Now on Resy: Lucy Mercer, The Mayflower Club, and More Local Favorites

Named for Franklin D. Roosevelt’s secretary (and mistress), this intimate lounge is hidden just upstairs from the Union Market District outpost of Manhattan’s acclaimed Minetta Tavern. The space channels 18th century French living rooms, laden with plush velvet couches and glowing light fixtures — come for the perfect cocktails, and complete the experience with snacks like potato chips with crème fraîche and caviar.

Like a fine wine, Grand Cru brings French-accented flavors and finessed hospitality to Ballston, with a dining room and outdoor spaces that are homey and generous. Count on classics like escargots, French onion soup, and steak frites, and return time and time again for seasonal pastas and seafood. Pro tip: Select bottles of wine are half off on Wednesdays.

At his glowing Dupont Circle restaurant and specialty market, Mikko Kosonen (once the chef for the Finnish ambassador) celebrates traditional Scandinavian specialties (like an iconic salmon, cod, and potato soup) with international accents added, in a room that feels like home. If you’re into bold flavors, try his specialty dessert: salty licorice ice cream.

This elegant restaurant in Arlington’s Pentagon City specializes in the Yunnan region’s silky and light mixian (rice noodles), and has a dedicated fan base that you’ll want to join. Beyond the excellent noodles, the shareable small plates (jiaozi, assorted bao, and more) plus original brunch dishes (like a tea-smoked salmon Benedict) always hit.

Chef, restaurateur, and “pizza man” Joe Farruggio, known for his highly rated Il Canale in Georgetown, brings real-deal Neapolitan-style pies, housemade pasta, and other Italian delights to Arlington with this casual, warm-hearted place. It’s a longtime neighborhood favorite for reasons you’ll understand as soon as you take your first bite.

A go-to for Japanese pub food, Izakaya Nana emulates a vibrant Tokyo street scene with hanging lanterns, illuminated screens, and vivid posters. To eat? All of the izakaya classics you know and love: ramen, yakitori, sushi, tempura, and other impeccable fried bites.

The DMV has no shortage of sports bars, but this College Park destination in the Cambria Hotel is something different: an upscale, all-day sports restaurant, where luxe steaks and seafood rub shoulders with wings, pretzels, and a hot dog made with Wagyu.

You’ll want to keep coming back to this family-run daytime-to-late-night establishment for the coffee creations, the flawless cocktails, the kitchen specialties (like lobster bisque, shrimp Caesar, and marinated lamb shanks), and most definitely the DIY s’mores by the outdoor fire pits.

The moment you step inside this lively all-American brasserie, you’ll know you’re in the right place. The room is bright and grand, the energy level is high, and the menus have something for everyone, from oysters (even for breakfast) to steaks and salads (just don’t miss the signature skillet mac and cheese).

This teensy spot is no mere cocktail bar. Providencia is all about gathering with a few pals, sharing wildly creative snacks and desserts, and sipping playful cocktails that defy classification, like the Lights of the Night Market, made with gin, mezcal, and pandan. The space is bright, comfy, and cute, with well-loved neighborhood bar vibes.

There are many reasons (not just seven) why this buzzy Latin-fusion spot stays in the spotlight. It’s the stunning rainforest-inspired décor, the omnipresent electric energy, the beautiful bar. Mostly, it’s the dishes from Venezuelan-born chef Enrique Limardo that are the driving heartbeat, from ceviche and halibut tiradito to crispy banana bombs for dessert.

Expect all the ceviches, crudos, and salads Venezuelan chef Enrique Limardo is known for at this buzzy Chevy Chase spot, alongside a more everyday kind of menu. Don’t skip his version of Bolognese lasagna, bean and cheese tostadas, or his smash burger.

At this Brussels-inspired Bethesda favorite (there’s another one in Arlington) from chef Robert Wiedmaier, you’re getting the signature mussels any five ways, plus other treats from land to sea — from charbroiled oysters to steak frites.

Opening a restaurant in a former theater means extra space for dining, sipping, and karaoke-ing. And at The Strand, you’ll find bar food done right — think Detroit-style pizza, crispy smoked wings, hot crab dip, double smash burgers, and a booming mimosa-fueled Sunday brunch buffet, too.

Bring somebody special to this elegant establishment in the Ritz-Carlton — from the group behind such D.C. standards as Seven Reasons and The Saga — for the palate-thrilling cocktails, the monthly live music sessions, or the Paris-inspired afternoon tea.

Malawi-born chef Victor Chizinga spotlights both Caribbean and African foodways at his lively restaurant, named in honor of his late mother. Get ready for oxtail with curry cabbage and jollof, Malawian snapper, and a very fun twist on Taco Tuesdays (jerk chicken and beef suya nachos, anyone?). Pro tip: Head upstairs to Raine, the second-floor speakeasy lounge and music venue, where you’ll definitely want to have a drink.

You won’t want to miss this art-filled tribute to Ethiopian food. An essential dish is the berbere-spiced chicken stew called doro wat, the country’s national dish. But there’s plenty to love on the menu, from exceptional plant-based specialties and seafood entrées to vibrant communal vegetable platters.

Travel to three distinct regions (Italy, Lebanon, and Spain) in one night at this lively Georgetown spot. The room — earthy terracotta-colored walls and prints galore — sets the stage for a tour around the Mediterranean. Definitely take a group: You’ll want to share everything, from fattoush with stracciatella to wagyu beef carpaccio, and from lobster paella to the smoked lamb ribs feast.

The Dupont Circle stalwart always shines with its handmade pastas, thin-crust pizzas, and other traditional Italian classics at the ready. An extensive by-the-glass wine list will never go out of style, and the heated patio is surprisingly cozy, even when the weather turns brisk.

The best tempura has a barely there, light and crispy, almost fluffy breading, and that’s what you’ll find at this Dupont Circle gem. You’ll find it on the regular menu and the kaiseki experience, which takes you through the seasons, bite by bite.

Stumble upon this friendly little find near Whole Foods, and you’ll find plump shrimp in garlicky butter sauce, merguez sausage and white beans in a zesty harissa tomato sauce, lamb shank risotto, and other Mediterranean dishes. Live musicians add to the ambience (without ever overpowering it).