Tom Sietsema

Washington, D.C.

Food critic

Education: Georgetown University, School of Foreign Service

Tom Sietsema has been The Washington Post's food critic since 2000. In leaner years, he worked for the Microsoft Corp., where he launched sidewalk.com; the Seattle Post-Intelligencer; the San Francisco Chronicle; and the Milwaukee Journal. A graduate of the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University, he has also written for Food & Wine, Gourmet, GQ, Travel & Leisure and other national publications. In 2016, he received an award from the James Beard Foundation for his series identifying and rating the "10 Best Food Cities in America" the previous year.
Latest from Tom Sietsema

Have questions about dining out? Ask our food critic.

Washington Post food critic Tom Sietsema entertains your dining questions, rants and raves.

March 16, 2022

Pizza is just part of the allure at 2 Amys, still fabulous after all these years

Peter Pastan's pizzeria also serves other excellent dishes that would be at home in any acclaimed Italian restaurant.

March 11, 2022

Dining Q & A: “Don’t trust menu descriptions," cautions a restaurant vet

Washington Post food critic Tom Sietsema entertains your dining questions, rants and raves.

March 9, 2022

Mariscos 1133 offers great seafood — and so much more

Mariscos 1133, from the owners of El Sol and other excellent Mexican restaurants, features top-notch dishes from sea, land and air.

March 4, 2022

Dining Out Q & A: “How much should I be tipping on takeout these days?”

Washington Post food critic Tom Sietsema entertains your dining questions, rants and raves.

March 2, 2022

With a Japanese bent, Minibar by José Andrés still dazzles diners

The new theme at Minibar by José Andrés seems designed to be the calm following the storm of the last two years.

February 25, 2022

Dining Out Q & A: Is it cool for me to snap photos in a fancy restaurant?

Washington Post food critic Tom Sietsema entertains your dining questions, rants and raves.

February 23, 2022

Tom Sietsema’s 7 favorite places to eat right now

Tom Sietsema's favorite places are special enough to feel like late-winter treats.

February 22, 2022

El Mercat Bar de Tapas brings a dash of Spain to Rockville

At El Mercat Bar de Tapas in Rockville, you'll want to save room for dessert.

February 18, 2022

Restaurant service has taken a hit in the pandemic. Here’s how to turn it around.

Two years into the pandemic, diners' patience is wearing thin, and restaurants need to try to get back to hospitality.

February 17, 2022