Michelin Teases Out 8 Additions to Its Upcoming Guide

Ahead of its big 2023 reveal, Michelin named eight new D.C. restaurants that could be up for star(s) or Bib Gourmand (“good value”) status. Highlights include Causa, Blagden Alley’s prix fixe ode to Peru (and one of Eater’s Best New Restaurants in America); Foggy Bottom’s polished pizza and pasta parlor Tigerella; and Nina May’s coastal American eatery Opal in Chevy Chase.

The D.C. area is currently home to 24 Michelin-starred restaurants, but only one holds the title of its highest three-starred status: Inn at Little Washington in Washington, Virginia. Teasing out choices before the big reveal—a move that started last year—marks a turn from the little red book’s former format as an attempt at making the guide more relevant. Here’s the list of TBA additions with some inspector notes about each restaurant:

Bar Spero (Contemporary): “Tender and sweet razor clams bathed in a pil pil emulsion are at their garlicky best, while Carolina gold rice studded with knobs of Jonah crab is a rich delight.”

Rey Lopez/Eater DC

Causa (Peruvian): “Chef Carlos Delgado delivers a taste of his birthplace in a dual concept space tucked away in Blagden Alley ... dessert definitely doesn’t disappoint, as in the passion fruit and mint gelato scoops piped with macambo mousse.”

La Tejana (Mexican): “Breakfast tacos offer a singular kind of satisfaction, each one made with a superb flour tortilla kept warm in tightly wrapped foil.”

Mandu (Korean): “From plump, steamed beef and pork mandu to vibrant banchan, this is homey cooking that warms the spirit.”

New Heights (American): “Broccolini with black garlic Caesar dressing, crispy fried oysters with pickled cauliflower, and tempura beach mushrooms dusted in a Moroccan spice blend are enough for a meal on their own.”

St. James (Caribbean): “Owner Jeanine Prime has done it again—now with this modern Caribbean concept named for the district within Trinidad’s Port of Spain.”

Melena DeFlorimonte for St. James

Tigerella (Italian): “It may be located within Western Market, but Tigerella is far from a chaotic food hall haunt. Come for crostata by day or Italian-leaning dishes by night at this all-day concept from the Ellē team.”

Opal (American): “In quiet Chevy Chase, on the border of Bethesda, this buzzy restaurant is well on its way to becoming a neighborhood essential.”

Deb Lindsey