Le Diplomate in Washington DC is Stephen Starr's 14th Street brasserie at the P Street corner, the city's anchor French room since 2013 with a wraparound patio and a 7am pastry pickup.
Signature dishes: Steak frites, Onion soup gratinee
Must order: The steak frites with bearnaise; it has been on the menu since opening night and remains the room's most-ordered dish.
Tip: The walk-in bar takes the same menu and runs at a third the wait. Brunch is the busiest slot of the week.
Address: 1601 14th St NW, Washington, DC 20009, Washington DC
Jaleo in Washington DC is Jose Andres's 7th Street Spanish tapas room, the kitchen that opened ThinkFoodGroup in 1993 and codified DC's modern small-plates dining template.
Signature: Gambas al ajillo, Paella valenciana
Order: The paella valenciana with rabbit, snail and green bean; ordered table-wide and finished with a torch.
Tip: Lunch is the easier reservation; the sherry list runs deep into Manzanilla pasada that the bartenders will pour by the glass.
Zaytinya in Washington DC is Jose Andres's Penn Quarter Eastern Mediterranean room on 9th Street since 2002, a high-ceiling space drawing from Greek, Turkish and Lebanese kitchens.
Signature: Spicy fries with feta, Wood-grilled octopus
Order: The Greek-style spiced fries with feta; the most-ordered single dish in the room.
Tip: Pre-theatre reservations from 17:00 are the fastest seat; the upstairs bar runs the full menu without the reservation pressure.
Fiola Mare in Washington DC is Fabio and Maria Trabocchi's Georgetown waterfront seafood room on K Street, a Potomac-facing dining hall with a crudo bar and a Sunday-best Italian list.
Signature: Crudo platter, Whole fish for the table
Order: The crudo platter to start; the kitchen builds it from whatever was unloaded that morning.
Tip: The patio runs from April to October; Sunday lunch on the water with a glass of vermentino is the room's editorial best moment.
Old Ebbitt Grill in Washington DC is the city's oldest saloon, founded 1856 and now serving 1.5 million guests a year across four bars at its 15th Street home near the White House.
Signature: Crab cakes, Oyster Happy Hour
Order: The crab cake plate; the kitchen runs through 1000 cakes a week and the binder is invisibly thin.
Tip: The 15:00 to 18:00 oyster Happy Hour is the city's best seafood deal at $1.95 each; sit at the Old Bar.
Annabelle in Washington DC is Frank Ruta's elegant Dupont Circle dining room on Florida Avenue, the Knightsbridge Group's most polished kitchen with a French foundation and a market focus.
Signature: Wagyu tartare, Whole roasted duck for two
Order: The whole roasted duck for two, carved tableside; pre-order on the booking page.
Tip: The chef's counter overlooks the kitchen pass and is the better booking for the food show; book at lunch for a calmer pace.
Maketto in Washington DC is Erik Bruner-Yang's H Street Cambodian-Taiwanese cafe and dining room, with a sneaker boutique on the ground floor and a courtyard room beyond the kitchen.
Signature: Fried chicken, Beef pho-style stew
Order: The Taiwanese fried chicken sandwich on a Maketto-baked bun; the menu has carried it since opening.
Tip: Brunch service runs Cambodian breakfast plates that the dinner menu skips; the courtyard bar is the local move.
