Vace (Cleveland Park)
The most underrated restaurant in D.C. and one of the few places you can get an excellent pie for $15. Washingtonian food critic Ann Limpert told us, “Vace is one place that, if it closed, would feel like a death.”
Vegz (Adams Morgan)
This casual vegetarian Indian joint is as neighborhood-y as it gets and doesn't get the hype it deserves. Giant dosas, fried lentil donuts, and crispy chaat all served on paper plates in an AdMo English basement, delicious.
Meat & Foods (Bloomingdale)
A half-smoke will run you $8 at this cozy sandwich shop (don’t tell anyone, but we think it’s better than Ben’s Chili Bowl’s 🤫) and their mambo sauce is some of the best in D.C.
Lighthouse Tofu Café (Annandale)
I make my way to Annandale at least once a month for the kimchi jjigae at this under-the-radar Korean spot. It's in my top five DMV restaurants despite never appearing on any Michelin or Eater list.
Amore Eats (Rockville)
This Taiwanese spot doesn’t have a website and serves out of a gas station. But, it’s some of the best Taiwanese restaurants in the DMV, serving up stinky tofu, popcorn chicken and noodle bowls for cheap.
Maketto (H Street)
Cambodian and Taiwanese cooking is paired with craft cocktails and a retail space downstairs. Maketto had lots of hype when it opened but remains a staple on H Street for a reason.
Lighthouse Tofu Café. (Kaela Cote-Stemmermann/City Cast DC)
Red Light (14th Street)
More than just a bar, Red Light has the best Detroit-style pizza in town. Their pastry chef spent years working to perfect the dough and it shows.
Frankly … Pizza! (Kensington)
This tiny pizza shop makes everything from scratch, including their own bacon. Ann recommends the Hot Mess with jalapeños, house-cured bacon, and caramelized onions.
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