open kitchen. It's a prix fixe spot on Capitol Hill where the cooking is genuinely clever without being smug about it. The crowd is first-daters and regulars who've memorized every course, all equally happy to be there, which tells you everything.
- Michelin Guide 1 Star
- The Washington Post The 40 Best Restaurants In and Around D.C.
- Washingtonian 2026 · #23 · 100 Very Best Restaurants
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Rank 93. Minetta Tavern
Bistro French
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Rank 94. Maketto
Cambodian, Taiwanese
Part café, part clothing store, part restaurant with a courtyard, Maketto is the kind of place that makes you feel like you've been sleeping on H Street. The Cambodian-Taiwanese menu is designed to share, mixing Southeast Asian flavors in ways that feel genuinely inspired rather than just adventurous on paper. It holds a Michelin Bib Gourmand, and the crowd looks like they already knew that.
- Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand
- Eater 2015 · The Best New Restaurants in America
- Time Out The 20 Best Coffee Shops and Cafés in Washington, DC
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Rank 95. Xiquet
Spanish
A Michelin-starred fine dining room on the third floor of a Wisconsin Ave townhouse, and yes, it's as intimate as that sounds. The kitchen runs on a wood-fired hearth and channels the flavors of Valencia with real conviction. A handful of tables, dressed-up couples and serious food people who did their research. After dinner the team moves you to a lounge for coffee, which is a very civilized way to end the night.
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Rank 96. Izakaya Seki
Japanese
A genuine izakaya tucked into a DC rowhouse, where a father-daughter team turns out the kind of quiet, precise Japanese small plates that make you forget you had other plans. Regulars prop up the kitchen counter and work through the hand-doodled specials while everyone else figures out sake pairings. Tuesday nights the upstairs flips into a natural-wine bar that the industry crowd has quietly claimed as their own.
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Rank 97. Thip Khao
Laotian, Thai
Thip Khao is the restaurant that put Laotian food on the map in DC, and it's been worth the trip ever since. It's a casual Columbia Heights dinner spot where the food is designed to share, which means you and whoever you dragged along should order way more than feels reasonable. The "jungle menu" goes places most kitchens won't. Sticky rice is non-negotiable. The crowd is adventurous and unpretentious, which is exactly the right energy for this kind of meal.
- The New York Times 2021 · The Restaurant List
- Michelin Guide Selected Restaurant
- The New York Times The 25 Best Restaurants in Washington, D.C., Right Now
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Rank 98. Omakase at Barracks Row
Japanese
A 14-seat omakase counter in Capitol Hill that holds a Michelin star and earns every bit of it. The chef sources fish directly from Tokyo's Toyosu market, so each piece of nigiri arrives with a whole origin story attached. The room is intimate enough that the team treats every course like a small ceremony. Regulars tend to wear that slightly reverent look of people who already know what's coming and can't wait anyway.
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Rank 100. Kayu
Filipino
- The Rammys 2025 · Finalist · New Restaurant of the Year
- Washingtonian 2026 · #53 · 100 Very Best Restaurants