Cuisine: A perfect rendition of a Spanish wine bar/tapas spot but with a French accent on the wine list and a Mediterranean flair on the menu. Like several other wine bars, it can be overly cautious with seasoning.
Mood: An evening at Cork, in a vintage rowhouse with a tin ceiling, sometimes feels like an old-fashioned cocktail party with the hosts pouring wine, servers passing hors d’ouevres, classic hits on the sound system—and an escalating volume. A lovely little back dining room looks into the kitchen; a sunken wine room allows for a mini-mezzanine as well.
Best for: Early nibbling; curious wine buffs; pre- or posttheater fare.
Best dishes: Grilled bread with oil-cured tomatoes and goat cheese or avocados and pistachio oil; Pernod-braised lamb shank with seasonal beans; roast chicken with prunes and preserved lemon and olives; a sort of brioche croque monsieur with fontina and prosciutto.
Insider tips: The bar staff and owners give better wine info than some of the servers. The back room is the quietest.
Service: ••
Open Tuesday through Sunday for 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.
