The Resy Guide to D.C.’s Great French Restaurants

A quintessential part of the D.C. dining landscape, it’s hard to believe restaurateur Stephen Starr’s 14th Street corridor staple has only been on the scene since 2013. Bigger than it looks with a winding floor plan and plenty of nooks to cozy up in, the 260-seat outpost is technically more brasserie than bistro — but regardless of category, if you’re talking French cuisine in the District, there’s no overlooking Le Dip.

Inside, wicker-backed chairs crowd simple tables in twos and fours, while the inevitably packed central bar packs a vintage punch beneath framed cycling memorabilia. To eat? A wide but refined menu spans the classics: towering shellfish platters, steamy onion soup gratinee, escargots à la Bourguignonne drenched in verdant garlic-parsley butter, a formidable steak frites, and succulent duck a l’orange glistening with bigarade sauce. The wine list is at once deep and approachable, the cocktails hit the mark, and there’s no better vantage point to watch the day go by over martinis and pommes frites.

This late 2023 follow-up to the award-winning original’s location might dwarf its predecessor in both size and menu options, but it’s still somehow the sexier, more intimate yin to the original French-inspired hit’s sunny, breezy yang. Step inside the Royal Sonesta’s resident all-day eatery and you’ll immediately see why: A warm wood-panelled dining room complete with a checkered floor and round bistro tables gives way to a curtained-off Art Deco bar lined with forest green banquettes and doused with Impressionist-style splashes of pattern and color.

Escape the chill, saddle up to said bar, and dive into the extensive menu, which runs the gamut from snackable gougères and tarte flambée laden with bacon lardons and truffles to more substantial dishes like butter-poached lobster with silky orzo and skilfully prepared coq au vin that could give Julia Child a run for her money. Dessert is a whirlwind trip down pastry perfection lane, and don’t sleep on the cocktails, where classic sippers get the Francophile treatment via lemon verbena-spiked French 75s and Bènedictine-fueled Manhattans.

When your bistro’s executive chef wins an award for world’s best cassoulet, you know you’re doing something right. And such is the case at this Dupont Circle haunt nestled inside the upmarket Kimpton Banneker Hotel, where the dining room’s refreshingly dressed-down look lets you know it’s all about the food — that, and the delightful dog-friendly garden that paints the patio green each spring. Chef Walter Silva’s masterful interpretation of French cuisine elicits glimpses of creative flourish in each course, from brûléed oysters swimming in bone marrow butter and smoked trout niçoise flecked with trout caviar to grilled octopus with turnips sarladaises and saffron risotto and, of course, the smoked duck cassoulet loaded with andouille and armagnac duck sausage. Elsewhere, a small but well-selected wine list supports the savory bill while curious cocktails like the Creole Old Fashioned (bourbon, rum, simple, two types of bitters) keep diners on their toes.

Pops of whimsy by way of custom feathered chandeliers and a cerulean blue bar add color to this French-inspired Brookland hideaway, where the menu shines brightest at brunch. That’s when plates piled high with duck hash studded with poached eggs and baby Yukon potatoes and a decadent and extremely popular double smashburger oozing with Coulter Farms Gruyere take center stage, accompanied by carafes of French 75 and French toast sticks to share (it’s only fitting). A thoughtful, natural-leaning wine list bleeds into an elegant yet utterly approachable dinner menu — chicken liver mousse, scallops with crispy sunchokes, potato gratin laced with honeycrisp apples and caramelized onions — and it’s all best enjoyed in the sundrenched atrium while soaking up the room’s atmosphere.

Another Stephen Starr import, this NYC original is one of Union Market’s most polished recent arrivals. The interior is a love letter to Parisian cafes, cloaked in white subway tiles, tarnished mirrors, warm pendant lights, wooden-slat booths, and an intricate tilework floor — all serving as supporting actors for the sprawling zinc bar. The stocked backbar curves its way around the restaurant, showcasing its wares beneath amber light, while diners perch on leather-topped bar stools, enjoying its bounty.

As with its Manhattan forefather, the menu is straight to the point, perfecting the staples instead of reinventing the wheel. Think: tuna tartare crested with crème fraîche, a generous burger topped with bacon, cantal, and caramelized onions, the playful lobster frites, a boeuf bourguignon hearty enough to combat the coldest January night, and a luscious foie gras parfait (a steal at just $19). Swing by for an afternoon snack and take advantage of the “L’apero” happy hour, where zesty Spritz Royales (Aperol, grapefruit cordial, lemon, sparkling water) and pours of pastis complement fluffy baguettes lathered with French butter and thin-sliced jambon and that foie gras parfait.

Stashed away in the outer edges of Northwest lies one of D.C.’s best kept secrets: A family-owned corner bistro dedicated to transporting the Belle Époque to the District via farm-fresh cuisine and a rustically charming Art Nouveau aesthetic complete with a pressed tin ceiling, white tablecloths, and framed prints evoking the restaurant’s late-19th century Parisian namesake. Buttery escargots, moules marinière, rich bouillabaisse, sweet and savory crepes, and the Trio du Terroir — duck foie gras mousse, country pâté, saucisson aux herbes de Provence — light up the a la carte options, while seasonal prix fixes keep things interesting. The deep and resolutely French beverage offerings are put to good use upstairs, where resident wine bar Le Chat Perché provides an even cozier destination for diners looking to pair a bottle of Saint Emilion Grand Cru with a classic silent film playing dreamily behind the bar.

Tucked inside a townhouse in a residential section of Capitol Hill, this neighborhood gem’s homey exterior betrays the opulent romance lurking just inside the front door. Beaded chandeliers illuminate plush blue velvet Edwardian chairs below, the warm light bouncing off deep red fleur de lis wallpaper and gauzy red curtains that enshrine each two-top, should you need a bit of privacy. An all-day offering of finessed French classics like soupe à l’oignon bubbling beneath a layer of gruyère, tender beef bourguignon, and chicken cordon bleu with mustard cream sauce form a formidable backbone to the menu, fortified by a choice cheese and charcuterie selection and a can’t-miss cocktail list. An expanded, tented front patio offers an airier experience, but let’s be real — when the temperature drops, nothing tops a dimly lit bistro dining room.

With its rustic exposed brick and pressed-tin ceiling, pristine yet unstuffy menu, and consistent service with a smile, it’s hard not to fall in love with this four-year-old Georgetown destination from Michelin-starred chef Matt Conroy. The “neo-bistro” concept is best embodied by the revolving door of dishes served a la carte or via the chef’s tasting menu, as well as a truly outstanding wine list curated with a collector’s eye. The plate is clearly a canvas for Conroy, who turns out the city’s hands-down-best focaccia buttressed by head-turning vegetarian creations like badger flame beets spiced with guajillo chili and apple butter, and succulent roasted pumpkin with urfa spice. Meat appears but doesn’t hog the limelight, given its due by way of delicate vol-au-vent stacked with sweetbreads and Berkshire pork dressed up with tarragon and fennel and complemented by squash “charcutière.”

Opt for the wine pairing and expect a tour through oenophile heaven lined with biodynamic bubbly and selections from small French producers rarely seen outside of Europe. The dessert program — courtesy of Isabel Coss, Conroy’s pastry chef wife and the force behind 2024 smash hit Pascual — is also not to be missed.

What could be better than ensconcing yourself in a rich green velvet booth on a blustery February afternoon, sipping Negronis spiked with red wine and downing plump oysters dappled with apple cider mignonette and a side of piping hot truffle frites? This modern bistro inside Dupont’s equally modern St. Gregory Hotel has you covered, a sunlit corner serving sophisticated European fare with a cosmopolitan touch — not to mention some superb original cocktails. Pair the pillowy wild mushroom vol au vent (puff pastry, mushroom ragout, sherry cream, sunny egg) or fragrant brick chicken paillard steeped in brown butter-chicken jus with one or two Take a Trains — a boozy mix of cognac, agricole rhum, Marcona almond orgeat, and citrus — and you just might find yourself eyeing a luxe room upstairs.

Roaming M Street in search of European comforts and a stylish place for a post-shop drop? Look no further than L’Avant-Garde, an alluring Parisian escape hidden away inside a historic Georgetown townhouse. Against a sexy, contemporary-meets-vintage backdrop of slat-wood paneling, earth-toned velvet, and broad curving booths, chef-partner Sebastien Giannini translates his coastal French upbringing into a seafood-focused bill that leaves plenty of room for landlovers. Start with la bouillabaisse de Pierrette — a family recipe — before moving onto satisfying mains like Grenobloise-style branzino with mussels and turned potatoes or the beef short ribs with Burgundy truffles, an indulgent creation slow-cooked for six hours and best enjoyed with a ruby red bottle of Côte de Beaune from their glass-encased cellar. Can’t decide? An oft-changing — and modestly priced — seasonally-influenced prix fixe handles the hard stuff for you.