2024 has started off with a bang in the D.C. area, with lots of new venues opening their doors and highlighting cuisines from around the world. Several of these new venues are serving exciting, innovative vegetarian dishes packed with flavor and almost too beautiful to eat. I know that many of you are looking to lower your meat consumption so here are five new D.C. restaurants with vegetarian dishes that will make you keep your resolutions! Italian – Grazie Mille Trendy and chic, Grazie Mille, located behind its sister venue, Grazie Nonna, is already a hit amongst locals. Low lighting, invig ..read more

The coldest months of the year are upon and here at the Dining Traveler, we think food is the solution to most problems. Treat yourself to one of these steaming bowls of noodle soup will not only help you survive the frigid temperatures but actually enjoy the winter season. Because we love food from around the globe, we have noodle soups from five different Asian countries; each bursts with bright and bold flavors to bring you warmth and comfort all winter long! Here are our picks for places for noodle soup in D.C.: Malaysian Makan’s Curry Mee This bowl of noodle soup is an obsession for me. T ..read more

December is the time for many restaurants to lure their patrons with festive menus and decadent beverage options. From cozy champagne bars to a pop-up ski chalet in the heart of Penn Quarter, here are five holiday dining options in Washington, DC, you shouldn’t miss. Bar Jo, Credit: Rey Lopez for Leading PR For a glass of Champagne: Bar Jo There’s no better way to celebrate the season than with a glass of champagne, and there’s no better place to enjoy a glass of bubbles than at a champagne bar – namely, Bar Jo’s, the cozy champagne bar inside Josephine’s in Old Town Alexandria. The list of ch ..read more

It’s that time of year again! This is my favorite article to write every year because it allows me to reflect on all the delicious dishes I have eaten throughout the course of the year, in and around the D.C. area. From fast-casual spots to super high-end venues, located in northern Virginia, Maryland, and D.C., there is a vegetarian dish and a spot for everyone on this list. This list can also serve as your new year’s resolution: plan to visit each one in 2022! 21. Blue Rock Restaurant’s Maitake Mushrooms The Blue Rock, located in Rappahannock County, Virginia, has a cozy restaurant that h ..read more

In the past few months, the DC area has opened its doors to new restaurants. From pizza to plant-based Latin American fare, here is a rundown of some of my favorite new restaurants in Washington, DC. Check them out while you can still get a reservation. Taleggio Cheese Sticks at Lupo Pizzeria Lupo Pizzeria First there was Lupo Verde, then there was Lupo Marino and now there is the Lahlou restaurant group’s newest restaurant, Lupo Pizzeria. Tucked in a cozy spot on 14th street, this pizzeria has all the ingredients needed to achieve the perfect dining experience. From a great wine list to irr ..read more

Summer is my favorite culinary season. I love all the fresh produce, the herbs, and most of all the tomatoes. With a successful vaccine program in the D.C. area, restaurants have reopened and people, including me, are dining out with a vengeance. Here are six vegetarian dishes you need to try this summer highlighting all the seasonal vegetables in our region. PLNT Burger’s Save the Bay Fillet Dare I say it, but Spike Mendelsohn’s PLNT burger has debuted its best veggie burger yet which definitely qualifies as one of this summer’s best vegetarian dishes. The Save the Bay burger is a vegan f ..read more

For those who never had the chance to visit Bibiana, do not fret. Bibiana is back with a new décor, new style, new chef and new name: Modena. Still an Italian restaurant, Modena is helmed by John Melfi, formerly of Oval Room, another Knightsbridge Restaurant Group spot. The new menu is dynamite – here are the details! The Food One of the best changes that were instituted when Bibiana transformed into Modena is the introduction of a food cart. Antipasti options are laid out on the elegant food cart, so you can see, smell and choose your own salads and tarts to share as soon as you sit down. Fro ..read more

I am going to come right out of the gate and acknowledge that I am a huge fan of Foodhini. I love the food, I love the concept and I especially love the story behind the business. What the story behind Foodhini?  Founder Noobtsaa Philip Vang grew up watching his mother, a refugee from Laos, struggle to make ends meet without being able to use her greatest talent, her culinary skills. One day when living in D.C. and homesick for his mother’s cooking, he came up with a genius idea to create Foodhini. Foodhini is a business where immigrants with existing culinary skills can work in a central ..read more

I spent several years of my childhood growing up in the suburbs of Maryland where the late-night activities for teenagers were few and far between. We often found ourselves at our local Silver Diner, drinking milkshakes and eating French fries until the wee hours of the morning, as it was the only venue that was open past midnight. Since then, I have had an affection for diners and diner food. It’s been exciting to see the opening of several DC diners over the last few years and re-experiencing the fun of diners and diner food has been a blast. Here are some details on these spots, all of whic ..read more

The days of bland hotel restaurant food are long gone. Hotel restaurants all over the world are not only working hard to get their guests into their restaurants but also the local community. Washington, DC hotel restaurants are stepping up to the plate when it comes to inventive menus and award-winning dishes. Here is a list of some of my recommended spots: Brunch at Blue Duck Tavern Blue Duck Tavern at Park Hyatt DC Year after year, Blue Duck Tavern continues to be one of my favorite restaurants in Washington, DC. Located at the Park Hyatt DC, the dining room is refined without being pretenti ..read more