Located on a sunny Capitol Hill corner, Pascual brings the vibrant spirit of Mexico City to Washington, D.C., through fire, flavor, and finesse. The wood-fired kitchen fills the 30-seat dining room with a smokiness that’s equal parts seductive and comforting, while the breezy patio adds 40 more seats for long lunches or warm evenings.
Pascual is the latest from husband-and-wife chefs Matt Conroy and Isabel Coss—the duo behind the acclaimed neo-bistro Lutèce—and Popal Group, the family-run hospitality team known for Lapis and Lapop. Named for the patron saint of cooks, Pascual invites diners into a single light-filled space where the open kitchen is always in view.
The meal begins with a showpiece: housemade guacamole and tostadas spinning on a Lazy Susan, flanked by a colorful array of fixin’s—macha, verde, and habanero salsas, pickles, grilled pineapple, and shishito escabeche. From there, the menu unfolds with small, medium, and large plates designed for sharing and built around the season.
The menu shifts with the seasons and is built to be shared—starting with smaller plates and building to generous platters. A springtime lineup might include scallop ceviche with smoked strawberry and rhubarb, grilled dorado with morels and charred greens, or fava bean sope layered with ramps and smoked goat ricotta.
Though Conroy’s background is savory and Coss’s is pastry, every dish is developed together. “We both have the same palate,” says Coss. “We like the same level of acidity, the same level of richness. We both try all the dishes.”
“From the beginning,” Conroy adds, “she’d bring me an ice cream to ask if the texture was good. I’d make a sauce and say, ‘Hey, what do you think of this? Is it too spicy? Does it need more of something?’ It’s very good to have someone in the kitchen whose opinion you trust like that.”
Since opening in early 2024, Pascual has drawn national acclaim, earning a Best New Restaurant nod from Eater and a coveted spot on The New York Times list of America’s Best Restaurants.
