Washington’s dining scene is better than ever. We should know—we visited 300-plus restaurants for this section, from a luxurious tasting room on Capitol Hill to a locavore’s dream restaurant in Loudoun County. We ranked the top 100 of them, but here’s the truth: we’d be thrilled to eat anywhere on this list.
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| WebsiteYou’ll walk out feeling as if the $250 price—which includes tax, tip, and drink pairings—is a pretty sweet deal.
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| WebsiteNo one in the city—or country—is doing food like this.
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| WebsiteFew chefs can maintain this caliber of prix fixe for more than a decade.
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| WebsiteEric Ziebold is obsessed with perfecting the tiniest details.
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| WebsiteChef Fabio Trabocchi’s vision is rooted in his native Le Marche, a seafood-happy region of Italy that hugs the Adriatic shoreline.
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| WebsiteChef Jon Sybert's menu is a whimsical delight.
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| WebsiteThere aren’t many cozier places in DC than this restaurant.
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| WebsiteIs any meal really worth waiting outdoors for hours? For Bad Saint, yes.
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| WebsiteMany tasting rooms bill themselves as culinary “journeys,” but the experience is a literal one at this country destination.
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| WebsiteNo other restaurant offers personalized service like Sushi Taro’s six-seat "omakase" counter.
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| WebsiteRasika has long been cherished by Washington food lovers as our treasure.
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| WebsiteDon't miss its seafood towers of local oysters and sweet clams, barely grilled squid, uni, and poached mussels.
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| WebsiteThis subterranean Thai joint hasn’t changed much since it started attracting lines in 2011—and that’s a feat.
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| WebsitePlayful dishes such as buttery potatoes, caviar, and crème fraîche make for a delightful special occasion.
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| WebsiteThe crew from the Red Hen gets us excited about pizza again.
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| WebsiteDon’t let the minimalist space fool you: There’s a lot going on at Maketto.
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| WebsiteThe hottest restaurant of 2013 is still a tough table to get.
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| WebsiteWe love Scott Drewno’s luxe—and smart—upgrades to favorites from the Chinese-American canon.
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| WebsiteChef/owner Rob Weland spoils guests with hyper-seasonal, soul-warming fare that combines local ingredients in marvelous ways.
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| WebsiteCentral classics such as decadent burgers and steak frites still hit all the right spots, though it’s worth welcoming newcomers.
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| WebsiteOur advice: Order every pasta on the menu and don’t skip dessert.
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| WebsiteCedric Maupillier was born in France, but few chefs revel in lowbrow American cuisine as joyfully as he does.
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| WebsiteGuests pick dishes from eight menu sections, all of which reveal the charms of haute cuisine.
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| WebsiteThough most dishes are billed as tapas, they actually range from tiny snacks to entrée-size meats with sides.
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| WebsiteThe most sumptuously formal setting in Washington is this glittering-gray dining room in the Jefferson hotel.
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| WebsiteThe lineup at this Indian street-food place is so tightly tuned that you can order with abandon.
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| WebsiteJust say yes to creamy Belon oysters and caviar, lobster ravioli garnished with a half tail and a claw, and pine-smoked duck with seared foie gras.
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| WebsiteThis glass-walled dining room in the Park Hyatt sports a woodsy-chic, West Coast vibe.
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| WebsiteAs its name suggests, this casual Annapolis joint specializes in all things fermented and jarred.
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| WebsiteMike Isabella’s affinity for Greek cooking is beautifully expressed at this trio of restaurants.
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| WebsiteThe father/daughter team deliver an unfussy yet memorable dining experience at their Japanese gastropub.
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| WebsiteIt’s barely two years old, but somehow the Riggsby fills us with nostalgia.
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| WebsiteHigh-quality ingredients simply prepared never go out of style.
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| WebsiteYou won’t find California rolls at this tranquil, bamboo-toned restaurant in Kalorama.
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| WebsiteThis is hearty, family-style fare you’ll want to tear into.
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| WebsiteThe craftsmanlike Italian spot specializes in procuring top-quality ingredients and serving them with minimal fuss
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| WebsiteChef Michael Friedman’s ever-inventive fare tags trends without getting precious.
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| WebsiteThe greenhouse turned dining room is a destination for food lovers/naturalists.
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| WebsiteImagine a nightly party starring all your favorite Italian salumi, fried little bites, pizzas, and wines.
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| WebsiteIf the ambience doesn’t make you swoon, the crab risotto will.
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| WebsiteIt’s hard to imagine a more fitting bistro for Georgetown.
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| WebsiteEvery neighborhood should have an Italian joint like Morini.
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| WebsiteWe’re wild about the Cajun-spiced hard-shell crab with lemony butter and some of the best, olive taramasalata we’ve ever tasted.
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| WebsiteJosé Andrés’s flagship Spanish spot since 1993 still holds its own.
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| WebsiteThe fireplace-accented dining room and garden veranda of this palatial Indian restaurant are pleasant reminders that grandeur isn’t dead.
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| WebsiteThink of EatBar as a gastro-dive: a come-hungry joint with a jukebox where wings, fries, and patty melts.
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| WebsiteFew places are both so elegant and so inviting.
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| WebsiteHome in on the meat section of the menu for its petite but flavor-rich cuts, and sample hedonistically from pastas.
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| WebsiteKabul-born chef Shamim Popal and her family are all about breaking stereotypes at their modern-Afghan restaurant.
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| WebsiteJosé Andrés mines the cuisine of Peru, one of South America’s richest culinary plains, at this loud, flashbulb-bright dining room strewn with colorful pillows.
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| WebsiteThe restaurant/market concept means you can dine near the butchery’s hanging salumi or by the open kitchen’s wood-burning hearth.
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| WebsiteThe drink selection is short but smart and the laid-back vibe as awesome on a frigid winter’s weeknight as on a summer Saturday under the stars.
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| WebsiteHe also added a snug bar and pine booths to the industrial space, now more fit for lingering.
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| WebsiteIt’s undeniably romantic to dine under the stars on the patio of this Greek-Italian eatery, covered by wisteria in summer, warmed by fire pits in winter.
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| WebsiteShareable rounds are sliced with scissors at the table and judiciously topped with things like shaved fennel, salami, and tomato confit.
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| WebsitePetworth’s hip new 23-seat Japanese destination is much more fun than your typical sushi spot.
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| WebsiteGreen Pig Bistro delivers comfort foods you crave and others you never realized you were missing.
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| WebsiteMa isn’t always successful, but his cooking is thought-provoking and often delicious.
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| WebsiteServers in Proof are as handy as ever with a solid recommendation from the impressive wine list or, on one occasion, a very good Julia Child impression.
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| Website“It’s not like Domino’s,” our 18-year-old server explains earnestly.
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| WebsiteNo matter how little room you have left, indulge in nostalgic sweets such as baked Alaska ignited at the table.
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| WebsiteThis is a plush, warm-toned respite for elegant, canonical French cooking.
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| WebsiteOur newest country obsession is this Federal-era restaurant in Fauquier County, beautifully restored by Ashby Inn vets Neal and Star Wavra.
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| WebsiteThe kitchen recently added a two-pasta tasting, which would also make a tasty primi as well for the best of all worlds.
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| WebsiteVegetarian nigiri will also make you rethink a standard order, especially the wild-mushroom and pickled-radish varieties.
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| WebsiteShrimp in a buttery, lemony bath with dill and mustard seeds has long been a highlight.
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| WebsiteThe Georgetown institution maintains the old-school elegance of its antique-filled dining rooms, though the menu is anything but retro.
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| WebsiteBoth menus contain a lot of delicious overlap, including noodle soups, lime-and-herb-dressed larbsalads, and a can’t-miss crispy-rice dish with sour pork.
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| WebsiteWe’re addicted to the sausage-stuffed shishito poppers with hot mustard and to morsels of fried Maryland catfish dunked in pickled-ginger tartar sauce.
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| WebsiteCredit a carefully curated menu, served in intimate rowhouse rooms filled with string lights, colorful pillows, and fresh flowers.
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| WebsiteThe desserts have always been whimsical, though it’s worth exploring cheeses from County Cork, considered the culinary hub of Cathal’s native Ireland.
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| WebsiteThe menu still advertises sushi, but the best dishes pay homage to the chef’s heritage.
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| WebsiteSmoke touches nearly every part of the experience at chef Victor Albisu’s South American steakhouse.
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| WebsiteThe menu practice was common in the ’50s, when the late François Haeringer opened this French-Alsatian institution.
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| WebsiteIt’s the mains and specials where you’ll find the most seasonal creativity. Also, this is a place to save room for dessert.
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| WebsiteDC’s first cidery bills itself as a pintxos bar, but the Spanish menu goes much deeper than toothpick-size snacks.
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| WebsiteOrder at the counter, then settle in at one of the communal picnic tables, at barstools, or on the indoor porch swing for a lucky two.
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| WebsiteIf you’ve never tried vintage port from the trendy Douro Valley in Portugal, this is the time.
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| WebsiteTry as many as your appetite demands, but you’ll be truly sorry to miss the crab roll on brioche, served with a ramekin of shrimp bisque for dunking.
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| WebsiteThe Kabul native’s recipes, passed down through three generations, are recreated here by his wife and, at times, one of his daughters.
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| WebsiteIt’s possible to take a tour through Virginia wine country without leaving Ashby’s 19th-century rooms—or better yet, the garden veranda.
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| WebsiteBring a big group to this Korean-barbecue standout in Annandale’s Koreatown, because it’s best enjoyed with a packed table and bottles of soju.
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| WebsitePut yourself in a coastal state of mind at this Peruvian strip-mall joint, where the strongest dishes center on seafood.
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| WebsiteCleveland Park likes to think of Ardeo as its go-to neighborhood restaurant, but the comfortable, candlelit bistro is much more.
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| WebsiteThe menu touches on a variety of regional cuisines, though deliciousness crosses all borders.
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| WebsiteIt’s worth going all-in on the house-made pastas and sharing a fixed-price menu featuring three to five selections.
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| WebsiteGlitzy owners—who include reality-TV personalities Giuliana and Bill Rancic—and a black-windowed Vegas vibe have a way of making discerning eaters nervous.
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| WebsiteThe place exudes attitude in a great way, from the bordello-meets-saloon decor to Fascist Killer cocktails laced with bourbon and Chartreuse.
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| WebsiteThe Daikaya team set up shop in a tiny, Technicolor former Burger King in Chinatown, and it dishes up comforting chicken-noodle soups at their finest.
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| WebsiteBig spenders can splurge on caviar service to start, but save room for dessert—especially butterscotch pot de crème, on the menu since day one.
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| WebsiteBaklava fans will find three styles—our pick is the baxevanis layered with apple, apricots, and ice cream.
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| WebsiteMike Isabella’s flagship restaurant still draws boisterous crowds, especially on the neighboring Verizon Center’s busy nights.
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| WebsiteClassic cocktails and attentive service are a given anytime.
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| WebsiteThe menu sways from pizzas with cracker-thin crusts to American bistro comforts.
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| WebsiteThe chefs here like to play with their food. They toss cracklings into jambalaya, stuff dumplings with foie gras, and stir morsels of pig’s head into gumbo.
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Executive Food Editor/Critic
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.
Food Editor
Anna Spiegel covers the dining and drinking scene in her native DC. Prior to joining Washingtonian in 2010, she attended the French Culinary Institute and Columbia University’s MFA program in New York, and held various cooking and writing positions in NYC and in St. John, US Virgin Islands.
Food Editor
Jessica Sidman covers the people and trends behind D.C.’s food and drink scene. Before joining Washingtonian in July 2016, she was Food Editor and Young & Hungry columnist at Washington City Paper. She is a Colorado native and University of Pennsylvania grad.
Articles Editor
Kristen Hinman has been editing Washingtonian’s features since 2014. She joined the magazine after editing politics & policy coverage for Bloomberg Businessweek and working as a staff writer for Voice Media Group/Riverfront Times.
