Bryan Voltaggio's ambitious new restaurant specializes in the whole animal, with a grill station, raw bar, pizzas, a bakery and more. The spacious restaurant also includes a huge bar and a retail market, and is packed with industry talent in everything from mixology to charcuterie.

Table and Azur from chef Frederik de Pue both opened this spring. 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.

Daikaya's ramen shop, which specializes in Sapporo-style ramen, drew lines out the door since its opening, and now its upstairs izakaya, which opened in late March, is creating plenty of buzz. The Japanese restaurant is from partners Daisuke Utagawa, Katsuya Fukushima and Yama Jewayni. The izakaya boasts unique small dishes, such as the frozen sashimi dish ruibe, traditional items such as onigiri rice balls, a wide selection of Japanese whiskeys, and a sake bomb made with a spherical ball of sake.

The Rye Bar is the cocktail destination within D.C.'s newest luxury hotel, the Capella in Georgetown. The restaurant got some early press for its high-priced $22 Manhattan, but sets itself apart with its artisan ice program, cocktail aging and selection of rare rye whiskeys. The hotel's adjacent restaurant is The Grill Room.

Neighborhood Restaurant Group's collaboration between pastry chef Tiffany MacIssac and her husband, chef Kyle Bailey, specializes in doughnuts and fried chicken. Brioche and cake doughnuts are available in unique flavors such as grapefruit campari, and there are also fun snacks such as fried chicken skin and bao-style chicken buns. Greg Engert has created a special craft beer list for the restaurant, too, with 19 drafts.

This neighborhood restaurant Sebastian Zutant, Mike O'Malley and Michael Friedman had been highly anticipated by the residents of Bloomingdale. Zutant's Proof background means carefully-crafted cocktails, while the menu leans Italian. The restaurant is known for its wood-fired grill, and is putting out a curated menu of pastas and meats.

Stephen Starr's first entry into the D.C. market has drawn raves from local diners. The restaurant specializes in brasserie fare such as steak frites, loup de mer, roast chicken and more. There's a selection of accessible wines, appetizers such as a fois gras parfait, a coffee program from Philadelphia's La Colombe, and an impressive bakery.

The menu is a simple one, but Logan Circle residents (and beyond) are excited about this pizza, salami and anchovies-focused restaurant. Etto is a combined effort from the teams behind popular pizzeria 2Amy's and the always-slammed barbecue haunt, The Standard.