Settle into that soft hide chair—you’re about to take a deep (often delicious) dive into Mid-Atlantic cooking. Woodberry Kitchen restaurateur Spike Gjerde walks the walk when it comes to regional ingredients. He swaps citrus for local verjus at the handsome cocktail bar and culls Maryland wood for firepower. Our ideal meal in the luminous Line hotel dining room—under the dome of a former church—starts with Tidewater hams and biscuits, dabbles in shares such as lobster toast or crispy farro-and-mushroom salad, and peaks with a smoky “trout on a log” that will leave your clothes smelling like a campfire. Don’t miss Amanda Cook’s homey pies and sundaes. Very expensive.
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.
