Washington, DC, is a foodies’ city by all counts and has 25 Michelin-starred restaurants at the moment. Reflecting its multicultural population, the city offers a wide range of cuisines and dining options.
Apart from American cuisine, eateries in the city offer Italian, Chinese, Mexican and Mediterranean cusines. The recent Michelin Guide update highlights 37 cuisines, including Indian (Rasika), Spanish (Cranes) and Latin American (Seven Reasons). It also mentions 20 new or renovated rooftop bars and restaurants. Rooftop eateries such as Moonraker, Smoke & Mirrors, and VUE Rooftop offer beautiful views of the US capital’s famous landmarks.
Among so many options, Indian cuisine has carved a significant niche. It offers residents and visitors a taste of India’s rich culinary heritage, often blending traditional flavours with modern twists and techniques.
Following are the Indian restaurants in Washington, DC, which the Michelin Guide has recognized for their exceptional offerings.
Rania
Meaning “queen” in Hindi and Sanskrit, the name is apt, considering the exquisite culinary experience it offers. Located in downtown Washington, DC, Rania is a fine dining Indian restaurant that boasts one Michelin star.
Led by Executive Chef Chetan Shetty, Rania offers an inventive menu including brunch, a three-course and a four-course meal. Brunch is available on Sundays.
The extensive menu packs a few surprises, like the braised pork belly vindaloo. Dishes like shiso leaf chaat combine a playful and elegant feel. The ghee-roasted lamb, wrapped in a delicate lentil crepe, packs a spicy punch that is tempered by buttermilk mousse. A sweet and creamy yogurt mousse with hints of pistachio and cardamom can be the perfect end to your meal.
Other signature dishes of the restaurant include chana masala panisse, gobi manchurian tomato, shrimp koliwada, Parsi rolled omelette, lachha aloo chaat, Nargisi kofta, beef short rib, lamb shoulder roganjosh, ghee-poached verlasso salmon and everyone’s favourite, butter chicken.
Shrikhand mousse and kesari mango are among the dessert options.
Rania features an array of specially-crafted cocktails with Indian twists. Rang birange (kaffir lime, lulo juice, Zirbenz, fresno syrup), Jewel of Sahara (bacon washed bourbon, puree of mejool dates, chili, chocolate bitters, black lava salt), Maharaja dream (Beluga gold vodka, cucumber and fennel elixir, luxardo, Oloroso sherry) and Pistachio Shah (caramelized pistachio, meyer lemon, basil infusion, orange bitters) are a few you can try.
A three-course meal costs USD 55 and a four-course meal is priced at USD 90. Along with food, a thoughtfully-crafted wine pairing is also available for an additional USD 65 per person. If you want to take your dining experience to the next level, choose the chef’s tasting menu, which is a seven-course meal priced at USD 175. You can have some exquisite wine to go with it for USD 125 per person.
Raina is open Tuesday to Saturday during 5-10 pm and on Sunday from 11 am until 1:45 pm (for brunch) and again 5-9 pm. The restaurant remains closed on Monday.
Karma Modern Indian
Karma Modern Indian boasts traditional Indian cuisine with a contemporary twist. It is a stylish bistro with large windows and a navy blue-and-white palette. The restaurant has received a Michelin Bib Gourmand recognition for its good quality food and good value cooking.
Karma is known for its creative dishes with inventive ingredient combinations. The restaurant uses old cooking techniques with quality ingredients, and spices are ground in-house.
Wild mushroom naan (with a hint of truffle) and Paneer lajawab are patron favourites. Other popular items include karuna, white asparagus kadhi, saffron duck, venison lal maas, Gucchi chicken and guava samosa.
The menu features both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, with Tiger’s Tail, made with blood orange, turmeric and chili water being among the popular ones.
Karma Modern also offers a chef’s tasting menu. A four-course, six-course and nine-course meal will cost you USD 95, USD 125, and USD 165 per person respectively. For wine pairing, charges are an extra USD 65 per person for four-course and USD 85 per person for both six-course and nine-course menu.
Opening hours of the bistro are 12–2:30 pm and 5–9 pm on Wednesday and Thursday, 12–2:30 pm and 5–10 pm on Friday and Saturday, and 5–9 pm on Sunday and Tuesday. Karma Modern is closed on Monday.
Daru
Daru, located in Maryland Avenue, brings a fresh perspective to traditional Indian cuisine with its creative dishes. This, too, has also been recognized as Bib Gourmand by the Michelin Guide.
The restaurant’s corner location stands out, with its big windows and a distinctive white-ringed Sanskrit logo. When the weather is nice, the sidewalk seating area expands the dining space. Inside, the bar area buzzes with lively music, and the kitchen team puts a fresh twist on traditional Indian dishes.
At Daru, the menu of which is curated by Head Chef Suresh Sundas, your regular tandoori chicken kebabs come with a topping of blue cheese. Paired with a tangy cherry sauce and crunchy cashews, this dish is just as tempting as the spicy minced bison momos. The nariyal lamb shank is hearty and full of flavour, with saffron, chili and coconut. Try it with a plate of light basmati rice to soak up the rich sauce. Other popular dishes include lasooni lamb chops, chicken tikka tacos, wild mushroom biryani, and black daal burrata. There is also a wide variety of chutneys to choose from.
Daru has a modern bar that serves both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.
Appetizer prices are in the USD 12–18 range, while main courses cost USD 16–32. Cocktails are priced around USD 15. The restaurant offers a happy hour every day during 5–6:30 pm. Daru is open all days from 5 pm until 10 pm.
Other restaurants
Two others Indian restaurants in Wahington, DC, – Rasika and The Bombay Club – are featured on the Michelin Guide web portal as restaurants with “good cooking”.
Rasika is known for its laid-back ambience and kitsch-free Indian dishes. It is a perfect spot for a casual night out with friends, a formal dinner, or a festive celebration. Try their fresh curries, spicy kebabs, and the flavourful lamb rogan josh. They serve super tasty breads, especially the naan.
The Bombay Club is decades old and a popular hangout spot for politicians and Washington insiders. With its classy yet welcoming vibe, the eatery brings back memories of the old British Raj clubs. It’s menu features North Indian grilled meats to South Indian seafood and coconut-rich dishes. The seekh kebab, made with tender minced lamb; and bharli vangi, a stuffed and braised baby eggplant dish, are guest favourites.
Picture credit: @raniawashingtondc on Instagram
