2012’s new and notable bars and restaurants

Looking for the newest and hottest place to go? Check out the Going Out Guide’s running list of the restaurants that have opened this year. Click the bold name of each restaurant to read the review and get more details.

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El Chucho

El Chucho's Gordon Banks and Jackie Greenbaum opened their sliver of a modern taqueria in Columbia Heights in late June, serving margaritas on tap just in time for the extended summer heat wave.

Marvin Joseph / The Washington Post

"El Chucho’s muse," writes Tom Sietsema, "is Jackie’s Chicago-born chef, Diana Davila-Boldin, who is Mexican by heritage. Her latest menu is, like the new open kitchen, tiny. Think street food with a twist." Pictured: The tacos al pastor, adobo-marinated pork with classic toppings.

Marvin Joseph / The Washington Post

The Brixton

The picturesque Anglophile bar and restaurant The Brixton opened in July to crowds, thanks to its vast rooftop overlooking Ninth and U streets, but the interiors show thoughtful touches including vintage pieces, wrought iron, and nailhead-studded, well, everything. The menu? Think crispy fish and chips, British-style Indian curries and bangers.

Daniel C. Britt / The Washington Post

Turmeric

The former Aditi Bistro in Vienna was transformed by its owners into Turmeric, serving such dishes as the staple sag paneer. "Sag paneer shows off bright green spinach," writes Tom Sietsema. "Black lentils balance butter with garlic, cumin and curry leaves; and you can count on a pleasant shock if you order the vinegar- and chili-spiked vindaloo."

Daniel C. Britt / The Washington Post

At Turmeric, "Like the design, the food is fetching. The deep-yellow dining room could pass for a smart gallery," writes Sietsema. "The walls showcase Indian paintings wrought from carved (believe it or not) plastic foam, and a small bar has replaced a counter where Indian wraps were once rolled."

Daniel C. Britt / The Washington Post

The Pig

At the new 14th Street restaurant The Pig, which opened in late May, Chef Garret Fleming, left, serves up a true nose-to-tail experience.Pork finds its way into nearly everything here, from the butter to the desserts.

Mark Gail / The Washington Post

Case in point: The Pig's "Sundae Bloody Sundae," composed of ice cream made with pig's blood and dark chocolate, all topped with a bacon-peanut brittle.

Mark Gail / The Washington Post

<a data-xslt='_http' href='http://www.washingtonpost.com/gog/restaurants/kangaroo-boxing-club,1233408.html'>Kangaroo Boxing Club</a> in Columbia Heights opened in June in a space formerly occupied by Acuario. On the menu: barbecue from the operators of the PORC Mobile food truck.

Kangaroo Boxing Club in Columbia Heights opened in June in a space formerly occupied by Acuario. On the menu: barbecue from the operators of the PORC Mobile food truck.

Alex Baldinger / The Washington Post

Tel'Veh

"To prevent disappointment, you might want to nosh before you drop by this 60-seat, three-meals-a-day endeavor from the owners of Agora," says Tom Sietsema of Tel'Veh, the new restaurant in Mount Vernon Square. Instead, go for the wines. Pictured: Ismail Uslu pours a glass of wine from the restaurant's Vinotemp wine dispenser.

Mark Gail / The Washington Post

Tel'Veh has no stove, leaving our critic feeling a little cold toward the food. "Crab cake sliders," he says, "are the relative standouts in this humdrum collection, although even they count a negative: seafood centers so small, the glossy buns become the focal point. A side of creamy slaw made with shaved Brussels sprouts helps fill us up."

Mark Gail / The Washington Post

Sugo Cicchetti

Sugo Cicchetti, an Italian restaurant featuring small plates and dishes, was opened in Potomac in May by the founders of the local Cava chainlet of restaurants. "Overlooking a garden plaza in Park Potomac, the dining room has plenty of selling points as well," says Tom Sietsema. "Red leather booths and cheese shakers on the tables say old-school Italian; white globes suspended from on high lend their glow at night."

Astrid Riecken / For The Washington Post

Chef Dimitri Moshovitis runs Sugo Cicchetti, which turns out pizzas "sporting puffed lips and pleasing char."

Astrid Riecken / For The Washington Post

Etsegenet Lemma, left, and Alem Kidane opened Silver Spring’s <a data-xslt='_http' href='http://www.washingtonpost.com/gog/restaurants/lacomelza-ethio-cafe,1231853/critic-review.html'>LacoMelza</a> -- an Ethopian restaurant that combines artfully prepared cuisine and an art gallery -- in February.

LacoMelza Ethio Cafe and Gallery

Etsegenet Lemma, left, and Alem Kidane opened Silver Spring’s LacoMelza -- an Ethopian restaurant that combines artfully prepared cuisine and an art gallery -- in February.

Astrid Riecken / For The Washington Post

The fare at LacoMelza is served differently than you're likely to see elsewhere: it arrives in raised glass dishes, alongside a platter of injera. In February, first-time restaurateur Etsegenet Lemma opened the combination 55-seat dining room and art show in Silver Spring. "The chemical engineer works in the aerospace industry, yet in the cafe she makes a fine guide to the food of her native Ethiopia," says Tom Sietsema.

Astrid Riecken / For the Washington Post

New York Avenue Beach Bar

Adirondack chairs and umbrella-shaded picnic tables have been set up atop 70 tons of sand in a vacant parking lot along New York Avenue NW. Expect tiki drinks, frozen margaritas, daiquiris and — just like the actual beach — crowds at New York Avenue Beach Bar, which opened in late May.

Fritz Hahn/The Washington Post

Bandolero

Mike Isabella's second D.C. restaurant, Bandolero, which opened in May, mixes the Top Chef star's take on traditional Mexican cuisine (mole served with short ribs; blue crab taquitos; crispy goat nachos) with a bit of a punk rock sensibility.

Alex Baldinger/The Washington Post

These aren't your favorite sports bar's nachos: Bandolero's version ($13) is topped with crispy strips of goat, goat cheese, white beans and chopped chili peppers known as "chile de arbol."

Greg Powers

Sixth Engine

American restaurant Sixth Engine opened in February in the Mount Vernon Triangle neighborhood with a distinct nod to the past. The owners kept the exposed brick walls and architectural details of the historic fire station that preceded the restaurant.

Astrid Riecken / For The Washington Post

While Sixth Engine serves burgers and other hallmarks of conventional American restaurants, "the entree I’m most eager to try again partners red snapper with snappy andouille risotto and crisp, sweet corn,” says Washington Post food critic Tom Sietsema. “The fish gets some nice heat from a splash of chili-infused butter, but the fire is nothing a draught Guinness or Pimm’s Cup can’t put out."

Astrid Riecken / For The Washington Post

Green Pig Bistro

Arlington's nose-to-tail restaurant Green Pig Bistro opened in April with a menu full of homey curiosities, including a rabbit cake inspired by crab cake, pork tacos spiked with pigs ears and sea-salted cornbread. Is it any wonder it became a neighborhood hit?

Matt McClain / For The Washington Post

Chez Billy

In April, Petworth's historic Billy Simpson's Restaurant reopened as Chez Billy, a French restaurant and lounge run by the owners of Marvin and Blackbyrd Warehouse. “What’s interesting about Chez Billy is how the large interior, which covers two adjacent buildings, is divided into more intimate spaces,” says The Post’s Fritz Hahn. “A heavy wooden bar is faced by a long drink rail that’s split into smaller areas with chest-high pillars; a nook that’s tucked into the back of the building has a handful of high four-top bar tables. There’s a dining room with terrazzo floors and heavy wooden booths; an upstairs bar room that has an original fireplace and couches; and a second-story back deck. Flickering candles and low lights set an intimate mood throughout.”

Craig L. Moran / For The Washington Post

Penn Quarter’s most impossible reservation, Rasika, expanded its reach (and thankfully, the number of tables) in the West End in March. But <a data-xslt='_http' href='http://www.washingtonpost.com/gog/restaurants/rasika-west-end,1226837.html'>Rasika West End</a> is no dupe. It boasts quirky modern décor and an expanded menu of Indian dishes.

Rasika West End

Penn Quarter’s most impossible reservation, Rasika, expanded its reach (and thankfully, the number of tables) in the West End in March. But Rasika West End is no dupe. It boasts quirky modern décor and an expanded menu of Indian dishes.

Marvin Joseph / The Washington Post

"Among the fresh ideas at Rasika West End,” says Tom Sietsema, "are chili-rubbed, lentil-crusted scallops served on polenta-like semolina; spicy crab masala layered between airy sheets of phyllo; tender nuggets of goat buried in saffron-tinted basmati rice; and dori kebab." Pictured: Goat biryani.

Marvin Joseph / The Washington Post

Prague native Jarek Mika (pictured) opened his cozy 35-seat restaurant and bar <a data-xslt='_http' href='http://www.washingtonpost.com/gog/restaurants/bistro-bohem,1227661/critic-review.html'>Bistro Bohem</a> in mid-March, serving Eastern European dishes of pierogies and beef goulash, Pilsner Urquell beer and cocktails laced with absinthe and Czech liqueurs. The restaurant is one of several <a data-xslt='_http' href='http://www.washingtonpost.com/gog/best-bets/near-the-howard-theatre,101923.html'>new places near the reopened Howard Theatre</a>.

Bistro Bohem

Prague native Jarek Mika (pictured) opened his cozy 35-seat restaurant and bar Bistro Bohem in mid-March, serving Eastern European dishes of pierogies and beef goulash, Pilsner Urquell beer and cocktails laced with absinthe and Czech liqueurs. The restaurant is one of several new places near the reopened Howard Theatre.

Tracy A. Woodward / The Washington Post

Bistro Bohem's chicken schnitzel, says Tom Sietsema, "manages the neat trick of tasting light and juicy beneath its puffy golden coating, a fine blend of baguette crumbs and panko. The dish is accessorized with a creamy scoop of potato salad that rivals the schnitzel for a diner’s attention."

Tracy A. Woodward / The Washington Post

January brought the buzzy, French-accented American restaurant <a data-xslt='_http' href='http://www.washingtonpost.com/gog/restaurants/mintwood-place,1223911/critic-review.html'>Mintwood Place</a>, helmed by chef Cedric Maupillier, once the opening chef at <a data-xslt='_http' href='http://www.washingtonpost.com/gog/restaurants/central-michel-richard,1134036.html'>Central Michel Richard</a>. The big surprise? This temple of fine dining is serving its frog legs, steak tartare and chicken liver tartines in Adams Morgan.

Mintwood Place

January brought the buzzy, French-accented American restaurant Mintwood Place, helmed by chef Cedric Maupillier, once the opening chef at Central Michel Richard. The big surprise? This temple of fine dining is serving its frog legs, steak tartare and chicken liver tartines in Adams Morgan.

Matt McClain / For The Washington Post

"The difference between the fare at Mintwood Place and so many other neighborhood dining rooms is the distinction between black-and-white and Technicolor," says Tom Sietsema. "Even the most familiar-sounding dishes ... surprise you with their rich treatments and vivid flavors." Pictured: The frog legs.

Marvin Joseph / The Washington Post

Boqueria

"The high-octane pitches might not matter if the small plates didn't live up to the hype, but plenty of them do at this recent import from New York," Tom Sietsema says of the Spanish tapas restaurant Boqueria, which opened near Dupont Circle in March.

Marvin Joseph / The Washington Post

To order or not to order? The blistered shishito peppers sprinkled with coarse sea salt are a little like playing "Spanish roulette" at Boqueria, says Sietsema: "A diner never knows which sea-salted pepper might be tame and which might be blistering.”

Marvin Joseph / The Washington Post

This signless cafe near the 9:30 Club opened in mid-February as a pop-up in Darnell's Bar on Ninth Street NW, but its fans hope <a data-xslt='_http' href='http://www.washingtonpost.com/gog/restaurants/blind-dog-cafe-at-darnells,1203757/critic-review.html'>Blind Dog Cafe</a> (and its tasty sandwiches and baked goods) are here for the long haul.

Blind Dog Cafe

This signless cafe near the 9:30 Club opened in mid-February as a pop-up in Darnell's Bar on Ninth Street NW, but its fans hope Blind Dog Cafe (and its tasty sandwiches and baked goods) are here for the long haul.

Jeffrey MacMillan

Blind Dog, open until 4 p.m. every day, specializes in superlative lunch fare. Its menu was crafted by one of the partners, a line cook at <a data-xslt='_http' href='http://www.washingtonpost.com/gog/restaurants/ardeo-bardeo,799076.html'>Ardeo + Bardeo</a> in Cleveland Park, and it includes a turkey sandwich spiked with Sriracha aioli (pictured) and a roast beef option slathered with walnut-pesto aioli. Meats for both are house-roasted.

Blind Dog, open until 4 p.m. every day, specializes in superlative lunch fare. Its menu was crafted by one of the partners, a line cook at Ardeo + Bardeo in Cleveland Park, and it includes a turkey sandwich spiked with Sriracha aioli (pictured) and a roast beef option slathered with walnut-pesto aioli. Meats for both are house-roasted.

Katherine Frey / The Washington Post

Unum

The intimate Georgetown restaurant Unum, which takes its name from the Latin "E pluribus unum" (Out of many, one), "takes diners to Provence with bouillabaisse, to India with a sweetly spiced lamb shank and to the American South with a grilled hanger steak," says Tom Sietsema.

Katie Stoops Photography

The lamb shank at Unum, which opened in mid-January.

Marvin Joseph / The Washington Post

Pizzaiolo Mark Bergami, one of the partners in Bethesda's <a data-xslt='_http' href='http://www.washingtonpost.com/gog/restaurants/haven-pizzeria-napoletana,1229815/critic-review.html'>Haven Pizzeria Napoletana</a>, prepares to bake the restaurant's signature white clam pizza. 'The pie emerges from the oven crisp of crust, thoroughly cooked through, bold with garlic and scattered with top neck clams that squirt hot juice when you bite into them,” says Sietsema. The restaurant opened in February.

Haven Pizzeria Napoletana

Pizzaiolo Mark Bergami, one of the partners in Bethesda's Haven Pizzeria Napoletana, prepares to bake the restaurant's signature white clam pizza. "The pie emerges from the oven crisp of crust, thoroughly cooked through, bold with garlic and scattered with top neck clams that squirt hot juice when you bite into them,” says Sietsema. The restaurant opened in February.

Bill O'Leary / The Washington Post

Looking for Italian chef Roberto Donna? You'll find him, strangely, minding the open kitchen at the modern, casual <a data-xslt='_http' href='http://www.washingtonpost.com/gog/restaurants/la-forchetta,1228427/critic-review.html'>La Forchetta</a>, which opened in April in Northwest Washington near American University. (Pictured is the restaurant's pizzaiolo Panetta Giuseppe.) At this neighborhood restaurant, the chef who used to serve Parmesan custard gilded with porcini cream and black truffles now oversees a menu that features salads and pizzas and nothing priced higher than $20.

La Forchetta

Looking for Italian chef Roberto Donna? You'll find him, strangely, minding the open kitchen at the modern, casual La Forchetta, which opened in April in Northwest Washington near American University. (Pictured is the restaurant's pizzaiolo Panetta Giuseppe.) At this neighborhood restaurant, the chef who used to serve Parmesan custard gilded with porcini cream and black truffles now oversees a menu that features salads and pizzas and nothing priced higher than $20.

Mark Gail / The Washington Post

The "hemisphere" tiramisu topped with candied hazlenuts offers a sweet finish at La Forchetta. It "is plenty for two to split, but dangerously easy for one to knock back if he isn't careful," says Sietsema.

Mark Gail / The Washington Post

District Kitchen

District Kitchen opened in Woodley Park in January with a menu of modern American dishes and a farm-to-table aesthetic.

Scott Suchman / For The Washington Post

The rockfish and other entrees at District Kitchen won raves: "There are a mere eight entrees, but plenty to admire among them," says Tom Sietsema."The day's catch (likely rockfish) comes as I prefer, head and tail attached, and bright with lemon and thyme in its seasoning. Duck leg confit is a two-part pleasure, its crackling skin giving way to succulent meat."

Scott Suchman / For The Washington Post

Southern Hospitality

The American restaurant Southern Hospitality opened in the old Adams Mill in Adams Morgan in January.

Courtesy of Southern Hospitality

Opened by a chef who cut his teeth on the lines at <a data-xslt='_http' href='http://www.washingtonpost.com/gog/restaurants/fiola,1206931.html'>Fiola</a>, <a data-xslt='_http' href='http://www.washingtonpost.com/gog/restaurants/cashions-eat-place,792163.html'>Cashion's Eat Place</a> and Central Michel Richard, <a data-xslt='_http' href='http://www.washingtonpost.com/gog/restaurants/boundary-road,1224214/critic-review.html'>Boundary Road</a> already had buzz when it opened on H Street NE in February. Then the Obamas came calling, less than a month after its debut.

Boundary Road

Opened by a chef who cut his teeth on the lines at Fiola, Cashion's Eat Place and Central Michel Richard, Boundary Road already had buzz when it opened on H Street NE in February. Then the Obamas came calling, less than a month after its debut.

Matt McClain / For The Washington Post

"The most comforting dish on the menu may be pierogi," says Tom Sietsema of the soft Polish-inspired pockets that Boundary Road fills with cheese curd and serves over onions. Bar patrons will rejoice, too: Happy hour, which runs from 5 to 7 p.m. on weekdays, features one beer and one wine for $4 each, and a four-ounce taster of any beer for $1, instead of the usual $6-$8 per glass.

Dayna Smith / For the Washington Post

The old Lima transformed between New Year's and Valentine's Day, reopening as the Miami-style dining room <a data-xslt='_http' href='http://www.washingtonpost.com/gog/restaurants/fujimar,1227540/critic-review.html#reviewNum1'>Fujimar</a>. 'What was once an airy dining room in inviting shades of green has morphed into an animated underwater voyage, courtesy of a video screen that dominates an entire wall,' says Tom Sietsema. “And where offices used to be in the rear, an expanse of white leather seating and a sushi counter (think South Beach) have taken their place.'

Fujimar

The old Lima transformed between New Year's and Valentine's Day, reopening as the Miami-style dining room Fujimar. "What was once an airy dining room in inviting shades of green has morphed into an animated underwater voyage, courtesy of a video screen that dominates an entire wall," says Tom Sietsema. “And where offices used to be in the rear, an expanse of white leather seating and a sushi counter (think South Beach) have taken their place."

Astrid Riecken / For The Washington Post

Fujimar's menu emphasizes Asia's influence on Latin America, so you’ll find Peruvian fried rice and crispy empanadas.

Astrid Riecken / For The Washington Post

Society Fair

Society Fair, a market run by the owners of Restaurant Eve, the Majestic and Virtue Feed and Grain, opened in January with much buzz around its wares. It also offers a casual eatery at its wine bar.

Ken Wyner Photography

Since Society Fair opened, "the wine bar has been the source of some distinguished sandwiches throughout the day and some delicious entertainment in the evening,” says Tom Sietsema. “Trey Massey, an alumnus of Restaurant Eve, is the chef responsible for both the concise standing menu and the five-nights-a-week cooking demonstration in which 10 or so participants watch the 29-year-old whip up a three-course dinner that they eat as he moves from starter to entree to dessert.” Pictured: "My Turkish Cousin" with lamb.

Matt McClain / For The Washington Post

For more <a data-xslt='_http' href='http://www.washingtonpost.com/gog/dc-restaurants.html'>restaurant ideas</a> from the Going Out Guide, check out galleries of the area’s <a data-xslt='_http' href='http://www.washingtonpost.com/goingoutguide/40-dishes-every-washingtonian-must-try/2011/12/23/gIQA9KRbOP_gallery.html'>40 essential eats</a> and <a data-xslt='_http' href='http://www.washingtonpost.com/goingoutguide/this-presidents-day-eat-like-the-obamas/2012/02/10/gIQAVJHCGR_gallery.html'>places where the Obamas have dined</a>.

For more restaurant ideas from the Going Out Guide, check out galleries of the area’s 40 essential eats and places where the Obamas have dined.

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D.C.-area nightlife, events and dining

2012’s new and notable bars and restaurants

Looking for the newest and hottest place to go? Check out the Going Out Guide’s running list of the restaurants that have opened this year. Click the bold name of each restaurant to read the review and get more details.

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