Washington’s dining scene is buzzing this summer. New openings are springing up from Georgetown to Ballston, bringing cross‑cultural menus, exciting interiors and adventurous ingredients. Whether you crave a romantic dinner inside Union Market or a take‑out feast from a ghost kitchen, there’s a table ready for you. Below are five notable debuts worth adding to your itinerary.
Tarì Trattoria – Dry‑Aged Fish From Around the World
Also in Union Market, Tarì Trattoria (300 Morse Street NE) debuted on June 19, 2025. Owner Francesco Amodeo, known for distilling liqueurs at Don Cicco & Figli, takes diners on an Amalfi Coast adventure. The 32‑seat trattoria focuses on dry‑aged and whole cooked fish delivered daily, processed in house and used almost entirely. A bold black‑and‑white sign marks the entrance and doubles the patio seating while outdoor speakers play eclectic music. Expect a concise menu: three appetizers, three pastas, three mains and three desserts, plus a seven‑fishes pasta nodding to the Italian‑American Christmas Eve tradition. Fish such as kingfish, hiramasa (yellowtail amberjack) and turbot appear regularly, while rarities like scorpion fish and red mullet turn up when available. Tari Trattoria DC
Xi’an Famous Foods – A Ghost‑Kitchen Smash in Alexandria
New York’s beloved Xi’an Famous Foods quietly opened a take‑out–only ghost kitchen inside Four Mile Food Co. in Alexandria on June 20, 2025. Known for hand‑pulled noodles and dumplings endorsed by Anthony Bourdain, the family‑owned chain immediately shattered sales records—the Alexandria ghost kitchen beat the chain’s Times Square, Midtown and Chinatown locations.
The menu mirrors the New York shops: spicy cumin lamb hand‑ripped noodles, boiled dumplings with spicy and sour lamb and cumin‑lamb burgers wrapped in crisp flatbread. Vegans can opt for a spinach‑dough dumpling stuffed with wood‑ear mushrooms and seitan. Xi’an Famous Foods plans a brick‑and‑mortar DC outpost soon—for now, pre‑order early on DoorDash, because slots sell out quickly.
Sushi Sato – Bottomless Sushi on H Street
Craving endless nigiri? Chef Tim Ma (of Lucky Danger fame) launched Sushi Sato at 1245 H Street NE on July 1, 2025. It’s DC’s first all‑you‑can‑eat sushi experience: a standard option costs $55 and a premium feast $75, both with a 90‑minute limit. Children under three feet get 75 percent off; under four feet, 50 percent off. The sleek restaurant repurposes the former Bronze bar and centers around a long sushi counter.
Customers can indulge in an unlimited parade of nigiri, sashimi and creative rolls—from garden rolls layered with asparagus, shiitake and avocado to the cheeky “In‑N‑Out” roll combining shabu beef, cheddar and Thousand Island dressing. For non‑sushi eaters, there’s fried karaage “fish and chips,” miso black cod, and creamy wasabi udon. Cocktails lean simple to let the fish shine. Check it out here Sushi Sato.
Himalayan Wild Yak – Nepalese Comfort With a Yak Twist
Brothers Keshar and Dip Jarga Magar and partner Tuk Prasad Gurung opened Himalayan Wild Yak in Ashburn in 2022 and brought their second location to Arlington Ballston in March 2025. The new restaurant celebrates family heritage: napkins are hand‑sewn by the Magar brothers’ father in Nepal, and dishes like pani puri and chatpate come from treasured family recipes. Nepal’s geography influences the menu; you’ll find butter chicken, chow‑mein street noodles and masala chiya alongside Nepalese staples.
The star ingredient is yak meat. Lean and beef‑adjacent, it appears in creamy korma, is ground into momos and will soon be offered crispy with house‑made chili sauce. The team sources yak from Colorado and Pennsylvania farms and plans to add new entrées such as wild boar curry. As Dip Magar notes, they chose yak because no other local restaurant serves it. Himalayan Wild Yak | Authentic Nepalese Cuisine – Ashburn / Arlington – Fine Dining
Collectively, these restaurants illustrate Washington’s evolving dining landscape. They broaden the city’s palate—be it through Silk Road spice blends, dry‑aged fish seldom seen in the U.S., a ghost‑kitchen noodle phenomenon, bottomless sushi or Nepalese yak. They’re also reflections of deeper stories: immigrant chefs sharing heritage, families preserving recipes and entrepreneurs adapting to post‑pandemic dining.
For more on DC’s latest hotels, bars and events, explore our Summer’s Hottest New Restaurants, Hotels & Events in DC roundup.
