Rob Rubba at the 2023 James Beard Awards in Chicago. | Photo by Jeff Schear/Getty Images for The James Beard Foundation The sustainable chef in Shaw was the only local winner this year  At a glitzy red-carpet gala last night at the Lyric Opera in Chicago, the James Beard Awards honored the American hospitality industry across multiple categories like best new restaurant, emerging chef, outstanding bar, and regional best chef. A la best picture-style at the Oscars, the final award of the three-hour seated ceremony was reserved for outstanding chef. The anticipated nationwide accolade went ..read more

Scenes from a past Pride parade in D.C. | Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images From shimmering spirits to drag brunches to benefits, here’s how to properly ring in Pride this June Capital Pride festivities kicked off with DC Black Pride over Memorial Day weekend. The official Capital Pride Opening Party is Friday, June 9 at Northeast club Echostage. The big Capital Pride Parade on Saturday, June 10, takes over neighborhood streets of Logan Circle and Dupont. Pride weekend wraps with a festival and concert on Pennsylvania Avenue NW on Sunday, June 11, featuring the iconic Idina Menzel. This map t ..read more

Bar Alegria’s beverage director Jose Cox and co-founder William Martinez shaking it up. | Rey Lopez/Eater DC The 26-seat love letter to Latin America brings Northeast expert espresso martinis and avocado-accented cocktails Scents of slow-burnt palo santo wood wafting through the air welcomes customers to Bar Alegria. “This is our special ritual to help settle us into the night shift,” co-founder William Martinez tells Eater. Smells of the sacred tree from his native South America is just the start of many sensory reminders of home. Rey Lopez/Eater DC Homemade tablets of pure ground and ro ..read more

Any Day Now’s opening menu centers around this scallion-pancake breakfast sandwich. | Birch Thomas Chef Tim Ma’s Any Day Now opens Thursday, June 1, with a stellar scallion-pancake creation Any Day Now, the anticipated Navy Yard newcomer from tenured D.C. chef and restaurateur Tim Ma, puts all its eggs into one daytime sandwich to start. The polished, 75-seat cafe breathes fresh life into the old home of ABC Pony, Erik Bruner-Yang’s Italian-Asian hotspot that closed in 2022 at the foot of the snazzy Novel South Capitol apartment complex (2 I Street SE). Any Day Now’s opening menu goes all in o ..read more

Bigeye tuna, avocado cream, nori seaweed, caviar, Mediterranean ponzu sauce, and assorted tapioca strips. | John Rorapaugh for LeadingDC A big-name Spanish chef with impressive Vegas credentials brings The Grove to Potomac this summer Alexandria-based Common Plate Hospitality (Mason Social, Urbano, Augie’s Mussel House, Junction Bistro) steps out of its casual comfort zone in July with the opening of an ambitious Potomac restaurant with gastronomic appeal. Nestled in the Cabin John Village shopping center, the Grove’s Mediterranean-hopping menu will showcase flavors and techniques synonymous w ..read more

Kraken Kourts & Skates opened in mid-May. | Fredde Lieberman The pickleball-centric sports complex swings open with food truck eats and canned beverages The pandemic-fueled penchant for the popular paddle-based game gets a local boost at Kraken Kourts & Skates, a ginormous sports complex that recently arrived in Edgewood’s booming Bryant Street NE development. Fredde Lieberman The pickleball court welcomes novices and local leagues. The shiny new center lines up 14 pickleball courts alongside D.C.’s only indoor roller-skating rink. Capitalizing on the fastest-growing sport in the count ..read more

A free-flowing fountain of bubbly, a tradition normally reserved for New Year’s Eve, is a frequent party trick at Josephine. | Rey Lopez/Leading DC Neighborhood Restaurant Group’s first French brasserie pops open on Wednesday, June 7 D.C.’s recent French restaurant revolution will cross the Potomac River next month with opening of Josephine, bringing Old Town an exciting new spot for martini service, escargots, beef Bourguignon, and big bottles of bubbly. Neighborhood Restaurant Group’s charming new French bistro (109 S. St. Asaph Street, Alexandria, Virginia) breathes new life into the old Co ..read more

Crudite (cucumbers, baby radish, baby carrots and feta) and roasted red pepper dip at Meli. | Jonni Scott Meli opens on Tuesday, May 23, with small plates, wines, and a unique membership model The Adams Morgan neighborhood nets a casual meze bar on Tuesday, May 23. Meli (1630 Columbia Road NW) comes from Eastern Point Collective, the restaurant group behind The Duck & The Peach, La Collina, and The Wells on Capitol Hill. Jonni Scott Htipiti (roasted red pepper and feta) joins a little gem salad with labneh dressing, dill, and pickled fresno. Jonni Scott Skewered snacks and dips. Situated ..read more

Allegory has a new “Garden of Live Flowers” cocktail. | Aphra Adkins Where to find drinks bursting with florals, fruit, and savory ingredients Spring is in full swing, which means seasonal cocktail ingredients like citrus and coconut are back at D.C. bars. And savory drinks with salty and briny flavor profiles remain a top trend as temperatures continue to rise ..read more

Chef Kwame Onwuachi opens a new restaurant this fall inside the Salamander Washington DC. | Storm Santos The Top Chef star will spearhead an exciting new project inside the Salamander Washington DC this fall Acclaimed chef Kwame Onwuachi makes a triumphant comeback to D.C. this fall with the opening of a new restaurant at the foot of the fancy Salamander Washington DC. The national culinary icon and author, who plans to make the blockbuster announcement today alongside Salamander Collection CEO Sheila Johnson, will reveal his restaurant’s name, cuisine, and theme at a later date. The 200-seat ..read more