4 places
The Best Restaurant Openings in Washington, D.C. – August 2026
With Congress out of session and many locals on vacation, D.C. in August might be a ghost town were it not for the visitors who flock to the city this time of year. It’s traditionally a slower month for restaurants, but there are still exciting developments on the dining scene. This month brought a Windy City-inspired concept serving Chicago tavern-style pizza in Dupont Circle and D.C.’s first outpost of the good-vibes-only, health-conscious chain Pura Vida Miami. Also worth catching up on are two late-July arrivals: a brassy American brasserie in Rosslyn and mezze-minded Agora’s newest and largest location.
La Merna
La Merna brought Chicago tavern-style pizza to Dupont Circle when it opened August 13. The restaurant comes from Windy City transplants G. Bradley Shorten and Meg Schmitt, whose pies are cut into squares and sport a thin, crispy crust, making them the antithesis of Chicago deep dish. Options include the mushroom-and-Taleggio Fungi, La Vodka Piccante with salami and banana peppers, and Sweet D topped with pepperoni, stracciatella, and hot honey. House-made pastas and shareable dishes such as stracciatella toast and fennel salad round out the Italian American menu. Cocktails take inspiration from Italian classics and Chicago dive-bar faves, complemented by easy-drinking Italian wines and local beers.
Agora DC Mediterranean Restaurant
It’s a trifecta! Husband-and-wife team Betul and Ismail Uslu opened the third and largest location of their Mediterranean concept, Agora, on July 18. Located inside the Hyatt Regency in downtown Bethesda, the restaurant is Agora’s first in Maryland and features a 100-seat patio. It is also the first Agora location to serve breakfast, joining the brand’s beloved brunch, lunch, and dinner offerings. Inspired by the cuisines of Turkey, Greece, and Lebanon, the mezze-style menu includes house-made dips, grilled meats, flatbreads, seafood, salads, and small plates.
Pura Vida - Logan Circle
Now you can savor the flavors of the Magic City in Logan Circle, where Pura Vida Miami opened its first D.C. location on August 20. The chain serves breakfast all day, including its built-for-Instagram Perfect Egg Sandwich, smoked salmon toast, and overnight oats topped with fruit, nuts, seeds, and granola. Beyond breakfast, the menu includes health-minded salads, rice bowls, sandwiches, and more. The beverage selection covers coffee and tea, smoothies, cold-pressed juices, and wellness shots.
Noble Fox Bar & Terrace
Noble Fox Bar & Terrace, which opened July 27 inside Rosslyn’s newly renovated Le Méridien hotel, is a brassy American brasserie with a chic terrace overlooking Georgetown and the National Cathedral. Executive chef Francecil Ponte, a veteran of Marriott Wardman Park, Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center, and the Commentary at the Westin Arlington Gateway, oversees breakfast and dinner, with brunch still to come. Nighttime options include steak frites, a burger with caramelized onions, Gruyère, and truffle mayo, blackened shrimp tacos, and a crispy chicken club sandwich. In the morning, expect croissant French toast, avocado toast with smoked salmon, and omelets.
