Michelin and Bon Appetit decided this year that Washington is a food city worth paying attention to, but some of us have long appreciated the vibrant dining scene here. Among the area’s monumental assets: one-of-a-kind Indian, Spanish and modern American establishments and headliners including chefs José Andrés and a relative newcomer, Aaron Silverman. It’s true, though, that growth has recently exploded, with about 90 restaurant debuts this summer alone and the promise of many more good things to come. That’s why this year’s dining guide is the most expansive since I became food critic in 2000. My colleagues Tim Carman and Fritz Hahn weigh in with their takes on the area’s best cheap eats and go-to bars, respectively. And I give you 52 reviews of freshly visited establishments from all around the DMV — a restaurant for every week of the year.
The magic of chef Aaron Silverman and friends? Doing something daring yet delicious.
Chef Cedric Maupillier turns the routine into something wonderful, makes us laugh, or both.
Thirty-eight years after this dreamy dining destination opened, it still elicits sighs and smiles.
It would be very difficult, if not impossible, to find a better Indian restaurant in the country.
In a cozy Fairfax County dining room, a family serves some of the best Afghan food in the area — plus a darn good burger.
Here’s where to go for expertly made pasta, pizzas and desserts, washed down with a top-quality bottle of red.
The Falls Church carryout bakes its own crisp baguettes for these satisfying Vietnamese sandwiches.
The sister restaurant to Daikaya focuses on ramen, with poultry in the broth, but also serves a killer fried bird.
World-class baker Mark Furstenberg and his team serve top-knotch breads and pastries at this hopping Van Ness spot.
At this restaurant, market and coffee shop in CityCenter, Chef Amy Brandwein oversees tightly edited plates of modern Italian food.
It takes a lot of skill to present food this polished yet accessible. Chefs Jonathan Krinn and Jason Maddens have done it.
Owner Rose Previte makes it all happen at this cozy upstairs retreat off 14th Street. For even more of an escape — and a feast — book the private Bedouin tent.
This hushed, almost-hidden dining room is accessible through Alta Strada. Once you’re through the velvet curtain, prepare to indulge.
Chef Jeremiah Langhorne's facility with the enormous hearth at the center of this handsome dining room results in delicious plates with a local focus.
You’ll feel the burn and taste the char at Victor Albisu’s steakhouse, where meat isn’t the only draw.
The seafood at this Shaw newcomer is fresh and simple, but the kitchen also has a way with side dishes.
Relocated to Barracks Row, it’s a carnivore’s paradise thanks to meat master Nate Anda. But vegetarians are welcome, too.
At the bustling Spanish tapas place on the busy 14th Street corridor, the best seat is at the counter.
This dreamy restaurant is drawing diners to Marshall, Va., for good reason: warm hospitality and pure cooking from the hearth.
The eldest of the three Italian restaurants created by chef Fabio Trabocchi has low-calorie options and indulgent possibilties.
On the Georgetown waterfront, Fabio Trabocchi and team present glorious, pristine seafood with fabulous accents.
The Neighborhood Restaurant Group’s current star showcases Rob Rubba’s way with international accents.
Thanks to the sons of the chef and co-owner, this Cleveland Park stalwart is pulsing with new energy.
In Bethesda, the newest arrival in the Mike Isabella family of Kapnos restaurants is outpacing its siblings.
At his first restaurant in the District, chef Tim Ma will get you to eat your offal — and a whole lot more.
The menu changes frequently, but you’ll always find something to appreciate at one of Charm City’s best restaurants.
Chef Nicholas Stefanelli's Italian retreat in Union Market is one of the most alluring restaurants in the city.
With his seven-course tasting menu in Shaw, chef Eric Ziebold confirms his status as one of Washington’s premier talents.
In Penn Quarter, executive chef Matt Kuhn cooks dishes with familiar ingredients in ways that don’t taste like everyone else’s.
The restaurants in Rockville and Arlington are firing on all cylinders with their enticing Sichuan cuisine.
Chef Austin Fausett and general manager Brent Kroll have infused the wine-focused restaurant in Chinatown with their own charms.
No mere clone of its sibling, this breezy establishment serves a Sunday brunch you’ll want to get out of bed for.
Bryan Noyes’s shop is a food destination in tiny Marshall, Va., especially for its cakes and pies.
Sure, there's more competition for Aaron Silverman's Barracks Row eatery these days, but continues to cast a spell on its customers.
The restaurant in the National Museum of African American History and Culture offers pleasing takes on dishes from four different regions of the country.
The owners are Komi veterans, but this Adams Morgan eatery stands on its own with great bread, pasta and wine.
Spike Gjerde’s fetching barn of a restaurant in Baltimore is one that sweats the small stuff.
If you can’t find something to enjoy in this soaring José Andrés property, you’re too darn picky.
