The long-awaited Union Market finally made its epic debut in early September and while several of the vendors have yet to open up shop, it has been a high-buzz go-to spot for a meal. The Rappahannock Oyster Bar is the Union Market's first restaurant space and has been receiving high marks from fellow chefs and everyday diners alike.

DC residents have been desperate for a decent Jewish deli, and are flocking to this modern spin on Jewish cooking from chef Barry Koslow. The matzoh ball soup, chopped liver and pastrami all have followings.

Hogo is The Passenger's Tom Brown's temple to rum, with a wide selection and a number of tiki-inspired drinks. The menu changes depending on what chef is in the kitchen, but dishes are currently Hawaiian influenced.

The Taylor Gourmet team's latest project is devoted to cheesesteaks and water ice. This graffiti-decorated H Street NE restaurant is churning out late night sandwiches in a small space designed to evoke the Philly streets.

Table is the first of two restaurants from chef Frederik de Pue. The Shaw neighborhood spot has a Belgian-influenced menu with dishes such as frogs' legs, and attention to detail everywhere, including menus handwritten in pencil.

New Russian restaurant Mari Vanna has made a splash in Dupont Circle, with celebrity sightings, homestyle food, a clubby third floor, and "secret keys" for regulars.

Daikaya's been drawing lines out the door, and it's only half open. The Sapporo-style ramen is currently being served in the downstairs portion of this Penn Quarter restaurant, from partners Daisuke Utagawa, Katsuya Fukushima and Yama Jewayni. Coming in just a week or two: the upstairs izakaya, serving drinks and Japanese small plates.

Still in its soft opening phase, Beuchert's Saloon's design pays homage to the speakeasy that the building used to house. The restaurant specializes in carefully-made cocktails and farm-to-table cuisine, and chef Andrew Markert used to work at PS7's. It's the neighborhood place Capitol Hill has been waiting for (literally) — folks patiently line up to grab a bar stool at the new joint.