The Ivy City neighborhood in Northeast DC is slowly changing from industrial-warehouse hub to dining destination. Giving it an extra push is the arrival of La Puerta Verde, a hip-Mex restaurant from Ari Gejdenson’s Mindful Restaurant Group. The restaurateur may be better known for the Italian fare at Ghibellina and Acqua al 2, but his team makes some mean grilled guacamole and mezcal-cilantro margaritas. The colorful setting is contrasted by stark metal-and-wood furnishings, but we’ll keep coming back for the tostadas piled high with ruby-red cubes of citrus-marinated tuna or chipotle-mayo calamari. Moderate.
Also great: Elote loco; grilled head-on jumbo shrimp; al pastor and tongue tacos; smoked corn with sautéed shrimp over grilled bread; tres leches cake.
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.
