Top, Best & Fun Rooftop Bars in Washington DC

"Chef Fabio Trabocchi now has two seafood-focused places to choose from. While Wharf newcomer Del Mar offers shellfish-studded, Spanish paella along the southwest waterfront, Fiola Mare has been serving a stylish crowd at another waterfront (this one in Georgetown) since 2014. Both are splurge spots: here, consider a variety of crudo dishes, seafood brodetto, or the simply grilled seafood selection."

"The stylish younger sister of the famed Fiola restaurant, Fiola Mare fronts the lively Georgetown waterfront and features sophisticated Italian cuisine. The menu focuses on fresh seafood dishes, which are complemented by an extensive wine list. Interiors are elegant and..."

"High-end service and seafood await at Fiola Mare, delivering beautiful waterfront views and a luxe, modern interior. The sophisticated menu is a great fine-dining option around Georgetown, and reservations are recommended."

"Stepping out onto this vine-canopied patio gives the same tingly romantic feeling as seeing The Notebook for the first time. Though the restaurant could probably rest on the laurels of atmosphere alone, its food, wine and cocktail programs are excellent, making it ideal for date-night drinking. Start with something stiff like the bourbon-based Art of Almost before moving on to Iron Gate’s calling card: Greek wine."

"Book a patio table at Iron Gate for a one-of-a-kind romantic experience. Surrounded by wisteria trees and fairy lights, the outdoor dining area is a magical oasis tucked away from ..."

"Named for Chef Aaron Silverman's paternal grandmother and his desire to provide a warm, casual and hospitable environment for guests, this venue is one of the district's favorites. Start off your experience with small plates likes spicy 'happy' oysters or green tomato Panzanella. Pasta and family-style options will draw you in with selections like lumaconi alla norma and smoked brisket."

"You may have heard of Rose’s Luxury, the American spot in Capitol Hill with creative pastas and vegetable-heavy small plates. You may have also heard about the no-reservations policy and the hours-long lines that come with it. Don’t let all that steer you away, though, because even a few years into the hype, it’s difficult to have a bad time at Rose’s."

"If you don’t mind the inevitable wait, then Rose’s Luxury is the place to be. It won the best new restaurant title by Bon Apetit last year and has gained meteoric popularity. The dishes can’t really be classified into a specific cuisine and varies depending on the season."

"Fiola serves up rustic Italian food and original cocktails in a sophisticated modern space. Washington Post critic Tom Sietsema gave Fiola a rare three-star review before complimenting individual dishes like the lobster ravioli. Sietsema reported being so overwhelmed with flavor that he felt like waving his napkin in surrender."

"It’s taken some time, but renowned Chef Fabio Trabocchi has finally perfected his take on modern Italian cuisine with this Penn Quarter eatery. The rustic but elegant atmosphere serves as the perfect backdrop for the contemporary Italian fare such as..."

"Washington foodies wept when Fabio Trabocchi took his Italian talents to the beloved Fiamma in New York City, but he soon returned to the District...Read More"

"Jim Morrison has been asking someone to show him the way here since the 1960s. Combining refined elegance with a modern twist, there's no bar like The Next Whisky Bar in Washington, D.C. An undulating copper wall leads guests from the lobby to an illuminated wall of 2,500 whisky bottles awash in a soft amber glow. Guests can sample from a high-end, curated selection of scotch."

"It’s hard not to eat like a marathon-prepper at Robert Wiedmaier’smoules frites–and-beer hangout, thanks to the addictive dishes. Plump mussels are blanketed in creamy, flavorful sauces—cilantro-laced Thai curry, classic white-wine broth—and served with wonderfully crusty bread and crisp French fries (both regular and sweet-potato)."

"Pots of mussels are the move - try the broth with mushrooms, bacon, and truffle, get extra bread, and soak up the pot until it’s dry. When it’s not too humid out, grab a table for Happy Hour on their outdoor patio."

"The author of one of F&W’s favorite cookbooks, DamGoodSweet: Desserts to Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth New Orleans Style, chef Davis Guas turns his attention to sandwiches and savory comfort food at this Arlington, Virginia café. For dinner, Guas updates NOLA dishes he grew up with, like spiced Gulf shrimp with green onion remoulade and blackened turkey meatballs with roasted tomato sauce, but hasn’t entirely forgotten his pastry chef roots. There are expert biscuits on the menu and super fluffy beignets with a generous coating of powdered sugar."

"Some chefs credit their Michelin-starred mentors for shaping their culinary vision and style. David Guas gives biggest props to his 69-year-old aunt Boo, a cooking-school teacher who hails from Abbeville, Louisiana. Her Cajun-country influence is the reason he keeps his zesty jambalaya extra-moist—unorthodox trick: a little tomato purée—and his crawfish étouffée stays on the mild side (dress it up with hot sauce if you like)."

"Owned by Louisiana native David Guas, Bayou Bakery naturally serves killer beignets. But it doesn’t neglect its French cousin, with freshly baked croissants filled with chocolate or almond, ham and cheese, and a special everything croissant (like the bagels). View this post on Instagram"

"This cozy neighborhood café offers “thoughtfully crafted” espresso and drip coffee (hot and iced options available), plus bagels, pastries, and focaccia."

"Let’s start building our list with a bakery that has made cookies its main focus. In the center of Adams Morgan, one of D.C.’s most lively neighborhoods for nightlife, Insomnia Cookies does its job to near perfection. Specializing in delivering warm and delicious snacks right to the doors of cookie fans, it is most proud of skillfully feeding its customers’ insatiable hunger, even if it hit at the most inappropriate hour."

"Insomnia Cookie, which also delivers, serves up warm and gooey chocolate chip cookies until 4 a.m. from Thursday to Saturday and 3 a.m. on Sunday to Wednesday."

"A casual, counter-serve cafe chain offering a standard menu of sandwiches, pasta and pastries. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinnerDress code: CasualPhone: +1 202-662-7400"

"Take the average cookie, put it on steroids and maybe you’ll end up with something almost-sort of like Milk Bar’s compost cookie. By this point, founder Christina Tosi’s inventiveness is well-known; the bakery values ingenuity. The famous compost cookie is packed with pretzels, potato chips, coffee grounds, oats, graham cracker crust, butterscotch chips and chocolate chips."

"If your little has never had churros before, this Spanish tapas restaurant’s delectable dessert may spoil them on traditional churros forever. Boqueria offers churros con chocolate, the traditional fried dough with a cinnamon-sugar dusting that you dip in thick hot chocolate. They also have churros rellenos, filled with either Nutella or dulce de leche."

"Boqueria is not just for tapas; it’s the place to go for the best churros around. Pop on over for dinner, but be sure to save enough room for dessert!. They offer churros in any and every form you can think of—filled with Nutella, sprinkled with cinnamon, transformed into an ice cream sandwich, toasted like a s'more…the list goes on."

"Boqueria is basically famous for its bottomless brunch, but you gotta go back for desserts, too. They offer churros in all forms—dusted with cinnamon, stuffed with Nutella, made into an ice cream sandwich, toasted like a s'more, you name it."

"Owner Ana Claudia Lopez was inspired to start Olivia Macaron thanks to her daughter for whom the business gets its name. Leaving a finance career, Lopez decided to follow her passion for baking an opened up the store in 2013 which now has three locations in the Metro region and ships the French macarons nationwide. Folks will find a variety of flavors including currently like fruity pebbles, blueberry cheesecake, salted caramel and blood orange."

"Limited edition flavors for spring exude the flavors and aesthetics of the season. Snag a variety box of lemon meringue, mint chocolate, cherry blossom and cassis for pickup or nationwide delivery."

"Every time I eat a French macaron, I just feel so fancy- Like I have to savor it in teeny bites and gossip with ladies in a garden."

"Mikko is pivoting from its Nordic roots to offer hearty, comforting meals that can be scaled for families or group houses. Beef or vegetable lasagna is always crowd pleasing, as is the chicken or vegetable curry. Meals will keep fresh for up to seven days and can be frozen and reheated."