Summer Bites in the DMV: TheListAreYouOnIt’s Summer Food Roundup
Summer has officially rolled in, and the DMV is dishing out flavor in every form. Local chefs are serving up sun-soaked menus full of peak-season produce and bold ingredients. At TheListAreYouOnIt.com, we’ve rounded up the can't-miss dishes and dining experiences that define the season.
Craving al fresco everything? Don’t miss our Patio Pleasure Round Up & our Up On The Roof guide for the best open-air bites and rooftop sips.
And since June is Pride Month, we’re also highlighting where to dine, drink, and celebrate with purpose, check out our full Pride roundup, here. Want to support people in the LGBTQ space? See our list, here.
Always seeking sushi? Check out our Sushi Day roundup, here. And if you're looking to let the chef take the reins, we've got a tasting menu list for you, right here.
MARK YOUR CALENDAR:
Little Blackbird National Wagyu Day: Little Black Bird will celebrate National Wagyu Day on Friday, June 20, Saturday, June 21 and Sunday, June 22, by offering a trio of Wagyu Sandwiches made with A5 Japanese Wagyu from Iwate Prefecture. The $30 trio will feature: Wagyu BLT with house made Wagyu bacon, Wagyu Shawarma in a Mini Pita and a Wagyu Katsu Sando. 3309 Connecticut Ave NW; littleblackbirddc.com
Pride & Pulse Block Party: On Saturday, June 28th, Rose Previte’s Maydan and Medina are teaming up with Stratus Firm to close out World Pride with the inaugural Pride & Pulse Block Party – a one-day-only celebration of community, joy, and care. Taking place just steps from Maydan and Medina, the street festival will feature live music, art, drag performances, culinary delights and a welcome cocktail from Maydan. All proceeds support Whitman-Walker Health and its mission to provide inclusive, affirming care for the LGBTQ+ community. Tickets here.
Embassy Chef Challenge: The Embassy Chef Challenge is back on Thursday, July 10th. This iconic event will be held in the Andrew W Mellon Auditorium. Attendees will travel the world with their taste buds, sampling bites and beverages from the participating countries while chefs compete to win the coveted People’s Choice Award, chosen by guests’ votes and announced alongside the Judges’ Choice, selected by a panel of influential members of the diplomatic, cultural and culinary communities. With more than 175 embassies in Washington DC, this international culinary competition is a uniquely DC, one-of-a-kind, culturally enticing experience, not just in America, but around the globe. This prestigious culinary event is expected to sell out once again, attracting passionate and adventurous epicures for a light-hearted evening of rich cultural indulgence. Tickets here.
NEW & NOTEWORTHY:
Jeni’s Goose Tracks: Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams is turning up the volume with their latest release, teaming up with the beloved band Goose for a limited-edition flavor: Goose Tracks. Goose Tracks is a reimagining of the classic black raspberry chip, made richer with juicier berries like red raspberries and blackberries, and layered with bittersweet chocolate flakes Jeni's.com
Fifteen Years of Carmine’s: In celebration of Carmine’s DC’s 15th Anniversary, Chef Glenn Rolnick created a fun and playful, and fully vegetarian, twist on the restaurant’s traditional lasagna. To honor the anniversary, Carmine’s will donate 20% of the purchase price from each dish sold to DC Central Kitchen. Lasagna pinwheels feature tender spinach lasagna sheets from Rafetto’s NYC rolled with a rich mixture of fresh spinach, sundried peppers, Ricotta and Mozzarella cheeses. The addition of roasted eggplant and aromatic basil enhances the flavor profile. 425 7th Street NW; carminesnyc.com
Moet & Satay: Philippe Chow by Chef Philippe Chow, has paired up with Moët & Chandon for a luxe summertime dining experience, right on the waterfront at the Wharf through August 31. The new “Moët & Satay” experience elevates dinners at Philippe Chow into a four-course adventure, with dishes like Chicken Satay, Duck Spring Rolls, tempting Truffle and Chicken Potstickers, work-fried Nine Seasons Spicy Prawns and Salt and Pepper Lobster paired alongside sips of crisp Moët Champagne, presented as a bottle for every two guests. It all culminates in a chef’s selection of desserts, presented for the table. 635 Wharf St. SW; philippechow.com
South Asian Summer: Chef Suresh Sundas’s new South Asian offerings include summer dishes like Maryland Blue Crab Uttapam with Bell Pepper, Ghee, Onion, Podi Masala, Tomato & Coconut Chutney, Tandori Poussin Whole Roasted Young Chicken, Garam Masala, Greek Yogurt, Mushroom Pulao, Radish Salad plus summer desserts such as a light Rasmali Cheesecake with Seasonal Berries, and Nankhatai Crust. 600 H St NE Suite E; taporidc.com
Summer of ‘92 : Truluck’s Ocean’s Finest Seafood and Crab is officially kicking off summer with something special— Summer of ’92 menu. This limited-time, 3-course prix fixe menu ($59) is a vibrant celebration of the season, packed with fresh coastal flavors, elevated classics, and indulgent upgrades for every course. From Burrata Salad and Filet Mignon to Peaches & Cream Bread Pudding, each dish brings a modern twist to nostalgic summer dining. trulucks.com
Rocky Road Summer Levain: Levain Bakery is bringing back its fan-favorite Rocky Road cookie for a limited time this summer. The dark chocolate cookie is packed with rich, semisweet chocolate chips, crunchy almonds, and pillowy marshmallows and is available at all bakeries for $6.00. Pro tip: Pair it with a scoop of Dolcezza ice cream, available exclusively this summer at Levain’s DMV locations, for the ultimate à la mode treat. levainbakery.com
Competitive Eating Alert: Z-Burger, a popular DC area hamburger chain, is actively recruiting a range of competitors—from local amateurs to international professionals—to compete in the 16th annual Independence Burger Eating Championships on Thursday, July 3rd at 12:00PM. The last winner of the nation’s most competitive burger-eating contest was the world’s number one competitive female eater, Molly Schuyler. Schuyler stomached 34 burgers within the allotted ten minutes to take home the title for the tenth straight time. Apply here.
Round Donuts, Square Location (Pop Up Alert): Donisima is launching a pop-up at The Square—a culinary hub featuring some of D.C.’s top chefs and concepts. Known for reimagining Latin donuts like bizcochos, sonhos, and sopapillas, Donisima uses small-batch techniques and native ingredients to create one-of-a-kind flavors. 1850 K St NW, Washington, D.C.; donisima.com
Glam Mediterranean in Dupont: Casamara, a glamorous, airy restaurant capturing the fresh flavors of the Mediterranean has recently opened. Nosh on the rustic, lovely Sardine Toast (sourdough, avocado aioli, pickled red onion, almonds, fresh herbs), or the delicate and citrusy Branzino Crudo, flecked with Italian peppers, and hints of basil and lemon, brought together with an exquisite single-origin olive oil, before indulging in the show stopping Double-Boned Iberico Pork Chop (maple brine, peppers, onion, urfa, maple cider jus) or Harissa Roast Chicken, redolent of paprika oil and brightened with tart grapes and lemon. Casamaradc.com
NOT NEW, BUT NOTEWORTHY:
Chefs on a Roll x Paraiso: For the month of June, Chefs... On A Roll unveils its latest monthly sandwich collaboration, this time with seasoned chef and culinary leader, Avinesh Rana of Paraíso. Drawing from his Nepalese heritage and a growing passion for Mexican cuisine, Chef Nash brings a globally inspired twist to this month’s feature: the Birria Torta — made with birria beef, smashed avocado, Oaxaca cheese, romaine, tomato, pickled peppers, onion, cilantro, and served on a toasted roll with a side of consommé. Available for a limited time only, the Birria Torta is priced at $15.99. beresovskys.com
Aren’t We Lucky?: Chef and restaurateur Tim Ma brings Lucky Danger to its rightful home in Washington D.C.’s greater Chinatown neighborhood. Starters included an allium pancake (more from the onion family than the standard scallion) with a crunchy salad of kohlrabi and cured cucumber, plated with whipped tofu, chili oil and caviar. Signature crab rangoons arrive with a hint of Old Bay over a blood-orange sweet and sour sauce. Additional small plates include pork wontons with morels and silky beef short rib and bone marrow dumplings in a pool of huacatay, a Peruvian salsa verde. 709 D St., NW, Washington, DC 20004; Luckydanger.com
Marcus in DC: Marcus DC, by the award-winning chef and restaurateur Marcus Samuelsson has opened. The restaurant explores modern American cooking through the Black lens, with inspiration from D.C. to Ethiopia to Sweden, and beyond. Nodding to heritage, the seasons and a sense of place, the menu features mambo-sauced roast chicken, grilled whole bass and dry-aged tomahawk steak. Swediopian, a dish of cured salmon, goldenberry broth, fennel and a teff crisp, mirrors Samuelsson’s birthplace and the land where he was raised. 222 M Street, NE; marcusdc.com
A Decade of Delicious: In a city where the restaurant scene is constantly evolving, three D.C. favorites are proudly defying the odds—and doing it with heart, soul, and incredible food. This year, Centrolina, Lapis, and The Dabney each mark their 10-year anniversaries, and while their menus are world-class, it’s their deeper mission that makes them true standouts.
-At Centrolina, chef-owner Amy Brandwein—a 7-time James Beard nominee—opened Centrolina in 2015 with an all-female leadership team and a vision of refined Italian cuisine rooted in Mid-Atlantic seasonality. As a longtime champion of women in the culinary industry, she’s celebrating the milestone with a 10-Year Anniversary Menu featuring her 10 favorite dishes from the past decade, available June 1–6.
-In Adams Morgan, Lapis continues to shine as both a MICHELIN Bib Gourmand favorite and a cultural beacon for D.C.’s Afghan community. The Popal family has turned the restaurant into a platform for advocacy, hosting everything from refugee fundraisers to cultural bazaars—all while sharing the rich, home-cooked flavors of Chef Shamim Popal’s Afghan heritage.
-Chef Jeremiah Langhorne’s MICHELIN-starred The Dabney has spent the last decade rewriting the narrative around Mid-Atlantic cuisine. From highlighting invasive species like blue catfish to celebrating the region’s watermen, purveyors, and culinary heritage, the James Beard Award winner continues to lead with intention, sustainability, and unforgettable flavor.
Three restaurants. Ten incredible years, countless ways they’ve fed us.
Colada Shop Sizzles: Colada Shop is celebrating summer with a sizzling refresh of seasonal menu items. The new Shrimp Ceviche, made fresh daily, is bright, citrusy, and both gluten-free and dairy-free. Additional summer standouts include the Crispy “Congris” Rice Salad, a hearty and satisfying plant-based dish, indulgent Churro Waffles, and the always-loved Pan de Bono ($3.25), a gluten-free cheesy roll straight from the oven. coladashop.com
