Reflecting the global mosaic of Washington DC’s dining scene, half of the ten restaurants added to the Michelin guide in October 2023 are Asian, with three European newcomers and one each from India and the Middle East.
The 2023 guide lists 134 restaurants in all. Three carry two Michelin stars; 20 have one star; and 35 earned Bib Gourmand honors for “good quality, good value cooking.”
“Award-winning” is one of several ways to navigate DC’s ever-evolving dining scene. Another is to go by neighborhood, as a revitalization wave produces a collection of buzz-generating food districts, halls, and markets. Such was my culinary compass for my latest visit to the city, starting with NoMa, or North of Massachusetts Avenue.
Extending north and east of Union Station, this historic 35-block former industrialized wholesale food distribution hub has emerged from the fringes with a dynamic and cohesive mix of historic homes, tree-lined streets, and modern mixed-use projects.
My NoMa base, The Morrow Hotel (22 M Street NE. Tel: 202-280-2288. themorrowhotel.com) is a gorgeous 12-story, 203-room lifestyle property opened in November 2022. Reflecting its forward looking name, this elegant and welcoming new-build urban retreat, which stands on the last site of a former century-old electrical manufacturing and repair business, symbolizes NoMa’s bright future.
My eighth-floor King Suite was a dream and featured thoughtfully curated books, and a shower big enough for a party. Fetching too were the balcony views, overlooking the recently transformed Uline Arena (where the Beatles played their firstever U.S. show in 1964), Union Station’s railyards, and the distant dome of the U.S. Capitol Building.
The vistas heighten in Vesper, the sultry 11th floor cocktail and jazz lounge, peaking with the expansive wraparound outdoor terrace of stylish Upstairs at Morrow, one of some 25 new rooftop bars opened in D.C. since 2020.
Maryland native Nicholas Stefanelli, with four DC restaurants to his name, including nearby Michelin-starred Masseria, runs the hotel’s culinary program, including French inspired Le Clou on the lobby level.
Locals of all stripes, LGBTQ+ included, populate the surrounding villagelike residential community, which transitions into the fast-growing Union Market District (unionmarketdc.com) just a short walk away.
Home to some 20 active food wholesalers, this reinvented warehouse neighborhood continues to expand with restaurants, bars, offices, boutiques, and art galleries.
Here you will find El Presidente (1255 Union Street NE. Tel: 202-318-4820. elpresidentedc.com) from celebrated Philadelphia-based serial chef-restaurateur Stephen Starr. Housed in the new Signal House office building, the restaurant pays theatrical homage to the cuisine of Mexico City and other Mexican regions.
Festive spaces include the main stage lit Theater Room for tantalizing-sounding dishes like barbecue bacon tacos and crab guacamole. Inspired by Mexico City social clubs, the bar features a spectacular wraparound diorama and an “agave-forward” menu of 200-plus mezcals and tequilas, plus an expansive outdoor patio.
Starr’s expanding D.C. presence includes nearby classy gastropub St. Anselm, as well as his continuing his partnership with NYC restaurateur Keith McNally of Odeon, Balthazar, and Minetta Tavern fame. Starr will soon open their resurrection of bistro-style Pastis in the Union Market District. He is also collaborating with L.A.’s Nancy Silverton on “a mega Italian concept” in Georgetown inspired by Silverton’s star Hollywood restaurant, Osteria Mozza.
The Union Market District also features two massive community-focused food halls, Latin American-themed La Cosecha (lacosechadc.com) and Union Market (unionmarketdc.com/market), originally the 1931 Union Terminal Market.
Masterminding both as culinary strategist was globetrotting chef Richie Brandenburg. After stamping his culinary passport in New Orleans, Colorado, the Isle of Man, London, NYC (Le Bernadin), and San Francisco (One Market and Fifth Floor), the Virginia native landed in DC, where he became kitchen director of the esteemed José Andrés Group. Both venues house inviting collections of diverse sit-down and walk-up eateries, food vendors, and artisans.
Most recently, Brandenburg partnered with his longtime friend Rubén García, the former creative director of José Andrés Group, to create The Square (1850 K Street NW. Tel: 202-856-7000. dcthesquare.com), an innovative chef-driven food market located in the street level atrium of downtown DC’s block-long International Square complex.
The Square chef co-founders Richie Brandenburg and Rubén García (Photo by Unfold Hospitality)
“Richie introduced the concept five years ago during our family vacation together in Mallorca,” related García, a native Catalonian whose top-flight resume includes five years at Spain’s iconic El Bulli and 16 years with Andres including opening DC’s two Michelin starred avant-garde wonderland Minibar, NYC’s Mercado Little Spain, and LA’s The Bazaar. “Partnering with developer Tishman Speyer, we created a unique community driven business and operational model based on increased efficiencies, revenue sharing, and economies of scale.”
Opened in September 2023, their concept is founded on an underground commissary kitchen featuring a communal bakery, butchery, and prep kitchens. “Along with our central ordering system, shared marketing, media, and cleaning services, and DC’s first pooled liquor license, we achieve purchasing power on volume buying while maintaining consistent quality control,” García said.
The duo, operating as Unfold Hospitality, also curated The Square’s culinary line-up. The phase one star parade includes seafood-driven Cashion’s Rendezvous from James Beard-winning D.C. chef-restaurateur Ann Cashion. Celebrated locally for earlier successes including Cashion’s Eat Place and Johnny’s Half-Shell, Cashion’s new venture is a lively catch for oysters, crab cakes, hearty soups, and strong cocktails.
For his part, and my lunch, García goes with classic open-flamed Spanish street food including grilled sausages and veggies with pan con tomate and aioli at Brasa. At adjacent Jamón Jamón, DC’s first jamoneria, García specializes in hand-cut jamón Iberico, cheeses, croquetas, and charcuterie. Prepared by certified experts, in this case a young globetrotting Spanish couple, my artfully presented plate of mouthwatering ruby-red jamón ibérico de bellota, from the acorn-fed, free-roaming black Iberian pig, was premier grade all the way.
The Square Jamón Jamón (Photo by Unfold Hospitality)
Other concepts include Taqueria Xochi from José Andrés Group alums Teresa Padilla and Geraldine Mendoza, serving tlayudas, birria, street tacos, margaritas, and other authentic fare. Yet another Andrés veteran, Owen Thompson, former president of the DC Craft Bartenders Guild, directs the beverage program, including the central 42-seat Atrium Bar.
Recent openings at The Square also include KIYOMI Sushi by Uchi from Chef Masaaki Uchino, and Casa Teresa honoring García’s great grandmother Teresa Espinosa Moreno, a human rights activist during Spain’s chaotic era under dictator Francisco Franco.
The Square is a mile away from my second decampment, Waldorf Astoria Washington DC (1100 Pennsylvania Avenue. Tel: 202-695-1100. hilton.com). Magnificently updating DC’s landmark 1899 Romanesque Revival-style Old Post Office building, DC’s third-tallest structure at 315 feet, this 263-room castle is the consummate hospitality haven.
Waldorf Astoria DC Atrium (Photo by Hilton Hotels and Resorts)
Named for the late Nancy Hanks, who served as second chair of the National Endowment for the Arts from 1969 to 1977 and was instrumental in saving the building from demolition, my sun-drenched suite was breathtaking. The four-poster canopy bed, gracious living room, and spacious marble-clad bathroom with deep soaking tub made for enveloping comfort, along with the work desk and sofa tucked into turreted spaces.
The soaring central atrium is home to the all-day Peacock Alley bar and lounge, and The Bazaar By José Andrés’ (thebazaar.com). Billed as “A Peek Into The Archives,” Andrés’ explores the “history of American cuisine” and his own chef journey as a naturalized U.S. citizen with a lengthy sharing menu of creative gourmet odes and interpretations ranging from the Oyster Po-Boy to the Philly Cheesesteak. Nods to his Spanish homeland include a jamon bar and tapas.
Another hot renaissance destination is Wharf DC (wharfdc.com). Opened in October 2017, this $3.6 billion redevelopment of a mile-long stretch of Potomac River waterfront in southwest DC comprises 3.5 million square feet of mixed-use projects.
As the sun sets, the Wharf’s corridor of architecturally striking buildings, paralleling public parks, promenades, and piers, vibrantly sets the stage for strolling, dining, and drinking. The complement of luxury residences and boat-filled marinas adds an air of European jet set flair to the proceedings.
Hotels here include the luxurious 131-room Pendry Washington DC – The Wharf (pendry.com/washington-dc) featuring Japanese-influenced Moonraker rooftop bar and restaurant, and 278-room InterContinental Washington D.C. – The Wharf (wharfintercontinentaldc.com), home of the 12 Stories penthouse bar. Both venues come with superb skyline views.
Japanese-influenced Moonraker rooftop bar and restaurant (Photo by Pendry Washington DC – The Wharf)
Local restaurateurs in the 30-plus concept mix include James Beard-winning chef Fabio Trabocchi and his wife Maria. Adding to a DC portfolio that includes Michelin-starred Fiola in the Penn Quarter and Fiola Mare on the Georgetown waterfront, seafood-driven Del Mar (791 Wharf Street SW. Tel: 202-588-7272. delmardc.com) at Canopy by Hilton Washington DC The Wharf celebrates coastal Mallorcan and traditional Spanish cuisine. Chef Jamie Leeds is here with her area institution Hanks Oyster Bar (701 Wharf Street SW. Tel: 202-817-3055, hanksoysterbar.com).
Nicholas Stefanelli’s multi-level Officina (1120 Maine Avenue SW. Tel: 202747-5222. officinadc.com) was a lively stop for a sunset hour plate of prosciutto and burrata accompanied by a negroni on the top deck Terrazo. Also incorporating a market, café, trattoria, and DC’s only Amaro library, serving vintage and contemporary Amari, alongside small-batch aperitivi and digestivi, his Italian “culinary collective” features the weekly Elevate drag brunch.
Other attractions include the Maine Avenue Fish Market (1805), the nation’s oldest continuously operating open-air fish market, and headliner entertainment at 6,000-capacity waterfront music venue Anthem.
To truly appreciate D.C.’s expansive culinary landscape, make sure to visit Michelin-starred Bresca (1906 14th Street NW. Tel: 202-518-7926), which merits booking for the bar program alone. Lead Bartender Sara Chaudhuri uses her creative background in graphic design to ideate her Ethos drink menu. Share your personal stories or emotions and she’ll craft an intimate taste experience through the medium of cocktails.
East of the U Street corridor, the historic Shaw neighborhood is home of rave reviewed, Michelin-starred, Oyster Oyster (1440 Eighth Street. NW. oysteroysterdc.com), which earned Chef Rob Rubba 2023 James Beard “Outstanding Chef” honors for his plant-forward, sustainability-driven menu.
Other Shaw coordinates include hip Bib Gourmand-rated comfort food joint Unconventional Diner, whose owners’ latest project L’Ardente (200 Massachusetts Avenue NW. Tel: 202-448-0450. lardente.com) is an enticing draw in the mixed-use Capitol Crossing development where downtown DC’s Capitol Hill and East End neighborhoods meet.
Earning widespread acclaim including the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington’s 2023 RAMMY award for “Upscale Casual Restaurant of the Year,” this “glam Italian” escape is a ready ticket for transporting Italian dishes and superb pizzas cooked in a gold-plated oven. The talented team includes pizzaiolo Logan Griffith, a Culinary Institute of America-graduate with past stints at Virginia’s legendary three Michelin-starred Inn at Little Washington and DC’s renowned Blue Duck Tavern.
When visiting DC, I always make time for the old guard, in this case a departing lunch at Iron Gate (1734 N Street NW. Tel: 202-524-5202. irongaterestaurantdc.com). One of DC’s oldest restaurants, this Dupont Circle heirloom is the resurrection of an admiral’s 1875 home. Owned by the General Federation of Women’s Clubs, which shares the space, it ran 87 years as a restaurant until closure in 2010. In 2013, Executive Chef Anthony Chittum relaunched the restaurant with a menu inspired by his travels through Southern Italy, Sardinia, Sicily, and Greece.
Iron Gate casts a spell as you enter via the former carriageway, now the bar. Tom Wolfe once held court in the wisteria-covered outdoor patio, easily evoking Greece, where I lunched on Crimini Mushroom Arancini, Maple Roasted Autumn Squash, and Hearth Roasted Pork Gyro accompanied by Greek and Sicilian wines. To finish, I repaired to the time capsule dining room for two artful desserts, the Spiced Cider Cake and Bittersweet Chocolate Budino, dreamily between a mousse and pudding.
Spiced Cider Cake at Iron Gate (Photo by Jeff Heilman)
Culinary DC is always calling me to explore, and I look forward to where the everchanging menu map takes me next.
