MICHELIN Stars: 20 Restaurants
This is every restaurant in the current MICHELIN Guide for Washington, D.C.: the 2025 selection, revealed on November 18, 2025. As of mid-October 2026 no 2026 selection had been published; the next Northeast Cities ceremony is scheduled for December 14, 2026, and we'll update this page when it lands. The guide lists 108 DC restaurants: 2 with two stars, 18 with one star, 28 Bib Gourmands and 60 Recommended. Oyster Oyster also holds a Green Star for sustainable cooking.
Where a restaurant is a short walk from one of our shopping districts, we say so. The 14th Street corridor, Penn Quarter and Dupont Circle have the most.
Two Stars
Jônt · Contemporary. Ryan Ratino's counter upstairs from Bresca, built around seafood and meat from Japan; courses include wagyu tartare tarts and Hokkaido uni with bluefin tuna. Near our 14th Street shops.
minibar by José Andrés · Creative. Cocktails and snacks in an all-white bar, then about a dozen seats at a wood-topped kitchen counter; dishes include trompe l'oeil cauliflower with caviar and a jamón chawanmushi with sea urchin. Near our Penn Quarter & Chinatown shops.
One Star
Albi · Middle Eastern. Michael Rafidi's open-fire Palestinian-inspired cooking, with arak on the drinks list. Near our Navy Yard shops.
Bresca · Contemporary, American. Ryan Ratino's dining room with gold accents and a moss wall; signatures include a foie gras 'negroni' and pappardelle with lamb ragù. Near our 14th Street shops.
Causa · Peruvian, Latin American. Carlos Delgado's Nikkei-influenced Peruvian tasting menu on the ground floor of a two-concept Blagden Alley space. Near our 14th Street shops.
Elcielo Washington DC · Colombian, Contemporary. Juan Manuel Barrientos's Colombian tasting menus in two dining rooms next to La Cosecha; the corn broth and 'chocotherapy' dessert are highlighted. Near our Union Market District shops.
Fiola · Italian, Contemporary. Regional Italian cooking drawing on Roman and Venetian flavors; the square duck-ragù pasta (Cubetto Genovese D'Antra) is a highlighted dish. Near our Penn Quarter & Chinatown shops.
Imperfecto: The Chef's Table · Latin American. A few seats at a counter beneath chef Enrique Limardo's station, run as a restaurant within a restaurant.
Little Pearl · Contemporary. Glass-enclosed, sunroom-like dining room from the Rose's Luxury team; the 'angel egg' amuse is a constant on a changing menu. Near our Eastern Market & Barracks Row shops.
MITA · Vegetarian, Latin American. Plant-based Latin American tasting menus in short and long formats from Tatiana Mora and Miguel Guerra; the arepa basket comes with guasacaca. Near our 14th Street shops.
Masseria · Italian. Nicholas Stefanelli's Puglia-influenced menu in a former warehouse with a glass-encased wine cellar. Near our Union Market District shops.
Omakase at Barracks Row · Japanese, Sushi. Sushi counter up a metal staircase on Barracks Row run by Yi 'Ricky' Wang, who trained under Daisuke Nakazawa. Near our Eastern Market & Barracks Row shops.
Oyster Oyster · Vegetarian, Contemporary. Rob Rubba's vegetable tasting menu (also a MICHELIN Green Star); dishes include eggplant agnolotti in roasted corn broth. Near our 14th Street shops.
Pineapple and Pearls · Contemporary. Aaron Silverman's theatrical tasting menu with tableside presentations; dishes riff on Southern cooking and luxury ingredients, such as a walnut lobster. Near our Eastern Market & Barracks Row shops.
Rania · Indian, Contemporary. Contemporary Indian fine dining; signatures include chana masala panisse with green garlic chutney and hay-aged pork vindaloo. Near our Penn Quarter & Chinatown shops.
Rooster & Owl · Contemporary, Fusion. Husband-and-wife-run spot where diners mix and match Middle Eastern, Mediterranean and Asian-influenced dishes, with wine pairings matched at the bar. Near our 14th Street shops.
Rose's Luxury · Contemporary. Family-style prix fixe on Barracks Row; signatures include pork and lychee salad and fusilli with sweet pea cream, feta and mint. Near our Eastern Market & Barracks Row shops.
Sushi Nakazawa Washington DC · Japanese, Sushi. Second location of Daisuke Nakazawa's sushi counter, inside the Waldorf Astoria; a 20-course omakase at a marble counter that runs about two hours. Near our Penn Quarter & Chinatown shops.
The Dabney · American, Contemporary. Jeremiah Langhorne's Mid-Atlantic cooking from a wood-fired hearth in a brick-walled Blagden Alley room. Near our 14th Street shops.
Xiquet · Spanish. Third-floor room with a handful of tables serving Valencian food from a smoker and wood-fired hearth; the rice dishes are the standout.
Bib Gourmand: 28 Restaurants
MICHELIN gives the Bib Gourmand for good cooking at a moderate price. There are 28 in Washington, and 14 of them are near our shopping districts.
Near the Shops
Amparo Fondita · Mexican, Contemporary. Christian Irabién's shared-plates Mexican menu built on in-house nixtamalized tortillas. Near our Dupont Circle shops.
Astoria DC · Asian, Sichuan. Modern Sichuan cooking in Dupont Circle, with solo 'dishes for one' and larger plates to share; cumin lamb, La-Zi chicken and mapo tofu stand out, and the bar takes walk-ins. Near our Dupont Circle shops.
Dauphine's · Creole. Three-level New Orleans-style restaurant; oysters Dauphine and blackened soft-shell crab are highlighted. Near our 14th Street shops.
Karizma Modern Indian · Indian, Contemporary. Main dining room of a two-concept space (Karma runs a separate tasting menu); the chèvre and herb naan and lamb kakori kebab are noted. Near our Penn Quarter & Chinatown shops.
L'Ardente · Italian. Wood-burning grill and pizza oven with counter seats; the 40-layer short rib lasagna is the signature. Near our Penn Quarter & Chinatown shops.
Laos in Town · South East Asian, Lao. Lao menu with a full vegan section; the papaya salad with Lao pork loaf is highlighted. Near our Union Market District shops.
Lapis · Afghan. Afghan cooking the inspectors call light and fresh; chopawn (grilled lamb chops with cardamom rice) is singled out. Near our Adams Morgan shops.
Oyamel · Mexican. José Andrés's Mexican small plates with a ceviche bar; the inspectors point to the black bean soup with avocado leaves and cotija. Near our Penn Quarter & Chinatown shops.
Residents Cafe & Bar · Contemporary. Two-level black-painted row house with a front patio; Turkish eggs at brunch and chicken schnitzel at night. Near our Dupont Circle shops.
Stellina Pizzeria · Pizza, Italian. Neo-Neapolitan pizzeria with a wood-burning oven; pizzas come whole for diners to cut at the table. Near our Union Market District shops.
Unconventional Diner · American. Reworked diner classics such as kale nachos and meatloaf with sriracha and morel gravy; reservations advised. Near our 14th Street shops.
Yellow · Middle Eastern. Michael Rafidi's all-day Georgetown cafe built around a wood-burning oven; expect a line. Near our Georgetown shops.
Your Only Friend · Gastropub, American. Added to the guide in 2025: a sandwich shop crossed with a cocktail bar; the 'Hot Nug' is chicken nuggets with Nashville hot sauce. Near our 14th Street shops.
Zaytinya · Mediterranean. Mezze-focused Greek, Turkish and Lebanese menu with a wine list strong in Greek and Lebanese labels. Near our Penn Quarter & Chinatown shops.
Elsewhere in the City
Cane · Caribbean. Trinidadian street food: doubles, channa, pepperpot and brisket served in a coconut shell.
Daru · Indian. Rasika alumni Dante Datta and chef Suresh Sundas take Indian cooking in new directions, such as tandoori chicken kebabs with blue cheese and a nariyal lamb shank with saffron and coconut.
Ellē · Contemporary. Café and bakery in the former Heller's Bakery: sandwiches and pastries by day, fermentation-driven dinner plates such as carrots with shio-koji and rye miso, and Nashville hot duck.
Hitching Post Restaurant · Southern. Chef Barry Dindyal's retro Petworth spot with pleather booths and a bar, serving Southern classics; fried chicken is cooked to order, with sides like vegan collard greens and lemon cake for dessert.
Ivy City Smokehouse · Seafood. Warehouse seafood smokehouse with a fish market and smoker at street level and a tavern-style restaurant with an open-air rooftop upstairs; the smokehouse appetizer pairs smoked fish with a bagel.
La Tejana · Mexican. Former pop-up from Ana-Maria Jaramillo and Gus May: a coffee and taco counter serving Texas-style breakfast tacos on warm flour tortillas, with fillings like eggs, queso, chorizo and brisket.
Maketto · Asian. Shared plates drawing on flavors from across Asia, often starting with shrimp dumplings made with Cambodian fish sauce and dill.
Menya Hosaki · Japanese, Ramen. Former pop-up turned Petworth ramen counter with house-made noodles; the signature bowl blends tonkotsu, chicken chintan and dashi, and a vegan ramen is offered.
PhoXotic · Vietnamese. Small first-come, first-served counter in Bloomingdale for rolls and pho; chef Hai Le's butchery background shows in the Butcher's Choice and The Works bowl with torched bone marrow.
Queen's English · Chinese. Small Columbia Heights restaurant serving modern, wok-fired takes on Hong Kong dishes, such as lotus root salad, cured hamachi with watermelon, and Wagyu poached in mala broth.
Sababa · Mediterranean. Mediterranean restaurant built around Israeli-style salads, dips, kebabs and small plates, including charred eggplant with herbed labneh and fried cauliflower with tahini, plus a global wine list.
Taqueria Habanero · Mexican. Puebla-inspired Columbia Heights taqueria where tortillas are pressed and griddled in view; barbacoa and chorizo tacos and chicken mole poblano are highlights.
The Red Hen · Italian. Rustic Italian room with exposed brick and a three-sided bar for walk-ins; dishes include asparagus risotto fritters, fennel sausage pasta, grilled short rib, and sticky toffee pudding.
Toki Underground · Japanese, Ramen. Reservations-only ramen bar with five ramen choices.
Recommended: 60 Restaurants
Recommended restaurants are in the guide without a star or Bib: the inspectors' pick of good places to eat. There are 60 in Washington, and 47 of them are near our shopping districts.
Near the Shops
1789 · American, French. Six dining rooms over three floors of a Federal-period Georgetown townhouse, serving classic French and American dishes such as rack of lamb. Near our Georgetown shops.
Anju · Korean, Contemporary. Danny Lee's Korean drinking-food restaurant, with banchan, pork mandu, dak jjim and dolsot bibimbap alongside soju and makgeolli. Near our Dupont Circle shops.
Annabelle · Contemporary, American. Kalorama restaurant with a marble cocktail bar and a skylit, art-filled dining room, serving seasonal American dishes like black trumpet gnocchi. Near our Dupont Circle shops.
Apéro · French, Contemporary. Sommelier Elli Benchimol's champagne-and-caviar room with a hidden back garden, also serving French classics such as lobster bisque. Near our Georgetown shops.
Balos Estiatorio · Greek, Mediterranean. Crete-themed Greek restaurant with olive trees in two large rooms, serving spanakopita, avgolemono, grilled fish with ladolemono and Greek wines. Near our Dupont Circle shops.
Bar Chinois · Asian, Dim Sum. French-style wine bar serving dim sum-heavy Asian small plates, including sesame shrimp toast, ginger chicken dumplings and a Lion's Head meatball. Near our Penn Quarter & Chinatown shops.
Bar del Monte · Italian. Oliver Pastan's no-reservations Italian spot in a Mount Pleasant alley, with a short changing menu of small plates, rotating pizzas and gelato. Near our Adams Morgan shops.
Beloved BBQ at Love, Makoto · Japanese, Steakhouse. Japanese-style tabletop grill room in Capitol Crossing for prime short rib, wagyu strip and aged beef tongue, plus A5 wagyu fried rice. Near our Penn Quarter & Chinatown shops.
Café Riggs · Contemporary, French. Brasserie in a historic former bank hall with brass, marble and velvet Art Deco booths, serving wagyu tartare, saffron prawn risotto and chocolate soufflé. Near our Penn Quarter & Chinatown shops.
Chang Chang · Chinese. Peter Chang's sleek Dupont Circle restaurant for refined Chinese classics, including walnut prawns, soup dumplings and Beijing duck by the half. Near our Dupont Circle shops.
Chaplin's · Asian, Ramen. Myo Htun's Shaw ramen bar, 21 and over, with a spicy chicken ramen, a cold ginger-cucumber version, gyoza and well-regarded cocktails. Near our 14th Street shops.
Chloe · International, American. Haidar Karoum's Navy Yard restaurant of globally sourced shared plates, such as hamachi crudo with Thai chilies and spiced veal hummus. Near our Navy Yard shops.
Cucina Morini · Italian. Osteria Morini's Sicilian-leaning sibling from chef Matt Adler, with crudos, sfincione and house-made pastas available in half portions. Near our Penn Quarter & Chinatown shops.
Das Ethiopian Cuisine · Ethiopian. Ethiopian restaurant in a Georgetown townhouse since 2011, serving slow-cooked wats, shrimp tibs and many vegetarian dishes with injera. Near our Georgetown shops.
Del Mar · Spanish, Basque. Fabio Trabocchi's resort-style Spanish restaurant at The Wharf with Potomac views, lightly handled fish, paellas and a long vermouth list. Near our The Wharf shops.
Dōgon · African, Caribbean. Kwame Onwuachi's restaurant in the Salamander Hotel, mixing African and Caribbean flavors with DC touches in shareable plates and a strong wine list. Near our The Wharf shops.
El Secreto de Rosita · Peruvian, Latin American. Cozy Peruvian restaurant on U Street with ahi tiradito in passion fruit sauce, ají de gallina and arroz chaufa. Near our 14th Street shops.
Elcielo Bistró DC · Latin American. The à la carte sibling to starred Elcielo in the same Union Market warehouse, serving dishes like hamachi tiradito and bison ribeye with chimichurri. Near our Union Market District shops.
Elfegne · Ethiopian. Family-run Adams Morgan Ethiopian restaurant with a long bar, known for awaze tibs: lamb simmered in berbere sauce with greens and lentils. Near our Adams Morgan shops.
Elmina · African, Contemporary. Eric Adjepong's Ghanaian-inspired tasting menu, such as braised goat with fufu and nkati nkwan, plus an à la carte chop-bar menu at the bar. Near our 14th Street shops.
Family Ethiopian · Ethiopian. Sibling-run Ethiopian restaurant whose family platter mixes vegetarian and meat dishes like gomen, kik alicha and quanta firfir with injera. Near our 14th Street shops.
Fiola Mare · Seafood, Contemporary. Fabio Trabocchi's Potomac-view seafood restaurant with crudos, grilled whole fish and its signature lobster ravioli, plus private rooms and a patio. Near our Georgetown shops.
Fish Shop · Seafood. Waterfront seafood spot, sibling to a Scottish original, cooking Chesapeake fish such as whole fried sugar toads, with a marina-view patio. Near our The Wharf shops.
Grazie Nonna · Italian-American, Pizza. Gerald Addison and Casey Patten's Italian-American restaurant with clams casino, inventive pizzas, Sunday-style macaroni and chicken Vesuvio. Near our 14th Street shops.
Hank's Oyster Bar · Seafood. The original Hank's, with a front patio, a raw bar featuring the Salty Wolfe oyster, broiled Hog Island-style oysters, lobster rolls and chowder. Near our 14th Street shops.
Jaleo · Spanish. José Andrés's original tapas restaurant, offering three Spanish tasting menus plus dishes like chicken fritters, gazpacho and paella Valenciana. Near our Penn Quarter & Chinatown shops.
Karravaan · Asian. Chef Sanjay Mandhaiya's Silk Road-inspired sharing menu, with smoky eggplant and labneh dip, harissa-honey duck breast and vegetable tagine. Near our Union Market District shops.
La'Shukran · Middle Eastern. Upstairs Levantine spot behind a green door off an alley, known for soujek dumplings in smoked corn broth and seven-spice lamb fried rice. Near our Union Market District shops.
Lutèce · Contemporary, American. Georgetown bistro with a pressed-tin ceiling and a short, fast-changing seasonal menu, plus organic and biodynamic wines. Near our Georgetown shops.
Maison Bar à Vins · French. Popal Group wine bar in a multi-level Adams Morgan brownstone, where chef Matt Conroy cooks a short, French-inspired sharing menu. Near our Adams Morgan shops.
Mandu · Korean. Family-run Korean restaurant with a long bar, serving steamed mandu, banchan and gamjatang, a pork rib and potato stew in red chili broth. Near our Penn Quarter & Chinatown shops.
Maydān · Middle Eastern, Barbecue. Cooking centered on a roaring wood-fired hearth; the popular prix fixe runs from flatbreads with muhammara and mutabal to tahini-coconut rice pudding. Near our 14th Street shops.
Moon Rabbit · Vietnamese. Chef Kevin Tien's modern Vietnamese cooking with some Cajun influence, from rice cakes with ginger oil to quail stuffed with duck sausage. Near our Penn Quarter & Chinatown shops.
Obelisk · Italian. Fixed five-course seasonal Italian menu served five nights a week since 1987, with house-made breads and desserts; allow two to three hours. Near our Dupont Circle shops.
Ottoman Taverna · Turkish. Istanbul-themed dining room in Mount Vernon Triangle serving hot and cold meze with house pita and grilled kebabs, with the adana a standout. Near our Penn Quarter & Chinatown shops.
Rasika · Indian. Busy Indian dining room near the Metro known for well-spiced kebabs, fresh curries and lamb rogan josh, with naan worth ordering twice. Near our Penn Quarter & Chinatown shops.
Reveler's Hour · Contemporary, Italian. Small-plates restaurant with a U-shaped bar and a natural-wine focus, serving pappardelle with spicy pork ragu and a coconut caramel budino. Near our Adams Morgan shops.
Rumi's Kitchen · Persian. Large Persian dining room with a display tandoor, serving green tahini hummus with urfa chili, braised lamb shank stew and rosewater-pistachio ice cream sandwiches. Near our CityCenterDC shops.
Rye Bunny · American, Contemporary. New counter-order, table-served concept from the Tail Up Goat team in its former space, with no reservations and dishes like Aleppo-pepper fried chicken. Near our Adams Morgan shops.
San Lorenzo · Italian. Former Tosca chef Massimo Fabbri's Tuscan-leaning neighborhood restaurant, strong on pasta such as truffled tortelli in porcini sauce. Near our 14th Street shops.
Seven Reasons · Latin American. Two-level restaurant with an open kitchen cooking generous Venezuelan, Peruvian and Caribbean plates such as the patacón piña colada. Near our CityCenterDC shops.
Shōtō · Japanese. Large Japanese restaurant in the former Washington Post building focused on robata-grilled skewers and sushi, with a deep Japanese whisky list. Near our 14th Street shops.
St. James · Caribbean. Jeanine Prime's modern Trinidadian shared-plates restaurant, with crab-topped callaloo soup, smoked jerk brisket and rum cocktails. Near our 14th Street shops.
Supra · Georgian. Georgian restaurant with paneled walls and hanging sheep hats, serving spreads, dumplings, imeruli and ajaruli khachapuri and a Georgian wine list. Near our 14th Street shops.
The Pembroke · French. Parisian-styled dining room in the Dupont Circle Hotel with handmade pastas, grilled octopus, lamb meatballs and a smashburger. Near our Dupont Circle shops.
The Saga · Spanish. Enrique Limardo's minimalist Spanish restaurant next to The Ritz-Carlton, with Latin-tinged tapas, a full rice section and shareable lamb shoulder. Near our Dupont Circle shops.
Tiger Fork · Chinese, Cantonese. Hong Kong-style den tucked off the main street, with cheung fun, chili wontons, soy-ginger glazed pork ribs and an extensive drinks list. Near our 14th Street shops.
Elsewhere in the City
BlackSalt · Seafood, American. Restaurant with an attached fish market, serving Addie's mussels, a saffron Provençal seafood stew and key lime pie.
Blue Duck Tavern · American, Contemporary. Park Hyatt tavern built around a wood-burning oven and local farms, known for duck leg confit, whole roasted fish and a list of nearly 30 teas.
Kappo · Japanese. Chef Minoru Ogawa's below-street-level counter serving an eight-course kappo tasting menu pairing wagyu with seafood, ending with wagyu miso soup.
New Heights · American. Long-running Woodley Park dining room, now under new management, cooking fried oysters, rack of lamb with salsa verde and pistachio ricotta cake.
Opal · American. Chevy Chase neighborhood restaurant near the Bethesda line with ricotta dumplings, beef tartare, lamb-stuffed pita and a reasonably priced set menu.
Pascual · Mexican, Contemporary. Isabel Coss and Matt Conroy's Mexico City-style shared plates, from tetelas and tlayudas to lamb neck barbacoa; reservations are hard to get.
Providencia · Contemporary. Small, moody cocktail bar from Erik Bruner-Yang and Paola Velez with food mixing Asian, Caribbean and Latin flavors, like crab pan de playa.
Ris · American. Chef Ris Lacoste's bright neighborhood dining room, cooking linguine with clams, chicken Milanese, crab cakes and a roasted cauliflower crown.
Royal · Latin American. Relaxed all-day Latin American spot; breakfast arepa with fried egg and cotija, then pork empanadas and masa gnocchi upstairs at dinner.
Sfoglina · Italian. Trattoria with a working pasta station and regional Italian pastas, from pork-rib tortelloni to bucatini carbonara, with a three-pasta tasting.
The Bombay Club · Indian, Contemporary. Ashok Bajaj's long-running Raj-era-styled Indian dining room popular with politicians, covering regional dishes from grilled meats to coconut seafood.
Thip Khao · Lao. Seng Luangrath's dinner-only Lao restaurant in Columbia Heights, with crispy rice salad, curries and a 'jungle menu' of dishes like alligator laab.
Timber Pizza Co. · Pizza. First-come, first-served neighborhood pizzeria with red, white and green sauce pies, often ordered half-and-half, plus the Griffin salad.
