WASHINGTON — D.C. is packed with exciting and delicious food destinations, and the Michelin Guide appears to agree. The anonymous inspectors at the little red book just added more than a dozen new spots to check out around the District. These 16 new restaurants join other new additions announced late last year.
The Michelin Guide plans to announce its Michelin Star and Bib Gourmand winners in early May, but says these restaurants were too good to keep a secret.
Here's a look at the full list, along with Michelin's descriptions.
ala (Dupont Circle)
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
"This relative newcomer is a beacon of Levantine cooking. These dishes are refined versions of traditional delicacies and products are immaculate, as evidenced by the mezze, complete with pickled red cabbage, tahini, and refreshingly tart yogurt."
Apéro (Georgetown)
Cuisine: French
"Champagne and caviar are the menu's mission, and owner Elli Benchimol and team nail it. It is typically offered with a host of classic accouterments, like chopped egg, capers and chives, as well as batons of crunchy waffles."
Bar Chinois (Mount Vernon Triangle)
Cuisine: Asian
"The team here envisioned a swanky and hip French wine bar with delectable Asian bites, and so this fantastic haunt was born."
Daru (H Street Corridor)
Cuisine: Indian
"The kitchen team takes classic Indian cuisine in a novel direction. Is that blue cheese on your tandoor-grilled chicken kebabs? Yes indeed. Matched with sour cherry reduction and popcorn cashews, it's as enticing a preparation as the boldly spiced minced bison momos."
dLeña (Mount Vernon Triangle)
Cuisine: Latin American
"This large Richard Sandoval operation, spread over two floors, serves up the likes of guacamole de bonito, uplifted by smoky charred tostadas - a thrilling way to begin proceedings."
El Secreto de Rosita (Reed-Cooke)
Cuisine: Peruvian
"Chef Cristian Granada's dynamic menu certainly leans Peruvian, but it also embraces the nation's wide terrain—from the coast all the way to influences from Europe and Asia. Behold the tiradito, featuring sashimi-grade ahi tuna with a passion fruit-and-orange sauce."
Georgia Brown's (Downtown)
Cuisine: Southern
"Everyone is here for the classic Southern cooking that is likely to conjure up many a nostalgic memory. Start off with the fried chicken livers accompanied by a mustard-soy emulsion. Then tuck into a steaming and fragrant bowl of Carolina gumbo floating with chicken, andouille, okra, and shrimp."
Honeymoon Chicken (Petworth)
Cuisine: American
Chef Rob Sonderman of Federalist Pig has expanded to chicken—well, an updated version of fried chicken to be precise. This Petworth perch resembles a modern diner with old-school vibes.
L'Ardente (Mount Vernon Triangle)
Cuisine: Italian
"With soaring ceilings and windows to match, this Italian kitchen has plenty more to offer. A wood-burning grill and pizza oven allude to its strengths. At no point does any dish want for flavor, down to the charred cabbage buried under a riot of trout roe, tarragon, and currants."
La Bise (Downtown)
Cuisine: French
"The menu is loosely French but with a number of detours, from steak tartare and Rohan duck breast to black truffle risotto and Maine lobster with pineapple."
Maïz64 (Downtown)
Cuisine: Mexican
"If the name wasn’t already a giveaway, the large comal by the window and row of golden corn husks hanging along the wall should tell you what matters most to this restaurant—corn. Heirloom varieties sourced from Mexico are nixtamalized, ground into masa, pressed into tortillas, and griddled at all hours."
Menya Hosaki (Petworth)
Cuisine: Japanese
Carefully composed bowls of ramen feature thin, chewy, house-made noodles accompanied by delicate broths with nuance and depth. The signature bowl is a smoky, triple-threat combination of tonkotsu, chicken chintan, and dashi.
Michele's (Downtown)
Cuisine: American
"The Eaton Hotel, which also houses Chef Matt Baker’s casual café and bakery, is fortunate to play host to such an accomplished team—one that sources well and seasons with panache, all the while running an impressive bar that is as large as the dining room."
Philotimo (Downtown)
Cuisine: Greek
"The Greek cuisine reflects Chef Nicholas Stefanelli's heritage and features a contemporary accent. Meals begin and end with carefully crafted dishes that are presented as a prix-fixe."
The Setting (West End)
Cuisine: Contemporary
"John Snyder, Kiran Saund, and Nick Hopkins are the brains behind this unique tasting concept that shines the light on street food from around the world."
Tonari (Penn Quarter)
Cuisine: Fusion
"The Wafu cooking here flaunts a certain uniqueness while remaining balanced and precise. Dishes may be best described as Japanese-influenced Italian. This mix is unfussy and seamless in the likes of spaghetti with Kurobuta sausage and a refined Tabasco-ketchup sauce."