1. Seafood towers
2. Ribs beyond pork (goat, lamb)
3. Mocktails that are better than cocktails
4. Reservations
5. The $45 tasting menu
6. Breakfast-for-dinner (i.e. savory waffles)
7. More $10 cocktails
8. Amaro and vermouth menus
9. Bars built for dining
10. Local chef collaborations (Buttercream at All-Purpose, Erik Bruner-Yang at Sweetgreen)
11. Free house-filtered sparkling
12. Better delivery options
13. Crispy chicken skins
14. Dishes topped with fancy breadcrumbs (see The Red Hen, Tail Up Goat)
15. Japanese food that’s not just sushi and ramen
16. Comfortable dining chairs (see ya, industrial-chic)
17. Weekend happy hours
18. Cool custom serving ware
19. Chesapeake bycatch as a centerpiece (pufferfish, sugar toads)
20. Boozy desserts
21. Vegetarian sandwiches
22. Funky ciders
23. Gourmet corner stores
24. Alcohol sales at farmers markets
25. Tiki
26. All-day cafes/cocktail bars
27. Single occupancy unisex bathrooms
This article originally appeared in the February 2017 issue of Washingtonian.
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.
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.
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.
