10 Years of Resy Washington D.C.
10 Moments That Defined the Last Decade of Dining in D.C.
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Resy turns 10 years old this summer, and we’re celebrating with a cross-country series of special experiences. A lot has happened in the last 10 years, to say the least, and to mark the occasion, we’re reflecting on some of the major dining events that have shaped the dining world in that time.
In just a decade, Washington, D.C. has upped its reputation as a dining capital in the United States. In the last 10 years, we welcomed Michelin to our city, gained traction as arguably the hottest food city in America, and remained resilient and ready to tackle the challenges that came through the pandemic.
While it might only feel like yesterday, we look back across the last decade to recognize the major food moments that defined the District’s dining scene.
From major restaurant openings to entire new neighborhoods setting sail on the Potomac River, our Resy 10 has a lot to celebrate in our nation’s capital.
No. 1
Steven Starr goes to Washington
— 2013 —
Over the course of the last decade, one name has remained ever-present in the D.C. dining scene, and that is none other than Philly restaurateur Stephen Starr. It all started with converting a corner dry cleaner into what remains the buzzy French brasserie Le Diplomate. Over the last decade, everyone from presidents to, you guessed it, heads of state and diplomats, have visited for classic French fare like buttery dover sole, warm shrimp salad, and filet Béarnaise. Since opening Le Diplomate in 2013, Starr has also settled into D.C. opening three more restaurants — St. Anselm, El Presidente, and Pastis.
No. 2
Filipino cuisine takes center stage
— 2015 —
Bad Saint opened its doors to D.C. in 2015 putting Filipino cuisine in the spotlight thanks to the talents of chef Tom Cunanan. The restaurant was best known for its lumpia, noodle dishes, and a sweet dessert bilo bilo, a sticky rice pudding with peaches. Sadly, the restaurant shuttered in 2022 as a result of trying times during COVID. Bad Saint may be only a memory but today there are several new Filipino restaurants in the DMV including H Street’s Hiraya, which combines a café and tasting-menu format, and Oxon Hill’s Kabayan.
But there was also another Filipino restaurant that also opened in 2015 and remains a fixture of Filipino cuisine in nearby Mount Pleasant. Chef Patrice Cleary opened Purple Patch. The restaurant focuses on communal dining experiences, like Kamayan, a tableside buffet of delicious Filipino fare, featuring grilled meats, seafood, vegetables and garlic rice served on banana leaves. The experience makes it feel as if you’re family, and to add more fun to the mix, Cleary also recently opened Joia Burger, a Filipino smash burger concept with bright purple ube soft-serve.
No. 3
The Wharf sets sail on the Potomac River
— 2017 —
Washington was lacking a waterfront with destination dining — that is until The Wharf neighborhood dropped anchor. D.C. developer Monty Hoffman had a vision to transform the Southwest Waterfront and Seafood Market from parking lots into a marina village lined with destination dining, premium entertainment, and hotels. His vision came to life in 2017 and remains the place to dine al fresco on the Potomac. Of course, you can expect nautical vibes here. Some of our favorite restaurants include the Spanish coastal cuisine found at Del Mar, the tiki-style cocktails and rum tastings at Tiki TNT, and no visit to The Wharf is complete without trying the crab fried rice at Kaliwa.
No. 4
From “the line” to reservations at Rose’s Luxury
— 2018 —
We bid adieu to the line at Capitol Hill’s red-hot restaurant Rose’s Luxury in 2018. Since 2012, this comfort food restaurant had served up large-format and shareable dishes that drew long lines down Barracks Row. And pre-Resy, getting a table felt like blood sport — even including some hired help at times. Thankfully, securing a seat at Rose’s to try the famed lychee salad (on the menu since day one) is far easier today. (And yes, we have a few tips to offer.) More than a decade later, Rose’s Luxury remains a must-try restaurant in Washington, and even Michelin has taken notice — awarding a star since the tire man first showed up in the city in 2017.
No. 5
Food and politics meet at Immigrant Food
— 2019 —
In Washington, D.C., food is politics. Case in point: Immigrant Food, a fast-casual-ish concept restaurant that opened a block from the White House in 2019 to sustain activism and advocacy on an array of policy issues, including pro-immigration policy. Co-founders Téa Ivanovic and chef Enrique Limardo put together a restaurant with a global array of flavors that has since expanded to two more locations in Union Market and the Planet Word Museum, with a new addition in Arlington. Their success is the result of a social enterprise startup that fuses innovative gastronomy and immigration advocacy together. The restaurants have also donated more than 25,000 meals to the immigrant community through local partnerships.
No. 6
D.C.’s first 3-star Michelin … OK, in Virginia
— 2019 —
The theatrics and levels of detail that go into a single dish at The Inn at Little Washington were rewarded in 2019 with three stars from Michelin. Notably, this remains our only three-star rated restaurant, and while it’s more than a 90-minute drive west of the District, for decades it has remained destination dining to celebrate special occasions and try chef Patrick O’Connell’s farm-to-table cuisine.
We love the Inn for the fanciful dreams that come to life on the plate, as well as its sense of playful humor — for nearly two decades, Cameron Smith has roamed the dining room with a rolling cow cheese cart, complete with plenty of cheesy dad jokes.
No. 7
Texas-sized barbecue arrives … by way of El Salvador
— 2020 —
Who can forget that first bite into smoked wagyu brisket at 2fifty BBQ? (This Resy writer was their first customer in April 2020, and fondly recalls the happy tears and barbecue sauce that dripped down my face.) Since then, the husband-and-wife team Fernando González and Debby Portillo have received national acclaim for their Texas-style barbecue, which actually got its start as a pop-up to diplomats outside the American embassy in San Salvador, El Salvador.
The couple brings love and attention to every detail of American-style barbecue, but they also add much more to this cuisine because of their immigrant experience. That includes a brisket pupusa special that shows up on the menus most Sundays, and almost always sells out by the early afternoon.
Resy at 10
No. 8
L’Ardente becomes the Obamas’ post-presidency date night du jour
— 2022 —
The table closest to the open kitchen — yup, that’s the one where Michelle and Barack like to eat when they visit L’Ardente, an Italian restaurant known for its 40-layer lasagna and stylish-cool vibes that quickly became the date night of choice for 44 and Mrs. 44. Of course, they ordered the lasagna (how could you not when it’s always showing up in your Instagram feed?) but they also enjoy chef David Deshaies’s grilled prawns and linguine alla vongole. We think you, too, might like it for your next date night.
No. 9
Georgetown cool again? An uptight neighborhood rebounds
— 2018-24 —
For decades Georgetown prided itself on gatekeeping – thanks to super-secret salon dinners and old-school restaurants better known for being seen, versus being served a delicious dinner.
That all recently changed thanks to exciting restaurant openings like Lutèce, Yellow, Call Your Mother Deli, and La Bonne Vache, which have brought a breath of fresh air to this solidly stuffy neighborhood.
Don’t get us wrong, Georgetown is still Georgetown. Right now, the neighborhood residents are facing an existential NIMBY crisis (which actually has been going on for years). To our dearly beloved Georgetown neighbors, we have a simple request: Live, let go, and stuff your face with a cinnamon roll babka muffin from Call Your Mother.
No. 10
Downtown office spaces convert to food halls
— 2022-23 —
Is downtown dead? That’s what everyone wants you to think in a post-pandemic world, but spoiler alert: Downtown D.C.’s dining scene is thriving. It’s thanks in part to several food halls that have opened in class-A commercial real estate, envisioning a new future for what lunch or happy hour can look like for the 9-to-5 crowd.
The recent conversion of office space into The Square food hall has brought with it exciting new restaurants like Casa Teresa, Kiyomi Sushi, and Atrium Bar. Other food hall additions in downtown include Love, Makoto, a Japanese culinary collection, and Western Market, filled with a global array of food stalls serving hungry George Washington University students and Foggy Bottom bureaucrats.
Tim Ebner is an award-winning food and travel writer. He has contributed to The Washington Post, Eater, Thrillist, Travel & Leisure, and Edible DC. Follow him on Instagram. Follow Resy, too.
