These 4 VA, DC Restaurants 'Define Dining,' New Top 100 Ranking Says

Four Virginia and D.C. restaurants have been named to a ranking of 100 nationwide that “delight their communities and make them better.”

Resy, an online restaurant reservation service, said “The Resy 100” is a “curation of restaurants that thrill us, that serve exceptional food that alternately might be comforting or daring, traditional or completely new.”

“These are places that make us want to return again and again, and define the best of our dining culture today,” the company, which represents some 10,000 eateries nationwide, said with the release of the rankings.

“... They don’t have to be new,” the company said of the 100 restaurants on the list. “They don’t have to have a famous chef at the helm. They could be absolutely anywhere — as we’ve learned, a great meal can find you where you least expect it, whether you’ve traversed the country or just headed down the block. They are, simply, excellent and cherished. They delight their communities, and make them better.”

Restaurants from Virginia and Washington, D.C., included in the ranking are:

Lutèce, 1522 Wisconsin Ave. NW, Washington, D.C., ranked No. 3

Resy said: "Matt Conroy and his wife Isabel Coss have created a postmodern chef dynasty in Washington, of the best sort. … Lutèce has become a destination for bold, boundless French cooking: dishes like skewered duck hearts with a jus and mandarinquat — Conroy’s latest twist on duck à l’orange — or Parisian gnocchi with snails and fermented butter, or a steak tartare spiked with harissa."

Tapori, 600 H St. NE, Washington, D.C., ranked No. 7

Resy said: "Tapori exudes colorful warmth and energy, plus a much bigger bar and an open kitchen, where diners can catch a glimpse of the fiery fanfare, including a “leg’o lamb” kebab seasoned with black garlic, and green cardamom."

St. James, 2017 14th St. NW, Washington, D.C., ranked No. 31

Resy said: "When psychologist Jeanine Prime opened St. James in 2022, her goal was to pay tribute to her Trinidadian roots — but also to acknowledge how D.C. is a city built on many diaspora traditions. So there’s calaloo soup and oxtails with pigeon peas, but also Trini-style bao stuffed with ground pork, a paratha and roti platter with a bevy of curries, and seafood black rice that’s a gorgeous reinterpretation of paella."

Alewife, 3120 E. Marshall St., Richmond ranked No. 86

Resy said: "Lee Gregory’s knack for improbable flavor combinations have earned him plenty of very worthy acclaim, including three James Beard nominations. This shows up in a dill-spiked fish dip, a hearty skate wing with Sea Island red peas, scallops with green farro and black garlic. Cocktails follow along a similar vein (the Sail On combines gin, rosé, Salers aperitif, and cream sherry) and the net effect is a sort of charming coastal cooking."

SEE ALSO:

• 3 VA, DC Restaurants Among 50 Best In U.S., New York Times Says In Ranking
• This Is Guy Fieri's Favorite Virginia Restaurant
• 3 VA Neighborhoods Named Among Best For Outdoor Dining
• The Best Places To Eat In VA, DC For 2024: The Ultimate List