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
buzzy new restaurants in the D.C. area. This list considers restaurants that have been open for six months or less. For the hottest new bars in D.C., go here. And for our map of the region’s 38 essential restaurants, go here.
For this latest monthly refresh of our heatmap, we add: Augie’s Mussel House & Beer Garden, for an abundance of beer and mussels in Cathedral Heights; Altair, for a polished American menu in a Penn Quarter hotel; and Bar Nuestro, for a Latin bistro with European flair in Navy Yard.
And we remove: Uchi, Ox & Olive, Rosselli, Catahoula, and Rosa’s Diner, which have all been open for about six months or more.
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N.H. 48
4828 Macarthur Boulevard Northwest, Washington, District of Columbia 20007, United States
Named for the iconic highway connecting Delhi and Mumbai, N.H. 48 brings crispy pani puri, vada pav sliders, saag paneer, slow-cooked goat curry, biryani, and all sorts of naan to the upper Northwest neighborhood. The color-soaked space, which opened Thursday, September 3, comes courtesy of Indian hospitality vets Prady Rana and Bhakti More.
Bramble & Rye
84 T Street Northwest, Washington, District of Columbia 20001, United States
+17712210030
The former home of wine bar Etabli transformed in September into a chic new neighborhood destination for seafood, local vegetables, and house-made breads and charcuterie, all rooted around a Marra Forni wood-fired oven. Dishes swing from a salmon crudo in a cantaloupe-serrano leche de tigre to fire-roasted scallops and branzino designed for the table. Dogs have their own options too, like salmon poke and roasted chicken and rice on the 30-seat patio. Chef Jeremiah Brooks and husband Anthony Brooks live right nearby.
The Grace
1539 7th St NW, Washington, DC, 20001, US
(202) 993-6067
Chef Sanjay Mandhaiy (Pappe, Karravaan) transformed his favorite industry bar, the Passenger, into a new modern gastropub in July. A lot is going on in this intimate, swanky setup in Shaw, outfitted with Americana details like fake wooden mounted fish, antlers, and Western-style landscape paintings on velvet walls. Dressed-up takes on staple dishes from across the country include egg-topped club sandwiches, butter-basted steak and extra-crispy Parmesan steak fries, or a Cuban sandwich. The bar program is big on daiquiris.
The Riggsby
2121 P St NW, Washington, DC, 20037, US
+12024481800
The Riggsby, chef Michael Schlow’s cult-favorite American restaurant that enjoyed a popular pre-pandemic run in Dupont before it closed in 2019, resurfacedin June in the same Northwest neighborhood. Now tucked inside the Royal Sonesta hotel, regulars can expect much of the same menu they grew to love. Comforting classics like Swedish meatballs, escargot-studded gnocchi, steak au poivre, and its dearly missed bar snacks are all in the mix. Dressed to the nines in a glam bygone look, the sizable newcomer features a glitzy bar, dining room, and parlor lounge area fit for knocking back coffee by day and Negronis at night.
La Merna
2153 P Street Northwest, Washington, District of Columbia 20037, United States
+12026448526
La Merna, Dupont’s hot new spot for thin, Chicago-tavern pies, house-made pastas and cheeses, and late-night cocktails prepared behind a retro-chic bar, quietly arrived this week. La Merna marks the first D.C. project from Chicago couple Bradley Shorten and Meg Schmitt.
Alfie’s
1228 31st Street Northwest, #1/2, Washington, District of Columbia 20007, United States
+12024147473
A decade after its (temporary) debut in Park View, followed by stints in cosmopolitan places like London and Bangkok, roving Thai pop-up Alfie’s finally opened a permanent home in the city that started it all on Wednesday, September 2. Alfie’s chefs Alex McCoy and Justin Ahn plant roots in Georgetown with fine-tuned dishes, natural wines, and just 25 seats. Its first real D.C. location, hidden in an alley next to omakase room Two Nine, spotlights house-made curries made with local seafood, meats, and vegetables; noodle bowls of khao soi; octopus-and-green tomato gazpacho with fig leaf; and cockles with chile jam, ’nduja, and holy basil, plus sides of sticky rice served in Ziploc bags.
The Oak Room
1218 Wisconsin Ave NW, Washington, DC, 20007, US
+12027947474
A high-end American grill (the Oak Room) with a plush upstairs supper club up top (Bernadette’s) entered Georgetown’s buzzy dining scene in late June. The two-story venture, sliding into the old home of El Centro, comes from Ten Five Hospitality (Mother Wolf, Desert 5 Spot). James Beard Award-winning chef Tim Hollingsworth spearheads a menu full of prime côte de boeuf and decadent shrimp cocktail, with multiple bars slinging riffs on classics like a Castelvetrano martini with olive oil and matcha Old Fashioned. The two-story space takes tips from the Gilded Age of New York and London, with a dreamy patio out back.
Cafe Tulum
3210 Grace Street Northwest, Washington, District of Columbia 20007, United States
Georgetown’s stylish new seafood-studded taste of Tulum comes from Mexican restaurateur Juan Dracoulis, who envisions the alleyway respite as a plant-filled spot to relax over Mexican small plates with Japanese influences. Dishes include roasted octopus with potatoes; guacamole with tostadas; and hamachi tiradito with ponzu sauce. Cafe Tulum’s cocktails, served from the matte-black bar, are all built with natural fruits.
Ellizabetta La Strega
2401 Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest, Washington, District of Columbia 20037, United States
+12028859149
This sexy, sorta-goth Italian restaurant from advanced sommelier Elli Benchimol (Apéro, La Bohème) opened in early September, transforming the iconic home of Marcel’s into a moody bar, restaurant, and private dining destination with lunch and dinner out of the gate.
Ayat
2112 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC, 20037, US
+17719996164
Ayat, regarded as one of New York City’s best Palestinian restaurants, opened in D.C. in late July. Ayat is known for its huge portions of all-halal food, with highlights like chicken shawarma platters, silky hummus, and mixed meze spreads — and no alcohol in sight (but you can, however, BYOB). Ayat, owned by Abdul Elenani (and named after his wife, Ayat Masoud), first debuted in Brooklyn’s Bay Ridge neighborhood in 2020, and the brand has been on an expansion spree ever since.
Oribu
1000 H St NW, Washington, DC, 20001, US
+12026374775
The Grand Hyatt Washington welcomed turquoise-toned Oribu just in time for the influx of Fourth of July tourists. The fusion menu, inspired by maritime trade routes connecting Asia to the Mediterranean, includes Japanese wagyu sashimi, hamachi crudo, charcoal-grilled salmon, kebab plates, olive wood-smoked burrata, and all sorts of sushi rolls prepared behind a sleek 10-seat omakase counter. The sprawling restaurant off the lobby is the first D.C. venture for chef Joevel Magpantay, a hotel hospitality vet who most recently worked at Andaz Abu Dhabi.
Xi’an Famous Foods
2800 Clarendon Boulevard, STE 1500, Arlington, Virginia 22201, United States
+12127862068
Xi’an Famous Foods, NYC’s cult Chinese chain known for its hand-pulled noodles, spicy cumin lamb burger, and one serendipitous visit from Anthony Bourdain, debuted its first D.C.-area digs this summer. Xi’an Famous Foods’ humble origins date back to 2005 as a small basement stall in Flushing, New York. The Clarendon location is its largest to date.
The Angie
3901 N. Fairfax, Ballston, Virginia
The team behind Dupont’s Greek hit Balos brought an all-day, French-influenced bistro to Ballston in late June. The Angie — a Virginia offshoot of West End’s year-old hot spot Bar Angie — offers a traditional European menu with upscale American influences. Think a French dip; a two-pound grilled lobster with frites; steak au poivre; Dover sole; and one baller burger. Al fresco dining is also a big focus, with operable windows breathing air into the sizable setup situated at the foot of a glassy office building. The Angie marks the latest collaboration between NYC restaurateur Joe Ragonese and ForFive Coffee founders Stefanos Vouvoudakis and Tom Tsiplakos. There’s a barista bar for the morning crowd, plus a full bar, lounge, and dining room that can seat 162 guests during lunch and dinner. Happy hour runs daily from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Croix
69 Q Street Southwest, Washington, District of Columbia 20024, United States
+12029482968
Caribbean-themed Croix opened in mid-August at the top of Navy Yard’s Cambria Hotel. The restaurant celebrates the ingredients and culture of St. Croix, the largest of the U.S. Virgin Islands, with a menu full of casabes (circular cassava discs topped with braised beef, herbed shrimp, and vegetables); lamb ribs over sweet potato hash; whole sea bass with escovitch; and Crucian callaloo from chef de cuisine Malika King. The dining room is joined by the indoor Botanic Bar, which works with lots of native elements like fever grass, tonka bean, and sorrel, and a rooftop patio dubbed Croix Veranda, serving smaller bites and frozen cocktails.
Little Birdie
1504 Mount Vernon Ave, Alexandria, VA, 22301, US
+15717209600
The follow-up act to Del Ray, Virginia’s neighborhood favorite, Matt & Tony’s, opened in late June. The casual corner spot is centered around fried chicken served many ways: as a tower with sidewinder fries, pillowed in bibb lettuce, between fluffy milk bread-like buns with slaw, or topped with five ounces of caviar. But there’s truly something for everyone at partner Matt Sloan and chef Eric Brannon’s Little Birdie, from a cold noodle salad to whole grilled trout. While there are tasteful beer and wine lists on the menu, the cocktails and equally thoughtful spirit-free mocktails highlight beverage director Michael Riojas’ talent.
Augie’s Mussel House & Beer Garden
3228 Wisconsin Avenue Northwest, Washington, District of Columbia 20016, United States
A new beer garden with roots in Old Town Alexandria landed a block away from the National Cathedral on Monday, October 26. Augie’s Mussel House & Beer Garden is focused on mussels and clams in a variety of preparations, including a beer and bacon broth, Creole seasoning with Andouille sausage, and a Tex-Mex variation with chorizo and grilled corn, all paired with local and Belgian beers. The 150-seat space is set up to stream sporting events, with 15 TVs and a 180-inch projector screen. A fabulous mural shows love for D.C. sports teams, its mussels menu, and location near the National Cathedral.
Altair
333 G Street Northwest, Washington, District of Columbia 20001, United States
A new American restaurant with “celestial” flair opened at the foot of Arlo hotel on Thursday, October 15, taking over the former Arrels space. Altair, situated under a glassy, greenhouse-like ceiling, provides vantage points of the night sky as diners enjoy everything from glistening oysters to hearty duck courses. The 82-seat newcomer comes from NYC-based Renwick Hospitality and follows the NYC original, themed around four ancient elements: earth, air, fire, and water. The menu has smoked potato gnocchi sitting in the earth section and rack of lamb in the fire section of the menu. At the same time, cocktails infused with mushroom butter and other creative flavors are also organized by element. The sprawling restaurant is anchored by a tree with hanging lanterns, casting a moody canopy over lounge-style seating with earthy colors and wooden finishes.
Bar Nuestro
1345 Yards Place Southeast, Washington, District of Columbia 20003, United States
A midcentury-chic portal to seafood, meats, pastas, and build-your-own martinis from the restaurant group behind Colada Shop debuted on Wednesday, October 28. Located at the foot of the luxury apartment complex Urby, Bar Nuestro casts classic European dishes through a Latin lens. Executive chef Harper McClure brings his brasserie knowledge, after leading the kitchen at French favorite Le Diplomate, to dishes like yellowtail crudo with soursop leche de tigre, mango, and serrano; yuca beignets with truffle and huitlacoche; and charred picanha (top sirloin cap) with leek chimichurri. At the bar, beverage director Josh Murski showcases a fun build-your-own martini menu, an espresso martini tower, a brown-butter-washed Negroni, and other whimsical cocktails.
