Now on Resy: Le Diplomate, Tremolo Bar, Hi-Lawn, and More Local Favorites

Jarad Slipp’s downtown Middlerburg bar is like an extension of Knead Wine, his wine shop and takeout pizza spot nearby. There’s a nice variety of bottles on the handsome list, from grand cru Champagne to Middleburg’s own RdV Friends & Family red, all offered by the glass, half, or whole bottle. Make it a choose-your-own adventure night with bites and snacks from the equally eclectic menu (hot crab dip and duck frisée salad do the trick), and end with a classic cocktail done just right.

Killer views on every side, food that’s fun to eat (tater tot nachos, Philly-style tomato pies), plenty of IPAs and draft cocktails, a sprawling picnic-friendly artificial lawn — what’s not to like about this all-year outdoor roof-garden on top of Union Market from the proprietors of Calico and The Royal?

It’s not everyday that you find a spot where you can pop in for a solo drink and some French onion soup, or a full sushi spread for dinner with friends. But that’s what this South Dupont spot is all about. Cocktails are fun and inventive, and the menu equally so — i.e. don’t knock a fish and chips roll until you try it.

It’s hard to go wrong with a great view, and perched atop the Cambria Hotel, you get eyes over the Capital Riverfront, including Nationals Park and Navy Yard. Take it all in while you sip on a peach old fashioned or butterfly pea-colored gimlets, and share ceviche tostadas, jerk chicken flatbreads, and queso grit croquettes with the table.

The vibe is pure, old-style Parisian at this popular 14th Street hot spot created by Philadelphia restaurant mogul Stephen Starr. You’ll find any French classic you could dream of here, from escargots to steak au poivre to profiteroles, along with all the right wines.

Can’t seem to nab a Resy? Here’s how to get in.

Culinary luminary Fabio Trabocchi pays tribute to his native Italy with eight restaurants in the D.C. area and Florida, but this is his flagship — a Michelin-starred destination where both modern and traditional Italian fare are offered in the form of five-course fixed-price menus that’ll make you think you’re in Tuscany or on the Adriatic coast.

Come to Fabio Trabocchi’s elegant salute to Italian fish and shellfish preparations for the power crowd people-watching, the award-winning wine list, the breezy Georgetown waterfront atmosphere, and of course, Trabbochi’s justly celebrated cooking, focused on fresh seafood sourced from three continents.

A sfoglina is a pasta maker, so it’s not surprising that almost all the pastas at this warm and comfortable restaurant from famed chef Fabio Trabocchi (of Fiola and Del Mar) are made in-house. Keep your eyes peeled for seldom-seen specialties from the chef’s native Le Marche region and such Trabocchi signatures as braised beef agnolotti with truffle pesto.

Book the Van Ness and Rosslyn locations, too.

What happens when a prolific Philadelphia restaurateur partners with the owner of a cherished Brooklyn tavern? You get another iteration of Williamsburg’s St. Anselm. Stephen Starr’s steakhouse-plus in partnership with Joe Carroll is the place for wood-fired meats in a tavern setting, and pro tip: You’re going to want to cap your evening with a taste from their remarkable collection of vintage Madeiras.

Rasika vets Dante Datta and chef Suresh Sundas bring vibrant Indian flavors mixed with influences from all over, much like D.C. itself. That means tandoor chicken kebabs with sour cherries and blue cheese, daal makhani served over burrata, and za’atar naan. Cocktails take an equally inventive spin, including the Bard of Bengal made with Indian single malt whiskey.

Here’s something you might not expect: A vibrant, traditional Spanish restaurant from Italian star chef Fabio Trabocchi. You’ll find a stunning interior (custom light fixtures, glowing murals, hand-crafted furniture) and a menu that ranges from jamón ibérico and classic tapas to grilled seafood and an assortment of paellas.

The Neapolitan pizza at this Georgetown fixture was certified by the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana, meaning it does everything to be as authentic as possible to make its thin-crust, bubbly pies. Of course it’s so much more than that, from excellent antipasti to soul-affirming lasagna and tiramisu.

Put this light-flooded all-day tribute to Parisian café life from the team behind local favorites like Mi Vida and Succotash on your must-visit list for real-thing French fare, from croissants and salade niçoise to coq au vin.

Roberto Santibañez (of New York’s Fonda restaurants) doubles down on the success of his original Mi Vida at The Wharf with this expanded interpretation, complete with the same romantic lighting, mural-covered brick walls, and irresistible guacamole-to-carne-asada menu.

Look for Oaxacan-accented fare (with fiery homemade salsas), a high-design art-filled dining room, and a vibrant cocktail program featuring rare agave-based spirits at this Miami import from the group behind the top-rated Broken Shaker bars.

It’s Mediterranean food all day long at the CityCenter branch of this luminous French and Italian Riviera-inspired dining destination. Pro tip: Plan an evening out around the regular daily specials, like chicken and seafood paella on Sundays and lamb tajine on Wednesdays.

Michelin-starred chef Enrique Limardo (of Imperfecto and Seven Reasons) spans the culinary globe at this lively Pennsylvania Avenue tribute to the immigrants who’ve enriched our nation and its cuisine. A signature brunch dish defines the place: Venezuelan arepas served with North African shakshuka.

Come to this Arlington charmer on Courthouse Plaza for the beer garden vibe; a menu of flatbreads, sandwiches, locally made sausages with pretzel buns and Dijon mustard, plus chicken or pork schnitzels of heroic proportions; and more than 20 craft beers on tap, many of them local.

Chef Alfredo Solis (of Mezcalero and El Sol) opened this lively Columbia Heights Mexican seafood place three years ago, but pivoted to a pizza pop-up (the kind with chicken mole and chicharrón pies) when the pandemic hit. The pizzas are still there, but most of the original menu is back too, and diners couldn’t be happier.

This one is easy to love, for its comfortably upscale setting (white tablecloths, flattering lighting) in a converted townhouse, its well-chosen and sensibly priced wine list, and above all, its consistently delicious ingredient-focused modern American fare, the work of chef-owner Tom Power.

This longtime Adams Morgan favorite offers any classic from the north or west of India that you could wish for, from biryanis to tikkas to vindaloos — plus less common dishes such as tandoori red snapper and Goan shrimp curry.

Come with a crowd to this amiable Lebanese restaurant in Fairfax so you can sample as many of chef Samer Zeitoun’s irresistible mezze as possible. And don’t even think about leaving without sampling the pistachio cheesecake, a specialty of Zeitoun’s wife, Ragheda.

The offshoot of Zandra’s in Manassas, this colorful taquería deals in the traditional offerings of al pastor and carnitas, but do keep an eye out on the tacos with an international twist — flavors like Szechuan pork belly, falafel, or beef and lamb gyro meat.

This elegant Indian establishment in Reston is as special as they come, with decor channeling 1970s Bombay (before it was Mumbai), complete with a massive freeform chandelier and, yes, velvet upholstery, and a menu offering everything from street snacks to tandoori lamb and chicken.

You won’t miss the meat at this Dupont Italian deli and “Botanical Bar” where the menus offer calamari, wings, meatballs, lasagna, chicken Parm, and more — all of it plant-based and definitely craveable — with seasonal signature cocktails on the side.

The barbecue’s the real thing at this tribute to Southern cooking from veteran D.C. restaurateur Bo Blair: North Carolina-born chef Rusty Holman, who cooked at Blair’s Bayou, has installed a $35,000 smoker, custom-made in Texas, to turn out his brisket, ribs, pulled pork, and more — and Navy Yard has never eaten (or smelled) better.