The Most Talked-About Dishes in Washington, D.C. – June 2026

Carpaccio is usually a carnivorous proposition, but this summery stunner swaps in red and golden beets for the traditional beef or seafood. Executive chef-partner Cedric Maupillier dapples the beet rounds with orange segments, slivers of Picholine olives, and glistening aged balsamic pearls before surrounding them with a silky moat of Marcona almond and grape emulsion. “This dish started with the familiar sweet-and-tart harmony of beet and goat cheese as inspiration, then traveled south to the Riviera, where almonds, olives, and herbs tell a different story,” says Maupillier. “Cooking is often about taking flavors people know and love, understanding why they work, and expressing them through a new lens.”

Kibbeh naya, essentially Levantine tartare, is a regular menu item at chef Michael Rafidi's hearth-powered Palestinian restaurant, recently awarded four stars by The New York Times, a first for any restaurant outside New York City. “In spring and summer, for a lighter approach to the tradition, we like to change out the protein for things like this beautiful yellowfin tuna,” says Rafidi. “We add puffed bulgur for textural contrast. It’s an interactive dish where you put together your own perfect bite with the lettuce, the different pickles, toum, and mint–always mint.”