The Resy Guide to 2024 James Beard Award Nominees in D.C.

Chef Michael Rafidi isn’t afraid to experiment with traditional recipes and techniques for wood-fired Levantine cooking that you’ve likely never quite experienced before, which has made Albi an icon of Middle Eastern cooking in D.C.

Rafidi also started YELLOW as a pandemic-era, pop-up café. It’s now grown into a full-service restaurant, where the wood-fired sourdough “(not) pizzas” are topped with the season’s best produce, alongside Levantine plates, natural wines, and a whole lot of fun.

One bite into the naan and you’ll understand why Rasika belongs to the city’s fine dining pantheon. This is acclaimed restaurateur Ashok Bajaj’s crown jewel, after all, and the vibrancy and depth of Indian cuisine resonates in every dish.

Sababa translates to “cool” in Hebrew, and that’s certainly the ambiance here, as juicy kebabs, creamy labneh, and next-level vegetables are devoured at this modern Israeli stunner, courtesy of Bajaj’s acclaimed Knightsbright Restaurant Group.

In historic Kalorama, Chef Frank Ruta draws from his decade spent in the White House kitchen to meticulously craft a modern American fine dining experience, as part of Bajaj’s restauant group. Dining here is an intimate experience that perfectly balances old and new, with retro classics reimagined. 

You know that a wine bar with a joyously international menu and a border-crossing wine list under the direction of Bajaj’s Knightsbridge Restaurant Group is going to be something special, and this Cleveland Park gem doesn’t disappoint.

At Bindaas, the other Indian gem in Bajaj’s empire, James Beard Award-winning chef Vikram Sunderam delves into the street food of his homeland for explosive small plates that taste of Mumbai: kathi rolls envelop juicy lamb, rice pancakes are slathered in sweet corn, and kebabs get taken to the next level.

Brought to you by longtime industry veteran Hollis Wells Silverman, formerly of José Andrés’s ThinkFoodGroup and now running her own restaurant group, Eastern Point Collective, this lively osteria was designed with optimal dining pleasure in mind. Whatever you do, do not sleep on the housemade pastas with fried artichokes to start.

The whimsical name says it all: Silverman’s The Duck & The Peach is not at all stuffy, exuding a laid-back NorCal vibe with its simple, flavorful, and comforting fare influenced by the New England coast. Pro tip: Don’t miss the Green Circle whole roast chicken.

Silverman’s realm extends to cocktails, too, and this is not just another gin joint. The Wells oozes class and sophistication, with a menu that’s almost completely gin-based. Martini lovers will also want to settle in here for a straight-up version enhanced by orange, vermouth, and olive oil-soaked gin.

Aaron Silverman’s ode to fine dining upends everything you thought you knew about it. At Pineapple and Pearls, you’re cordially invited to experience one of the best, and most memorable parties you’ve ever been to, that also just happens to have some incredible food.

Anju doesn’t take tradition lightly: Owner Danny Lee’s Korean mother consulted on the menu. But under executive chef Angel Barreto, it has pushed the envelope further, reimagining everything from soju to street food, and redefining the state of the art of modern Korean American food.

From the tilework to the peacock blues and aquamarine accents (all the better to match Tiffany next door), this Tysons Corner spot is a beaut. Next-level Persian dishes are equally inspired, like duck fesenjoon, crispy tadig, and kebabs. Go with many — you’ll need to share.

The cool, bright interior of chef Amy Brandwein’s combination ristorante and mercato — with its blond wood, tones of gray and white, and accents of celadon and fuchsia — is the perfect setting for her small but carefully focused menu of rethought Italian fare. Pro tip: don’t miss the variety of fish roasted in the wood-fired oven.

Get ready for a dining experience unlike any other: a three-level 5,300-square-foot restaurant inspired by Afrofuturism that melds fantasy and technology with the culture of the African diaspora. Keem Hughley (of ABC Pony and Brothers and Sisters fame) is the visionary in charge, with Al Thompson (Hanumanh, barmini) on wines and cocktails.

The four-course menu at Rooster & Owl unravels like a flavor-packed reverie, and we’d expect no less from fine-dining vet Yuan Tang, who extols the flavors of multiple regions and cuisines, from the Carolinas and Thailand to France and Japan, seamlessly.

Chad Spangler and Glendon Hartley wanted to build the opposite of a staid, studied cocktail bar, and Service Bar is just that — very come-as-you-are, very much about party vibes, with a cocktail menu that changes with seasons or with bartenders’ whimsy. You might find a margarita spiked with smoky Mexican raicilla and al pastor marinated pineapple juice. And then, the staple dish: an extra crispy fried chicken sandwich, sprinkled with optional hot sauce dust.

You certainly can’t beat the rooftop view at Perry’s, but the real draw is the expertly crafted omakase tasting menu from chef Masako Morishita. One bite of her edamame dumplings, and it’s easy to see why this restaurant is one of the most talked-about in Adams Morgan — and throughout the region.

Owned and operated by a trio of longtime Adams Morgan residents and seasoned industry players, Tail Up Goat is a neighborhood restaurant that over-delivers in every way. The menu is at once whimsical and deeply satisfying, and so is a wine program by beverage director and co-owner Bill Jensen that embraces the classics, the outré, and everything in between.

Culinary luminary Fabio Trabocchi pays tribute to his native Italy with eight restaurants in the D.C. area and Florida. But his flagship — a Michelin-starred destination where both modern and traditional Italian fare are offered in the form of five-course fixed-price menus — is a perfect demonstration of Trabocchi’s understanding of great hospitality.