A Guide to Washington, DC’s Best Restaurants
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Washington, DC is a government town. But it’s also become a food city. What started centuries ago as a district dotted with taverns and saloons has transformed into a city brimming with five-star establishments and see-and-be-seen locales. These days, some eateries are as likely to end up in TMZ as paparazzi-infested Hollywood joints. Since The District changes with every administration, here is the insiders’ guide to the timeless (and trendy) spots defining DC social life.
1789/The Tombs
1789, the street-level restaurant in Georgetown, is a true institution—and one of the fanciest spots in DC. A proper meal will run you a few hundred bucks, but Georgetown students know the drill: venture downstairs to The Tombs, one of the best scenes in town. Unsurprisingly, it’s got more of a preppy flair than most college bars. After buying rounds for Georgetown collegians, try The Tombs’ desserts; they’re a fraction of the price of the desserts upstairs, but made by the same pastry chef.
Ben’s Chili Bowl
The U Street staple is much more than a chili joint. It's a part of the city’s civil rights history, helping to feed March on Washington participants and provide shelter after DC's 1968 riots. Today, Ben’s Chili Bowl serves food that's a must-try for many DC tourists and even politicos: days before his inauguration, then president-elect Barack Obama visited and ordered a chili half smoke, their half-beef-half-pork sausage served with their signature chili sauce.
Bombay Club
One of Washington's true power-lunch spots, Bombay Club has been a mainstay in the city for nearly forty years. It’s a favorite of DC denizens like Maureen Dowd thanks to its elegance, white-glove service, and delectable Indian food. Make sure to try their most popular dish, tandoori salmon. And the person who gave Bombay Club its first lease near the White House? Mohamed Hadid—the patriarch of the Hadid modeling clan.
Call Your Mother
The “Jew-ish” deli was a favorite of Biden administration officials (and not just because former White House chief of staff Jeff Zients is one of their investors). After operating out of farmers markets, Call Your Mother opened its first brick-and-mortar location in Park View seven years ago and quickly expanded throughout the city. You can't go wrong with the Thunderbird, the chicken sausage, egg, cheese, and honey sandwich on a salt & pepper bagel. Though Zients prefers their sesame bagel, scooped out, and double-toasted. Pro-tip: the line can move slower than U.S. Congress, so order online and pick-up at the counter.
Cafe Milano
The Georgetown restaurant is a 33-year-old fixture of Washington social life. While elections rejigger The Swamp, Cafe Milano always remains the epicenter of power. Book a table to get spotted in Politico, but if there for the food, start with the Focaccia Al Rosmarino Fresco (with tomatoes), and order mainstay dishes like the eggplant parmesan and Linguine B. Johnson pasta. Be sure to be extra nice to owner Franco Nuschese, the arbitrator of who sits where (and, therefore, the DC social order).
Le Diplomate
Uber-restauranter Stephen Starr’s name is now ubiquitous with DC But his takeover of the city’s dining scene began with Le Diplomate in 2013. Still one of the hottest tickets in town, the French bistro helped revive 14th Street and immediately became the center of activity for young and social Washingtonians. Even senior Joe Biden trekked to the restaurant with Kamala Harris in 2021 and rumor has it the Biden’s ordered take-out from there in 2023 for Valentine’s Day. No word on whether the restaurant’s Bread Alley-made baguettes made the trip to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
Martin’s Tavern
Martin’s Tavern has been on that Georgetown corner since it opened nearly a century ago. It’s a staple of the DC late-night scene, with old-school comfort food and classic cocktails. The spot has a Cheers quality to it, where everyone in town knows fourth-generation owner Billy Martin Jr.’s name. Request a table, and, after turning on the charm, ask Billy to put you at Booth #3: it’s where JFK proposed to Jackie.
Minetta Tavern
Located in the Union Market neighborhood, New York staple Minetta Tavern journeyed along the Acela corridor to mark their first location outside of the Big Apple. Like most Keith McNally spots, it’s a chic scene, filled with New York power players, DC fixtures, and politicians with taste. Their go-to order? Minetta’s proprietary Black Label burger. Head upstairs to their Lucy Mercer Bar for even more drinks, finger food, and a boatload of gossip. But remember to leave your iPhone downstairs. It’s a no-phone room.
minibar by José Andrés
minibar seats just 12 guests. And if you were lucky enough to be at José Andrés’s restaurant on Valentine's Day in 2013, you could’ve dined with the Obama’s around the open kitchen. A two Michelin-starred restaurant, minibar costs $350 per person, excluding drinks, to eat its two-dozen-course-or-so tasting menu. It is as much performance art as it is a world-class meal. Reservations move quicker than DOGE, so work any angle you can to snag a seat.
The Ned
Yes, DC has had its fair share of private clubs. But it’s never had anything like The Ned, a members-only sister brand of Soho House. Spanning three floors inside Michael Milken’s colossal 15th Street building, and only steps away from the White House, The Ned has become the new watering hole for DC elites. There’s always at least one cabinet secretary milling about. Lobbyists: ask their maître d' to seat you on the outdoor terrace. Its view impresses even the most jaded politicians.
The Occidental
When The Occidental closed at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, Washington’s elites were unsure whether their cafeteria would reopen. Stephen Starr not only made sure it came back, but he also transformed the spot into an even more luxurious joint. The Ken Fulk-designed fine dining spot is quickly becoming the 21 Club of The Swamp—a glamorous throwback to old-school DC After ordering the lobster Newburg, take a peek at the portraits by the staircase—they're the faces of politicians who have also dined at the century-old eatery.
Off the Record
Next time you're at Off the Record, the cocktail bar in the Hay-Adams hotel, take a peek at their coasters. Those little squares are designed by famed political cartoonist Matt Wuerker, who won the Pulitzer Prize for editorial cartooning in 2012. Some patrons even take them home, building up impressive collections. And make sure to keep your ears open. Chances are there’s a White House official or two dishing off-the-record gossip in a corner.
Old Ebbitt Grill
Old Ebbitt Grill is known as DC’s oldest saloon and a hangout for congressmen, lobbyists, and even U.S. presidents. That comes as no surprise, since the restaurant is only a few feet from 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. It’s just as good for power lunches as it is for late-night oysters, of which the restaurant sells hundreds of thousands each year. That Walrus head on the wall? Rumor has it Teddy Roosevelt shot the poor mammal. And fun fact, the restaurant is now owned, in part, by the Graham family, the once-owners of the Washington Post.
Osteria Mozza
It might not be the White House, but it’s already welcomed two presidents in less than six months. Located in Dean & DeLuca’s former building in Georgetown, Nancy Silverton’s Osteria Mozza has become one of DC’s buzziest locales and centers of gravity, with everyone from Joe Biden to Barack Obama to Jeff Bezos checking it out. The L.A.-born eatery has kept its West Coast flair, with its airy room and items on the menu like Nancy’s chopped salad and a mozzarella bar.
Quill at The Jefferson
The Jefferson is one of the nicest boutique hotels in the city, and its cocktail bar and lounge, Quill, is part of what makes the 99-room property so desirable. Their creative martinis are a favorite amongst politicos and its room exudes a seriousness that makes it a popular meeting spot for machers flowing in and out of the city.
Rose’s Luxury
This Barracks Row spot was one of the hottest restaurants during the Obama years—with the legendary, hours-long lines to prove it. Owner-chef Aaron Silverman, a one-time accountant, opened the two-story restaurant in 2013 after raising $25,000 on Kickstarter. That crowdfunding project is now a DC sensation thanks to its inventive dishes like their pork and lychee salad and cornbread fried ice cream—a creative streak perhaps inspired by Silverman’s stint at Momofuku Noodle Bar. While Rose’s Luxury once banned reservations (hence the long lines), tables are now up for grabs on Resy.
Round Robin
Round Robin is a circular bar located inside the Willard Hotel's first floor, which also happens to be the inspiration behind the term “lobbyist.” For almost 200 years, the bar has welcomed red-white-and-blue luminaries such Abraham Lincoln and Mark Twain. Go if you can land a seat inside the oak-paneled room, but beware of its tightness. Try their bourbon old fashioned and, of course, their signature drink, the mint julep. Bartender Jim Hewes will likely make it for you. Ask him who sat in your seat last night—chances are it’s a name you’d recognize.
The Tabard Inn
Nestled inside the century-old bed-and-breakfast just steps from Dupont Circle, The Tabard Inn restaurant is a must-try for brunch lovers. Here’s the correct order of operations: pick at their enormous bread basket, order the challah french toast, and then finish with their famous cinnamon-coated doughnuts. If open, ask for a table on the charming patio.
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