Valentine’s Day Guide to Michelin-Starred Dining in DC
Chef Patrick O’Connell of The Inn at Little Washington, DC’s only 3 Michelin-Starred restaurant.
With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, we’ve put together a comprehensive Valentine’s Day Guide to Michelin-starred dining in DC!
From creole to contemporary cuisine and everything in between, this list covers the 20 Michelin-starred spots across the city (that are currently open) plus 4 new additions! Restaurants that are Michelin-starred but currently closed have not been added to the list, including Pineapple and Pearls, Komi, and Plume.
Let’s dive in!
New to the List
This year, Michelin is handling things a bit differently than in the past. Rather than announcing the new additions & their associated stars at the end of the year, Michelin is instead teasing which restaurants are up for the honor and will spend the remainder of the year determining where they land on the list; announcements will come at the beginning of 2023.
In 2022, 4 DC restaurants are being considered: Bammy’s (Navy Yard), Dauphine’s (Logan Circle), Moon Rabbit (The Wharf), and Oyster Oyster (Shaw).
Bammy’s (Navy Yard)
Cuisine: Caribbean
301 Water St SE Suite 115, Washington, DC 20003
The drinks & plates being served at Bammy’s by co-owners/executive chefs Gerald Addison and Chris Morgan as well as Jamaican-born chef de cuisine Nico Leslie are nothing short of phenomenal; it’s no wonder this restaurant is up for consideration.
Favorites include options like “The Bammy,” a vegan/gluten-free/nut-free cassava root flatbread, which is a staple in Jamaica. Soaked in coconut milk and fried until perfectly golden brown, “The Bammy” is the perfect vessel to absorb all of the flavors on your plate!
Check out Bammy’s full site & menus for yourself.
Special features: patio, rooftop, and garden dining options, brunch + live DJ set Saturdays 12-6pm, happy hour daily from 4-6pm, and a special Valentine’s Day menu
Dauphine’s (Logan Circle)
Cuisine: Creole
1100 15th St NW, Washington, DC 20005
Featured in our blog Top 14 Happy Hour Spots Around DC, Dauphine’s is top-tier and not to be missed.
In celebration of Valentine’s Day, Dauphine’s is serving a three course menu at $95 per guest on Monday, February 14th. Additional raw bar, boucherie, and supplemental items will be available for purchase. Guests may also opt to enjoy Wine Director Mark Thompson’s wine pairings at $70 per guest.
Executive Chef Kristen Essig will also be offering specials through the weekend of February 11-13th.
Explore more about Dauphine’s.
Special features: outdoor dining options, happy hour Monday-Sunday 5-6:30pm
Moon Rabbit (The Wharf)
Cuisine: Vietnamese
801 Wharf St SW, Washington, DC 20024
Moon Rabbit, named for the virtuous rabbit in the Buddhist Jataka tale, is a modern Vietnamese restaurant located in the heart of The Wharf in Washington D.C. An innovative approach to Vietnamese cuisine best describes acclaimed Chef Kevin Tien’s unique and complex menu, intended to be a love-letter to his heritage as a first generation Asian-American.
From an amazing dinner menu to specialty drinks & brunch, chef Tien has mastered it all.
Check out the full site & menus for yourself!
Special features: COVID-19 vaccination entry requirement, brunch Saturday & Sunday 11:30am-2:30pm
Oyster Oyster (Shaw)
Cuisine: Vegetarian
1440 8th St NW, Washington, DC 20001
Oyster Oyster focuses on offering local, sustainable, and seasonal dining options.
From Michelin: “Chef Rob Rubba’s creations are delicious insights into what is possible with vegetables. Thin strands of fried celery root weaved around smoked tofu and garnished with onion powder [are] delicate and replete with umami. Roasted lion’s mane mushroom with spring onion mole and [black-eyed] peas is a combination you didn’t know you were craving.”
See what Oyster Oyster has to offer for yourself!
Special features: ample vegetarian/vegan options
3 Stars
Three Michelin Stars: “Exceptional cuisine, worth a special journey!”
The Inn at Little Washington
Cuisine: American, French
309 Middle St., Washington, 22747, United States
In 2019, The Inn at Little Washington became the first and only 3 Star Michelin restaurant in the Washington, DC metropolitan area. The Inn is also the longest tenured Forbes 5 Star and AAA Five Diamond restaurant in the world.
Patrick’s approach to cooking, while paying homage to the lawmakers of Classical French Cuisine, reflects a belief in American cuisine today – healthy, eclectic, imaginative, unrestricted and always growing. Much of the produce and herbs used in the restaurant are grown & raised on a small, on-campus farm run by their Farmer in Residence, Joneve Murphy. As such, The Inn also holds the Michelin Green Star for Gastronomy and Sustainability
Check out both “The Gastonaut’s Menu” & “The Good Earth Menu” on the Little Inn’s website.
Special features: luxury suites available for rent
2 Stars
Two Michelin Stars: “Excellent cooking, worth a detour!”
Jônt | Contemporary
Cuisine: Contemporary
1906 14th St. NW, Washington, 20009, United States
Dining at Jônt, Ryan Ratino’s daring offshoot of sister restaurant Bresca, which sits just above, is an intimate, immersive experience, replete with surprises.
Jônt is a team of young and inspired chefs taking down the walls between kitchen and guests and taking you on roads less traveled.
The tasting menu of 32 preparations features some of the best ingredients of the world! Jônt’s winter menu focuses especially on extraordinary Japanese seafood.
Get a full preview of the experience on Jônt’s website.
minibar
Cuisine: Contemporary
855 E St. NW, Washington, 20004, United States
Minibar, a two Michelin-starred restaurant, is a study in avant-garde cooking where each bite is designed to thrill the senses by pushing the limits of what we have come to expect – and what is possible – from food. The creations combine art and science, as well as tradition and technique, to deliver an imaginative and progressive tasting menu, offered at a communal setting.
View both the food & drink menu on their site.
1 Star
One Michelin Star: “High quality cooking, worth a stop!”
Bresca
Cuisine: Contemporary, American
1906 14th St. NW, Washington, 20000, United States
Bresca is a contemporary Parisian bistro showcasing techniques rooted in France but influenced by our regionality, carefully sourcing only the best ingredients from both the mid atlantic & abroad.
Building off the vibrant food scene of Paris’s Neo-bistro movement, Bresca displays an inspiring take on French cuisine in a relaxing environment. This enables their genuine approach to food & hospitality to shine.
Bresca was recognized with one star in the 2019, 2020 & 2021 Michelin guides.
Learn more about Bresca on their website.
Special features: Sunday brunch
Cranes
Cuisine: Spanish, Contemporary
724 9th St. NW, Washington, 20001, United States
Explore the intersections of Spanish and Japanese cuisine at Cranes, a restaurant and sake lounge by chef Pepe Moncayo.
Chef Pepe’s contemporary dishes spotlight the similarities he has found with the ingredients, techniques and culinary viewpoints of Japan and Spain. From cooking style to ingredient and flavor combinations, his Spanish Kaiseki is a natural cultural and culinary marriage.
The design of the 12,000 square foot restaurant space includes a striking bar, large sake lounge, raised dining area, open kitchen, and private dining room suitable for 30 guests. The sleek, modern, yet approachable space draws on the chef’s Spanish and Japanese influences.
Check out their seasonal tapas, desserts and bento omakase menus.
Elcielo D.C.
Cuisine: Colombian, Contemporary
1280 4th St. NE, Washington, 20002, United States
A renowned fine dining establishment, offering Colombian dishes & a high-concept tasting menu, Elcielo strives to create unique and carefully created experiences that tap into all your senses. The food and ambiance will transport you to the beautiful beaches of Caertagena and the mysterious corners of the Amazon jungle. The menu includes 22 courses, steps, and dishes of varying size and composition as well as surprising sensory moments.
Check out the full Elcielo experience for yourself.
Fiola
Cuisine: Italian, Contemporary
601 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, 20004, United States
High-end restaurant serving rustic Italian food & creative cocktails in a modern, upscale space.
Fiola boasts 4 different tasting menus to choose from, Il Viagggio, La Traidizione, L’incontro, and Calvisius Caviar, as well as a beverage menu and full wine list.
Check out all the Fiola has to offer!
Special features: COVID-19 vaccination entry requirement
Gravitas
Cuisine: Contemporary, American
1401 Okie St. NE, Washington, 20002, United States
Gravitas is a Modern American restaurant by Chef Matt Baker, dedicated to seasonal cooking and sourcing from local farms and waters. The menu showcases the bounty of the Chesapeake Bay watershed in thoughtful, delicious, and beautiful dishes that aim to nourish and surprise.
Gravitas is celebrating Valentine’s Day with a 4 course experience, with optional wine pairings from Sommelier Angelo Perez. Champagne and Caviar Supplemental Course available as an add-on! Interested in dining at home? To-go offerings are also available.
See all that Gravitas has to offer!
Special features: special Valentine’s Day Menu, rooftop bar & lounge
Kinship
Cuisine: French, French Contemporary
1015 7th St. NW, Washington, 20001, United States
Kinship is Chef Eric Ziebold’s vision of what the modern American restaurant can be and offers an à la carte menu celebrating the rich diversity of influences that have come to shape American cuisine.
Menu items include specialty items such as Osetra Caviar with Yukon Gold Potato Chips and Crème Fraîche, Chef’s version of “Chips and Dip”, or Maine Lobster French Toast with Marinated Rhubarb, and Cucumber and Sesame Mousse.
The restaurant offers 59 seats plus a 15 seat bar with lounge area and fireplace.
Check out the full Kinship experience for yourself!
Little Pearl
Cuisine: Contemporary
921 Pennsylvania Ave. SE, Washington, 20003, United States
Sophisticated restaurant in an intimate setting offering a fixed price menu & wine pairings. Menu items include specials such as angel eggs, roasted heritage chicken & smoked eel, and smoked bone marrow croquettes!
Check out the full Little Pearl experience on their website!
Masseria
Cuisine: Italian, Regional Cuisine
1340 4th St. NE, Washington, 20002, United States
Nicholas Stefanelli’s Puglian-inspired prix fixe menus are served in an Italian country–chic setting.
Masseria’s six-course La Cucina tasting menu showcases a deeply satisfying range of Chef Nicholas Stefanelli’s signature cuisine: inventive and elegant, inspired by his love of the Italian coast, and subject to masterful flights of his culinary imagination. Each course will become a virtual trip to Italy.
The menu changes regularly as Masseria sources the freshest ingredients and products, from local farms as well as at markets across Europe, to ensure a curated dining experience that features the very best, every day.
See all that Masseria has to offer!
Special features: COVID-19 vaccination entry requirement
Maydān
Cuisine: Middle Eastern, Grills
1346 Florida Ave. NW, Washington, 20000, United States
Rose Previte’s trendsetting eatery showcases Caucasian, North African & Middle Eastern cuisines.
This Valentine’s Day, Maydān is offering an exclusive dining experience. Some of the specially crafted menu items for the evening include a jeweled rice stuffed quail, hearth roasted kefir yogurt potatoes, and whiskey soaked lamb kebabs.
Check out the full Maydān experience for yourself!
Special features: COVID-19 vaccination entry requirement, outdoor dining
Métier
Cuisine: Contemporary, Modern French
1015 7th St. NW, Washington, 20001, United States
Métier, a tasting menu and experience focused restaurant, is a small & intimate restaurant, seating only 20 guests, and is owned by acclaimed Chef Eric Ziebold and partner Célia Laurent.
Accessible by private elevator, guests have the option to first relax and unwind in a private salon with hors d’oeuvres and glass of Champagne before entering the dining room with partial views of the Chef’s kitchen. Dinner at Métier revolves around a chef-driven experience, with a creative seven-course tasting menu.
See all that Métier has to offer.
Special features: COVID-19 vaccination entry requirement
Rooster & Owl
Cuisine: Contemporary, Fusion
2436 14th St. NW, Washington, 20009, United States
Upscale restaurant, offering modern American tasting menus & wine in a cozy dining room with a patio.
At Rooster & Owl, you build your own 4-course, seasonal meal to be enjoyed by the table. Options include favorites like octopus ceviche, grilled mackerel, gnocchi, short rib, pork belly, old fashioned chess pie, coconut croquettes, and so much more!
Check out the full Rooster & Owl experience on their site!
Special features: outdoor dining options
Rose’s Luxury
Cuisine: Contemporary
717 8th St. SE, Washington, 20003, United States
Eclectic New American small plates menu crafted in a cozy, converted townhouse with an upstairs bar.
At Rose’s, everyone at the table chooses two dishes from the menu (so 3 guests = 6 dishes, 4 guests = 8 dishes, and so on). Also included is Rose’s Bread Service and one of their slightly ridiculously-sized desserts! Menu items include favorites like, the pork & lychee salad, mentaiko spaghetti, Chef Gerard’s famed poached lobster, beignets & bananas, old school chocolate souffle, and so much more! Check out the full menu for yourself.
Also, for every meal eaten at Rose’s, they will donate 25 cents to the WFP-USA to help feed a hungry child around the world. Every 25 cents provides a meal in school and take-home rations for one child. So far: 261,257 meals served.
Visit Rose’s Luxury’s site for a preview into the full experience.
Special features: giveback program
Sushi Nakazawa
Cuisine: Japanese, Sushi
1100 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, 20004, United States
Sushi Nakazawa serves a Nigiri-sushi exclusive “Omakase” menu consisting of approximately Twenty pieces of Nigiri, sourced globally with a special focus on Japan.
The Omakase Menu is priced at $180 at the Sushi Counter. The Dining Room offers the same Omakase priced at $150. Sushi Nakazawa also offers a full beverage menu.
Check out the full Sushi Nakazawa experience for yourself!
Special features: COVID-19 vaccination entry requirement
Sushi Taro
Cuisine: Japanese, Seasonal Cuisine
1503 17th St. NW, Washington, 20036, United States
High-end sushi spot with an eight course Kaiseki tasting menu, regular entree menu, kitchen food menu, sushi a la carte menu, sweets menu, and several sake & other drink menus.
See all that Sushi Taro has to offer!
Tail Up Goat
Cuisine: Contemporary
1827 Adams Mill Rd. NW, Washington, 20009, United States
A hip bistro, serving creative Mediterranean fare & Caribbean-inspired drinks in modern surrounds, Tail Up Goat is a neighborhood restaurant based in the historic Adams Morgan enclave of Washington, DC.
This Valentine’s Day, Tail Up Goat is offering a special, family-style menu with a spin on their steakhouse favorites.
Check out the full Tail Up Goat experience for yourself!
Special features: Valentine’s Day Menu
The Dabney
Cuisine: American
122 Blagden Alley NW, Washington, 20001, United States
Chef Jeremiah Langhorne serves Mid-Atlantic cuisine at this rustic spot set in a former row house.
The dinner menu includes a chestnut, white truffle soup, Surryano ham with mustard, and beef tartare on Sunchoke chips to start. Choose either radicchio, grilled hen, or charred cabbage for the first course, and roasted vegetables, Atlantic fluke, or Rohan duck leg confit for the main course. For dessert, enjoy either a sticky plum pudding, baked Virginia, or Birchrun Hills Fat Cat Cheese, apple butter, pumpernickel and winter fruit!
Check out the full menu, including beverage options, for yourself!
Xiquet
Cuisine: Spanish
2404 Wisconsin Ave. NW, Washington, 20007, United States
Valencian Fine Dining in DC.
Xiquet (chee-KETT), by international award-winning Chef Danny Lledó, joined the select ranks of MICHELIN Star restaurants in DC in 2021, just one year after first welcoming guests to the intimate dining room in Glover Park. Xiquet is now known as one of the best fine dining restaurants in Washington DC for its modern Spanish cuisine that showcases the finest products from around the world, served with warm, Mediterranean hospitality.
A meal at Xiquet consists of a 14-course culinary experience that begins with tantalizing canapés and aperitivos at the Chef’s Counter on the first level, where you can settle in with a round of drinks while you peruse the Chef’s Menu (updated regularly to reflect the season and the freshest ingredients) at your leisure.
From there, you are guided upstairs to the airy top-floor dining room for a chef-driven experience, often featuring rare jewels like the Red Prawn of Dénia and an extensive yet focused wine list. The experience concludes in our elegant mezzanine lounge with after-dinner treats created by the in-house pastry chef.
Check out the full Xiquet experience for yourself!
Happy Valentine’s Day & Bon Appétit!
We hope you enjoyed this Valentine’s Day Guide to Michelin-Starred Dining in DC as much as we enjoyed putting it together!
Check back with us for more local guides, coming at you weekly!
