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 dishes: Crab cakes, Oyster Happy Hour
Must 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.
Address: 675 15th St NW, Washington, DC 20005, Washington DC
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.
The Salt Line in Washington DC is the Navy Yard New England-style seafood room overlooking Diamond Teague Park, with Connecticut-style lobster rolls and a 30-oyster raw bar selection.
Signature: Lobster roll, Oysters by the dozen
Order: The hot Connecticut-style lobster roll on a butter-toasted bun; the menu favourite since opening.
Tip: Patio runs from April to October and faces the Anacostia; book a sunset slot and walk to a Nationals game after.
Convivial in Washington DC is Cedric Maupillier's Shaw French-American dining room on the corner of 8th and O, with a coq-au-vin pot pie that the room has carried since 2015.
Signature: Coq au vin pot pie, Crispy chicken leg confit
Order: The coq au vin pot pie is the kitchen's signature and the dish that built the room.
Tip: The corner banquette is the room's prize seat; the bar counter runs the full menu without the reservation pressure.
Tail Up Goat in Washington DC is Bill Jensen, Jill Tyler and Jon Sybert's Adams Morgan Mediterranean small-plates room on Adams Mill, a Michelin-star kitchen with deep house-baked breads.
Signature: Lamb ribs, House-made pastas
Order: The smoked lamb ribs with sumac; the room's longest-running dish and the menu's editorial focal point.
Tip: The bread plate is not optional; order it first and ask for the soft-butter add-on. Sunday tasting menu is the value pick.
Bresca in Washington DC is Ryan Ratino's Michelin-star 14th Street dining room above the boutique scene, a 60-seat space with a beekeeping rooftop and a four-course tasting menu.
Signature: Hand-cut pastas, Tasting menu courses
Order: Whichever pasta course is on the tasting; Ratino's hand-cut shapes change weekly.
Tip: The downstairs Bresca takes a la carte; the upstairs Jont (separate venue) is the tasting-menu sister.
