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

It’s everything you want your moody neighborhood cocktail bar to be…

The Fountain Inn is a 1783 tavern with some 550 rare and vintage bottles and a staff that can talk you through all of them. But if you come for the drinks, be prepared to stay for the food. Chef Greg Heitzig runs a five-course tasting menu at $89 (or $79 for vegetarian), which, in a Georgetown dining room this candlelit, feels like a clerical error.

— Lulu Chang, D.C. Writer, Resy Editorial

As the capital of power lunching…

… D.C. is replete with back room deals and hand shake agreements alongside juicy steaks. The latest steakhouse menu to join the lunch rush is Brasero Atlantico with a $95 four-course menu. From juicy Argentine ribeye or New York strip steaks to hand-cut empanadas or an entire platter of morcilla and chorizo, this is the best spot to talk shop while enjoying prime cuts of meat.

— Tim Ebner, D.C. Writer, Resy Editorial

The absolute standout at…

… St. Anselm were the buttermilk biscuits with pimento cheese. Super warm, crispy, flaky, and buttery, they’re everything a biscuit should be. The fluke crudo was pretty exceptional as well — super fresh and tangy.

— Morgan Alston, Hospitality Operations Coordinator

After sampling their updated menu…

… I came back to Planta Queen again, and again, and again. It’s just packed with standouts: a crunchy-creamy-meaty rainbow roll with watermelon, avocado, mushroom, and crispy tempura bits; sweet and spicy dan dan noodles doused in a coconut milk sauce and topped with Szechuan kamut; and their Korean chick’n sandwich, garnished with gochujang-infused mayo, housemade slaw, and spicy kimchi. This spot is a definite must if you’re in the East End; the walls feature gorgeous murals of Chinese dragons and poppy flowers, and the energy is great for a date night or a glam night out with friends.

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

Hotel restaurants in this city…

… (and most cities) tend to be places you go to because you’re already in the building. Oribu, which opened in June in the Grand Hyatt, is one of the clear exceptions. Chef Joevel Magpantay spent a dozen years in Dubai and Abu Dhabi before landing on H Street, and he’s built a menu around the Maritime Silk Road — the olives turn up cured, pressed, fermented, powdered and emulsified, sometimes three ways in a single course. It’s also open for lunch, which, in a downtown this starved for a good midday table, counts for something.

— Lulu Chang, D.C. Writer, Resy Editorial

For one of the most generous happy hours around town…

… head to Cordelia Fishbar, whether you’re craving oysters or simply need a cocktail after hours. Every Tuesday through Friday from 4 to 6 p.m., or Tuesday through Sunday from 9 p.m. to close, take advantage of half-price oysters and shellfish towers, along with $9 wines, cocktails, and martinis, plus $5 beers. Tuesdays are extra generous with half-price oysters throughout dinner service until close.

— Tim Ebner, D.C. Writer, Resy Editorial

This downtown D.C. dining room just got a glow-up…

… and the space is just darling. Long gone is Sfoglina’s muted décor and in are the bright red booths (and bold red front door to match). The food? Still stellar (hello, radiatore cacio e pepe). The service? Still impeccable. If you’re not in downtown often, make the trip anyways — the new space is worth it, along with the pasta (and soft serve).

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

D.C. denizens knew it would be hard…

… to live up to the lore of Columbia Room — both in terms of vibes and quality — but I’d submit that Death & Co did about as fantastic a job as possible. The D.C. location of this iconic bar group is the perfect place to spend a weekday happy hour or a late weekend night, and the drinks are seriously on point. It’s elevated without being pretentious, and keeps the original mosaic from its Columbia Room days.

— Lulu Chang, D.C. Writer, Resy Editorial

The next time you cross the Chesapeake Bay Bridge…

… plan a pit stop in Easton, Md., to try Accanto. This modernist-style dining room plays it low-key and simple with a menu full of traditional Italian pastas, pizzas, and wines. The restaurant is inspired by sourcing prime ingredients from Italy, many of which can be found at the Piazza Italian Market (which the restaurant owns next door). Standout dishes include grilled artichokes, anchovy fillets from Cetara, and the tonnarelli topped with Maryland blue crab and cooked in a rich sauce of French butter, green garlic, and red pepper chile flakes.

— Tim Ebner, D.C. Writer, Resy Editorial

For a taste of Nepal’s bustling capital…

… head to D.C.’s newest Nepalese spot, Kathmandu. My dining partner and I ordered the wok-tossed chile momo as soon as we sat down, and we were so glad we did — chewy, savory, and punch-you-in-the-face flavorful, they set the tone for the whole meal. Then came the drinks: We ordered the titaura daiquiri, garnished with titaura (a sweet, sour, salty, spicy dried fruit that will tickle your palate); and the Timur Collins, which had a great citrusy note from the Timur and a cozy warmth from some turmeric and ginger. With drinks in hand, we dove into a bowl of fiery noodles, crispy potatoes served with a garlic tomato chutney, and grilled paneer. Every bite was a reminder that this chic, dark, and moody cocktail bar is the real deal, and quite the welcome addition to the U Street Corridor dining scene.

— Priya Konings, 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.