Recently Opened Restaurants in Washington DC

In Washington DC around 40% of establishments feature cuisines from various countries, ranging from Ethiopian cafes to fine French dining. The capital's status attracts renowned chefs: José Andrés operates here, Wolfgang Puck has opened a restaurant, and 24 establishments have been awarded Michelin stars. In late 2025, the city's dining scene expanded with a number of new restaurants offering fresh concepts and unique dishes.

Photo Credit: instagram.com/minettataverndc

The legendary Greenwich Village institution has finally landed in the capital, marking its first-ever expansion outside of New York City. The Minetta Tavern DC retains the "clubby" atmosphere of the original with its signature red leather banquettes, checkered floors, and caricature-lined walls. It feels instantly historic, yet buzzes with the energy of DC's new power-dining crowd.

The kitchen maintains the rigorous standards of the NY original, focusing on classic tavern fare executed to perfection. It is currently the hardest table to book in the city, with reservations disappearing within minutes of release.

Menu Highlights:

    Black Label Burger: The world-famous burger featuring a proprietary blend of dry-aged beef and caramelized onions (no cheese, no lettuce, just pure flavor).

    Pasta Za Za: Fresh pasta with pancetta, sage, and a sunny-side-up egg mixed tableside.

    Grand Mère Roast Chicken: A comforting classic served with bacon, mushrooms, and pearl onions.

    Chocolate Soufflé: Ordered at the start of the meal, this dessert is the definitive finish to the Minetta experience.

Photo Credit: facebook.com

Terra Gaucha Brazilian Steakhouse is a new churrascaria (Brazilian steakhouse) located in Rockville, Maryland, serving the traditional rodízio experience. This means servers continuously circulate the dining room with a variety of fire-roasted meats carved directly onto guests' plates.

The regular selection includes at least eight cuts of beef, from filet mignon to large beef ribs, along with bacon-wrapped chicken, Brazilian pork sausage, and grilled salmon and shrimp with a passionfruit-mango glaze. A fixed-price all-you-can-eat system is offered at $59.95 for dinner and $39.95 for lunch.

Menu highlights:

    Picanha - prime sirloin cap with fat layer, fire-roasted and carved tableside.

    Bacon-wrapped chicken - chicken breasts wrapped in bacon, grilled over open flame.

    Grilled shrimp - shrimp finished with passionfruit-mango glaze.

    Beer-marinated chicken drumsticks - legs soaked in beer before roasting.

    Linguica - Brazilian pork sausage, spice-rubbed and skewer-grilled.

Photo Credit: facebook.com

Town Kitchen & Bar is a modern neighborhood bistro that opened in late 2025 in the heart of McLean. The menu centers on approachable American comfort food, featuring items like smash burgers, tuna carpaccio, classic wedge salads, crispy calamari, steak frites, chicken wings, and lobster fettuccine. The bar serves as a social anchor, offering a range of cocktails - including various martinis, a Negroni, and other classic and contemporary drinks - alongside beer and wine. Designed to be a versatile gathering spot, the restaurant caters to everything from casual weeknight dinners and weekend brunch to after-work drinks, with an atmosphere that balances relaxed comfort with a touch of polished casual style.

Menu highlights:

    Smash burgers - thin patties with American cheese on potato roll.

    Steak tartare - hand-chopped beef with capers and toast points.

    Steaks - various cuts grilled with sides like fries or creamed spinach.

    Mac-n-cheese - baked with multiple cheeses and breadcrumb topping.

    Chicken wings - fried or grilled with house sauce options.

Photo Credit: facebook.com

Maison Bar à Vins is a wine bar opened by the family-run hospitality group behind acclaimed D.C. restaurants Lapis, Lutèce, and Pascual, located in a renovated Adams Morgan brownstone. The space centers around an intimate green marble bar and features an extensive wine list of over a thousand selections, primarily focused on French regions, with more than 30 wines available by the glass. The bar also serves inventive cocktails that incorporate wine or wine-based ingredients.

Helmed by Chef Matt Conroy, the menu focuses on small and shared plates, featuring items like taramosalata-filled choux buns, rustic terrines, savory smoked eel croquettes, and heartier dishes such as a brioche-stuffed chicken breast with mushrooms. The bar combines a cozy, cellar-like ambiance with elevated dining, offering an approachable yet refined wine-centric experience in a historic setting.

Menu highlights:

    Eel croquettes - fried eel bites with dijonnaise.

    Hamachi crudo - citrus-cured yellowtail with radish.

    Brioche chicken - stuffed roast chicken with jus.

    Escargot toasts - snails with herb butter on sourdough.

    Gougères - cheese puffs filled with Comté.

Photo Credit: facebook.com

Bonne Vie Café & Bistro opened in late 2025 in a two-story space on U Street that had previously housed Baby Shank. The restaurant launched with a focus on a French bistro style setup and a structured three-course menu offered at a fixed price, alongside à la carte options. One notable aspect of the main menu is the inclusion of unlimited shoestring fries with the prix fixe format.

Starters have included items such as tarte flambée and pâté de campagne, with simple main course options like skirt steak, fish amandine, and half chicken. Desserts and a selection of beverages including wines and classic cocktails are also part of the offering. Bonne Vie was covered in restaurant opening roundups in late 2025, confirming its recent entry into the city’s dining scene.

Menu highlights:

    Tarte flambée - grilled flatbread with onion, anchovy, olive.

    Pâté de campagne - country-style pork pâté with chutney.

    Burrata - fresh cheese with olive oil drizzle.

    Steak frites - grilled steak with unlimited fries.

    French 75 - gin, lemon, champagne cocktail.

Photo Credit: google.com

Opened full-time December 2025 after soft opening November 24-December 8. Chef-owner David Jang sources Virginia-farmed Angus Prime beef dry-aged onsite, grilled Korean-style with banchan sides like corn cheese and cod roe toast. The Ingle Korean Steakhouse has 156-seat space near U Street serves prix-fixe ($65 dinner) or a la carte, open 11am-2am daily. Focus on cuts like marinated zabuton, galbi, and ribeye; savory meals for 2+ include jjigae soups and cold noodles. Walk-ins and Resy bookings; weekend lunch 11am-2pm.

Menu highlights:

    Marinated Zabuton - fatty deckle cap marinated and wood-grilled.

    Galbi - boneless short ribs, Korean-braised.

    Cuts of the Day - rib plate assortment (tri-tip, hanger, serves 2).

    Doenjang Jjigae - soybean paste stew with beef short rib.

    Mak-Guksu - chilled buckwheat noodles in iced broth.

Photo Credit: google.com

Opened in November 2025 in the former Compass Rose space (an 11-year global restaurant by Rose Previte, closed in May 2025). Now, it’s Sook DC - an all-day café (7am-3pm) that transforms into a natural wine bar/lounge in the evenings (Wed-Sun, 3pm-10/11pm) by Previte and Sashi Jayatileke. During the day, the focus is on coffee from Lost Sock Roasters (lattes, espresso tonics), pastries from SakuSaku, breakfast sandwiches, and Lebanese plates. In the evenings, the menu features bar snacks, khachapuri, smash burgers, and 20+ wines by the glass from small producers around the world. The two-story space boasts jewel-toned interiors, peacock-inspired decor, lounge seating, market shelves (featuring Maydan spices, olive oil), and a bottle shop.

Menu highlights:

    Khachapuri - Georgian cheese boat with egg, mixed tableside.

    Charcuterie chips - potato chips topped with prosciutto, cornichons, olives, parm.

    Sook burger - smash patty with pickles, ketchup, mustard on brioche.

    Chicken shish taouk wrap - grilled chicken, spicy cilantro, lettuce, garlic dressing.

    Fig-leaf latte - espresso with fig notes (daytime special).

Opened late 2025 atop the Hyatt House hotel (formerly Cambria) in Shaw by D.C.-native Evens Charles of Frontier Development & Hospitality Group. Rooftop lounge blends Afrofuturist cuisine by Chef Keem Hughley (ex-Bronze) with Indian Ocean island flavors - Seychellois Creole meets French techniques via tamarind, coconut, curry leaf. Indoor-outdoor space with fire pits, cushioned seating, Capitol views; private dining area. Tue-Thu 5pm-midnight, Fri-Sat 5pm-2am. Shareable plates pair with tropical cocktails; business casual.

Menu highlights:​

    Island oysters - with coconut-lime-ginger mignonette.

    Tamarind-glazed lamb lollipops - grilled chops with fruity glaze.

    Coconut crab cakes - served with mango-tamarind chutney.

    Ginger-lemongrass chicken skewers - marinated and charred.

    Truffle-curry leaf fries - spiced fries with umami kick.

Photo Credit: google.com

Opened October 23, 2025, in Union Market's central bar space, Cowbell Seafood & Oyster is a dockside-style oyster bar run by Sara Quinteros and Chef Reid Shilling. The menu features East Coast oysters, Chesapeake crabs, and Virginia blue catfish, with a focus on nose-to-tail seafood (crudo, frying, stews) sourced from local watermen. The bar also offers cold beers and wines. With standing tables and quick service, it fits seamlessly into the market flow, with no reservations required. Hours are Mon-Fri, 11am-9pm; Sat, 11am-9pm; Sun, 11am-8pm. And when the bell rings, it’s time for seafood towers.

Menu highlights:

    Oysters on the half shell - East Coast varieties with mignonette.

    Baltimore crab cakes - golden-fried with minimal filler, remoulade.

    Scallop crudo - thinly sliced with chili oil and herbs.

    Beer-battered catfish sandwich - blue catfish on potato roll with slaw.

    Bell Ringer seafood tower - oysters, crab, shrimp, scallop (staff rings cowbell).

Photo Credit: instagram.com/springbone

Springbone Kitchen opened its first DC location on December 5, 2025, in the former Shouk space in Union Market. Co-founders Sam Eckstein and Jake Leahy expanded from 11 stores across New York and New Jersey, bringing their signature bone broth bowls, protein-packed grains, and comforting soups like Grandma's Chicken & Rice and Roasted Tomato Cheddar to the District.

The 1,500 sq ft space blends clean lines with wood accents, nodding to Georgetown's Georgian architecture. The restaurant is primarily takeout-focused, with limited dine-in seating. During the grand opening (Dec 5-11), they offered $5 bowls. Springbone Kitchen operates daily from 11am-8pm, and a second location is planned for Dupont Circle in early 2026.

Menu highlights:​

    Immunity Bone Broth - ginger-turmeric broth with chicken and veggies.

    Grandma's Chicken & Rice Bowl - shredded chicken, rice, kale, broth base.

    Roasted Tomato & Cheddar Soup - creamy tomato with sharp cheddar notes.

    Harissa Chicken Bowl - spiced chicken thighs over quinoa and greens.

    Chipotle Turkey Bowl - turkey with chipotle, sweet potatoes, avocado.

Photo Credit: instagram.com/springbone