19 Best Southern Restaurants near District Heights

“I love the food at EllaRay’s Cafe. I go there every week. I usually call my order in and pick it up in 15 or 20 minutes. I prefer the vegetable platter and an extra side of beans. The portions are enough for two meals for me. I love breakfast there also. Glad I discovered them.“

“Went to Kitchen +Kocktails for the first time last night. The decor was very nice, and the music was good and not obnoxious. Our server Ally was terrific! I’m not a drinker, so when I asked her if there were any cocktails that didn’t taste like alcohol, I thought she would look at me like I was crazy, but she didn’t! She seemed to know exactly what I was talking about and immediately had a couple of suggestions. I went with the mixed berry lemon drop and it was perfect for me. The crab cake appetizers and shrimp and grits with lobster tail entree were amazing. We had a great time and we’ll be back!“

“I’ve wanted to eat here for years, but I don’t like to wait. Today was my lucky day - I arrived about 9:30 am and was seated with no wait. The atmosphere and food were beyond exceptional. I can’t wait to go back and they take reservations 💖“

“Visiting from out of town, I was intrigued by their menu. We had the deviled eggs, cornbread, ribs, shrimp and grits. I also had the peach punch cocktail. Couldn't recommend this place more. I'd come back in a heartbeat the next time I'm in town. From the moment we walked in to when we left, we felt so welcomed and cared for. And the food was so flavourful and well presented.“

“Milk and Honey is the best restaurant ever.. great waitress and staff. Great cook overall I give it a 100 out of 10“

“I went to Hen Quarter Prime for Brunch on a Sunday and the food at the buffet was great, the only thing I wish was the crab legs were steamed instead of being on ice. But I understand that is difficult to do for a buffet setup. Z gave amazing service, my cup for the bottomless mimosa stayed runneth over. I will definitely be returning.“

“Food was great, but service was poor. The waiter kept forgetting things. He was very distracted. Also they asked on open table if this was a celebration i told them yes. My daughter sweet 16. They didn't even acknowledge it. She had on a sash and everything.“

“The chicken soo good I give this spot a 10 I just had the chicken visiting from Charlotte NC“

“The dining area is small but I think that’s why it has express in the name. Other than that the food was delicious! Food was served in to go boxes which made it perfect to take the leftovers home (so much food!). We got the shrimp and grits, French toast and the egg and biscuit! Would go back!“

“Top Chef alumni Edward Lee created the menu and we did their family meal to get a bit of everything.
Many different dishes organized into 3 overall courses.
Well thought out menu taking southern roots with Korean touches. All was pretty tasty.
Starters - Deviled egg tasty. Cornbread with Mike's hot honey moist and tasty. Fried green tomato salad very nice. Smoked chicken wings were good, but forgettable.
Mains - blue catfish - tasty. The chicken and waffles was good in taste, but sadly my chicken thigh was hammered and was very dry. Pork spareribs were tasty, but the thought was a bit too fall off the bones and missed some texture (am a competition BBQ Judge and cook, so my point of reference is CSI level bite marks in the meat, but know most people prefer fall of bones.) Mac and cheese solid. Collards were good.
Desserts - hummingbird cake truffles and chocolate bourbon mini pecan pies were solid.
Drinks were solid.
Service was top notch, with clear explanations of dishes.“

“Great service, delicious food, and an amazing atmosphere!“

“My family and I were in dc about 2 weeks ago and found this gem of an eatery at the Union Market and it was DELICIOUS 🤤 By far the absolute BEST bread puddin I have ever had in my life and we are from the south and I have eaten a lot of bread puddin. Please let me know when you start shipping because u have a huge fan base in Texas 😊 Katrina Briggs - Dallas, TX“

“Milk and Honey is the best restaurant ever.. great waitress and staff. Great cook overall I give it a 100 out of 10“

“Milk and Honey is the best restaurant ever.. great waitress and staff. Great cook overall I give it a 100 out of 10“

“I haven't tasted food this fresh in a very long time! I don't eat out often because I'm very particular because the majority of food places these days have really gone down in regards to the quality of their food and customer service. This place was introduced to me by my husband. A hidden gem it is! It's black owned and operated and the food is delicious. You can tell that the food is meticulously put together with integrity. The chef really cares about what he puts out for others to eat you can just taste that. If I were you, I'd rush to give them a try!! ASAP They have this whiting fish sandwich that is absolutely delicious! There's a special sauce that they slather on there that compliments the sandwich well! Food is also reasonably priced! To me, the best food spot on this side of town! Also, for those who are vegan, this restaurant doesn't sell nor cook any pork products at all. They have herbal drinks also....the pineapple hibiscus is yummy!!

Vegetarian options: They have a portobello burger that will fool you into thinking you're eating a real burger!“

“It is a very unassuming location. Parking is challenging in the front, and I strongly encourage you to park in the back. We had dinner at the bar, and our bartender was amazing, very personable, friendly, and made phenomenal drinks. Food came out relatively quickly. The side dishes were great, and the oxtail dish was delicious. The downside with my fried fish was that it was too salty. The fish was well prepared and flakey, but the seasoning had too much salt, and unfortunately, the remaining spices couldn't balance it out. They have fair prices and will certainly return for dinner.“

“I was In Falls Church visiting a friend and had to try HSCAFÉ.. @MamaNemsRVA_ I ordered Ribs potato salad collards and yams and I loved it I always post pics as an aspiring food critic but it was so good I forgot !!! For Dessert I ordered Sweet Potato Pie Banana pudding and pound cake which will last me a while but tasted them all for reviews and all three 10/10!!“

“Ordered the wings & lulagria cake on Uber Eats. To my pleasant surprise the wings were still crispy after their car ride. They tasted great as did the curry cabbage & fries on the side & cake 4 desser“