As the pandemic fades to gray if not black, a new but familiar concern dominates our thoughts: money.
If last year was a time of reckoning and reflection in the restaurant world, 2022 is shaping up to be a moment when inflation and soaring costs for just about everything have a lot of us rethinking our priorities.
Money determines where diners go, how often, what dishes they order — if they even eat away from home.
[5 money-saving tips for eating at restaurants]
In ways great and small, the past three years have changed a lot of us. Like some of you, I’ve shed suits for jeans, five days in the office for fewer, elevator-depth conversation for richer relationships.
My appetite remains strong. I’m eager as ever to pull up to a table and taste the latest fashions, check back with an institution or investigate a restaurant tip. But during the past year in particular, I’ve been less interested in spending three hours in a dining room or deciphering dishes that tasted like a dozen people touched or tweezered them before they landed on the table.
Worry not. I haven’t sworn off any genre. My job requires me to explore a range of restaurants, as if the scene were a big buffet and I’m obliged to taste a bit of everything, from humble to haute. However, on any given night these days, you’re more likely to find me at a mom-and-pop, someplace relaxed, places where the drinks aren’t $20.
You could say I sought out more fried chicken and pizza slices — affordable comfort — than truffles and flourishes in 2022.
This season, my dining guide focuses on restaurants I like that offer distinctive value. Typically, the fall guide is a selection of favorites, but another challenging year calls for a different approach.
Value is typically associated with price. Plenty of choices in this year’s collection are restaurants you might see yourself visiting because they’re easy on the wallet.
Cost is but one measure of value. The thinking also considers usefulness. The tasting menu at Tail Up Goat in Washington is $98, but dinner in the role model for upscale restaurants comprises snacks, four memorable courses and hospitality reminiscent of an evening in the home of great friends — a lot of bang for your Franklin. Himalayan Wild Yak in Ashburn offers an uncommon taste of Nepalese food that you can wash back with serious cocktails. Another of my Top 5 restaurants right now, Dylan’s Oyster Cellar in Baltimore, sweats the small stuff. You might expect well-shucked oysters from the convivial watering hole, but french fries boiled in vinegar, poached and flash-fried just before they’re piled on the plate? The kitchen has you covered, hon.
And so on. Value is my favorite flavor right now, and I’m pleased to share some of the best sources herein.
This year’s fall dining guide marks another significant change.
Since spring 2020, I’ve omitted star ratings from my reviews. It seemed only fair, initially because restaurants were struggling just to get food out in boxes, and later, because service, a major part of the dining experience, seemed to be in a free fall. My 2022 roundup marks the official end to a grading system I introduced two decades ago. Read more about my decision here.
[Why I’m saying goodbye to star ratings in my restaurant reviews]
Going forward, you’ll have to read the review to see how I feel about a restaurant.
My sentiments about the following 40 places in and around Washington are pretty clear. Each represents some definition of value. Varied as they are, they’re linked by my affection for them.
1 Hitching Post
The District
Mains $12 to $33
Read More: Review | The 40 best D.C. restaurants offer more bang for your buck