TheList’s List of Good Eats This Week

Winter Ready? The DMV has officially settled into cozy season. Think rich braises, bubbling cheese, and just-baked desserts. At TheListAreYouOnIt.com, we’ve rounded up the can’t-miss bites  and experiences to get you through winter deliciously.

Make a night of it, see a show and grab a great pre- or post-theatre meal with our theatre + dining guide (here).
Winter activations are back: igloos, skating rinks, and après-ski vibes all over the DMV (here).
This week's list of The List's favorite beverages, here.

Cozy up fireside - see the best spots, here.

You don’t need an excuse to visit a Black-owned business or celebrate Black history and culture…here’s the list.

So much more cozy, crave-worthy goodness below:

MARK YOUR CALENDAR: 

Twenty Years of Mandu: Mandu is marking its 20th anniversary in 2026 with a monthly collaborative dining series celebrating 2 decades in D.C.’s dining scene. The yearlong series brings guest chefs into the kitchen for special tasting menus inspired by Mandu’s Korean roots and the shared language of global cuisines. Scheduled dinners include Tuesday, March 10 with G’Albi and Chef Michael Rafidi of Albi, Yellow, and La Shukran; Tuesday, April 7 with Chef Masako Morishita of Perry’s and Chef Matt Adler of Caruso’s Grocery and Cucina Morini; and Thursday, May 7, an AAPI Month celebration with Chef Erik Bruner-Yang of Maketto and Chef Steve Chu of Ekiben; Click here for more info.

Blue Duck Tavern Anniversary:  Blue Duck Tavern will toast 20 years in the nation’s capital as one of the city’s most iconic restaurants in June 2026. To honor this monumental occasion, nationally recognized chefs, who formerly spearheaded Blue Duck Tavern, will return to prepare their signature dishes for a special dinner gathering accompanied by merrymaking over 2006 vintages from Blue Duck Tavern's Sommelier selections. The five-course feast will take place on Wednesday, June 10, with a champagne reception and hors d'oeuvres at 6 p.m. blueducktavern.com

Carla Hall One-Woman Show: Carla Hall is debuting her world premiere solo show, “Please Underestimate Me!”, at the Olney Theatre Center this summer. In the one-woman production, the award-winning chef, author, and TV personality shares a candid, humorous, and deeply personal look at her journey—from her Tennessee roots and Howard University to Paris runways. The DC chapter of Les Dames d’Escoffier has reserved a block of seats for 2 performances: Friday, June 26 and Thursday, July 9 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $72.00, with a portion supporting scholarships and mentorship for women in food and hospitality. A special $92.00 ticket for the June 26 performance includes a post-show meet-and-greet with Carla Hall and light refreshments; buy tickets here.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY: 

Ragu for You: Vermilion is hosting a Sunday Night Ragu Family Dinner each week starting at 4:00 p.m., offering a hearty family-style Italian feast for $35.00 per person in the tavern, bar, and lounge. The meal features Chef Anthony Chittum’s slow-cooked ragu with pork spare ribs, braised Angus beef, meatballs, fennel sausage, plum tomatoes, and hand-cut egg noodles. The spread also includes a lacinato kale Caesar, sourdough garlic bread, and apple cider donuts with salted caramel and frozen custard for dessert. Guests can also pair the meal with featured red wines by the bottle selected to complement the Sunday feast; vermilionrestaurant.com

Sisters Are Doing It for Themselves: Hank’s Oyster Bar x Purple Patch: In honor of Women’s History Month, Hank’s Oyster Bar is teaming up with Purple Patch for a month-long collaboration led by chefs Jamie Leeds, Shannan Troncoso, and Patrice Cleary. The limited-time menu features Fried Goose Point Oysters with Hank’s tartar sauce and Purple Patch’s suka, Patrice’s Lobster Pancit with Maine lobster and shiitake mushrooms, and a Spicy Calamansi Margarita made with roasted jalapeño tequila and house calamansi sour. A portion of proceeds from the collaboration will benefit N Street Village, which supports local women experiencing homelessness; hanksoysterbar.com

Sisters Are Doing It for Themselves - Dolcezza x Chef Tseng: For Women’s History Month, Dolcezza is teaming up with Chef Seng Luangrath (Baan Mae, Thip Khao, Padaek) on a limited-time White Rabbit Soft Serve Sundae launching March 9 through March 31. Inspired by the iconic Shanghai milk candy, the sundae features White Rabbit soft serve topped with Dragon’s Beard sesame-peanut crunch, crispy scallion wonton noodles, peanut brittle, fresh lime zest, and a haw candy disc. The collaboration will be available at select Dolcezza locations (including H Street, CityCenterDC & the Hirshhorn) as well as Luangrath’s restaurants; dolcezzagelato.com

Plant-Based in Penn Quarter: Fruitive has opened a new Penn Quarter location, expanding its footprint with a larger, 2,500-square-foot space and an expanded menu. The fast-casual concept is known for its 100% plant-based, organic offerings, including cold-pressed juices, smoothies, grain bowls, vegan waffles, and açaí bowls made with specialty fair-trade fruit sourced directly from Bolivia. Founded in 2015 by Gregg and Katie Rozeboom, Fruitive has become a mainstay in D.C.’s wellness-focused dining scene, emphasizing clean ingredients, sustainable sourcing, and nourishing options for breakfast, lunch, and on-the-go dining; fruitive.com

Sunday Gravy: Caruso’s Grocery - Pike & Rose is now hosting Sunday Family Dinner, a weekly 3-course dining experience designed for sharing and classic Italian-American comfort. Available every Sunday from 4:00 to 9:00 p.m., the $35.00 per person prix-fixe menu allows guests to select 1 dish from each course, offering a generous lineup of Caruso’s favorites in one satisfying meal. The special brings back the tradition of gathering around the table for hearty pastas, comforting mains, and nostalgic desserts; carusosgrocery.com

Grab n Go (Lunch Alert): HI/FI Tex-Mex BBQ at Mosaic has introduced a new $15.00 lunch special featuring 2 Tex-Mex tacos, 1 side, and a soda, available as a weekday-to-weekend deal. Guests can mix and match tacos like the Orange Soda-Braised Carnitas with American cheese, curtido, smoked crema, and chicharrones, among other rotating options, making it one of Northern Virginia’s more crave-worthy midday steals; hifitexmexbbq.com

Gelato on 14th: Pitango Gelato has opened a new location along the 14th Street corridor, marking the brand’s 8th shop in the region. The authentic Italian gelateria and coffee bar serves hand-spun gelato and sorbet made from scratch with high-quality ingredients—think Sicilian pistachios and single-origin chocolate—alongside freshly brewed coffee, Italian baked goods, and seasonal sipping chocolate. The 1,027-square-foot space features Pitango’s signature mahogany-and-marble counter and indoor seating, bringing the company back to the neighborhood where it first planted its D.C. roots nearly two decades ago; pitangogelato.com

Lasagna for Brunch, Lasagna for Dinner (Brunch Alert): L’Ardente has expanded its weekend hours and introduced its first-ever happy hour. On Saturdays and Sundays, the kitchen now runs all day with no break between brunch and dinner, and the full dinner menu is available starting at 11:00 a.m. Weekend brunch dishes are served from 11:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., featuring options like Avocado Toast with lemon ricotta, French Riviera Toast, Egg & Cheese Pizza, Eggs Benedict, Steak and Eggs, and The Works. Brunch cocktails include a Caprese Bloody Mary, Sorbetto Spritz, and a Mimosa Cart for the table; lardente.com

Iftar Offerings - Lapis: The MICHELIN Bib Gourmand–recognized Afghan restaurant is offering a Ramadan prix-fixe menu available through March 19 in Adams Morgan. Priced at $65.00 per person, the Iftar meal is designed to break the fast with comforting Afghan specialties, with example dishes including crispy pakora, beef kofta in tomato sauce, cardamom-scented rice pudding, and green or black tea; lapisdc.com

Iftar Offerings - Thompson Restaurant Group: Thompson Restaurants is expanding access to Halal dining across the DMV just ahead of Ramadan. Effective immediately, all chicken and beef offerings at every Matchbox location, as well as Ms. Peach’s and Makers Union in Ashburn, are now available Halal. All Big Buns locations offer Halal Angus beef, with the One Loudoun outpost also serving Halal chicken. The update responds to growing demand for Halal-certified options without compromising on menu variety; thompsonrestaurants.com

Iftar Offerings - Joon: In honor of Ramadan, Joon is offering a $45.00 per person Iftar menu available February 17 through March 19. The evening begins with stuffed Medjoul dates with walnuts and brown butter, followed by hot pistachio soup with leek, ginger, saffron, and sour orange. Guests can then choose between roasted harissa chicken with toum or lamb shoulder pavé, served alongside labneh harra, grilled carrots with harissa and lemon, dango (stewed chickpeas with tahina, Aleppo chile, and lime), torshi liteh, and house lavash; eatjoon.com

Iftar Offerings - NAJA Mediterranean: In observance of Ramadan, NAJA Mediterranean is offering special Iftar pre-set menus nightly after 5:30 p.m. from February 18 through March 20. Priced at $35.00 and $55.00 per person, both menus begin with dates and Shorbat Adas, a traditional lentil soup served to break the fast. The $35.00 option includes a choice of mezze followed by entrées like Roasted Half Chicken with markook and toum, Salmon with vermicelli rice, Adobo Cauliflower, or a Chicken Shawarma Platter, plus dessert. The $55.00 Ramadan edition of NAJA’s Table is designed for sharing, featuring grape leaves, kibbeh, signature spreads, fattoush, cheesy pita, and a mixed kebab platter with roasted chicken, koobideh, kofta, and shrimp, along with dessert selections; reserve your table here.

NOT NEW, BUT NOTEWORTHY:

Sit n Stay (Lunch Alert): Josephine in Old Town Alexandria has introduced a new weekday Lunch Special, offering a Soup & Sandwich or Soup & Salad combination for $23.50, available Monday through Friday from 11:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Guests can choose between the restaurant’s classic Onion Soup Gratinée or Soup du Jour, paired with menu favorites like the Burger Josephine with gruyère, a Brie Grilled Cheese with apple and fig jam, Croque Madame, French Dip, or Fried Chicken Cordon Bleu. Salad options include Endive and Beets with roquefort and walnuts, Lyonnaise with lardons and poached egg, and Salade Josephine with goat cheese and sherry vinaigrette. The new special delivers polished French comfort at an approachable midday price; josephineoldtown.com

Chef Update - John Cummings at The Wine Kitchen Leesburg: The Wine Kitchen in Leesburg has named John Cummings as its new Executive Chef, ushering in a new chapter for the longtime downtown wine bar. A Leesburg native, Cummings first joined the restaurant in 2015 and most recently served as sous chef before stepping into the executive role in early 2026. He succeeds Tim Rowley, who led the kitchen for more than a decade and will now transition into a new role as Comptroller for Eat Drink Simply Group, overseeing financial operations across its restaurant portfolio. Under Cummings’ leadership, guests can expect the seasonal, locally sourced approach The Wine Kitchen is known for; thewinekitchen.com

Only 25 Seats: Chef Carlos Delgado, 2025 James Beard Award winner for Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic, will open Maru San on February 20, bringing D.C.’s only Nikkei-focused restaurant to a 25-seat, counter-only space near Eastern Market. Created alongside Chef Simon Lam, the concept centers on hand rolls and aims to showcase Nikkei cuisine as its own category—blending Peruvian ingredients with Japanese techniques. Maru San will offer both quick-service lunch and dinner with cigar-shaped hand rolls, premium nori, house-fermented sauces, and dry-aged fish, as well as a once-nightly 10+ course “Maru Experience” for just four guests. The intimate space features handmade ceramics from Peru and Japan and a hand-painted octopus mural overhead, underscoring the restaurant’s cross-cultural roots and craftsmanship; marusandc.com

The Cumberland Valley Coffee & Chocolate Trail Returns: The Cumberland Valley Coffee & Chocolate Trail is back with a nostalgic Friends-inspired theme, running from January 28 through May 11. Using a free digital passport, participants can explore nearly 30 cafés, chocolatiers, and sweet spots throughout the Cumberland Valley, checking in to earn points, prizes, exclusive discounts, and special offers along the way. This year’s trail includes locations such as King & Saint, Denim Coffee, Helena’s Chocolate Café & Creperie, Mummert Chocolates, The Cracked Pot Coffee Shop, and many more. The trail officially kicks off on January 28, with a launch event at King & Saint Café in Shippensburg at 9:00 a.m., where early passport holders can enjoy complimentary coffee and a pastry while supplies last; Click here for more info.

If It Walks Like A Duck: Mallard has unveiled a new seasonal menu that leans into the spirit of Southern hospitality and shared dining. Led by Chef Hamilton Johnson, the 14th Street restaurant’s refreshed offerings highlight seasonal ingredients, bold flavors, and thoughtful technique, with dishes designed to be passed around the table and enjoyed communally. The new menu continues Mallard’s focus on gathering, comfort, and Southern-inspired cooking rooted in tradition; mallarddc.com