With its extensive all-day brunch menu, lunch plates, and selection of espresso drinks, the laid-back Adams Morgan cafe is fit for any solo diner. Take a seat on one of its couches and get some reading in with a featured latte, warm up while with a bowl of tomato and basil bisque ($7), or start the day off with a chorizo breakfast burrito stuffed with a cheese frittata ($13).

For a solo reservation at Izakaya Seki, a counter seat is the perfect perch to peruse the hand-written menu as chef Hiroshi Seki masterfully presides over the sushi bar. The sashimi omakase with a choice between three, seven, or ten types of chef-selected sashimi is a solid choice.

Brunch at Unconventional Diner includes globe-trotting dishes like Lebanese fried rice, sweet potato shakshuka, and Caribbean shrimp and grits. Evenings bring plates of cornbread muffins, kale nachos, and a near-constant stream of people going to and from events at the nearby Walter E. Convention Center.

H Street NE’s dimly lit perch is the perfect place to plunk down and enjoy warming soups, dan dan noodles, pot stickers, and other Chinese street snacks for one. Big bar stools with comfy backs provide an extra reason to sit and stay for that extra daiquiri. The popular industry hangout fills up fast, so snagging a stray seat is sometimes the only option anyway. Artistic chalkboard drawings of the cocktail menu add to its allure. — Tierney Plumb

The best escape from the cold weather may be a piping hot bowl of ramen at Chinatown’s intimate Daikaya, where seats come with a clear view of the chefs making ramen in real-time. Besides that, solo dining is common in Japan. Its sleek Shaw sister Haikan is also a worthy one-seater contender, with lots of interesting Japanese whiskeys to sample at its bar.

Shilling Canning Company’s open kitchen seating arrangement allows a view of the kitchen’s magic from most spots in the house. For a closer look, pull up to the chef’s counter for a seven-course tasting experience ($110, $65 beverage pairing) with a menu featuring wood-fired Chesapeake rockfish and Lancaster “beet tartare.” Or sit back, sip a cocktail, and people-watch from the restaurant’s u-shaped bar.