D.C. Adds 2 One-Star Restaurants, Loses 1
Mita, Omakase at Barracks Row Earn One Star; Maydān Loses Star
Two new one-starred Michelin restaurants were added in D.C. on Monday, while one restaurant was downgraded from two stars to one and another was knocked off the list.
The 2024 Michelin Star Restaurants were announced Monday in New York. (Graphic: Michelin Guide)
Michelin announced its new additions to the Guide for D.C., New York City and Chicago restaurants at an awards ceremony Monday in New York.
D.C. now has 26 restaurants honored with a star
Mita, an innovative plant-based restaurant, and Omakase at Barracks Row, a sushi tasting eatery, were both awarded one star.
According to the Michelin inspectors, Mita caught their attention for its “creative and diverse” dishes drawing inspiration from across Latin America, from Brazil to Bolivia to Colombia.
“Each plate is a testament to their originality combining tradition with fresh, modern interpretations,” the inspectors said.
Omakase at Barracks Row hooked the mysterious inspectors with its “unique charm” from the very first moment they stepped inside, and found stairwells adorned with paintings paying tribute to the age-old tradition of fisherman brushing their catch with ink and pressing it into rice paper.
“This artistic touch is more than just decorative; it’s a reflection of chef Ricky Wang’s deep respect for tradition,” the inspectors said.
One name not on this year’s list of starred establishments was Maydān, a Middle Eastern restaurant that has had one star since 2019. Pineapple and Pearls was downgraded from a two-star rating to a one-star designation.
Arepas from Mita (Photo: Rey Lopez)
Special awards
In addition to the new stars, the guide also announced four special awards:
- Moon Rabbit’s Thi Nguyen received the Michelin Exceptional Cocktails Award
- Albi’s William Simons received the Michelin Sommelier Award
- Tail Up Goat’s Jill Tyler received the Michelin Service Award
- Causa’s Carlos Delgado received the Michelin Young Chef Award
Rob Rubba, of Oyster Oyster, was recognized with a new Green Star designation, for his restaurant’s commitment to sustainable culinary practices. Patrick O’Connell of The Inn at Little Washington fame maintained his green star rating.
Established in 1889, came to D.C. in 2016
While the famed red guide has been around since 1889 ─ first established by the Michelin brothers as a marketing tool to get people to take trips and wear their tires down ─ the starred restaurants began in 1926; the hierarchy of one, two and three stars was rolled out five years later and criteria still used today was published in 1936.
Since the Michelin Guide first published its D.C. guide in 2016, there has only ever been one restaurant in the region honored with three stars, and it is the only restaurant in the guide not in D.C. proper. The Inn at Little Washington has been open for 45 years and earned its coveted three-star rating in 2018.
Sushi from Omakase at Barracks Row (Photo: Omakase at Barracks Row)
Here is the full list of Michelin stars in D.C.:
- One star: High-quality cooking – Worth a stop
- Two stars: Excellent cooking – Worth a detour
- Three stars: Exceptional cuisine – Worth a special journey
Three stars
The Inn at Little Washington
309 Middle St., Washington, Va.
Cuisine: American, French
Two stars
Jônt
1904 14th St. NW
Cuisine: Contemporary
Minibar
855 E St. NW
Cuisine: Contemporary
One Star
Albi
1346 Fourth St. SE
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Bresca
1906 14th St. NW
Cuisine: Contemporary
Causa
920 Blagdon Alley
Cuisine: Peruvian
Elcielo D.C.
1280 Fourth St. NE
Cuisine: Colombian
Fiola
601 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
Cuisine: Italian
Gravitas
1401 Okie St. NE
Cuisine: Contemporary
Imperfecto: The Chef’s Table
1124 23rd St. NW
Cuisine: Latin American
Kinship
1015 Seventh St. NW
Cuisine: Contemporary
Little Pearl
921 Pennsylvania Ave. SE
Cuisine: Contemporary
Masseria
1340 Fourth St. NE
Cuisine: Italian
Métier
1015 Seventh St. NW
Cuisine: Contemporary
⭐Mita
804 V St. NW
Cuisine: Latin American plant-based
⭐Omakase @ Barracks Row
522 Eighth St. SE
Cuisine: Japanese
Oyster Oyster
1440 Eighth St. NW
Cuisine: Vegetarian
⬇️Pineapple and Pearls
715 Eighth St. SE
Cuisine: Contemporary
Rania
427 11th St. NW
Cuisine: Indian
Reverie
3201 Cherry Hill Lane NW
Cuisine: Contemporary
Rooster & Owl
2436 14th St. NW
Cuisine: Contemporary
Rose’s Luxury
717 Eighth St. SE
Cuisine: Contemporary
Sushi Nakazawa
1100 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
Cuisine: Japanese
Tail Up Goat
1827 Adams Mill Road NW
Cuisine: Contemporary
The Dabney
122 Blagdon Alley NW
Cuisine: American
Xiquet
2404 Wisconsin Ave. NW
Cuisine: Spanish
⭐- New star
⬇️- Lost a star
