The Best New Restaurants in D.C., June 2025

Published 1 day ago• 20 minute read

Ravioli on a blue and white plate — NYC import Cafe Fiorello brings fresh ravioli and creamy burrata to Pennsylvania Avenue NW.

Where to find thin-crust pizzas, crab lo mein, grilled oysters, and more

by Updated Jun 5, 2025, 3:14pm EDT

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NYC import Cafe Fiorello brings fresh ravioli and creamy burrata to Pennsylvania Avenue NW.

| Cafe Fiorello

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 an eclectic Chinese menu in Penn Quarter; , for a downtown Italian chophouse by way of NYC;, for expert nigiri and rolls in Georgetown;, for bougie burgers in Shaw; , for coastal Mediterranean cuisine in a stylish Dupont hotel; and , for berbere-blasted dishes in NoMa by a celebrity chef.

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A year after the original debuted in Mt. Pleasant, nostalgia-inducing burger bar Joia added a second (and much-bigger) D.C. location in April. Joy-filled Joia comes from chef/owner Patrice Cleary, who’s also behind essential Filipino place Purple Patch in Mt. Pleasant. Joia 2.0 in Glover Park continues to showcase its wagyu beef (or veggie bean) smash burgers assembled with one, two, or three patties with diced papaya slaw on a potato or gluten-free bun. Skin-on shoestring fries and ube soft serve round out the pint-sized menu.

A facade of a building — Joia Burger’s new Glover Park digs.

Food Network star Eric Adjepong puts a modern spin on traditional West African food at his first brick-and-mortar restaurant. Open since February, Elmina showcases classic Ghanaian dishes like fufu and kelewele (spicy fried plantains) across a la carte and tasting menus, along with new interpretations like spicy cassava udon noodles and egusi hummus. Situated in Seven Reasons’ former 14th Street NW home, two-story Elmina carves out room for 124 diners. The Top Chef Season 16 finalist also introduces the same roti flatbreads and doubles that were supposed to be featured at On the Double, his fast-casual Union Market stall that fell through during the pandemic. Cocktails turn to regional flavors like mango, hibiscus, soursop, and passionfruit.

Top Ethiopian chef Elias Taddesse’s beefy burger shop, Mélange DC, and fried chicken joint, Doro Soul Food, are back and better than ever at his new culinary incubator at the foot of Shaw’s Atlantic Plumbing building. Taddesse’s Mélange Foods, Inc. opened in mid-May with both concepts and will add a third Ethiopian taco spot called Moya soon. The space that formerly housed Roy Boys features a roll-up garage bar situation prime for people-watching.

Knead Hospitality + Design transformed the mezzanine level of its 14th Street NW Mexican restaurant Mi Vida into Sagrada, a trippy, sage-scented tasting room that explores the transformative power of psychedelics—through food. While no actual psilocybin is used, the $111-per-person affair mirror the stages of a psychedelic trip across an eight-course journey, from ceremonial cacao poured in clay cups to visually immersive dishes full of mushrooms and beets. Hours are Monday to Friday, with two seatings nightly for a choice of “plant-based” or “flexitarian” menu options.

A black bar in a dining room — Sultry new Sagrada sits on the second floor of Mi Vida.

Hospitality magnate Jason Pomeranc’s bi-coastal brand Sixty Hotels, with locations in NYC and Los Angeles, revitalizes the prime Dupont real estate where club Gryphon and cult cocktail bar Sheppard once sat. Years in the making, Sixty DC’s 80-room boutique hotel opened in late May with a pair of dining destinations led by Hanif Harji of Toronto’s Scale Hospitality. Anchor restaurant Casamara celebrates the coastal flavors of Spain, France, Italy, and Greece with dishes like citrusy branzino crudo, Iberico pork chop, harissa roast chicken, truffle bucatini cacio e pepe, and lamb rotolo. Retro-chic cocktail counterpart Reynold’s in the back slings all sorts of martinis and fancy bar snacks like mini lobster rolls, foie-gras poutine, and truffle popcorn. A 3,000-square-foot rooftop is coming soon.

A fish on a white plate — Casamara’s “daily catch” menu may feature flounder with brown butter, capers, lemon, and parsley.

A parade of sashimi, Japanese plates, and ever-elusive pufferfish now have a home in the depths of Wisconsin Avenue NW. After closing downtown Sushi Gakyu earlier this year, sushi chef Yoshi Ota moved on to Georgetown with the May opening of . Traditional nigiri, maki, and an omakase tasting featuring fermented ancient-style sushi round out the new menu. Dinner is served from 5 to 10 p.m. every night except Tuesdays. A zen patio out back is framed in stone and greenery.

A sushi chef at a counter — Sushi Gaku chef Yoshi Ota.

D.C. hitmaker Hakan Ilhan calls his latest project Alara, which refers to a “beautiful water fairy” in Turkish mythology. Seasonal menus and wines focus on the four coastal countries of Turkey, Greece, Lebanon, and Israel. The restaurant kicks off with a selection of meze and hot and cold dips like red pepper-and-walnut muhammara, followed by lots of meaty mains like lamb chops, and Greek interpretations of seafood (branzino). Alara also imports best sellers found at Ilhan’s Turkish stalwart Ottoman Taverna in Mt. Vernon Triangle. Alara, which brings Georgetown a rare new late-night dining option, takes over the address that long housed Italian darling Paolo’s Ristorante until 2018.

A fish and vegetables on a white plate. — Alara specializes in Greek takes on branzino.

A trio of native New Yorkers behind Dupont’s perennially packed Greek restaurant Balos expanded in Northwest with the mid-April opening of Bar Angie, a lively new bistro with European flair and jazz music several nights a week. Hearty dishes that remind the partners of home include wagyu French dip, Bolognese blanc rigatoni, and Caesar salads topped with fried cream-cheese croutons. Martinis are a huge focus here, as seen in the vodka-or-gin “Angie’s Dirty Duo” with blue cheese olives, an extra-generous pour on the side, and extra garnishes. NY-based For Five Coffee Roasters, which is also operated by Balos Estiatorio Restaurant Group, fuels its espresso martini.

Female portraits and a martini — Gilded portraits of “Angie” — the bar’s muse who could be anyone and everyone — frame the wall.

NY-based celebrity chef Marcus Samuelsson debuted his first restaurant in the nation’s capital in June. Located at the foot of NoMa’s Morrow Hotel, the Ethiopian and Swedish restaurateur behind Harlem’s hot Red Rooster dishes out blue cornbread with yassa butter and berbere honey; cured salmon; and fluke crudo served in an apple cucumber aguachile with a crispy plantain. Chef and Maryland native Anthony Jones adds lots of local touches to the Marcus DC menu, including mambo sauce-slathered roast chicken and crab rice. The color-soaked space full of overlapping patterns and textures offers room for 80 and 12 at the bar. Samuelsson also runs its scenic new rooftop bar called Sly.

Three chefs sitting a bright dining room. — Executive pastry chef Rachel Sherriff, owner Marcus Samuelsson, and executive chef Anthony Jones in Marcus DC’s dining room.

Green Almond Pantry, James Beard-nominated chef Cagla Onal’s longstanding staple for fluffy focaccia, chocolate cake, and Turkish-Mediterranean dishes for lunch and takeout, added a next-door sibling spot for sit-down dinner service. Nestled in a Georgetown alley, My Little Chamomile showcases a quick list of wines, meze, and other comfort foods like Onal’s mom used to make. The 42-seat newcomer outfitted with a pretty walnut-and-brass bar offers an assortment of salads, smoked eggplant, artichokes filled with herb rice, and lavash designed for dipping.

La Betty 2.0 opened in Mt. Vernon Triangle this year with natural wines, fun snacks, and hip vinyl vibes from Tessa Velazquez, and her brother Zak, children of Baked and Wired family. Opt for harissa-marinated feta with seedy crackers, Parker House rolls, honey-whipped goat cheese with turmeric quinoa bread, and a zippy spring salad. A wine list showcases sparkling, white, and orange varietals by the glass and bottle. La Betty is the reinvention of the same-named restaurant that opened there in 2019 and closed during the pandemic. Swing by on Friday and Saturday for vinyl sets. Sibling bakery A Baked Joint will start sharing its space in September.

The team behind Eater 38 hit Daru doubled down on H Street this year with a rowdy new South Indian restaurant and cocktail bar. Tapori, which means “vagabond” in Hindi, draws influence from South Indian street markets and Bollywood films that embrace Mumbai culture. Tapori centers around communal eating and flavors that span from Kerala to Nepal. Nepalese chef Suresh Sundas and beverage director Dante Datta teamed up with faraway chef Baburam Sharma to develop a menu that reflects his Nepalese background, upbringing in Delhi, and decades of experience in cooking South Indian cuisine. Dishes like pani puri, vada pav, and dosas join cocktails made with indigenous spices and fruits like chaat masala, jackfruit puree, and hibiscus. The former home of Fancy Radish got a complete overhaul from Edit Lab, complete with a 20-person communal table, patchwork tile-covered bar, and booths peering into the bright open kitchen.

The bar is covered in thoughtful hand-painted designs and mismatched tiles.

James Beard Award-winning hospitality magnate Stephen Starr (St. Anselm, Le Diplomate, El Presidente, Osteria Mozza, Pastis) resurrected an iconic D.C. power spot located two blocks from the White House. The Occidental, billed as Starr’s “most glamorous and decadent” D.C. restaurant to date, serves tableside martinis, Champagne, and caviar alongside a classic midcentury American menu full of prime rib and luxe lobster dishes. First opened in 1906 by the Willard hotel’s founder Henry Willard, Starr’s revival of the legendary two-story venue strives to showcase white-tablecloth hospitality at its best.

The Pork Chop That Saved the World is served with gremolata and fondant potato.

The venerable , which first opened its doors in Manhattan over five decades ago, landed in the shadow of the U.S. Capitol in May. This marks the first time the flagship of restaurateur Shelly Fireman’s hospitality group grows beyond its Big Apple roots. The new location has the same reliable Italian fare, including famous thin-crusted pizza and an antipasti bar overflowing with vegetables and seafood, plus a new wood-fired oven pumping out branzino al Forno, a center-cut veal chop, flame-kissed cheeseburger, and more distinctly smoky mains.

Italian plates on a table — Burgers, soups, and more wood-fired mains round out the Italian menu.

Chinese American takeout unveiled a full-on flagship in May in Penn Quarter. Founded by restaurateur Tim Ma, the food menu is full of allium pancakes with whipped tofu and caviar; blue crab lo mein with leek fondue; and duck fried chaufa (Peruvian fried rice) with fish sauce caramel. The restaurant features four distinct areas: a bright entryway bar with classic cocktails integrating Asian flavors, an intimate dining room, the moody “Lucky Club” with drinks using Chinese herbal medicine, and a green-toned mahjong parlor with over-proof whiskeys.

Mapo tofu in a purple bowl — Mapo tofu and rich rice cakes come together in this comforting dish.

The Wharf’s luxe Intercontinental hotel unveiled a fresh new flagship in the storied lobby-level space that formerly housed an acclaimed string of restaurants (Moon Rabbit, Kith/Kin). All-day Willowsong is led by tenured chef and LA transplant Jeffrey Williams, whose hyper-seasonal American menu starts with waterfront wagyu and eggs in the morning and ends with duck tinga tagliatelle at night.

Bread and sandwiches on a wooden table — To start, homemade milk bread arrives with brown honey-miso butter and salmon roe.

Scotland’s decorated seafood stop Fish Shop traveled across the pond to plant roots at the Wharf in late April. The Bib Gourmand-designated restaurant and fishmonger, named one of the best new restaurants in the world by Conde Nast Traveller, creates a Yankee version of the popular original that counts King Charles III as a big fan. High-powered art world hospitality group Artfarm, the London-based team behind NY’s new Manuela, tapped two D.C. industry vets to lead the charge at Fish Shop’s first stateside location. Chef de cuisine Ria Montes and director of operations Angie Duran steer a hyperlocal menu full of trout-topped crumpets, roasted rockfish, and peak spring vegetables sourced from the Dupont farmers market. Its scenic patio just joined the fold, and brunch debuts in June.