Despite their high price tags, tasting menus continue to have a home in D.C. The Michelin Guide has reinforced the splurge-worthy movement over the past few years, naming the Inn at Little Washington the region’s first three-star restaurant in 2019. A total of 24 area restaurants, from internationally-inspired kitchens like Cranes and El Cielo to modern American fixtures like Gravitas and Rose’s Luxury, currently hold coveted Michelin stars.
Tasting menus are as much about the experience as they are about the food. Sushi Nakazawa and Minibar give diners a front row view of the action, and recently rebooted Pineapple and Pearls encourages fancy attire for a lavish, gold-plated affair. All that to say, the city’s top tasting menus don’t come cheap — starting around $55 and soaring to $325 — often before drinks, taxes, or gratuities. D.C. just got a brand new option with the arrival of Peruvian prix fixe place Causa. Its Blagden Alley neighbor Dabney will close Monday, August 29 and reopen Monday, September 12 for a Mid-Atlantic makeover. D.C. just lost a tasting destination with the closure of short-lived Newland on Capitol Hill.
With restaurants still recovering from a difficult few years, menus and pricing are subject to change as chefs navigate supply and pricing challenges. This prix fixe list includes a mix of brand new options, big-ticketed Michelin meals, and less-expensive tasting menus to try.
And starting Monday, August 15, hundreds of local restaurants temporarily transform into affordable prix fixe places for RAMW’s Summer Restaurant Week (multi-course lunches and brunches are $25 and dinners are $40 or $55).
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