These Are the Best Restaurants in Washington, According to Michelin

Kate Krader

05 May 2022, 08:56 AM IST

(Bloomberg) -- There’s a lot of news coming out of Washington right now, be it Supreme Court leaks or Trump inauguration lawsuits. The D.C. dining scene? Not so much.

On May 4, the Michelin Guide announced their annual star rankings for the city and little has changed.

There’s still only one three-star restaurant (worth a special journey): the Inn at Little Washington, chef Patrick O’Connell’s old school hotel with a $308 French-accented menu in Washington, Va. Likewise, Washington’s two-star places—excellent cuisine, worth a detour—are the same as last year. That includes the unconventional tasting menu spot Minibar, from star chef and humanitarian José Andrés, and the forward-thinking Pineapple and Pearls from acclaimed local chef Aaron Silverman.

These Are the Best Restaurants in Washington, According to Michelin

The French-based guide did honor four new D.C. restaurants with one star. Oyster Oyster was recognized for chef Rob Rubba’s scintillating vegetable-forward menus, where butter is fashioned from marigolds, and roasted carrots might be served with miso and popped sorghum.

“The work chef Rubba is doing blew us away, work he’s doing there is so creative and impressive,” says the chef inspector for North America, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of his position.

Rounding out the new one stars are Imperfecto: The Chef’s Table, which features Latin American cuisine from chef Enrique Limardo; Albi, where the focus is Middle Eastern fare in the Navy Yard; and Reverie, with unconventional dishes like coconut cooked in embers, in Georgetown.

There are 24 starred restaurants this year, up from 23. Gone from the 2022 list is Sushi Taro, which lost its star, as well as Komi, the compelling Mediterranean restaurant that was put in the spotlight after the Obamas ate there, and Plume, both now closed.

Michelin also announced the list of Bib Gourmand spots—good food at a price of “around $40 for a meal. The key word is ‘around,’” says the chief inspector, who cited rising costs that are impacting restaurant menus. This year, there are four new spots among the 36 on the list, including Dauphine’s, where the specialty is Creole cuisine from Kristen Essig (one of the few women on this list). Menya Hosaki was also recognized for its superior ramen and karaage (Japanese fried chicken).

Gone from this year’s Bib Gourmand list is Zaytinya, the pan Mediterranean spot from Andrés, which held the accolade for three straight years.

For people determined to find restaurant news in Washington, D.C. keep your eyes peeled for the upcoming, two-story Peruvian restaurant Causa, from Carlos Delgado; the Trinidadian-themed St. James from Jeanine Prime, who also operates the Bib Gourmand spot Cane; and the opening of Pastis, the sceney Manhattan brasserie that will set up shop in the Union Market hood.

Here is the full list of Washington’s Michelin-starred restaurants and Bib Gourmands. An asterisk (*) denotes a new entry.

Three Stars

The Inn at Little Washington

Two Stars

Jônt
Minibar
Pineapple and Pearls

Bib Gourmand Winners

Astoria DC
Bidwell
Cane
China Chilcano
*Daru
Das
*Dauphine’s
Elle
Fancy Radish
Hitching Post
*Honeymoon Chicken
Ivy City Smokehouse
Jaleo
Kaliwa
Karma Modern Indian
Laos in Town
Lapis
Makan
Maketto

*Menya Hosaki
Ottoman Taverna
Oyamel
Pearl Dive Oyster Palace
Queens English
Residents Cafe & Bar
Sababa
Sfoglina
Stellina Pizzeria
Succotash
Taqueria Habanero
The Red Hen
Thip Khao
Timber Pizza Co.
Toki Underground
Unconventional Diner
Zenebech

These Are the Best Restaurants in Washington, According to Michelin