We asked you to tell us your favorite people, places, and things in the Washington area. Here are the winners of this year’s reader poll.
Best New Restaurant: St. Anselm
Also popular: Mama Chang, Elle, Chloe
Most Overhyped Restaurant: Le Diplomate
Also unpopular: Founding Farmers, Rose’s Luxury, Pineapple and Pearls, Maydan
Best Burger: Duke’s Grocery
Also popular: Five Guys, Lucky Buns, Good Stuff Eatery, Le Diplomate, Shake Shack
Best Barbecue: Federalist Pig
Also popular: Hill Country, Rocklands, DCity Smokehouse
Best Steakhouse: St. Anselm
Also popular: Medium Rare, Ray’s the Steaks, Rare Steakhouse & Tavern, Bourbon Steak
Best Butcher: Red Apron Butcher
Also popular: Stachowski Market, the Organic Butcher of McLean, Harvey’s Market, Wagshal’s
Best Fried Chicken: Popeyes
Also popular: Bonchon, Astro Doughnuts & Fried Chicken, Central Michel Richard
Best Farmers Market: FreshFarm Dupont Circle Market
Also popular: Eastern Market
Best for Vegetarian: Fancy Radish
Also popular: Chaia, Shouk, Pow Pow, Fare Well, HipCityVeg, Busboys and Poets
Best for Fresh Crabs: Fish Market at the Wharf
Also popular: Quarterdeck, Cantler’s Riverside Inn, Bethesda Crab House
Best Sushi: Sushi Taro
Also popular: Rakuya, O-Ku, Sushiko, Kaz Sushi Bistro
Best Raw Bar: Hank’s Oyster Bar
Also popular: Rappahannock Oyster Bar, Old Ebbitt Grill, the Salt Line
Best Pizza: All-Purpose
Also popular: Timber Pizza Co., 2 Amys, Wiseguy
Best Pasta: Sfoglina
Also popular: Osteria Morini, the Red Hen, Filomena
Best Tacos: Taco Bamba
Also popular: California Tortilla, District Taco, Chaia, Taqueria Habanero
Best Sandwiches: Sundevich
Also popular: Jetties, Bub and Pop’s, the Italian Store, Stachowski Market
Best Fast-Lunch Spot: Cava
Also popular: Sweetgreen
Best Food Stand at Nats Park: Shake Shack
Also popular: Ben’s Chili Bowl
Best Ice Cream: Ice Cream Jubilee
Also popular: Jeni’s, Dolcezza
Best Breakfast Sandwich: Call Your Mother
Also popular: Bethesda Bagels, A Baked Joint, Elle, Mason Dixie Biscuit Co.
Best Bagels: Bethesda Bagels
Also popular: Call Your Mother, Bullfrog Bagels
Best Doughnuts: District Doughnut
Also popular: Astro Doughnuts & Fried Chicken, Duck Donuts, Sugar Shack
Best Brunch: Le Diplomate
Also popular: Ambar, Boqueria
Best Bakery for Pastries or Bread: Baked & Wired/A Baked Joint
Also popular: Buttercream Bakeshop, Bread Furst
Best Indie Coffee Shop: Caffè Amouri
Also popular: Compass Coffee, La Colombe, the Coffee Bar, Peregrine Espresso, Northside Social
Best Outdoor Dining: Iron Gate
Also popular: The Salt Line, Le Diplomate
Best Restaurant With a View: Fiola Mare
Also popular: POV at the W
Best Special-Occasion Restaurant: Pineapple and Pearls
Also popular: Rose’s Luxury, Fiola Mare, Le Diplomate, the Dabney, Del Mar
Best Tasting Menu: Minibar
Also popular: Pineapple and Pearls, Masseria, Komi
Best Kid-Friendly Restaurant: Ted’s Bulletin
Also popular: Matchbox, Silver Diner, California Tortilla, 2 Amys
Most Stylish Restaurant: Maydan
Also popular: Del Mar, La Vie
Worst Restaurant Decor: La Vie
Also unpopular: Filomena
Worst Local Food Trend: Small plates
Also unpopular: Poke, no reservations/waiting in line, avocado toast
Best Grocery Store: Trader Joe’s
Also popular: Whole Foods, Wegmans, Harris Teeter
Best Cocktail Bar: Columbia Room
Also popular: Barmini, CopyCat Co., the Gibson, Morris
Most Overhyped Bar: All pop-ups
Also unpopular: Brixton, Hawthorne
Best Happy Hour: Joe’s Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab
Also popular: DC Reynolds
Best Rooftop Bar: POV at the W
Also popular: Top of the Gate (Watergate Hotel), Crimson, Takoda, El Techo
Best Dive Bar: Dan’s Cafe
Also popular: Ivy and Coney, Showtime, Red Derby
Best Sports Bar: Nellie’s
Also popular: Buffalo Billiards, Penn Social
Best Bar With Games: Players Club
Also popular: The Board Room, Penn Social
Best Margarita: Oyamel
Also popular: Mission, El Centro D.F., Lauriol Plaza, Espita Mezcaleria
Best Local Distillery: Cotton & Reed
Also popular: Republic Restoratives, New Columbia Distillers/Green Hat Gin
Best Local Brewery/Brewpub: Right Proper Brewing Company
Also popular: Bluejacket, Atlas Brew Works, Port City Brewing Company
Best Craft-Beer Selection: ChurchKey
Also popular: Craft Beer Cellar
Best Wine Bar: Maxwell Park
Also popular: Barcelona, Cork
Best Local Winery: Stone Tower Winery
Also popular: District Winery, Barrel Oak Winery
Best Live-Music Venue: The Anthem
Also popular: 9:30 Club
Worst Live-Music Venue: Capital One Arena
Also unpopular: Jiffy Lube Live, U Street Music Hall
Best Festival: H Street Festival
Also popular: National Cherry Blossom Festival
Best Movie Theater: Landmark Atlantic Plumbing Cinema
Also popular: Landmark E Street Cinema, AMC Georgetown, AMC Uptown, IPIC Pike & Rose, Angelika Film Center & Cafe at Mosaic, AMC Courthouse
Best Museum: National Museum of African American History & Culture
Also popular: National Portrait Gallery, Newseum, National
Gallery of Art
Best Day Trip: Annapolis
Also popular: Shenandoah National Park, vineyards in Virginia, Baltimore, Harpers Ferry
Most Stylish Hotel: The Line DC
Also popular: W Hotel, the Willard InterContinental, the Eaton, the Jefferson
Best Dog Park: S Street Dog Park (at 17th Street, Northwest)
Also popular: Shirlington Dog Park (Arlington), Shaw Dog Park (11th Street and Rhode Island Avenue, Northwest)
Best View of the Fireworks: POV at the W
Also popular: Observation Deck at CEB Tower, the Kennedy Center, Cardozo High School, Iwo Jima Memorial
Best Place for a Long Walk: Rock Creek Park
Also popular: Great Falls Park, C&O Canal, Billy Goat Trail
Best Place for a Long Run: Rock Creek Park
Also popular: C&O Canal towpath, Mount Vernon Trail, the Mall, Capital Crescent Trail
Best Yoga Studio: CorePower Yoga
Also popular: Unity Woods Yoga, Yoga District
Best Pilates Studio: Solidcore
Also popular: District Pilates, Reformation Fitness
Best Barre Studio: Barre3
Also popular: Pure Barre, FlyBarre
Best Indoor Cycling Studio: SoulCycle
Also popular: FlyWheel, Zengo Cycle
Best High-Intensity Interval Training: F45 Training
Also popular: Orangetheory Fitness, Elevate Interval Fitness
Best Gym: Vida Fitness
Also popular: Balance Gym, Pulse House of Fitness, Equinox
Worst Gym: Washington Sports Clubs
Also unpopular: Gold’s Gym
Best Workout Apparel: Lululemon
Also popular: Athleta, Outdoor Voices
Best Day Spa: The Red Door
Also popular: Spa World, Woodhouse Day Spa
Best Women’s Haircut: Bang Salon
Also popular: Immortal Beloved, PR at Partners
Best Men’s Haircut: Bang Salon
Also popular: Diego’s Hair Salon, Wise Owl Club, the Shop at Shaw, Barber of Hell’s Bottom
Best Manicure/Pedicure: Mimosa
Also popular: Nail Saloon, Varnish Lane
Best Waxing/Threading: Dupont Threading
Also popular: European Wax Center
Best Local Athlete: Alex Ovechkin
Also popular: Max Scherzer, Wayne Rooney, Ryan Zimmerman, TJ Oshie
Worst Local Athlete: Bryce Harper
Also unpopular: John Wall
Best Sports Stadium: Nationals Park
Also popular: Audi Field
Worst Sports Stadium: FedExField: Best Local Airport: Reagan National
Also popular:BWI
Worst Local Airport: Dulles International
Also unpopular:BWI
Best Metro Line: Red Line
Also popular: Orange, Green, Silver
Worst Metro Line: Red Line
Also unpopular: Green, Yellow, Blue
Worst Menace to Pedestrians: Electric scooters
Also unpopular: Cars, cyclists
Worst Intersection: “Dave Thomas Circle”
Also unpopular: Dupont Circle; Seven Corners; Washington Convention Center/Mount Vernon; 14th and U streets, Northwest
Worst Neighborhood for a: Workday Lunch: Foggy Bottom
Also unpopular: Georgetown, Capitol Hill, West End, L’Enfant Plaza
Best Local Radio Personality: Kojo Nnamdi (WAMU)
Also popular: The Kane Show (Hot 99.5), Elliot Segal (DC101), Tommy McFly
Best Local TV Anchor/Reporter: Doreen Gentzler (NBC4)
Also popular: Eun Yang (NBC4)
Best Weather Forecast: Capital Weather Gang
Also popular: Doug Kammerer (NBC4)
Best Local Social-Media Account: @PoPville
Also popular: @dcfoodporn, @wethepeopledc, @wethedogsdc
Best Local Politician: Muriel Bowser
Also popular: Larry Hogan, Eleanor Holmes Norton
Worst Local Politician: Jack Evans
Also unpopular: Muriel Bowser, Trayon White
Best for Women’s Work Attire: Ann Taylor Loft
Also popular: Ann Taylor, Nordstrom
Best for Women’s Casual Attire: Madewell
Also popular: Ann Taylor Loft, Nordstrom Rack
Best for Vintage Clothing: Current Boutique
Also popular: Meeps
Best Consignment Shop: Current Boutique
Also popular: Secondi, Buffalo Exchange, Reddz Trading
Best for Women’s Shoes: DSW
Also popular: Nordstrom
Best for Men’s Suits: Suitsupply
Also popular: Nordstrom, Brooks Brothers
Best for Men’s Casual Attire: J. Crew
Also popular: Nordstrom, Bonobos, Banana Republic
Worst DC Fashion Trend: Baggy/ill-fitting suits
Also popular: Sneakers with business attire, man buns
Best Place to Buy a Watch: Shinola
Also popular: Boone & Sons, Tiny Jewel Box
Best for Jewelry: Boone & Sons
Also popular: Tiny Jewel Box, Tiffany & Co.
Best Neighborhood for Shopping: Georgetown
Also popular: 14th Street, Northwest; Tysons; Friendship Heights; Old Town Alexandria
Best for Pet Supplies: Petco
Also popular: Petsmart, Unleashed by Petco, Kriser’s Natural Pet, Howl to the Chief
Best Place to Buy Furniture: Room & Board
Also popular: West Elm, Miss Pixie’s, Ikea
Best for Home Accessories: Salt & Sundry
Also popular: HomeGoods, Miss Pixie’s, West Elm
Most Overhyped/Overpriced Home: Furnishings: Miss Pixie’s
Also popular: Modern Mobler, GoodWood
Best for Kitchen Goods: Sur la Table
Also popular: Hill’s Kitchen, Williams Sonoma, Bed Bath & Beyond
Best Place to Buy Plants and Trees: Little Leaf
Also popular: Merrifield Garden Center, Ace Hardware, Home Depot, Ginkgo Gardens, American Plant
Best Reason to Move Out of Washington: High cost of living
Also unpopular: Terrible traffic/commute, unaffordable housing/rent
Best Reason to Stay in Washington: Great culture/things to do
Also popular: Food scene, jobs/career opportunities, diversity, the people, walkability, center of power, beauty of the city
This article appears in the June 2019 issue of Washingtonian.
