The D.C. Restaurants We’re Loving Right Now

Northern Virginia is swimming with…

… excellent Korean barbecue, but the jewel in the meaty crown is undoubtedly this year-old entrant into the category. The high-quality meats are the main attraction at Seoul Prime, but it’s the team’s creativity with fusion appetizers and sides that make the restaurant a destination.

— Alice Levitt, D.C. Writer, Resy Editorial

Whenever I am in search of a good time…

… I head to River Club. I love everything about this gem of a restaurant. The elaborate décor with furniture designed and made in Lebanon, the energetic tunes (curated by owner Farid Azouri who is also a DJ), and most of all, the gorgeous Italian-Spanish-Lebanese fare.

Many of their dishes are familiar, but with elevated notes: their pan con tomate is made with heirloom tomatoes and a five-years-aged sherry vinegar; their patatas bravas are served with a saffron-infused sauce; and in cooler months, their warm burrata is laden with winter truffles and roasted mushrooms. And the end-all-be-all is the pasta limone, one of my most favorite dishes in the city with its bright, tart Sorrento lemon notes, sprinkling of 18-months-old parmesan cheese, and garlicky cream sauce. A bottle of Lebanese wine is essential to your meal, but their original cocktails — including an affogato martini, a seasonal Negroni, and a za’atar old-fashioned — will also knock your socks off.

— Priya Konings, D.C. Writer, Resy Editorial

I don’t think it’s possible…

… to have a bad day if you start your morning with an iced latte and the jammy egg shakshuka croissant from Yellow the Cafe. It’s the perfect savory breakfast bite: crispy and flaky on the outside, which contrasts beautifully with the jammy egg and feta on the inside. They also have an incredibly impressive pastry case — I highly recommend the basbousa (a semolina and olive oil cake) if you have a sweet tooth!

— Kelley Travers, Sales Manager

Named for owner Supisa “Boom” Teawbut’s grandmother…

… Sorn is a petite, jade-hued stunner and one of the only places in the region where you can sample dishes from Surat Thani, Teawbut’s family’s native province in southern Thailand. Don’t miss the spicy pork belly stew known as moo hong.

— Alice Levitt, D.C. Writer, Resy Editorial

I love that you can have a meal…

… and shop for a dinner party all at the same time at Osteria Mozza in Georgetown. I recently enjoyed a casual lunch in the mercato, surrounded by beautiful Italian pantry items, from jarred antipasti to dried pasta. The lunch menu has a whole section dedicated to mozzarella, including a take on a caprese with adorable slow-roasted tomatoes on the vine and a potent basil pesto. Don’t miss the tender duck confit, which is paired with a bright pear mostarda that you can take home if you’re feeling brave enough to try to recreate the dish.

— Lani Furbank, D.C. Writer, Resy Editorial

More D.C. staff picks, right this way.

The views expressed in this article reflect personal experiences of American Express employees at the applicable restaurants — not American Express — and do not constitute professional business advice.