Chercher Ethiopian Restaurant in Washington DC is the second-floor 9th Street rowhouse Ethiopian dining room in Shaw's Little Ethiopia, a no-reservations.
Editorially verified May 30, 2026 by Lewis Vaughan, TableJourney editor. Source.
Signature dishes: Shiro chickpea stew, Vegetarian combination platter
Must order: The shiro chickpea stew with extra injera; the menu's editorial signature.
Tip: No reservations; the staircase line moves fastest at 17:30 on weeknights and crowds outside the door by 19:00. Cash and card both accepted.
Address: 1334 9th St NW, Washington, DC 20001, Washington DC
Dukem Ethiopian Restaurant in Washington DC is the U Street Ethiopian dining room since 1997, the older sister to Etete and a U Street institution.
Signature: Kitfo, Tibs
Order: The kitfo (Ethiopian raw beef tartare) leb leb or rare with mitmita spice; the room's deepest cut.
Tip: Live Ethiopian music plays Friday and Saturday from 21:00; the back booth is the quietest table.
Dukem Ethiopian Restaurant in Washington DC is the U Street Ethiopian dining room since 1997, the older sister to Etete and a U Street institution.
Signature: Kitfo, Tibs
Order: The kitfo (Ethiopian raw beef tartare) leb leb or rare with mitmita spice; the room's deepest cut.
Tip: Live Ethiopian music plays Friday and Saturday from 21:00; the back booth is the quietest table.
Pizzeria Paradiso Georgetown in Washington DC is the M Street wood-fired pizza sister on the canal, the Georgetown branch of Ruth Gresser's Dupont Circle.
Signature: Wood-fired Neapolitan pizza, Atomica
Order: The Genovese with pesto, potatoes and green beans; the Genoese signature of the menu.
Tip: The patio runs from April to October and overlooks the C&O Canal towpath; book a sunset seat.
Le Sel in Washington DC is the modern French bistro inside the Kimpton Banneker Hotel near Logan Circle on 16th Street, a Parisian-leaning room with a recent.
Signature: Cassoulet, Steak frites with bearnaise
Order: The cassoulet that won the authentic-category world award; the menu's editorial anchor.
Tip: Breakfast service from 07:00 daily is the hidden value; dinner books out a week ahead on Resy.
Doi Moi in Washington DC is the 14th Street Southeast Asian dining room from the Eat Group, a Thai-Vietnamese-Lao kitchen with an outdoor patio and a deep.
Signature: Khao soi, Whole fish in tamarind
Order: The khao soi northern Thai curry noodles; the menu's most-ordered single dish.
Tip: The patio runs from April to October and is the better seat at sunset; the bar takes walk-ups.
Thip Khao in Washington DC is Seng Luangrath's Columbia Heights Laotian dining room on 14th Street, a casual room with a separate spicy-jungle-menu insert.
Signature: Laotian beef larb, Sticky rice
Order: The crispy rice salad (nem khao) with cured pork; the menu's most-ordered single dish.
Tip: Ask for the off-menu jungle insert by name; the larb on it is far hotter than the standard menu.
Sette Osteria on 14th Street in Washington DC is the Logan Circle Italian sister of the Dupont original on the corner of 14th and Q, with an open wood-fired.
Signature: House-made pasta, Wood-fired pizza
Order: The bucatini cacio e pepe with cracked black pepper; one of the kitchen's house-made pasta anchors.
Tip: Saturday brunch from 10:00 takes walk-ins faster than dinner; the patio runs through October on the corner.
