1. A Rake’s Progress
Barack and Michelle Obama celebrated the former First Lady’s birthday at this Mid-Atlantic dining room in the Line DC hotel weeks before it officially opened—so yes, Baltimore chef Spike Gjerde (Woodberry Kitchen) is making a splash in Washington. 1770 Euclid St., NW.
2. Sushi Nakazawa
Alessandro Borgognone (a.k.a. possibly “the most hated restaurateur in America,” as Esquire proposed) will open a branch of his sushi spot in the Trump International Hotel, (a.k.a. the most controversial hotel in America). 1100 Pennsylvania Ave., NW.
3. Fancy Radish
Washington’s vegan scene gets a boost from Philadelphia restaurateurs Richard Landau and Kate Jacoby, who fuse elements of their fine-dining Vedge and their meatless street-food spot, V Street. Think soft pretzels with rutabaga fondue and mushroom dan-dan noodles. 600 H St., NE.
4. Kaliwa
The latest big-name chef to open at the Wharf development is Restaurant Eve’s Cathal Armstrong, who dishes up Filipino, Korean, and Thai fare here. 751 Wharf St., SW.
5. Lightwell Survey
Sebastian Zutant, one of DC’s top sommeliers, teamed up with Virginia’s Early Mountain Vineyard for his own line of wine—and we can’t stop sipping. Try it at Zutant’s wine bar, Primrose. 3000 12th St., NE.
6. Ellē
The 80-year-old Heller’s Bakery space is in new hands—which include a Bad Saint owner, a Paisley Fig baker, and a former Blue Duck Tavern chef. 3221 Mount Pleasant St., NW.
7. Liberty Barbecue
The folks behind Liberty Tavern sling smoked meats and pickle-brined fried chicken. 370 W. Broad St., Falls Church.
8. Quarry House Tavern
Finally! Three years after a devastating fire, Jackie Greenbaum’s beloved dive bar is back—with burgers, beer, and all. 8401 Georgia Ave., Silver Spring.
9. Dorjee Momo
The traveling Himalayan dinner pop-up from former Buddhist monk and Tibetan refugee Lobsang Dorjee Tsering finds a home in Bullfrog Bagels through summer. 317 Seventh St., SE.
10. Prescription Chicken
There’s a chicken soup for many an ailment (a cold, a hangover) at this delivery service turned Union Market stall. 1309 Fifth St., NE.
This article appeared in the March 2018 issue of Washingtonian.
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.
