It’s been a while since restaurants have been fully back up and running, and diners are filling them up day and night, eager to get back to their sorely missed favorites. To help guide on the best of the current dining scene, MICHELIN Inspectors — the anonymous professional eaters that give restaurants their MICHELIN ratings — are back on the road around the globe. These are the Washington, D.C. dishes that Inspectors missed most during the pandemic, gloriously back for dine-in bliss.
This large, square dining room is ultra-grand and yet still charming, with a melange of earthy, vivid hues, an inviting bar, and kitchen fitted out with a tandoor oven. Get those taste buds going with a yogurt dip accompanied by naan, radishes, feta, and herbs. Then dive into an intensely savory ghormeh sabzi, a stew of scallion, beef, and red kidney beans served with saffron basmati rice.
Specialty ingredients from Peru find their way into stellar dishes from three major culinary influences in the country: Chinese, Japanese and Criollo. Thick and buttery slices of ora king salmon ceviche arrive in a pool of tart yuzu juice, garnished with creamy avocado, trout roe, and whole sweetie drop peppers. The cilantro dumplings, filled with squash and served with ají rocoto (spicy red pepper paste), are a must-order.
Nestled inside a classic Georgetown townhouse, DAS is a haven of soothing colors and lush fabrics. Great care has gone into its styling, and the warm, generous spirit of the staff ensures that the entire experience is every bit as pleasant and refined. For an excellent Ethiopian meal, order any stewed vegetables — think tikil gomen (cabbage, potatoes, and carrots flavored with ginger and garlic) or red lentils spiced with berbere — and don’t forget the bottomless basket of spongy, sour injera to wipe the plate clean
Patience is a virtue at this fun, festive, and ultra-popular Mexican destination that’s packed on most nights. Celebrity chef José Andrés knows his food, and the loyal crowds here bear testimony. Snag a seat at the lively ceviche bar and guzzle thirst-quenching drinks while snacking on small plates. Tacos could include tender, braised goat lifted by the mint crema and spicy green tomatillo salsa that sits on a soft, warm tortilla of just the right thickness.
To book these MICHELIN selections and explore all the MICHELIN Guide-rated restaurants, download the MICHELIN Guide iOS app.
