Washington DC

9 Restaurant Openings in DC to Get Excited About in 2022

A highly anticipated fried chicken shack, new eateries from local favorites, and more restaurants to look forward to visiting in the new year.

Photo courtesy of Ellie Bird
Photo courtesy of Ellie Bird
Photo courtesy of Ellie Bird

Plenty of changes come along with a new year, but the most exciting among them has to be new restaurants. In 2022, the District will have plenty more to dish up with several brand new spots expanding our palates and local favorites spreading their reach across the city with new outposts and entirely new concepts.

From more Peruvian cuisine options to a long-awaited fried chicken shack and a further expansion of our favorite bagel shop, DC’s opening blitz isn’t showing any signs of slowing down. So here are all the restaurant openings we’re most excited to see in 2022.

Photo courtesy of Inca Social
Photo courtesy of Inca Social
Photo courtesy of Inca Social

Inca Social

Address: 1776 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, Virginia
Opening Date: January
Japanese-Peruvian style cuisine, known as Nikkei, is on full display at this Arlington eatery coming in early January. This is the second location for Inca Social in Northern Virginia (the other is located in Vienna), and it’s a colorful space featuring local art, plus a raw bar with ceviche and sushi. Whether you’re posting up inside or at the outdoor heated bar for happy hour, you’ll find several variations of Pisco Sours, plus live music and $2 Margaritas every Thursday evening.

Photo courtesy of Honeymoon Chicken
Photo courtesy of Honeymoon Chicken
Photo courtesy of Honeymoon Chicken

Honeymoon Chicken

Address: 4201 Georgia Avenue NW, Petworth
Opening Date: January
Once this restaurant swings its doors open on January 12, Honeymoon Chicken will deliver buckets of crispy fried chicken and buttery biscuits that will no doubt break your New Year’s diet. Chef Rob Sonderman (formerly of Federalist Pig) has reimagined the former home of Slim’s Diner at the corner of Georgia Avenue and Upshur Street, NW, and his concept channels the vibes of “where funky meets fancy.” Honeymoon Chicken takes the art of fried chicken to a new level of sophistication and creativity, offering a simple, yet intricate secret blend of the highest-quality seasonings.

Salazar

Address: 1819 14th Street NW
Opening date: January/February
Salazar is a new Tex-Mex and tequila concept opening at the former El Centro space on 14th Street, NW. This bar and restaurant is sure to attract a certain crew of 20-somethings-those who frequent Mission and The Admiral, Salazar’s sister restaurants. The 8,000-square-foot space will have four bars across three levels including a rooftop. There will be an emphasis on an extensive tequila list, plus a large outdoor roof deck (heated in the winter) for hosting large scale events and parties.

Philotimo

Address: 1100 15th Street NW, Downtown
Opening date: January/February
Chef Nicholas Stefanelli, who is behind the trattoria, cafe, and market at The Wharf dubbed Officina and the Michelin-starred tasting room experience at Masseria, will present a new restaurant concept centered around Greek cuisine. The much-anticipated restaurant will open at the Midtown Center complex-a mixed-use office and retail environment popular with the 9-to-5 crowd that also includes hit New Orleans-style restaurant, Dauphine’s, and will welcome others later this year. The restaurant will import specialty cheeses, wild herbs, and olive oil, plus highlighted food and wines representing Greek regions from Thessaloniki to the island of Crete.

Photo courtesy of Call Your Mother
Photo courtesy of Call Your Mother
Photo courtesy of Call Your Mother

Call Your Mother at Yours Truly

Address: 1143 New Hampshire Avenue NW, West End
Opening Date: January/February
Hotel breakfast can get a bad rep thanks to crappy continental setups, but not at Yours Truly. This West End boutique hotel will soon offer Call Your Mother bagels, plus a roster of creative sandwiches and nostalgic pastries from the shop in the lobby. The bagel bar will open by the end of January and features a signature sandwich-the Latin Pastrami with herb mayo, veggie slaw, and jalapeños on rye bread. For sweet options, pick from a wide selection of pastries including Chocolate Babka Muffins and yeasted doughnuts.

Newland

Address: 327 7th Street, SE, Capitol Hill
Opening date: January/February
On Capitol Hill, the former Montmartre restaurant space is slated to be a homecoming of sorts for chef Andrew Markert, who currently runs Beuchert’s Saloon, located about a block away on Pennsylvania Avenue. Newland will be his marquee restaurant, and it’s named for the street in Baltimore where Markert grew up. Guests will experience a taste of his mother and father’s cooking-being a Marylander that means crab, but also rockfish and other Mid-Atlantic seafood, with cooking techniques that will lean on Markert’s expertise in classic French and Italian techniques. Mackenzie Conway (also from Beuchert’s) will curate a wine-focused beverage program that highlights underrepresented wines, as well as classic styles from lesser-known producers.

St. James

Address: 2017 14th Street NW, U Street
Opening date: Late Spring/Summer
Chef Peter Prime and co-owner Jeanine Prime will soon open St. James, a modern Caribbean restaurant, as a follow-up to their runaway hit restaurant, Cane, that opened in 2019. Dishes are reflective of the region’s melting pot of cultures with elevated and creative menu items celebrating the diversity of Pan-Caribbean cuisine. Plans for brunch and dinner service are in the works, and St. James will have a patio with a dozen seats and accommodations for some standing-room-only service. The restaurant is named after the St. James district in Trinidad’s capital, Port of Spain-the cultural center of the island, representing a confluence of the country’s many influences from East Indian and Chinese descendants, as well as food traditions of Black Trinidadians.

Photo courtesy of Petite Cerise
Photo courtesy of Petite Cerise
Photo courtesy of Petite Cerise

Petite Cerise

Address: 1027 7th Street, NW, Shaw
Opening date: Late Spring/Summer
From the Michelin-starred team at The Dabney, Petite Cerise will be Jeremiah Langhorne and Alex Zink’s take on an all-day, French-inspired restaurant. As self-proclaimed Francophiles, Langhorne and Zink have always toyed with the idea of opening a French restaurant, but Petite Cerise, which means “little cherry,” is far from your run-of-the-mill bistro. The menu promises fresh market cooking, well-executed simple plates, and lesser-known regional French specialties. The very best in local ingredients, much like those found at The Dabney, will be available alongside a unique selection of authentic French imports. Additionally, the team has made it their mission to have the best croissant and baguette in town. All will be complemented by a completely French wine list and a seasonal cocktail menu.

Photo by Katherine Cotsonas
Photo by Katherine Cotsonas
Photo by Katherine Cotsonas

Ellie Bird

Address: 110 Founders Avenue, Falls Church, VA
Opening date: Fall/Winter
Rooster & Owl‘s Michelin-starred couple Carey and Yuan Tang will take flight later this year with a second restaurant called Ellie Bird. It is slated to open by the end of 2022 in a mixed-use development in Falls Church called Founder’s Row. Rather than falling in line with another tasting menu concept, the Tangs will serve contemporary, casual, and a-la-carte options like pork chops and fried chicken served with pineapple buns. This “little sister” (or should we say “little bird”) concept is a departure from the more elaborate, fine-dining approaches of their U Street eatery, but it will no doubt deliver on the same service and hospitality experience.Want more Thrillist? Follow us on InstagramTwitterPinterestYouTubeTikTok, and Snapchat.

Tim Ebner is an award-winning food, drink, and travel writer. He lives on Capitol Hill and has a weakness for Old Bay Seasoning. Follow him on Twitter: @TimEbner.

Washington DC

15 Totally Free Things to Do in DC

A full itinerary, completely free of charge.

Smithsonian American Art Museum and the Renwick Gallery
Smithsonian American Art Museum and the Renwick Gallery
Smithsonian American Art Museum and the Renwick Gallery

Washington DC is one of the country’s most popular tourist destinations, and for those of us who call the District home, it’s easy to see why. With dozens of world-class museums, murals that transform streets into galleries, and sites brimming with history, DC offers a full agenda-completely free of charge. Whether you want to try a new farmer’s market, explore a new hike, or polish off your roller skating or canoeing skills, here are some of our favourite free things to do in the District.

Flickr/gawnesco
Flickr/gawnesco
Flickr/gawnesco

Hike, bike, or stroll along the C&O Canal

The historic Chesapeake and Ohio Canal is one of the most accessible nature escapes from the District. Thanks to a multi-year restoration project, the first mile of the canal is an idyllic walk that’s easy to access in Georgetown. Stick to a short stroll there, or grab a bike or lace up your hiking shoes for a longer adventure along the 184.5-mile canal.

Jump on the pickleball craze

Pickleball is working its way up the ladder past kickball and softball as one of America’s favourite games. Jump on the craze and practice your paddling at one of the District’s pickleball courts in Takoma Park, the Palisades, and more. Plus, Washington DC Pickleball invites guests to drop in to beginner sessions to try their hand at the sport before signing up for a $30 annual membership.

Flickr/mcfeelion
Flickr/mcfeelion
Flickr/mcfeelion

Bike the Mount Vernon Trail

DC is incredibly bike-friendly, and luckily that applies to the land immediately outside of the city as well. Start in the city and bike along the Mount Vernon Trail, a scenic route that hugs the water and cuts through the woods. It’s about a 10-mile trip from DC to Mount Vernon, but you can cut the trip slightly short and end at the Old Town Alexandria waterfront-just make sure to factor in time for ice cream before pedalling home.

Explore a sculpture park

While not located in the District proper, Glenstone, an expansive sculpture park in Maryland, is worth the 45-minute drive. Tickets to the park are free (just be sure to reserve several weeks in advance), and the 300-acre space offers stunning art, architecture, and open land. In addition to its indoor gallery spaces, you can spend hours walking on paths that wind through sculptures, meadows, and forests.

Flickr/Geoff Livingston
Flickr/Geoff Livingston
Flickr/Geoff Livingston

See the monuments at night

When the sun goes down-and the summer humidity somewhat dissipates-head to the National Mall for the rare chance to see the monuments without busloads of tourists. Moonlight will give you a different perspective as you traverse the marble steps of the Lincoln Memorial or gaze up at the Washington Monument set aglow with lights.

Smithsonian American Art Museum and the Renwick Gallery
Smithsonian American Art Museum and the Renwick Gallery
Smithsonian American Art Museum and the Renwick Gallery

Museum hop the day away

One of DC’s greatest strengths is its world-class Smithsonian museums that are open to the public free of charge. There is no shortage of options, from the intimate Renwick Gallery, to the sprawling National Museum of Natural History, the Smithsonians offer something for everyone. Pro tip: Some of the museums are open late in the evenings, making for an ideal date night.

muralsdc
muralsdc
muralsdc

Explore the city’s murals

Washington is home to hundreds of murals that are becoming as much a part of the city’s landscape as the monuments on the National Mall. Take a self-guided tour of these colourful creations no matter which neighbourhood you happen to be in. MuralsDC, the organization behind 150 of the District’s public artworks, is a great resource for mapping out a route to explore the city’s street art.

Hotel Washington
Hotel Washington
Hotel Washington

Take in a birds-eye view of the city

Washington looks pretty stunning from up high, and there are few spots within the city that make for phenomenal vantage points. Rooftop bars and restaurants offer epic views for the price of a drink or two, but there’s no more iconic sight than seeing the city from the top of the Washington Monument, which is completely free. Book a ticket ahead of time and ride an elevator all the way to the top of the monument and step out on the 500-foot observation deck.

Flickr/Nicolas Raymond
Flickr/Nicolas Raymond
Flickr/Nicolas Raymond

Wander through a garden

DC is home to some of the most beautiful urban gardens in the country, and many of them are open to the public for free. There is nothing like an afternoon spent strolling through, or picnicking, at the expansive 446-acre United States Arboretum or wandering through the Botanic Garden on the edge of the Mall. For something a bit smaller, explore the grounds at Tudor Place or Dumbarton Oaks (free in the winter), both of which are in Georgetown.

Flickr/ehpien
Flickr/ehpien
Flickr/ehpien

Hike the Billy Goat Trail

You can catch one of the District’s most popular hiking trails, the Billy Goat Trail, from the C&O canal. The full trail is 4.7 miles and ranges from easy to strenuous, so hike a section in and back or make the full loop for the variety.

Pay your respect at Arlington National Cemetery

Just across the Potomac from DC, Arlington National Cemetery is the final resting place for more than 400,000 veterans. The cemetery is an expanse of 639 hallowed acres and the ANC Explorer allows visitors to locate graves, notable sites, and take self-guided walking tours to spots including the tomb of the Unknown Soldier as well as the final resting place of President John F. Kennedy.

Lace up your roller skates

When was the last time you went roller skating? Chances are it’s been too long. So get back into this nostalgic activity at the Anacostia Park roller skating pavilion. You can rent skates for free, just show proof of a government-issued ID, and the skating pavilion is open from 9 to 5 every day.

Help clean up the Anacostia River

We all know there’s a lot of work to be done to keep our waterways clean. Do your part, and have some fun, by participating in the city’s Green Boat initiative. On select weekends, DCers can join a two-hour guided paddle along the Anacostia River to collect trash and monitor the river’s progress.

Eastern Market
Eastern Market
Eastern Market

Stroll your local farmer’s market

DC’s close proximity to the farms of Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and beyond mean that the city’s farmers’ markets always have something to offer. Check out the year-round markets like Eastern Market in Capitol Hill and the Sunday market in Dupont Circle or head to seasonal markets like the pop-up in front of the White House that draws vendors like Cucina al Volo and Call Your Mother Deli.

The Library of Congress
The Library of Congress
The Library of Congress

Play tourist all around the city

It’s easy to forget that all those traditionally touristy activities can be fun for locals too. If you haven’t been on a tour of the White House, the National Archives, the Library of Congress, or the Capitol, this is your sign. All are free with advanced reservations. Plus, tucked in the northern quadrant of NW, the Washington National Cathedral is free and open to all. Tour the cathedral’s impressive architecture, 215 stained glass windows, 112 Gothically-inspired gargoyles, and enormous pipe organ. See if you can spot the sculpture of Darth Vader.

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Madeline Weinfield is a Thrillist contributor.

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