It’s not been an easy few years for the restaurant business, yet Immigrant Food is in growth mode, having opened its fourth DMV location (the first in Virginia) in Ballston in 2024. Co-founders Peter Schechter and Téa Ivanovic credit the success of their concept to its “gastroadvocacy” mission, which celebrates America as a melting pot of rich cultures and cuisines. “We just think we are espousing something that is a proud American value,” Schechter says. The all-day cafe’s global menu drives that theme home, serving up something for everyone, from salads to samosas—and new flavors to try, like the housemade roasted banana ketchup that accompanies Filipino fried chicken. –Adele Chapin
Other top vote-getters:
Bar Chinois
Bar Colline
Nettie’s Tavern
Oasis: The Listening Bar
Sorn Thai Restaurant & Bar