D.C.’s Newest Restaurant Openings, Now on Resy
Want to know the latest — and greatest — restaurant openings in Washington D.C.? You’re in the right spot.
From the exciting follow-up to Hiraya to the D.C. location of Nancy Silverton’s cherished osteria, we have you covered with this continuously updated list of hot new debuts.
And if you’re seeking out some beloved D.C. spots that are now bookable on Resy, we’ve got you covered here.
Arrels Penn Quarter
Newly added!
Chef Pepe Moncayo (of Cranes Spanish Kaiseki) celebrates his Spanish roots with beautiful, modern interpretations of classics from Barcelona and beyond. Expect savory croquetas, packed paellas, charcoal-grilled whole fish, and big meaty dishes like pork shoulder with mashed potatoes. And a big yes to fun sips, including crisp gin and tonics.
KAYU H Street Corridor
Newly added!
Located right above Hiraya, Kayu is where chef Paolo Dungca reimagines his Filipino background into singular tasting and à la carte menus. Think cassava cakes with crab fat, lardo, and smoked trout roe; crispy pig’s ear salad with fish sauce vinaigrette, and eggplant with roasted peanut sauce. Pro tip: If you really want to go all out, book the chef’s tasting menu at the counter.
YELLOW – All the Kebabs Union Market / NOMA
Newly added!
Chef Michael Rafidi amps up the flavor at his flagship, going from ras el hanout pecan croissants, pita sandwiches, and an inventive coffee program during the day (hello, jaffa orange iced coffee), to wine, cocktails, and delicious kebabs at night. Think leg of lamb, harissa chicken wing, or grape-leaf swordfish skewers, and sippers made with gentian liqueur, pisco, and sparkling wine.
Osteria Mozza Georgetown
Newly added!
If you’re like everyone who loves Nancy Silverton’s original Osteria Mozza, it’s hard to move past your favorites. But that’s why you keep returning. The perfect order in our opinion? Burricotta with artichokes and mint pesto, orecchiette with fennel sausage and Swiss chard, and the butterscotch budino to finish. And do note: The cocktails are fresh and intriguing, and the wine list is exemplary.
Karizma Chinatown
Newly added!
Because there’s nothing quite like the signature Nirvana dish at Karzima: a towering salad made with 37 ingredients that a server knocks down and mixes in a bowl tableside. It’s crunchy, spiced, sweet, sour, and vibrant in one bite. And there’s lot more to love at the à la carte counterpart to Karma, where chef Ajay Kumar celebrates the colors and flavors of his homeland — inventive cocktails included.
Hyde Social Arlington
Newly added!
Ever since this good-looking Clarendon Boulevard bar and restaurant opened in Arlington, it’s created a buzz with its something-for-everyone menu (burger? check; mushroom ravioli? check; pan-roasted salmon? check), its stylish cocktails, and its relaxed atmosphere.
The Lounge at Salamander DC Southwest Washington
Newly added!
With soft blues, bronze accents, and floor-to-ceiling windows, this fresh and modern space is more than a place to wait for your Dōgon reservation. It’s the perfect backdrop for cocktails anytime, caviar and blinis, endive Caesar salad, braised lamb tacos, and more. Pro tip: Don’t overlook the afternoon tea, which holds many tasty surprises.
Yalla U Street Corridor
At Yalla (which means “Let’s go!” in Arabic) get ready to share copious amounts of dips, puffy flatbreads, fresh herb-scented salads, Lebanese-inspired beet kibbeh, duck confit hummus, skewers, and expertly crafted cocktails. The penthouse space filled with lush greenery and string lights already feels like a party.
Rosedale Forest Hills
Because restaurateur Ashok Bajaj (Rasika, Annabelle, Sababa, and more) is behind this Forest Hills gem — need we say more? Taking design cues from an 18th-century farm estate (the oldest surviving house) in D.C., Rosedale is where James Beard Award-winning chef Frank Ruta plates the season’s best. Get whatever comes off the rotisserie, salads like beets with fig and lemongrass vinaigrette, and cocktails around the U-shaped bar.
Elyse Fairfax
Tight as a jewel box, chef Jonathan Krinn’s tasting menus evolve with the seasons: think smoked beef tongue and tendon salad, cornmeal-crusted lamb brains and mango-truffle vinaigrette, and handmade pasta with bone marrow and clams. It’s like a speakeasy for adventurous eaters.
La’ Shukran Union Market District
This rooftop bar and bistro from Michael Rafidi, the award-winning chef behind Albi and Yellow, promises funky Levantine vibes, and it delivers. From the hidden doorway to dishes like foie gras with pickled huckleberries, orange-blossom jam, and ras el hangout beignets, expect the unexpected. Cocktails, like cardamom-scented hot coffees and elixirs made with arak, highlight Middle Eastern flavors and ingredients.
Nero Downtown
It’s as if this Dupont Circle was made for first dates. Start off by sampling self-dispensing wines to gauge their palate. If all goes well, sit for quick snacks — cheeses, charcuterie, fried artichokes — or a truffle-topped pizza if the vibe feels right. If it’s going really well, escape to Sabine, the speakeasy bar hidden in the back, for a nightcap.
Dōgon by Kwame Onwuachi Washington D.C.
Stories and history fill Kwame Onwuachi’s Afro-Caribbean restaurant, from paying homage to the land surveyor who drew up the lines for Washington D.C. to the chef’s own Nigerian, Jamaican, Trinidadian, and Creole heritage. At its core, though, Dōgon’s all about good food — grilled Wagyu short rib with red stew jam, greens with beef bacon, peanut crustacean stew with burnt carrots, and rum cake — with fantastic cocktails to boot.
Cana – Caipirinha Bar Adams Morgan
Sipping the national drink of Brazil or any featuring cachaça, rum’s cousin made with fresh sugarcane, tastes that much sweeter with Brazilian funk and soul vinyl playing in the background. A picanha burger, salt cod croquettes, cheese bread, and farofa — it all fits the vibe.
Ama Capitol Riverfront/ Navy Yard
It’s as close to a trip to Italy as you’ll get in Southeast D.C. The bouncy focaccia recipe is borrowed from a family in Santa Margherita, Italy; the curtains hanging along the wall like art, upcycled from the owner’s father’s Merano hotel. It’s like a love letter from Italy (the name Ama means “love” in Italian, after all) with all the trappings, right down to Ligurian specialties like ravioli stuffed with greens and ricotta in a walnut sauce and braised rabbit stew. A Negroni or a spritz is a must.
Dockside Restaurant & Bar The Wharf
The relaxing brown, beige, and gray color scheme sets the stage at this breakfast through lunch, brunch, and dinner dining room at the InterContinental at The Wharf, and the easy-going menus star just the kinds of things you like, from eggs Benedict to a crab cake sandwich, to crispy-skin salmon with lemon-dill vinaigrette.
Immigrant Food – Ballston Ballston-Virginia Square
This concept continues to pay tribute to immigrants who’ve enriched our nation and how we eat — and continues to grow. This first location outside the District features the same culinary world tour with dim sum, Japanese meatballs, Filipino fried chicken, and more.
TALEA Cathedral Heights
The green-and-white patio isn’t the only eye-catching thing at this Cathedral Heights stunner. Inside, the sleek, mod vibe comes complete with prints of Frank Sinatra and Sophia Loren. It’s a delightful spot for mainstays like ricotta gnocchi, whole branzino, or chicken parm. Sip on a limoncello and gin number before, and definitely have the cannoli after.
Evelyn Rose Vienna
This handsomely chic restaurant might be named for two grandmothers, but there’s nothing old-fashioned about it. Golden onion rings smothered in braised beef short rib and smoked cheese, ricotta and spinach cavatelli and meatballs, and kombu-poached halibut are just a few standard dishes; others change with the seasons. A tight list of cocktails and wines pulls everything together.
Amelie DC Logan Circle
An offshoot of wine bars from San Francisco and New York, this Francophile’s dream has all the requisites: beef tartare, moules, seared hanger steak with wispy, crisp frites, and Niçoise salad. The long and airy space is unfussy and vibey, just what you want when enjoying an earthy Côtes du Rhône or Frenchified cocktail.
Neutral Ground Bar + Kitchen Downtown McLean
David Guas (Bayou Bakery, Coffee Bar + Eatery) lays down some culinary roots closer to home, which means chef-driven American fare with produce from the Mid-Atlantic and Virginia for McLean. It might not have the same New Orleans streak as its sibling, but that down-home hospitality is there.
Tamashaa Columbia Heights
Nothing feels like an afterthought at this Columbia Heights hot spot. Rich colors, dripping chandeliers, and neon are just a few things that add to the vibe. The menu covers the entire country, from spicy Northern Indian fare to Southern specialties, and everything is creatively vibrant. Don’t miss the cocktails.
La Tejana Mt Pleasant
You know La Tejana for their breakfast tacos made in their most sublime, simplest form. But head upstairs come nighttime and you’ll discover another facet of the award-winning taco shop: a cozy cocktail bar where the agave list runs deep and the snacks (think those excellent housemade flour tortillas, but wrapped around carne asada and roasted poblanos this time around) are mighty.
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