These essential DC restaurant dishes show off the incredible diversity of the District's dining scene.
A woodfire-powered kitchen, bucolic decor and an Italian-infused menu have turned The Red Hen into one of the city’s most popular neighborhood restaurants. The mezzi rigatoni is a staple from the restaurant’s early days that wows with its delicious simplicity. Short, made-in-house rigatoni is paired with a fennel sausage ragu and topped with pecorino Romano for pure pasta perfection.
The stylish Maketto on H Street NE features one of the city’s hottest dishes. Chef Erik Bruner-Yang takes on fried chicken with flair, turning it into a crispy Taiwanese platter that is both sweet and spicy (thanks to the kick of peppercorns). Served on top of French bread, the ensemble can feed two or three people, who will most likely sit in silence as they marvel at the dish’s flavor explosion.
The city’s signature dish can be found all around, but Ben’s Chili Bowl features the most famous half-smoke in town. The famed sausage is a blend of pork and beef, served on a steamed bun with your choice of condiments – the pros at Ben’s suggest mustard, onions and their homemade spicy chili sauce. While there, you can’t go wrong with a side of chili cheese fries and homemade banana pudding for dessert.
Voted “Favorite Fast Bites” by locals in the 2024 RAMMY Awards and once named "One of America's 26 Best Food Trucks” by Food Network, Fava Pot has become a local gem with its home-style Egyptian cuisine. Get an authentic taste of Egypt’s national dish, Koshary, which stars lentils, rice, pasta and a spicy tomato sauce, topped with chickpeas and sweet caramelized onions. Other favorites include the falafel made with fava beans and stuffed grape leaves.
Tucked into the bustling and evolving Shaw neighborhood, Supra brings cuisine from the Republic of Georgia to the nation’s capital. The star of the show is the Ajaruli Khachapuri, a cheese-filled bread boat topped with an organic egg and mixed tableside. Pair this with any number of Georgian wines available and you’re officially transported.
The highly acclaimed Rasika from James Beard Award-winning chef Vikram Sunderam is known for many dishes, but the savory palak chaat might be on another level. The dish stars crispy, flaky and crunch baby spinach, which is topped by a tamarind yogurt sauce and dates. Prepare for Indian-style cooking at its best.
José Andrés’ China Chilcano serves up a delightful rendition on Peruvian food, fused with flavors from China and Japan. Among the “piqueos” – or “little bites” – menu is the Dancing Yucca, featuring yucca fries drizzled with ají amarillo mayo and kabayaki sauce and topped with bonito flakes, which gives the dish its active name. The tissue-paper thin fish shavings not only add an intense umami flavor but also wave, or “dance,” delicately when in contact with heat. It’s both a feast for your eyes and stomach.
This little slice of Paris from restaurateur Stephen Starr is a perennial, highly lauded favorite. Part brasserie, part cafe, part bistro, expect a laidback yet chic vibe at Le Diplomate. Just like in the City of Lights, “Le Dip” (as it’s known to locals) heaps generous portions of fromage brimming over the top of this soup you won’t soon forget.
These aren’t your run-of-the-mill biscuits – they’re thick, fluffy and paired with a ridiculously good homemade pimento cheese. As the perfect kickoff to an epic meal of grilled meats and standout sides, you’ll definitely want to risk it for the St. Anselm biscuits.
You can’t go wrong with the Proper Burger™ from Duke’s Grocery, a Dupont Circle mainstay with spinoffs in Foggy Bottom, Woodley Park and Navy Yard. The burger that this London-inspired neighborhood pub churns out is so popular that they’ve trademarked the name. Two juicy beef patties on a fluffy brioche bun are slathered with melted gouda, charred red onion, a sweet chili sauce and garlic aioli. No wonder it has been named DC's Best Burger for nine years in a row.
If you haven’t tried Sapporo-style ramen, there’s no better time than now. Chef Katsuya Fukushima’s dazzling takes on ramen are on full display at Haikan in Shaw, which is related to uber-popular ramen counter Daikaya but traverses a terrain all its own. The spicy shoyu ramen is completed by chicken, beef and pork stock and comes with Japanese-imported noodles and all the fixin’s.
A visit to The Salt Line will transport you from the District to coastal New England, as chef Kyle Bailey’s seafood-centric eatery incorporates flavors from the Eastern seaboard like few other restaurants in the area. The lobster roll is a favorite at the Capitol Riverfront locale, served on a split top bun and garnished to your liking (we prefer it dressed in butter). You can’t go wrong with the raw bar here, either.
Once named the best new restaurant in America by Bon Appétit and also the recipient of a Michelin Star, Aaron Silverman’s Rose’s Luxury on Capitol Hill has plenty of ways to wow you. Diners have especially marveled at the lychee salad, a staple dish that has remained steadfast on an ever-changing menu. This dish featuring sweet lychees, pork sausage, red onion and peanuts is topped with a cool coconut cream and, like the restaurant itself, leaves quite the impression.
The tantalizing scent of savory smoked fish radiates at all hours from the Tavern at Ivy City Smokehouse, making this Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand recipient a must-visit. The delightful smokehouse fish board topped with five different smoked fishes, two bagels and everything else you need is a crowd favorite you don't want to miss.
For pizza lovers, All-Purpose Pizzeria’s locations in Shaw and Capitol Riverfront are a dream come true. The team behind The Red Hen and Boundary Stone brought their Italian-American cuisine expertise to this concept that anchors the District’s pizza scene with distinctive pies sure to tinge your passions. Try the Sedgewick, a white pizza that incorporates whipped ricotta, taleggio, mozzarella and parmesan cheeses with chives and truffle honey.
Step into Federalist Pig in Adams Morgan and you will feel as if you’ve been granted access to someone’s private kitchen. The coziness gives way to some of the best barbecue in the city, and The Big Cheese is a crown jewel: melted cheese, crispy onions and barbecue sauce are lathered on top of your choice of chopped pork or brisket. Make sure to load up on sauces and sides (we love the smoked cheddar mac and cheese!).
Still hungry? Check out these hot restaurants to try now as you wine and dine your way through the District.
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