Cuisine: The most engaging and consistent of Jeff and Barbara Black’s four restaurants—BlackSalt, Black’s Bar & Kitchen, and Addie’s are the others—dishes up new American classics such as shrimp with grits and cornmeal-crusted oysters, with sauces and condiments that take them beyond the ordinary.
Mood: A turn-of-the-century post-office building in Garrett Park with antique-filled rooms. Trains rumbling by add to the dining-in-the-country allure.
Best for: Weekend brunch in the sunny dining rooms; summer supper on the porch; lunch with a friend; well-done American cooking anytime.
Best dishes: Pizza bianca with caramelized onion; New Orleans–style barbecue shrimp over corn-and-scallion grits in a buttery-spicy “gravy”; cider-cured roast pork tenderloin with bacon-braised cabbage and mustard sauce; hardwood-grilled hanger steak with chimichurri; roast chicken with intense jus; hardwood-grilled burger; chocolate bread pudding with vanilla ice cream.
Insider tips: Ask for a table in the main dining room; the smaller annex feels a bit like Siberia unless you’re having a private party. The handful of tables on the porch in summer are prime real estate—first come, first served.
Service: ••
Open Monday through Saturday for lunch and dinner, Sunday for brunch and dinner. Moderate.
See all of 2009's 100 Best Restaurants
Ann Limpert joined Washingtonian in late 2003. She was previously an editorial assistant at Entertainment Weekly and a cook in New York restaurant kitchens, and she is a graduate of the Institute of Culinary Education. She lives in Petworth.
