The 10 best dishes to eat your way through DC

11.09.2024 - 15:32 / lonelyplanet.com / Wolfgang Puck

Sep 10, 2024 • 7 min read

Washington, DC is a nexus of culture. Its geographic location brings together the northern and southern US, and its role as a major entry point for immigration has led to the creation of hundreds of international communities. 

The beautiful collaboration and harmony of the city’s residents comes across in the thriving dining scene – according to recent Yelp data, DC has the most new restaurants relative to its population. Across the city, you'll find traditional dishes from countries around the world and creative flavor fusions snatching a little bit of inspiration from everywhere.

To make the most of dining in the district, dive into this list of indulgent dishes that highlight the best of DC’s award winning food scene. 

Bresca, a contemporary French bistro boasting one Michelin star, is in the U St Corridor, one of DC’s liveliest neighborhoods. While the menu features several fun twists on European dishes, the potato pierogi is a standout – the secret is a family potato dough recipe. Unlike other pierogies in the city, these delicious pockets are bread-like: fluffy, soft and buttery. They're a divine couple of bites.  

How to get it: Bresca is very popular with people in the neighborhood and seating is limited. You will definitely want to make a reservation a few weeks in advance. 

DC is home to several celebrity chef vanity restaurants, but Wolfgang Puck’s CUT DC is truly worth a visit. Located on a narrow side street in the bustling Georgetown neighborhood, inside of the historic Rosewood hotel, this steak house is a secret foodie destination for DC’s power players. While there's an abundance of fabulous steak and duck on the menu, it’s a small fire-roasted eggplant that deserves more shine. The charred, tender eggplant offers a delicious smokiness dressed with a green curry peanut sauce.

How to get it: Due to the popularity of the small dining room, you’ll want to make reservations for dinner. Georgetown is notoriously hostile to vehicles, so plan to take a rideshare or wear comfortable shoes for the long walk from the nearest Metro station.

DLeña is a sultry restaurant where the menu draws inspiration from all of Latin America, but Mexican charm makes up the heart of it. Any dish is a delight, but the Australian-imported lamb shank is marinated for 24 hours and braised for five hours with Mexican spices, dried chili adobo, herbs and achiote pepper. The end result is a fall-off-the-bone meat that shreds upon contact. The massive portion comes with blue corn tortillas and a couple of sauces – it’s enough to share, but it’s understandable if you don't want to. 

How to get it: DLeña tends to be popular for celebrations, so you’ll be best off if you make a reservation. It’s less than