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Build-your-own carne asada tacos at El Presidente.
Rey Lopez/Eater DC

The Hottest New Restaurants Around D.C., September 2023

Where to find homemade pastas, Spanish street foods, glistening crudo, and more

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Build-your-own carne asada tacos at El Presidente.
| Rey Lopez/Eater DC

Eater writers and editors always get the same question. Friends, family, acquaintances, and randos all want to know, “Where should I eat right now?” That’s where the Eater Heatmap enters the conversation, pointing diners toward the most intriguing or otherwise buzzworthy new restaurants in the D.C. area. This list considers restaurants that have been open for six months or less. For our map of the D.C. area’s 38 essential restaurants, go here.

New to the list: San Matteo, for dreamy Italian in Petworth; Little Blackbird, for global wines and hearth-roasted halloumi in Cleveland Park, El Presidente, for an eye-popping ode to Mexico City in Union Market; the Square, for an ambitious food market in stylish downtown digs; and the Salamander Grille, for decadent ravioli in a Southwest Waterfront hotel.

Leaving the list: Kitchen + Kocktails, Méli Wine & Mezze, Ruta, The Saga, Luna Hall

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The Farmhouse Bistro at the Crossvines

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Nestled in the scenic hillsides of Montgomery County, Crossvines is a winery, events venue, research vineyard, and rustic dining destination all in one. The Farmhouse Bistro is helmed by Maryland native Luis Montesinos, who most recently led the kitchen at José Andrés’ Jaleo in Las Vegas. Locally sourced lunch includes confit chicken wings with a “Cool Ranch”-style dip; fried clam and lobster sliders; and an aged brisket burger. Dinner highlights for summer include Chesapeake crab cakes and sweet corn; wild Chesapeake Bay rockfish with tomato butter; and Jurgielewicz Farms duck breast adorned in Virginia strawberries and fava beans. Seasonal American menus pair well with wines made steps away.

The indoor-outdoor restaurant flanked with fire pits overlooks 380 acres of picturesque countryside.
Siravo Five

The Salt Line Bethesda

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Navy Yard-born raw bar and sustainable seafood restaurant the Salt Line expanded to Maryland in July. The 7,500-square-foot nautical venture on Bethesda Row imports summer-ready favorites found at the 6-year-old riverfront original next to Nationals Park, including lobster rolls, seafood towers, smash burgers, and baked clams. Executive chef Eric McKamey and Long Shot Hospitality chef-partner Kyle Bailey bring Bethesda a fresh lineup of appetizers like a grilled giant squid salad and crudos like a kombu-cured kanpachi. The new location also introduces a special late-night menu — a rare feature for the Maryland suburb — with half-priced oysters, $10 espresso martinis, and $5 Narragansett beers.

A Maine peekytoe crab roll dressed with lemon, mayo, celery, chives comes with fries or greens.
Jenn Chase/Jennifer Chase Photography

San Matteo

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The team behind Al Volo brought Upshur Street a new Italian restaurant called San Matteo last month. The menu kicks off with beef carpaccio, arancini, fritto misto, followed by homemade pastas like cacio e pepe, veal ragu, lasagna, and mains like whole branzino and bone-in New York steaks. The bar slings plenty of European wines by the glass and bottle, spritzes, and grappa cocktails. San Matteo is also home to Soleluna, a daytime cafe with French pastries and Ecuadorian coffee.

San Matteo’s happy hour discounts drinks and appetizers from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
San Matteo

Little Blackbird

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More than two decades after opening Bardeo in Cleveland Park, big-name D.C. restaurateur Ashok Bajaj returned the space to its wine bar roots with this week’s opening of Little Blackbird. All sorts of global varietals by the glass and bottle are designed to pair well with dishes from executive chef Ryan Moore, including hearth-roasted halloumi, squash gnocchi, Icelandic cod, burrata and apple salad, single malt butterscotch pudding, and several variations of socca — a crispy flatbread found all around France and Italy. Bajaj’s cuisine-hopping Knightsbridge Restaurant Group also covers Indian (Rasika, Bombay Club), Italian (Modena), and French (La Bise), to name a few.

Mediterranean and lobster soccas.
Greg Powers

After8 DC

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A snazzy new supper club cracked open inside Butter Me Up last month. Chef Raymond Melendez draws influence from his Mediterranean travels and culinary stints across southern France, Spain, and Italy to whip up lavish surf-and-turf spreads. Think: caviar-and-oysters, pork belly croquettes, Gulf of Lion sea scallops, Moorish chicken, and lobster paella. Opt for a chef’s table experience or unlimited tapas ($50) and desserts ($20) like Basque cheesecake. For $100 a month, members can enjoy complimentary starters and sweets any time they visit After8. Saddle up to the stylish bar for a spicy matcha margarita, sage Old Fashioned, and bubbles poured in a crowd-pleasing Chambong.

After8 offers happy hour, dinner, dessert, and cocktails.
Butter Me Up

Two-story Vera brought Ivy City a flavorful cross-section of Mexican and Lebanese cuisines, caffeinated cocktails, energetic music, and more. The industrial-chic restaurant and lounge is the brainchild of Nayef Issa, co-founder of Dupont’s buzzy Residents Café & Bar, and partner Nour Chaaban. Vera is named for Veracruz, Mexico’s historic port city that welcomed a huge wave of Lebanese immigrants back in the late 1800s. Top Mexico City-based design studio Sulkin Askenazi put together a vibrant look that speaks to similarities between the two coastal countries. Dinner is now joined by brunch service, which kicks off Saturday, September 9. Reserve a seat online

High-end Iranian restaurant Joon opened in Tysons in mid-June with a menu showcasing seafood from the Caspian Sea and Persian Gulf along with family-style orders of dry-aged duck, lamb shoulder, and whole rotisserie chicken stuffed with prunes, apples, and apricots. Joon comes from world-renowned Persian cookbook author and chef Najmieh Batmanglij and Maydan alum Christopher Morgan (Bammy’s, Jasmine, Little Chicken). The 200-seat newcomer pairs Persian staples like rice and kebabs with Iranian wines and regional delicacies like pistachio soup and fried sardines. Come for lunch and happy hour, too.

Joon brings Tysons a parade of Persian eats.
Rey Lopez for Joon

El Presidente

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The latest D.C. venture from East Coast hospitality magnate Stephen Starr (Le Diplomate, St. Anselm) made a flashy debut in the Union Market district this month. El Presidente draws its show-stopping aesthetic and culinary influences from the bustling intensity of Mexico City, aiming to bring a dash of the vibrant, high-energy metropolis to D.C. Menu highlights include Baja-style coastal oysters, giant tostadas, red chile-marinated al pastor tacos, and pescado a la talla (whole striped bass), plus guacamole variations that rely on rich Michoacán avocados. The bar program leans heavily into agave spirits, with over 200 types on hand out of the gate.

Hamachi aguachile with a spicy cucumber and fennel-lime broth, serrano chiles, and avocado.
Rey Lopez/Eater DC

Kyojin Sushi

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The team behind outer Arlington’s raw fish hit Yume Sushi sauntered into D.C. in late July with the anticipated opening of an flashy flagship called Kyojin. Tucked inside the tony mixed-use cluster of Cady’s Alley, the striking sushi cave from executive chef Saran “Peter” Kannasute and co-owner Jeff King breathes fresh life into the old home of L2 lounge. A full kitchen with a hood gives the Bangkok-born chef more room to build upon his boundary-pushing menus and unleash hot izakaya offerings for the first time.

The rotating Kyojin Roll may include lobster tail tempura two ways.
Life Expressed Online

The Square

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Spearheaded by D.C. hospitality vets Richie Brandenburg and Rubén García, the globe-trotting downtown destination for Spanish street foods, tacos, oysters, and everything in between opened inside Tishman Speyer’s International Square this week. García puts Spain’s succulent pig on full display at Jamón Jamón, while next-door neighbor Brasa showcases a selection of grilled meats and vegetables cooked over an open flame. The first phase also includes Cashion’s Rendezvous (crab cakes, hearty soups, cocktails), Junge’s (churros and soft serve), and the 42-seat Atrium Bar, with many more on the way this fall.

Tile-wrapped Jamón Jamón takes tips from all-day cafes and butcheries in Spain. 
Scott Suchman

H Street NE welcomed a new color-soaked spot to enjoy creative cocktails and American comfort foods with global twists. Highlights include a burger ground daily with a blend of short rib and brisket, lobster-and-truffle mac, and fiery piri-piri chicken with sweet potato mash and roasted broccolini, plus beignets and sprinkle sponge cakes for dessert. Whimsical cocktails curated by the Canadian beverage specialists at The Trash Collective include a Bitter Fruitopia with mezcal, raspberry syrup, Campari, and a Nerds candy garnish. Purl is the brainchild of Vegas and D.C. restaurant vet Ashlee Jack, who plans to sprinkle more projects across the city under her newly formed Lemon Group Hospitality. Hot-pink neon signage leads the way to the chic two-level newcomer dotted in floral furniture. Weekend brunch debuted last month.

Love, Makoto

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Internationally renowned chef Makoto Okuwa teamed up with local restaurateurs Eric Eden and chef David Deshaies (L’Ardente and Unconventional Diner) to bring a 20,000-square-foot Japanese food hall to D.C.’s Capitol Crossing development. Love, Makoto’s first phase opened in May with three full-service restaurants: a sushi dining room and bar (Dear Sushi); a beef-centric yakiniku with ceramic grills embedded in the tables (Beloved BBQ); and a sleek izakaya (Hiya Izakaya) serving sake, cocktails, and shareable snacks. The sushi and yakiniku menus are omakase-style, comprised of snacks, mains, desserts, and optional upgrades. A fast-casual component joined the equation in July with options for ramen, sushi rolls, fried chicken sandwiches, and soba salads.

Bluefin and hamachi at Dear Sushi. 
Mike Fuentes Photography

The Salamander Grille

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While D.C.’s newly minted Salamander waits for acclaimed chef Kwame Onwuachi’s anticipated restaurant to arrive the foot of the fancy hotel, there’s an alluring dining establishment in its place for now. The Salamander Grille opened September 1 with black sea bass, pappardelle with six-hour pork sugo, hamachi crudo, flank steak, and indulgent desserts from the hotel’s executive chef Marco Fossati, who’s worked at renowned Michelin-starred restaurants like Il Carpaccio in Paris and private clubs in London. Don’t miss his ravioli with homemade ricotta, three-hour braised leeks, farm egg yolk, brown butter, and sage. Make a reservation for breakfast and dinner here.

Any Day Now

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Any Day Now, the new Navy Yard eatery from tenured D.C. chef Tim Ma, kicks off the day with scallion-pancake sandwiches and caffeinated drinks from Virginia roaster Red Rooster Coffee. Dinner entered the fold in late July with fancied-up diner dishes like caviar-studded omelets, plantain tots, and mozzarella-stuffed potato croquettes. Chef de cuisine and Salt Line alum Matt Sperber puts his butcher skills to work across the menu, which also features homemade merguez (lamb sausage), five-spice oxtail tagliatelle, and eggy handhelds packed with maple-sage sausage, cured bacon, or fermented kimchi. Round out the meal with a stellar slice of cake and refined Cosmo.

Any Day Now’s chef de cuisine Matt Sperber taps into the greasy-spoon culture of his New Jersey home state with cheffed-up takes on diner fare.
Birch Thomas

Philippe Chow

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Famed Chinese chef-restaurateur Philippe Chow unveiled his first stateside restaurant outside New York City in June. Celeb-magnet opulence is on full display across the shiny new Southwest Waterfront edition lined with plush purple banquettes. A modern Beijing-style menu showcases favorites like Chow’s destination Peking duck that gets theatrically carved tableside (and requires about an hour’s notice), plus glistening honey-glazed spare ribs, lobster fried rice, and a host of steamed or wok-fried dumplings to go along with an elaborate cocktail program at the gold-framed bar.

Peking duck and sides at Philippe Chow arrive with chopsticks balanced on adorable ceramic pandas. 
Rey Lopez/Eater DC

Josephine

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Neighborhood Restaurant Group’s first French brasserie popped open in June, bringing Old Town a hot new spot for martini service, escargots, beef Bourguignon, and big bottles of bubbly.

Executive chef Matt Cockrell pays extra attention to his pates and terrines at Josephine, which are all made in-house, joined by over 25 stocks and sauces spread out across the menu. Classics like French onion soup and skillets of mussels join some of his own French-influenced inventions, as seen in a seared red drum with tomato concasse, eggplant, olives, herbs de provence, and squid ink beurre blanc. The three-level space with room for 220 inside offers plenty of cozy nooks to dine and drink, with a chic Champagne bar up top.

Escargots at Josephine. 
Rey Lopez/Leading DC

The Farmhouse Bistro at the Crossvines

Nestled in the scenic hillsides of Montgomery County, Crossvines is a winery, events venue, research vineyard, and rustic dining destination all in one. The Farmhouse Bistro is helmed by Maryland native Luis Montesinos, who most recently led the kitchen at José Andrés’ Jaleo in Las Vegas. Locally sourced lunch includes confit chicken wings with a “Cool Ranch”-style dip; fried clam and lobster sliders; and an aged brisket burger. Dinner highlights for summer include Chesapeake crab cakes and sweet corn; wild Chesapeake Bay rockfish with tomato butter; and Jurgielewicz Farms duck breast adorned in Virginia strawberries and fava beans. Seasonal American menus pair well with wines made steps away.

The indoor-outdoor restaurant flanked with fire pits overlooks 380 acres of picturesque countryside.
Siravo Five

The Salt Line Bethesda

Navy Yard-born raw bar and sustainable seafood restaurant the Salt Line expanded to Maryland in July. The 7,500-square-foot nautical venture on Bethesda Row imports summer-ready favorites found at the 6-year-old riverfront original next to Nationals Park, including lobster rolls, seafood towers, smash burgers, and baked clams. Executive chef Eric McKamey and Long Shot Hospitality chef-partner Kyle Bailey bring Bethesda a fresh lineup of appetizers like a grilled giant squid salad and crudos like a kombu-cured kanpachi. The new location also introduces a special late-night menu — a rare feature for the Maryland suburb — with half-priced oysters, $10 espresso martinis, and $5 Narragansett beers.

A Maine peekytoe crab roll dressed with lemon, mayo, celery, chives comes with fries or greens.
Jenn Chase/Jennifer Chase Photography

San Matteo

The team behind Al Volo brought Upshur Street a new Italian restaurant called San Matteo last month. The menu kicks off with beef carpaccio, arancini, fritto misto, followed by homemade pastas like cacio e pepe, veal ragu, lasagna, and mains like whole branzino and bone-in New York steaks. The bar slings plenty of European wines by the glass and bottle, spritzes, and grappa cocktails. San Matteo is also home to Soleluna, a daytime cafe with French pastries and Ecuadorian coffee.

San Matteo’s happy hour discounts drinks and appetizers from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
San Matteo

Little Blackbird

More than two decades after opening Bardeo in Cleveland Park, big-name D.C. restaurateur Ashok Bajaj returned the space to its wine bar roots with this week’s opening of Little Blackbird. All sorts of global varietals by the glass and bottle are designed to pair well with dishes from executive chef Ryan Moore, including hearth-roasted halloumi, squash gnocchi, Icelandic cod, burrata and apple salad, single malt butterscotch pudding, and several variations of socca — a crispy flatbread found all around France and Italy. Bajaj’s cuisine-hopping Knightsbridge Restaurant Group also covers Indian (Rasika, Bombay Club), Italian (Modena), and French (La Bise), to name a few.

Mediterranean and lobster soccas.
Greg Powers

After8 DC

A snazzy new supper club cracked open inside Butter Me Up last month. Chef Raymond Melendez draws influence from his Mediterranean travels and culinary stints across southern France, Spain, and Italy to whip up lavish surf-and-turf spreads. Think: caviar-and-oysters, pork belly croquettes, Gulf of Lion sea scallops, Moorish chicken, and lobster paella. Opt for a chef’s table experience or unlimited tapas ($50) and desserts ($20) like Basque cheesecake. For $100 a month, members can enjoy complimentary starters and sweets any time they visit After8. Saddle up to the stylish bar for a spicy matcha margarita, sage Old Fashioned, and bubbles poured in a crowd-pleasing Chambong.

After8 offers happy hour, dinner, dessert, and cocktails.
Butter Me Up

Vera

Two-story Vera brought Ivy City a flavorful cross-section of Mexican and Lebanese cuisines, caffeinated cocktails, energetic music, and more. The industrial-chic restaurant and lounge is the brainchild of Nayef Issa, co-founder of Dupont’s buzzy Residents Café & Bar, and partner Nour Chaaban. Vera is named for Veracruz, Mexico’s historic port city that welcomed a huge wave of Lebanese immigrants back in the late 1800s. Top Mexico City-based design studio Sulkin Askenazi put together a vibrant look that speaks to similarities between the two coastal countries. Dinner is now joined by brunch service, which kicks off Saturday, September 9. Reserve a seat online

Joon

High-end Iranian restaurant Joon opened in Tysons in mid-June with a menu showcasing seafood from the Caspian Sea and Persian Gulf along with family-style orders of dry-aged duck, lamb shoulder, and whole rotisserie chicken stuffed with prunes, apples, and apricots. Joon comes from world-renowned Persian cookbook author and chef Najmieh Batmanglij and Maydan alum Christopher Morgan (Bammy’s, Jasmine, Little Chicken). The 200-seat newcomer pairs Persian staples like rice and kebabs with Iranian wines and regional delicacies like pistachio soup and fried sardines. Come for lunch and happy hour, too.

Joon brings Tysons a parade of Persian eats.
Rey Lopez for Joon

El Presidente

The latest D.C. venture from East Coast hospitality magnate Stephen Starr (Le Diplomate, St. Anselm) made a flashy debut in the Union Market district this month. El Presidente draws its show-stopping aesthetic and culinary influences from the bustling intensity of Mexico City, aiming to bring a dash of the vibrant, high-energy metropolis to D.C. Menu highlights include Baja-style coastal oysters, giant tostadas, red chile-marinated al pastor tacos, and pescado a la talla (whole striped bass), plus guacamole variations that rely on rich Michoacán avocados. The bar program leans heavily into agave spirits, with over 200 types on hand out of the gate.

Hamachi aguachile with a spicy cucumber and fennel-lime broth, serrano chiles, and avocado.
Rey Lopez/Eater DC

Kyojin Sushi

The team behind outer Arlington’s raw fish hit Yume Sushi sauntered into D.C. in late July with the anticipated opening of an flashy flagship called Kyojin. Tucked inside the tony mixed-use cluster of Cady’s Alley, the striking sushi cave from executive chef Saran “Peter” Kannasute and co-owner Jeff King breathes fresh life into the old home of L2 lounge. A full kitchen with a hood gives the Bangkok-born chef more room to build upon his boundary-pushing menus and unleash hot izakaya offerings for the first time.

The rotating Kyojin Roll may include lobster tail tempura two ways.
Life Expressed Online

The Square

Spearheaded by D.C. hospitality vets Richie Brandenburg and Rubén García, the globe-trotting downtown destination for Spanish street foods, tacos, oysters, and everything in between opened inside Tishman Speyer’s International Square this week. García puts Spain’s succulent pig on full display at Jamón Jamón, while next-door neighbor Brasa showcases a selection of grilled meats and vegetables cooked over an open flame. The first phase also includes Cashion’s Rendezvous (crab cakes, hearty soups, cocktails), Junge’s (churros and soft serve), and the 42-seat Atrium Bar, with many more on the way this fall.

Tile-wrapped Jamón Jamón takes tips from all-day cafes and butcheries in Spain. 
Scott Suchman

Purl

H Street NE welcomed a new color-soaked spot to enjoy creative cocktails and American comfort foods with global twists. Highlights include a burger ground daily with a blend of short rib and brisket, lobster-and-truffle mac, and fiery piri-piri chicken with sweet potato mash and roasted broccolini, plus beignets and sprinkle sponge cakes for dessert. Whimsical cocktails curated by the Canadian beverage specialists at The Trash Collective include a Bitter Fruitopia with mezcal, raspberry syrup, Campari, and a Nerds candy garnish. Purl is the brainchild of Vegas and D.C. restaurant vet Ashlee Jack, who plans to sprinkle more projects across the city under her newly formed Lemon Group Hospitality. Hot-pink neon signage leads the way to the chic two-level newcomer dotted in floral furniture. Weekend brunch debuted last month.

Love, Makoto

Internationally renowned chef Makoto Okuwa teamed up with local restaurateurs Eric Eden and chef David Deshaies (L’Ardente and Unconventional Diner) to bring a 20,000-square-foot Japanese food hall to D.C.’s Capitol Crossing development. Love, Makoto’s first phase opened in May with three full-service restaurants: a sushi dining room and bar (Dear Sushi); a beef-centric yakiniku with ceramic grills embedded in the tables (Beloved BBQ); and a sleek izakaya (Hiya Izakaya) serving sake, cocktails, and shareable snacks. The sushi and yakiniku menus are omakase-style, comprised of snacks, mains, desserts, and optional upgrades. A fast-casual component joined the equation in July with options for ramen, sushi rolls, fried chicken sandwiches, and soba salads.

Bluefin and hamachi at Dear Sushi. 
Mike Fuentes Photography

The Salamander Grille

While D.C.’s newly minted Salamander waits for acclaimed chef Kwame Onwuachi’s anticipated restaurant to arrive the foot of the fancy hotel, there’s an alluring dining establishment in its place for now. The Salamander Grille opened September 1 with black sea bass, pappardelle with six-hour pork sugo, hamachi crudo, flank steak, and indulgent desserts from the hotel’s executive chef Marco Fossati, who’s worked at renowned Michelin-starred restaurants like Il Carpaccio in Paris and private clubs in London. Don’t miss his ravioli with homemade ricotta, three-hour braised leeks, farm egg yolk, brown butter, and sage. Make a reservation for breakfast and dinner here.

Any Day Now

Any Day Now, the new Navy Yard eatery from tenured D.C. chef Tim Ma, kicks off the day with scallion-pancake sandwiches and caffeinated drinks from Virginia roaster Red Rooster Coffee. Dinner entered the fold in late July with fancied-up diner dishes like caviar-studded omelets, plantain tots, and mozzarella-stuffed potato croquettes. Chef de cuisine and Salt Line alum Matt Sperber puts his butcher skills to work across the menu, which also features homemade merguez (lamb sausage), five-spice oxtail tagliatelle, and eggy handhelds packed with maple-sage sausage, cured bacon, or fermented kimchi. Round out the meal with a stellar slice of cake and refined Cosmo.

Any Day Now’s chef de cuisine Matt Sperber taps into the greasy-spoon culture of his New Jersey home state with cheffed-up takes on diner fare.
Birch Thomas

Philippe Chow

Famed Chinese chef-restaurateur Philippe Chow unveiled his first stateside restaurant outside New York City in June. Celeb-magnet opulence is on full display across the shiny new Southwest Waterfront edition lined with plush purple banquettes. A modern Beijing-style menu showcases favorites like Chow’s destination Peking duck that gets theatrically carved tableside (and requires about an hour’s notice), plus glistening honey-glazed spare ribs, lobster fried rice, and a host of steamed or wok-fried dumplings to go along with an elaborate cocktail program at the gold-framed bar.

Peking duck and sides at Philippe Chow arrive with chopsticks balanced on adorable ceramic pandas. 
Rey Lopez/Eater DC

Related Maps

Josephine

Neighborhood Restaurant Group’s first French brasserie popped open in June, bringing Old Town a hot new spot for martini service, escargots, beef Bourguignon, and big bottles of bubbly.

Executive chef Matt Cockrell pays extra attention to his pates and terrines at Josephine, which are all made in-house, joined by over 25 stocks and sauces spread out across the menu. Classics like French onion soup and skillets of mussels join some of his own French-influenced inventions, as seen in a seared red drum with tomato concasse, eggplant, olives, herbs de provence, and squid ink beurre blanc. The three-level space with room for 220 inside offers plenty of cozy nooks to dine and drink, with a chic Champagne bar up top.

Escargots at Josephine. 
Rey Lopez/Leading DC

Related Maps