100 Very Best 2019Find DC’s best ramen at this trio of soup joints overseen by chef Katsuya Fukushima. Daikaya draws the biggest crowds for its long-simmered broth and springy Sapporo noodles, and it’s also our favorite for its up-stairs izakaya serving highballs and Japanese drinking snacks. Bantam King centers on all things chicken, whether poultry-centric soups (we’re addicted to the spicy miso) or Nashville-style fried birds with Chinese spice. Haikan, meanwhile, layers its ramen stock with chicken, beef, and pork and offers other quirky bites such as Old Bay crab rangoon and ikura-topped “deviled eggs.” Inexpensive to moderate.
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.
