My Favorite Restaurants in the DMV

Now that I have lived in the Washington, DC, area for over a year, these are my favorite restaurants. They are not in any particular order.

Franklin’s, Hyattsville, MD: American food in an old mercantile. The restaurant owns several shops and a tiki bar. It’s a whole day outing. Serves locally sourced meat.

Ruthie’s All Day, Arlington, VA: Southern food. They have excellent “white sauce” wings. Outdoor seating.

Woodmont Grille, Bethesda, MD: American food. Dark wood and they ask you not to speak too loud. Classy place.

Penny Royal Station. Mt. Rainer, MD: American food. Another secret place.

Caphe Banh Mi, Alexandria, VA: Vietnamese food. Serve banh mi with liver pate. One of the few places that still serve have this “classic” style.

Mandu Erang, Annandale, VA: Korean food. It’s an old school place in a tiny house in the middle of a parking lot.

Mum Aroi, Baileys Crossroads, VA: Thai food. Best authentic place we’ve found so far. “Mum aroi” is “it’s tasty” in Thai.

Le Diplomate, Washington, DC: French food. Busy, but the cheese balls and the seafood tower are worth the crowds.

L’Ardente, Washington, DC: Italian food. Best “cesare” salad evah!

IndoChen, Alexandria, VA: Indian Chinese food. Stick with the Indian food. The chicken breast marinated in yogurt is a weekly food for me.

Y Noodles, Falls Church: a new place that serves authentic (no tea served here!) spicy noodles and other Chinese food from Chongqin.

Cielo Rojo, Takoma Park, Maryland: High class, world class, cosmopolitan, Mexican food. Also includes a vegan menu. Really good food.