100 Very Best 2017There’s something distinctly LA about this white-tiled spot—that’s the menu scrawled on the wall—and not just because we spotted a Gjelina cookbook in a messy stack. This is a laid-back, kid-friendly place that celebrates veggies with glee—we wish fried pickled chard stems with ranch could replace onion rings on every menu. Many of Sam Adkins’s share plates and desserts are gluten- or dairy-free, yet they never feel ascetic. (Check out the chicken thigh perked up with the kitchen’s “New Bay” spice.) Don’t skip the cocktails, which read boozy but taste smooth. Moderate.
Also great: Broccoli salad with Piave cheese and chilies; pastrami chicken breast; smoked-pork hash; doughnuts; biscuits.
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.
