9 Best Restaurants in DC – Summer 2022

Washington DC is known as a “foodie city,” full of world-renowned chefs and award-winning restaurants with international flair. How many of these amazing restaurants have you visited? Our team has vowed to make it to each one!

 

Located inside a historic bank building in Penn Quarter’s hotel brasserie, Cafe Riggs offers delicious European cafe selections as well as luxurious cocktails and appetizers that mirror the gorgeous space. Tourists, as well as locals, come to not only view the breathtaking atmosphere but also served by the world-famous bartender Ryan Chetiyarwardana. His popular cocktail den is located further within the bank. Additionally, Cafe Riggs presents a fantastic raw bar selection and all-day omelets.

 

Located in the West End, just southwest of Dupont Circle and north of George Washington University, Imperfecto presents a lavish atmosphere with a Mediterranean-Latin fused menu. The luxurious environment offers appealing plates such as fried Spanish octopus with Amazonian chimichurri. You are presented with the option of a la carte, or 10 the 10-course meal, recently earning the chef a Michelin star.

 

This restaurant welcomes you with an interior layout that places a wood-burning hearth as the centerpiece of your dining experience. Patterned carpets lining the entryway add comfort to the lavish decor. Maydan offers Arabic-rooted meals like zucchini baba ghanoush and ribeye seasoned with blue fenugreek. Their location just south of Columbia Heights and north of Logan Circle offers a great option for those looking to dine out in Northwest DC.

 

Chef Pepe Moncayo pulls from his Spanish heritage and Japanese influences to serve breathtaking tapas. Omakase versions include 10 delicious courses. The beautifully presented tapas include patatas bravas and duck rillete gyozas just to name a few. Cranes are the perfect lunch spot if you’re close to the Penn Quarter or the National Mall.

 

Anju offers Korean bar food presented by James Beard Award-nominated chef Angel Brreto. Their delicious plates include pork and kimchi mandu (dumplings), a seafood fried rice bokum bap, and seared ribeye galbi boards. Located between Dupont Circle and Adams Morgan, they skillfully attract customers for their enticing weekend brunches.

 

Chef Alam Mendez Florian, born in Oaxaca and raised in Mexico City, brings foods from his home country to the tables of Logan Circle with dishes including blue corn from the Mexican state of Tlaxcala which builds a tortilla for a suckling pig terrine taco. Named for the diverse corn of Mexico added to the menu, Maiz64 is known for its tangy ceviches, cactus salads, cilantro-and-tomatillo margaritas, and marinated octopus roasted over coals. The candle-lit mezcal den on the lower level is perfect for a date night or celebratory evening.

 

There’s nothing better than a classic Italian restaurant with red sauce and a modern twist. Caruso’s Grocery illustrates the beauty in simplicity with plates like tender chicken parm with a light breading gets tucked under a zingy marina, hunky garlic bread arrives with a bowl of four-cheese sauce for dipping, and shrimp scampi gets splashed with house-made limoncello. Located in Southeast DC, just north of Navy Yard, this restaurant presents the delicious taste of classic Italian, leaving you wanting more.

 

Maketto is not only an incredible restaurant but is a cafe, shop, and now record store as well. The pandemic allowed them to expand their inventory and maintain their popular dishes. Chef Eric Bruner-Yang offers favorites like their Taiwanese fried chicken, dim sum, crystal shrimp dumplings, and lo mein topped with pork shoulder and chicken confit. Don’t miss out on this ambitious and delicious restaurant located on H Street.

 

Located inside the Line Hotel, No Goodbyes offers customers a menu derived only from local farmers, fishers, and ranchers. Chef Opie Crooks makes sure to provide seasonal options in order to keep the taste new and fresh. Some of their most popular items this season include catfish lettuce wraps, ember-grilled Path Valley carrots with vadouvan yogurt, and fried ramps alongside slow-cooked brisket, with heirloom tomatoes combined with the wings. The local vibe in Adams Morgan makes customers feel right at home in a big city.