D.C. Summer Restaurant Week: New and best restaurants to try
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Joon, a Restaurant Week newcomer. Photo courtesy of Rey Lopez
D.C.'s Summer Restaurant Week arrives on Monday, August 28 with more than 150 participants offering $25 brunch and lunch menus, and multi-course dinners for $40 or $55.
Why it matters: It's one of the biggest restaurant happenings of the year, and in this dining economy, the prix-fixe menu prices can be a good value.
What's new: Airport restaurants at Reagan National and Dulles join the mix — a boon for travelers and tourists since the later-than-usual promo falls over Labor Day weekend and the DC Jazz Festival.
- Look for chains like Legal Sea Foods joining local ventures (e.g. Devil's Backbone, Matsutake Sushi).
Newcomer picks: These five spots make up our hit list for new places to check out during Restaurant Week.
🇫🇷 Petite Cerise: The Dabney team's new French spot in Shaw is lovely and serves true bistro fare including mussel soup and chicken ballotine (dinner, $55).
🕊️ Ellie Bird: The RW menu looks fun (salmon poke, kimchi bouillabaisse) at the new West Falls Church spot from Michelin-starred Rooster & Owl (dinner, $55).
🇸🇬 Jiwa Singapura: Cranes chef Pepe Moncayo brings a rare Singaporean restaurant to Tysons and the RW menu looks promising — as do optional wine pairings for lunch ($11) and dinner ($20).
🍢 Joon: Famed Persian cookbook author Najmieh Batmanglij is behind this Tysons newcomer specializing in kabobs and fragrant rices (lunch and dinner, $55).
💃 Philippe Chow: The Wharf's splashy Chinese export from NYC serves upscale plates for RW including filet mignon and green beans or wok-seared branzino (dinner, $55).
Zoom out: The Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington's Restaurant Week isn't the only one coming. Alexandria Restaurant Week (Aug. 18-27) brings $25, $35, and $45 prix-fixe dinners to 70-plus Virginia restaurants.
- There's also an eclectic lineup for Fairfax City Restaurant Week (Sept. 4-10) and Maryland Restaurant Week (Sept. 15-24).
Thought bubble: I've collected some restaurant week hacks and golden rules over the years.
🍳 Brunch and lunch are the best values for $25. I'd check out Mediterranean garden Iron Gate, glam Italian L'Ardente, All-Purpose brunch, or New Orleans-style Dauphine's.
🍽️ Dinner at a pricey restaurant is more of a "deal" where entrées alone can be $40. Think Michelin-starred participants like Cranes, Gravitas, and Bresca.
🕰️ Don't overlook older spots — they've had years of RW experience. I'm thinking of classics such as Sushi Taro, Rasika, and Central.
👀 Search RW menus. It's a good sign when they're similar to regular menus (e.g. Convivial) or on the flip side, new and playful (e.g. Unconventional Diner). Beware dumbed-down ones that sound like airline food (chicken or fish?).
🍷 Alcohol really adds to the tab, but you can search the RW site for drink specials. Oh hey, free mimosas at Lulu's Wine Garden brunch.
🙂 Tip generously and be nice to your server — it's Restaurant Week for you, maybe hell week for them.