Your guide to the best restaurants in DC’s buzzing entertainment and business district
A concentration of museums, theaters, restaurants, retail and the Capital One Arena –which is home to the Washington Capitals and Wizards when it’s not hosting an all-star lineup of concerts – make Penn Quarter and Chinatown one of the city’s most engaging dining destinations, where celebrity chefs mingle with homegrown hot spots.
Next, wine and dine in nearby neighborhoods of Downtown and NoMa & Union Market.
José’s Home
© Rey Lopez
The District’s now nationally recognized food scene can arguably be credited to the city’s original tastemaker, José Andrés. The Spanish chef was one of the first to build an epicurean empire in Washington, DC with a lineup of restaurants all within a few blocks of each other in Penn Quarter and Chinatown.
Jaleo wows diners with a diverse menu of Spanish tapas, while Zaytinya remains an in-demand reservation serving up Mediterranean small plates. Oyamel Cocina Mexicana features tableside guacamole and a whimsical dining room. China Chilcano wows with a mash-up of Peruvian, Japanese and Spanish influences – and a dumpling menu that can’t be beat.
Andrés’ culinary expertise paid off with his innovative minibar, which truly takes dining to an art form with a creative multi-course meal that takes chances with diners’ palates (yes, the chef did just use liquid nitrogen in your meal). Diners can also try experimental dishes with a backdrop of DC history at the Bazaar, the most recent restaurant in Andrés’ empire that occupies the Waldorf Astoria's breathtaking space within the Old Post Office Building.
Concerts and Capitals Dining
Penn Quarter and Chinatown’s popularity grew out of its proximity to the Capital One Arena. On most nights, you’ll find scores of people heading to see a high-profile performer or catch a hockey or basketball game inside the impressive venue. Pre- or post-performance, there are a number of nearby restaurants that can up the cool factor on your evening.
One of the neighborhood’s more unique options is Dirty Habit, which sits across the street from the Capital One Arena in the Kimpton Hotel Monaco and offers a sleek vibe with craft cocktails and “globally-inspired social plates.”
Well-known local restaurateur Ashok Bajaj is behind one of the neighborhood’s (and the city’s) most lauded restaurants, the Indian fusion hot spot Rasika.
Using market-fresh ingredients, Boqueria recreates an authentic Barcelona market experience through its distinctive tapas and takes on classic Spanish dishes. Choose from meat, seafood and vegetarian options to divvy up at the table, or get adventurous and order from the Chef’s Menu at this night-on-the-town destination.
Looking for a quick bite before the event? Chaia’s plant-based tacos pay homage to local producers with delightful combinations like roasted butternut squash with goat cheese, chipotle yogurt and mint pressed between a corn tortilla. The tacos pair nicely with an array of fresh sides, including the fan-favorite green rice with feta, herb pesto and pepitas.
Date Night Hits
The cosmopolitan vibe of Penn Quarter and Chinatown also make it a popular place for a sophisticated date night. Love birds will no doubt be booking tables at Fiola, Fabio and Maria Trabocchi’s award-winning Italian restaurant, or indulging in sleek Spanish-Japanese dining at Cranes Spanish Kaiseki, enjoying elegant omakase and a sultry sake lounge.
If you’re looking for something a bit more pop culture-friendly, reality stars (and restaurateurs) Giuiliana and Bill Rancic's DC welcome pasta-lovers to an outpost of their restaurant RPM Italian.
Situated in an historic bank from the early 1900s, Succotash Prime is a stunning, multilevel restaurant featuring an array of design accents that maintain a sophisticated look and feel. And we haven’t event talked about the food yet, which blends Southern cooking and Asian flavors. Classics like fried catfish are enhanced with mint-jalapeño aioli, while the dirty fried chicken is topped off with a honey gochujang sauce nori flakes.
Don't Sleep on Daikaya
Tonari
To be ramen royalty in DC's Chinatown is no small feat. The Daikaya Group – founded by three friends who wanted to create the kind of neighborhood hangouts they'd frequent themselves – brings Japanese comfort food and good vibes to three restaurants, all on the same block beside Capital One Arena.
A bowl from Bantam King is packed with fixings so flavorful that even the chicken drippings appear on the menu. The laid-back spot also slings fried chicken and rich chocolate chip cookies made with chicken fat.
At Daikaya Ramen & The Izakaya, casual, Sapporo-style ramen is served downstairs, with imported noodles and broth prepped for sixteen hours. Upstairs, diners and drinkers will find a homey hideaway with a modern bar and Japanese-style pub food.
Next door, Tonari specializes in "wafu" – a Tokyo-born approach to Italian dishes that you’ll quickly come to revere if you don’t already. In the retro space decorated with pizza boxes and figurines, wafu means deep-dish pizza with mentaiko corn, pesto pasta done ramen-style and sesame martinis. For a weekend treat, stop by during café hours for a fluffy egg sando paired with miso banana bread and a matcha latte with house-made strawberry milk.