WASHINGTON — It's no surprise that DMV residents love food. From Mumbo sauce to seafood fresh from the Chesapeake Bay, there always seems to be something new to try -- all with a DMV twist.
So to help you check off those must-hit restaurants on your bucket list, Yelp compiled a list of "America's Top 100 Places to Eat in 2020." Yelp's data science team pulled the top restaurants by rating a number of reviews in 2019 across the U.S., with representation based in each place's share of top-rated restaurants in the nation. Then they curated the list with community managers across the country and voilà, a list of America's top 100 restaurants of 2020 was formed.
No. 1 and 2 on the list are both restaurants in California -- Shawarma Guys in San Diego and Pisces Poke & Ramen in Los Angeles. But No. 3 is no stranger to District residents.
D.C.'s own Farmbird is ranked at No. 3 on Yelp's list. And the recommended dish? The avocado lime salad.
Farmbird is found at 625 H St. Northeast and is a self-proclaimed "chic counter-serve for boldly flavored chicken plates or sandwiches and farm-fresh sides."
"At Farmbird, we want to change the way that people think about chicken," the website said. "By combining the rare pleasure of a perfectly roasted chicken with the bold flavors we’ve come to love, we hope to put a new spin on the nourishing, sustainable food we grew up eating."
For something in Virginia, No. 31 on the list is Greek Unique in Ashburn. Greek Unique is at 44632 Guilford Drive, Suite 107.
Greek Unique is authentic to the restaurant's Greek heritage, but the chef and staff are first generation Greek-Americans, so the food is more of a "Greek Fusion."
All the fresh ingredients are sourced from local farmer's markets, and the restaurant said it, "refuses to compromise on quality in our restaurant."
No. 95 on the list is a Rockville, Maryland-based restaurant. Los Primos Tex Mex & Grill is a crowd favorite, according to the Yelp list.
The restaurant is found at 12303 Twinbrook Parkway in Rockville. The restaurant calls themselves a "Tex-Mex and Latin Kitchen," serving things from quesadillas to calamari and taco salad.
For some spots a little further away, No. 60 on the list is Croby's Urban Viddles in Charlottesville, Virginia. The restaurant is at 32 Mill Creek Drive, Suite 102.
Croby's is an "updated southern food" restaurant that cooks from scratch. The menu includes things like fried green tomatoes, okra fritters, barbecue and mac & cheese.
Stella's in Richmond came in at No. 72 on the list. It's located at 1012 Lafayette St. Stella's "honors rustic & modern Greek cuisine, bringing the freshest ingredients & Mediterranean fare table side," the website said.
The menu includes dishes from spanakopita, lamb frites and feta fourno.
Noodle Man in Virginia Beach ranked in at No. 74. It's found at 1045 Independence Blvd. Noodle Man's website said "We believe that good times deserve great food."
And while the name of the restaurant is pretty specific, it serves foods other than noodles, including fried salt and spicy squid, vegetable pancakes and tomato scrambled eggs (stir fried).
So, whether you're trying to pick a new Friday night hot spot, or just want to see how many restaurants you can try in 2020, Yelp provided a few of what they say are the best in America.
Happy eating!