These 10 on the map
The 10 restaurants on this page, pinned where they actually are. Tap a marker to see which one it is — all 25 are on the map in the Whosly app.
Off the monument trail
These are the tables locals book for birthdays and Tuesdays alike, spread from Adams Morgan and Columbia Heights to Capitol Hill and the waterfront.
10 of the 25
Dōgon
Southwest WaterfrontAfro-Caribbean$$$$Kwame Onwuachi's restaurant in the Salamander hotel on the Southwest waterfront, cooking Afro-Caribbean food with influences from across the African diaspora. A celebrity-chef dinner that earns the hype.
Lapis
Adams MorganAfghan$$$The Popal family's Adams Morgan restaurant for modern Afghan cooking with local ingredients: kofta, bolani and the sweet-savoury pumpkin buranee kadoo. Weekend brunch is popular.
Queen's English
Columbia HeightsHong Kong-style$$$A Columbia Heights love letter to Hong Kong cooking from Henji Cheung (in the kitchen) and Sarah Thompson (on wine), with elegant Cantonese plates and a thoughtful list. A Michelin pick.
Oyster Oyster
ShawVegetable tasting menu$$$$Rob Rubba's Shaw restaurant, serving a fascinating vegetable tasting menu that's entirely plant-based apart from one optional oyster course. Michelin-starred, and DC's first Michelin Green Star.
Causa
Blagden AlleyPeruvian$$$$Chef Carlos Delgado's Blagden Alley restaurant, where a tasting menu downstairs tours the cooking of Peru's coast and Andes. Michelin-starred, with a livelier bar upstairs.
Jônt
Logan CircleTasting menu$$$$Ryan Ratino's chef's counter on 14th Street, just 17 seats, serving a seasonal tasting menu with a Japanese focus. Holder of two Michelin stars.
Pineapple and Pearls
Capitol HillTasting menu$$$$Aaron Silverman's Barracks Row tasting room, from the team behind Rose's Luxury: a playful, polished multi-course dinner with drinks paired throughout.
St. James
U StreetTrinidadian$$$Jeanine Prime's U Street restaurant, a modern take on the melting-pot cooking of Trinidad, from the team behind Cane. Order the pepper shrimp and the callaloo.
Perry's
Adams MorganJapanese-American$$$An Adams Morgan staple since 1984, now cooking Japanese comfort food alongside its long-loved sushi. The Sunday drag brunch is a DC institution.
Medium Rare
Cleveland ParkSteak frites$$A Cleveland Park neighbourhood bistro with one simple formula: a fixed-price dinner of bread, salad and steak frites, with seconds on the steak and fries. Close to the National Zoo.
The other 15
The 25 are spread across 16 neighborhoods. Penn Quarter (3), Adams Morgan (2), Capitol Hill (2), Columbia Heights (2), Dupont Circle (2) and Georgetown (2) have the most; the other 10 have 1 to 2 each.
+15 more in the app
A candlelit Georgetown neo-bistro with natural wines, a modern diner open from breakfast to late, a Catalan room downtown from a minibar alum, wood-fired Mexican on Capitol Hill, a grand brasserie in a former bank, and more.
Add all 25 to your Whosly mapEvery one lands on your own map in a tap — save them, rate them, plan around them. City Packs are included with Planner Pro.
Or search “Whosly: Plans, Places & RSVPs” on the App Store
For drinks after, see the best bars in DC.
Common questions
What are the best restaurants in DC?
What are the best tasting menus in DC?
Where is a fun brunch in DC?
Where should I eat near the National Zoo?
Which DC neighborhood is best for restaurants?
Where can I see all 25?
All 25, on your own map
This page is 10 of them. The Washington, DC Local Favorites pack in Whosly has all 25 — add it and every one drops onto your map, ready to save, rate and turn into a plan your friends RSVP to from a text, no app needed to answer. The pack is included with Planner Pro.
Get Whosly — free on iPhoneOr search “Whosly: Plans, Places & RSVPs” on the App Store
“Whosly: Plans, Places & RSVPs”.
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