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Your Washington, DC Summer Bucket List
We’ve gathered up some of the most exciting reasons to visit the nation’s capital this summer, culminating in a lively Labor Day send-off. If you’re interested in catching a baseball game, savoring a great meal at an award-winning restaurant or exploring colorful street murals throughout the city, it’s all possible. Right now is the perfect time to plan your next visit to DC with these memory-making, only-in-DC trip ideas.
Amazing Boating Experiences You Need to Try in Washington, DC
As exciting waterfront destinations pull more visitors and locals closer and closer to the river, you might be surprised to know what’s waiting just beyond DC's shoreline. The area’s top boating and tour companies provide plenty of unique experiences on the water and there’s never been a better time to seek an off-land escape on the Potomac and Anacostia rivers.
Can't-Miss Summer Events & Festivals in Washington, DC
Washington, DC never lacks for can't-miss events and warm-weather festivals. In fact, there are so many amazing choices that it can be tough to figure out which to attend. No worries – we’ve got you covered with some of the season’s biggest events and festivals that are perfect for having the best summer ever. Make sure to check out our things to do this week, weekend and month as well.
Visiting the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC
Renovations & New Openings While it remains operational, the museum is currently undergoing a large-scale, multi-year renovation that will introduce galleries and public spaces both reimagined and brand new. Learn more about the transformation. The renovation of all 20 galleries, which began in 2018, will unveil five new exhibitions, the Lockheed Martin IMAX Theater and a redesigned entrance on July 28. The project as a whole is scheduled to conclude next year on July 1 – the 50th anniversary of the museum in Washington and the 250th anniversary of the United States. This summer, thousands of artifacts will go back on display, including the Spirit of St. Louis, the North American X-15, John Glenn’s Mercury Friendship 7 capsule, Apollo Lunar Module 2 and the touchable moon rock. The Sopwith F.1 Camel, Virgin Galactic’s RocketMotorTwo, a Blue Origin New Shepard crew capsule mockup and a Goddard 1935 A series rocket are among new additions to the galleries. The exhibits include Futures in Space, World War I: The Birth of Military Flight and more. A museum that goes above and beyond Glimpse the 1903 Wright Flyer, run your hands over moon rock and experience the larger-than-life world of aviation and space travel at the National Air and Space Museum. Since opening on the National Mall in 1976, this hub of all things flight has educated and inspired future generations of pilots and astronauts from around the world. The museum (along with its second location, the Udvar-Hazy Center, in Chantilly, Va.) contains the largest and most significant collection of aviation and space artifacts in the world. All components of human flight are on display, including related art and archival materials. National Air and Space Museum hours and location The museum is located on Jefferson Drive, between 4th and 7th Streets SW and admission is always free. Regular hours are 10 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. The easiest way to reach the museum is via Metrorail or Metrobus. The closest Metro station is L’Enfant Plaza (Blue, Green, Orange, Silver and Yellow lines). Learn more about the museum's accessibility features on its website. The Museum’s second facility, the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center is located just south of Dulles Airport’s runways in Fairfax County, Virginia. It is open daily from 10 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. Visit the Smithsonian's Udvar-Hazy Center website for more information. What’s inside the National Air and Space Museum? The Air and Space Museum takes visitors to the sky, showcasing the amazing technological achievements that have progressed aviation and space exploration throughout the last century. Our fascination with flight is still alive and well, as the museum (and the Udvar-Hazy Center) is one of the most visited in the world year-after-year. The historical objects on display are breathtaking – fundamental to the story of flight. The 1903 Wright Flyer, which completed the world’s first successful flight, and Charles Lindbergh’s Spirit of St. Louis, the first aircraft to complete a nonstop flight from New York to Paris, are two fan favorites. The Apollo 11 Command Module Columbia, the only portion of the Apollo 11 spacecraft to return to Earth, is currently at the Udvar-Hazy Center. Visitors can also see the spacesuit astronaut Neil Armstrong wore during his mission to the moon and, beginning in July, touch a sample of a lunar rock brought back from the Apollo 17 mission in 1972. Browse the full lineup of exhibitions, current and upcoming. A stellar Only1DC experience Look through the lens of a high-powered telescope and watch as celestial bodies come into focus. Held on select evenings throughout the year, astronomy program events like nighttime stargazing at the National Air and Space Museum’s Public Observatory bring out volunteer experts (many of whom share their personal telescopes) to give families, couples and curious visitors a taste of the cosmos. On a given night, you may be able to look through three different telescopes, each focused on a different point in the sky.
Guide to Dining at Award-Winning Restaurants in Washington, DC
MITA At MITA in Shaw, Chefs Tatiana Mora and Miguel Guerra made history with their first Michelin star: Mora was the first Venezuelan female chef to achieve the honor while Guerra was the youngest Venezuelan chef to do so. The duo's vegetable-forward tasting menus approach each ingredient with reverence and a little magic. While diners may recognize Latin favorites like arepas and mole, they may encounter less familiar ingredients like arracacha (Andean root vegetable), chontaduro (Amazonian palm fruit) or cachaça (a Brazilian spirit made from sugarcane). Even the familiar is reimagined, such as the chicharrónes made from wild rice. In 2025, MITA earned a James Beard Award nomination for Best New Restaurant. Anju Anju in Dupont Circle melds modern technique with traditional Korean flavors, resulting in tantalizing delights like the fried chicken complemented by jujube mole, white barbecue sauce and spicy gochujang. While executive chef Angel Barreto is no stranger to accolades – including recognition in DC-area awards, national press from the James Beard Foundation and Food and Wine and even the honor of Culinary Ambassador for the U.S. – he continues to solidify his place as one of DC's dining virtuosos, especially with his recent, extra meaningful achievement: a Best Chef award from the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington. Causa Led by Michelin's Young Chef Award-winner Carlos Delgado, Causa provides a Peruvian culinary journey that highlights the coastline and Andes mountains. The $125 six-course menu features the nation's abundant ingredients and fresh fish. Enhance your experience with wine pairings or explore Peru’s national spirit with North America's largest Pisco library. Reservations are made available two months in advance, so be sure to plan ahead – Causa was named Formal Fine Dining Restaurant of the Year by the DC area's restaurant association and nominated for Best Chef (Mid-Atlantic) by the James Beard Awards. Albi Chef Michael Rafidi pours his heart into his Navy Yard restaurant. That’s no joke, either; Albi literally means “heart” in Arabic, a nod to the chef’s Levantine roots that matches his signature mix of mezze plates and mashawi, dishes cooked over an open flame. Savor Mediterranean staples with a twist, like a saccharine fattoush with pear and cucumber or the sumac bok choy with honey, whipped feta and smoked peanut harissa. Entrees bend the mind, such as the lump crab tabouli bolstering the barbecued black bass, or the fire-kissed loin and smoked belly lamb kebabs. As if you needed more convincing, Chef Rafidi was honored with the 2024 Outstanding Chef Award from the James Beard Foundation. Perry's Restaurant Perry’s in Adams Morgan has long been a fan-favorite for its community-minded drag brunches, its idyllic yet low-key rooftop and its killer Japanese menu. Yet, in 2022, Chef Masako Morishita began authoring an exciting new chapter in the restaurant’s forty-year story. The first Japanese woman to helm the kitchen, Morishita has refreshed the menu to reflect her adventurous brand of “modern comfort food," including parmesan-topped edamame dumplings, shrimp katsu burgers on potato buns (held together by pink flamingo cocktail picks), udon carbonara and a special Japanese breakfast service. Morishita's vision was recognized on a new level when she was awarded two of the most prestigious endorsements a culinary up-and-comer can receive – first, the honor of Emerging Chef at the James Beard Awards, and second, Rising Culinary Star of the Year at the RAMMYs, the prestigious culinary awards granted annually by the DC region's restaurant association. Omakase @ Barracks Row DC diners may have enjoyed a delicately plated dish from Chef Yi "Ricky" Wang at Sushi Nakazawa or at minibar by José Andrés. Now, fans have the chance to try the chef's Michelin-starred menu at Capitol Hill sushi bar Omakase @ Barracks Row. The carefully curated blend of contemporary and classic means communal seating and twenty courses of otsumami (snacking plates) and nigiri. Oyster Oyster The first restaurant in DC to be awarded a Michelin green star for its outstanding sustainability efforts, Oyster Oyster takes vegetable-first dining to the next level. Seasonal menus feature ingredients from local farms that share the restaurant's ethos, as well as environmentally beneficial oysters from the Chesapeake Bay. Even the mushrooms are locally foraged. You can find this gem in the Shaw neighborhood. minibar by José Andrés Take a multi-course journey through the world of molecular gastronomy from renowned chef José Andrés. Located in Penn Quarter, this restaurant is regularly booked months in advance. Jônt Chef Ryan Ratino has gathered a lineup of inspired chefs and creatives to bring Jônt to DC. The restaurant offers a tasting menu that is a voyage through dynamic flavors, showcasing a playful technique that leads to dishes you’re unlikely to find anywhere else. Think Dungeness crab with donabe rice, truffle and maitake, or sea urchin with custard and English peas. The robust beverage menu means you’re also likely to find the perfect drink to pair with your meal. Pineapple and Pearls Chef Aaron Silverman’s tasting menu is the stuff of perfection. Venture into Barracks Row on Capitol Hill for a night filled with meticulously crafted courses – each paired with a drink. Tip: You can belly up to the bar for the same tasting menu sans drinks and save $100. Rania Rania translates to “queen” in Hindi and Sanskrit so it’s no surprise that this Penn Quarter hot spot is a royal delight. Chef Chetan Shetty exceeds expectations of a traditional Indian restaurant with a captivating menu of three courses for $75 or four for $90, featuring inventive dishes like beef short rib with saffron nihari and charred maitake mushroom. Imperfecto: The Chef’s Table Chef Enrique Limardo embraces the idea that we can’t achieve perfection despite our best efforts. It’s that constant pursuit that fortifies the entire dining experience at this West End restaurant, which draws on Greek influences and Limardo’s Latin American cooking chops. For the full experience, book the Chef’s Table (as opposed to eating a la carte), featuring 10 dizzying dishes, including options like the kampachi sea tartare, caramelized king crab with caviar and strawberry-mushroom duck breast. Reverie Like something out of a daydream, Reverie in Georgetown will delight your senses with a dining experience featuring ingredients from all over the world. The intimate restaurant is guided by award-winning Chef Johnny Spero, whose playful menu draws from the local daily catch to create a historic evening for you and your guests, an appropriate tribute to the restaurant's idyllic neighborhood. Elcielo D.C. Dive into the flavors of Colombia at Elcielo D.C., located inside La Cosecha and helmed by chef Juan Manuel Barrientos, who mixes the avant-garde with traditional Colombian cuisine to create a flavor-packed adventure that incorporates all five senses. Choose from four tasting menus to be enjoyed in a reserved room next to the open kitchen. The a la carte menu, served in the great hall, features signature dishes like The Tree of Life, which offers oven-baked Yucca bread on a bonsai tree, representing the Amazon rainforest. Xiquet Chef Danny Lledó has built a menu that reflects the climate, agriculture and sea bounty of Valencia at Xiquet. Featuring a stunning wood-fired kitchen enclosed in glass, the Embassy Row restaurant offers both tasting and a la carte experiences that are sure to leave you breathless. Standout dishes have included the Red Prawn of Denia and either of the two paellas, including a vegetarian version with artichoke, asparagus, lima beans and eggplant, or the seafood version with lobster, red prawn, scallop and cuttlefish (caviar optional). Rooster & Owl After honing his skills at renowned kitchens around New York City, chef Yuan Tang teamed up with wife Carey Tang to open Rooster & Owl in DC. The couple’s 14th Street NW restaurant serves contemporary American fare, offering diners a four-course, prix-fixe menu where seasonal ingredients and vegetarian dishes shine. Diners can expect something unique from the jump with takes like the Carolina-style barbecue carrots with a cornbread ice cream, meatless larb made with lime-kissed shiitake mushrooms and grilled cobia fish served with broccoli mole and turnips dressed in fish sauce vinaigrette. Gravitas Chef Matt Baker has turned a former tomato cannery in Ivy City into Gravitas, a farm-to-table restaurant highlighting the delicious bounty of the Chesapeake in a modern space with plenty of exposed brick. You can choose your own culinary adventure with the flexible three-, four- or six-course tasting menu options, allowing you to sample a range of Baker’s popular dishes (think yellowfin sashimi and an exceptional chocolate ganache that snakes across your plate). Green thumbs can get their kicks sipping on cocktails upstairs at the Conservatory, which includes a greenhouse and garden alive with flowers, fruits and vegetables. Sushi Nakazawa If a menu-less, 20-course dining experience suits your taste, look no further than Sushi Nakazawa. This New York import that turns eating into an adventure comes from chef Daisuke Nakazawa. The restaurant serves fresh-caught fruits of the sea in the style of omakase, a Japanese phrase that roughly translates to “I'll leave it up to you.” Little Pearl Little Pearl allows you to enjoy Aaron Silverman’s award-winning culinary creations without waiting in line at Rose’s Luxury or shelling out for Pineapple and Pearls. This Capitol Hill cafe-by-day and wine-bar-by-night has taken over as the casual spot in Silverman’s dining empire. Choose from gourmet java, potato donuts and a delightfully crispy fried chicken sandwich (served fried or Japanese-style) during a daytime visit. You can also wash down one of the inventive snacks with a glass of vino from an extensive by-the-glass list or choose the affordable prix-fixe dinner menu. Kinship After cutting his teeth at The French Laundry, chef Eric Ziebold moved to DC and came into his own when he opened Kinship to rave reviews. The menu features dishes that focus on technique, history, ingredient or communal preparations. It’s a special place, and perfect for a celebratory meal. Métier Located beneath Kinship, an even more indulgent experience awaits at Métier, chef Eric Ziebold's ambitious 36-seat restaurant with a $200 six-course tasting menu. The French-themed restaurant is has become a city favorite, and diners take note: advanced reservations are recommended and jackets are required for gentlemen. Masseria Located near the foodie wonderland of Union Market, Nicholas Stefanelli’s restaurant harkens back to his rustic Italian roots. Savor coastal cuisine cooked to perfection, aided by a well-manicured wine list. The Dabney Chef Jeremiah Langhorne added to the Shaw neighborhood's transformation into one of the city’s hottest dining neighborhoods with his Blagden Alley venture. Come here to discover what his signature Mid-Atlantic fare is all about. Fiola Chef Fabio Trabocchi’s Penn Quarter outpost sates wine and negroni lovers, as well as connoisseurs of house-made pastas and Italian-inspired seafood. Head to his other spots, including downtown DC pasta house Sfoglina, for an array of delectable dining experiences. Rose's Luxury Neighborhood dining doesn't get any better than this Barracks Row establishment, once named the best new restaurant in America by Bon Appétit. Eaters line up hours in advance to get a table, but now you can score same-day reservations as well.
Your Washington, DC Summer Bucket List
We’ve gathered up some of the most exciting reasons to visit the nation’s capital this summer, culminating in a lively Labor Day send-off. If you’re interested in catching a baseball game, savoring a great meal at an award-winning restaurant or exploring colorful street murals throughout the city, it’s all possible. Right now is the perfect time to plan your next visit to DC with these memory-making, only-in-DC trip ideas.
Amazing Boating Experiences You Need to Try in Washington, DC
As exciting waterfront destinations pull more visitors and locals closer and closer to the river, you might be surprised to know what’s waiting just beyond DC's shoreline. The area’s top boating and tour companies provide plenty of unique experiences on the water and there’s never been a better time to seek an off-land escape on the Potomac and Anacostia rivers.
Can't-Miss Summer Events & Festivals in Washington, DC
Washington, DC never lacks for can't-miss events and warm-weather festivals. In fact, there are so many amazing choices that it can be tough to figure out which to attend. No worries – we’ve got you covered with some of the season’s biggest events and festivals that are perfect for having the best summer ever. Make sure to check out our things to do this week, weekend and month as well.
Visiting the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC
Renovations & New Openings While it remains operational, the museum is currently undergoing a large-scale, multi-year renovation that will introduce galleries and public spaces both reimagined and brand new. Learn more about the transformation. The renovation of all 20 galleries, which began in 2018, will unveil five new exhibitions, the Lockheed Martin IMAX Theater and a redesigned entrance on July 28. The project as a whole is scheduled to conclude next year on July 1 – the 50th anniversary of the museum in Washington and the 250th anniversary of the United States. This summer, thousands of artifacts will go back on display, including the Spirit of St. Louis, the North American X-15, John Glenn’s Mercury Friendship 7 capsule, Apollo Lunar Module 2 and the touchable moon rock. The Sopwith F.1 Camel, Virgin Galactic’s RocketMotorTwo, a Blue Origin New Shepard crew capsule mockup and a Goddard 1935 A series rocket are among new additions to the galleries. The exhibits include Futures in Space, World War I: The Birth of Military Flight and more. A museum that goes above and beyond Glimpse the 1903 Wright Flyer, run your hands over moon rock and experience the larger-than-life world of aviation and space travel at the National Air and Space Museum. Since opening on the National Mall in 1976, this hub of all things flight has educated and inspired future generations of pilots and astronauts from around the world. The museum (along with its second location, the Udvar-Hazy Center, in Chantilly, Va.) contains the largest and most significant collection of aviation and space artifacts in the world. All components of human flight are on display, including related art and archival materials. National Air and Space Museum hours and location The museum is located on Jefferson Drive, between 4th and 7th Streets SW and admission is always free. Regular hours are 10 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. The easiest way to reach the museum is via Metrorail or Metrobus. The closest Metro station is L’Enfant Plaza (Blue, Green, Orange, Silver and Yellow lines). Learn more about the museum's accessibility features on its website. The Museum’s second facility, the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center is located just south of Dulles Airport’s runways in Fairfax County, Virginia. It is open daily from 10 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. Visit the Smithsonian's Udvar-Hazy Center website for more information. What’s inside the National Air and Space Museum? The Air and Space Museum takes visitors to the sky, showcasing the amazing technological achievements that have progressed aviation and space exploration throughout the last century. Our fascination with flight is still alive and well, as the museum (and the Udvar-Hazy Center) is one of the most visited in the world year-after-year. The historical objects on display are breathtaking – fundamental to the story of flight. The 1903 Wright Flyer, which completed the world’s first successful flight, and Charles Lindbergh’s Spirit of St. Louis, the first aircraft to complete a nonstop flight from New York to Paris, are two fan favorites. The Apollo 11 Command Module Columbia, the only portion of the Apollo 11 spacecraft to return to Earth, is currently at the Udvar-Hazy Center. Visitors can also see the spacesuit astronaut Neil Armstrong wore during his mission to the moon and, beginning in July, touch a sample of a lunar rock brought back from the Apollo 17 mission in 1972. Browse the full lineup of exhibitions, current and upcoming. A stellar Only1DC experience Look through the lens of a high-powered telescope and watch as celestial bodies come into focus. Held on select evenings throughout the year, astronomy program events like nighttime stargazing at the National Air and Space Museum’s Public Observatory bring out volunteer experts (many of whom share their personal telescopes) to give families, couples and curious visitors a taste of the cosmos. On a given night, you may be able to look through three different telescopes, each focused on a different point in the sky.
Guide to Dining at Award-Winning Restaurants in Washington, DC
MITA At MITA in Shaw, Chefs Tatiana Mora and Miguel Guerra made history with their first Michelin star: Mora was the first Venezuelan female chef to achieve the honor while Guerra was the youngest Venezuelan chef to do so. The duo's vegetable-forward tasting menus approach each ingredient with reverence and a little magic. While diners may recognize Latin favorites like arepas and mole, they may encounter less familiar ingredients like arracacha (Andean root vegetable), chontaduro (Amazonian palm fruit) or cachaça (a Brazilian spirit made from sugarcane). Even the familiar is reimagined, such as the chicharrónes made from wild rice. In 2025, MITA earned a James Beard Award nomination for Best New Restaurant. Anju Anju in Dupont Circle melds modern technique with traditional Korean flavors, resulting in tantalizing delights like the fried chicken complemented by jujube mole, white barbecue sauce and spicy gochujang. While executive chef Angel Barreto is no stranger to accolades – including recognition in DC-area awards, national press from the James Beard Foundation and Food and Wine and even the honor of Culinary Ambassador for the U.S. – he continues to solidify his place as one of DC's dining virtuosos, especially with his recent, extra meaningful achievement: a Best Chef award from the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington. Causa Led by Michelin's Young Chef Award-winner Carlos Delgado, Causa provides a Peruvian culinary journey that highlights the coastline and Andes mountains. The $125 six-course menu features the nation's abundant ingredients and fresh fish. Enhance your experience with wine pairings or explore Peru’s national spirit with North America's largest Pisco library. Reservations are made available two months in advance, so be sure to plan ahead – Causa was named Formal Fine Dining Restaurant of the Year by the DC area's restaurant association and nominated for Best Chef (Mid-Atlantic) by the James Beard Awards. Albi Chef Michael Rafidi pours his heart into his Navy Yard restaurant. That’s no joke, either; Albi literally means “heart” in Arabic, a nod to the chef’s Levantine roots that matches his signature mix of mezze plates and mashawi, dishes cooked over an open flame. Savor Mediterranean staples with a twist, like a saccharine fattoush with pear and cucumber or the sumac bok choy with honey, whipped feta and smoked peanut harissa. Entrees bend the mind, such as the lump crab tabouli bolstering the barbecued black bass, or the fire-kissed loin and smoked belly lamb kebabs. As if you needed more convincing, Chef Rafidi was honored with the 2024 Outstanding Chef Award from the James Beard Foundation. Perry's Restaurant Perry’s in Adams Morgan has long been a fan-favorite for its community-minded drag brunches, its idyllic yet low-key rooftop and its killer Japanese menu. Yet, in 2022, Chef Masako Morishita began authoring an exciting new chapter in the restaurant’s forty-year story. The first Japanese woman to helm the kitchen, Morishita has refreshed the menu to reflect her adventurous brand of “modern comfort food," including parmesan-topped edamame dumplings, shrimp katsu burgers on potato buns (held together by pink flamingo cocktail picks), udon carbonara and a special Japanese breakfast service. Morishita's vision was recognized on a new level when she was awarded two of the most prestigious endorsements a culinary up-and-comer can receive – first, the honor of Emerging Chef at the James Beard Awards, and second, Rising Culinary Star of the Year at the RAMMYs, the prestigious culinary awards granted annually by the DC region's restaurant association. Omakase @ Barracks Row DC diners may have enjoyed a delicately plated dish from Chef Yi "Ricky" Wang at Sushi Nakazawa or at minibar by José Andrés. Now, fans have the chance to try the chef's Michelin-starred menu at Capitol Hill sushi bar Omakase @ Barracks Row. The carefully curated blend of contemporary and classic means communal seating and twenty courses of otsumami (snacking plates) and nigiri. Oyster Oyster The first restaurant in DC to be awarded a Michelin green star for its outstanding sustainability efforts, Oyster Oyster takes vegetable-first dining to the next level. Seasonal menus feature ingredients from local farms that share the restaurant's ethos, as well as environmentally beneficial oysters from the Chesapeake Bay. Even the mushrooms are locally foraged. You can find this gem in the Shaw neighborhood. minibar by José Andrés Take a multi-course journey through the world of molecular gastronomy from renowned chef José Andrés. Located in Penn Quarter, this restaurant is regularly booked months in advance. Jônt Chef Ryan Ratino has gathered a lineup of inspired chefs and creatives to bring Jônt to DC. The restaurant offers a tasting menu that is a voyage through dynamic flavors, showcasing a playful technique that leads to dishes you’re unlikely to find anywhere else. Think Dungeness crab with donabe rice, truffle and maitake, or sea urchin with custard and English peas. The robust beverage menu means you’re also likely to find the perfect drink to pair with your meal. Pineapple and Pearls Chef Aaron Silverman’s tasting menu is the stuff of perfection. Venture into Barracks Row on Capitol Hill for a night filled with meticulously crafted courses – each paired with a drink. Tip: You can belly up to the bar for the same tasting menu sans drinks and save $100. Rania Rania translates to “queen” in Hindi and Sanskrit so it’s no surprise that this Penn Quarter hot spot is a royal delight. Chef Chetan Shetty exceeds expectations of a traditional Indian restaurant with a captivating menu of three courses for $75 or four for $90, featuring inventive dishes like beef short rib with saffron nihari and charred maitake mushroom. Imperfecto: The Chef’s Table Chef Enrique Limardo embraces the idea that we can’t achieve perfection despite our best efforts. It’s that constant pursuit that fortifies the entire dining experience at this West End restaurant, which draws on Greek influences and Limardo’s Latin American cooking chops. For the full experience, book the Chef’s Table (as opposed to eating a la carte), featuring 10 dizzying dishes, including options like the kampachi sea tartare, caramelized king crab with caviar and strawberry-mushroom duck breast. Reverie Like something out of a daydream, Reverie in Georgetown will delight your senses with a dining experience featuring ingredients from all over the world. The intimate restaurant is guided by award-winning Chef Johnny Spero, whose playful menu draws from the local daily catch to create a historic evening for you and your guests, an appropriate tribute to the restaurant's idyllic neighborhood. Elcielo D.C. Dive into the flavors of Colombia at Elcielo D.C., located inside La Cosecha and helmed by chef Juan Manuel Barrientos, who mixes the avant-garde with traditional Colombian cuisine to create a flavor-packed adventure that incorporates all five senses. Choose from four tasting menus to be enjoyed in a reserved room next to the open kitchen. The a la carte menu, served in the great hall, features signature dishes like The Tree of Life, which offers oven-baked Yucca bread on a bonsai tree, representing the Amazon rainforest. Xiquet Chef Danny Lledó has built a menu that reflects the climate, agriculture and sea bounty of Valencia at Xiquet. Featuring a stunning wood-fired kitchen enclosed in glass, the Embassy Row restaurant offers both tasting and a la carte experiences that are sure to leave you breathless. Standout dishes have included the Red Prawn of Denia and either of the two paellas, including a vegetarian version with artichoke, asparagus, lima beans and eggplant, or the seafood version with lobster, red prawn, scallop and cuttlefish (caviar optional). Rooster & Owl After honing his skills at renowned kitchens around New York City, chef Yuan Tang teamed up with wife Carey Tang to open Rooster & Owl in DC. The couple’s 14th Street NW restaurant serves contemporary American fare, offering diners a four-course, prix-fixe menu where seasonal ingredients and vegetarian dishes shine. Diners can expect something unique from the jump with takes like the Carolina-style barbecue carrots with a cornbread ice cream, meatless larb made with lime-kissed shiitake mushrooms and grilled cobia fish served with broccoli mole and turnips dressed in fish sauce vinaigrette. Gravitas Chef Matt Baker has turned a former tomato cannery in Ivy City into Gravitas, a farm-to-table restaurant highlighting the delicious bounty of the Chesapeake in a modern space with plenty of exposed brick. You can choose your own culinary adventure with the flexible three-, four- or six-course tasting menu options, allowing you to sample a range of Baker’s popular dishes (think yellowfin sashimi and an exceptional chocolate ganache that snakes across your plate). Green thumbs can get their kicks sipping on cocktails upstairs at the Conservatory, which includes a greenhouse and garden alive with flowers, fruits and vegetables. Sushi Nakazawa If a menu-less, 20-course dining experience suits your taste, look no further than Sushi Nakazawa. This New York import that turns eating into an adventure comes from chef Daisuke Nakazawa. The restaurant serves fresh-caught fruits of the sea in the style of omakase, a Japanese phrase that roughly translates to “I'll leave it up to you.” Little Pearl Little Pearl allows you to enjoy Aaron Silverman’s award-winning culinary creations without waiting in line at Rose’s Luxury or shelling out for Pineapple and Pearls. This Capitol Hill cafe-by-day and wine-bar-by-night has taken over as the casual spot in Silverman’s dining empire. Choose from gourmet java, potato donuts and a delightfully crispy fried chicken sandwich (served fried or Japanese-style) during a daytime visit. You can also wash down one of the inventive snacks with a glass of vino from an extensive by-the-glass list or choose the affordable prix-fixe dinner menu. Kinship After cutting his teeth at The French Laundry, chef Eric Ziebold moved to DC and came into his own when he opened Kinship to rave reviews. The menu features dishes that focus on technique, history, ingredient or communal preparations. It’s a special place, and perfect for a celebratory meal. Métier Located beneath Kinship, an even more indulgent experience awaits at Métier, chef Eric Ziebold's ambitious 36-seat restaurant with a $200 six-course tasting menu. The French-themed restaurant is has become a city favorite, and diners take note: advanced reservations are recommended and jackets are required for gentlemen. Masseria Located near the foodie wonderland of Union Market, Nicholas Stefanelli’s restaurant harkens back to his rustic Italian roots. Savor coastal cuisine cooked to perfection, aided by a well-manicured wine list. The Dabney Chef Jeremiah Langhorne added to the Shaw neighborhood's transformation into one of the city’s hottest dining neighborhoods with his Blagden Alley venture. Come here to discover what his signature Mid-Atlantic fare is all about. Fiola Chef Fabio Trabocchi’s Penn Quarter outpost sates wine and negroni lovers, as well as connoisseurs of house-made pastas and Italian-inspired seafood. Head to his other spots, including downtown DC pasta house Sfoglina, for an array of delectable dining experiences. Rose's Luxury Neighborhood dining doesn't get any better than this Barracks Row establishment, once named the best new restaurant in America by Bon Appétit. Eaters line up hours in advance to get a table, but now you can score same-day reservations as well.
