100 Very Best Restaurants: – Red Hen

Buttermilk panna cotta with blueberries at The Red Hen. Photograph by Scott Suchman

About Red Hen

cuisines
Italian
Location(s)
1822 1st St NW
Washington, District of Columbia 20001-1067

The crackling wood-fired grill and bustling bar (our favorite place to sit) exude warm vibes the moment you enter this Bloomingdale Italian restaurant. No visit is complete without two things: toast and pasta. The whipped-ricotta crostini with black truffle and wildflower honey and the rigatoni with fennel-sausage ragu are classics. But a recent pork-chop milanese—breaded, perfectly fried, and sided with bacon-braised red cabbage—was the ultimate comfort. Moderate.