The Washington Post’s Tom Sietsema has been the newspaper’s food critic for nearly 25 years. Today he released his list of “The 20 Best New Restaurants in the D.C. Area”. Three of the restaurants are in Maryland (two in Montgomery County). We look at the Maryland restaurants included below:
Wye Oak Tavern (211 E. Church St. Frederick, MD): Described as “a fitting addition to Frederick’s rightly renowned gourmet landscape” Wye Oak is helmed by acclaimed celebrity Executive Chefs Bryan and Michael Voltaggio.
Bryan Voltaggio has made his mark at restaurants across the nation, including STRFSH in Santa Monica, California, Estuary in Washington, D.C., and the cherished local establishments VOLT and Thacher & Rye in Frederick. In addition to his restaurant endeavors, he has participated in several Bravo Network competitions, including Top Chef, Top Chef Masters, and Top Chef: All-Stars L.A., as well as Guy Fieri’s Tournament of Champions on Food Network, consistently earning accolades for his culinary creations. Furthermore, Bryan served as a coach on Discovery Channel’s Battle of the Brothers, where he competed against his brother Michael, solidifying his reputation as one of the country’s leading culinary experts. Visit their website here.
Elena James All Day (8551 Connecticut Ave. Chevy Chase, MD), located in the Chevy Chase Lake neighborhood, opened last December. Created by Colin McClimans and Danilo Simic, the founders of D.C.’s New American restaurant Nina May, Elena James is a new all-day concept featuring seasonal, locally-sourced ingredients for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
The 5,000-square-foot space includes a café offering breakfast and lunch counter service, as well as a dining area with a bar and open kitchen serving American-inspired dishes and cocktails for dinner. Menu highlights include cacio e pepe, flank steak, and pan-roasted trout. Visit the restaurant website here.
San Pancho (7056 Carroll Ave. Takoma Park, MD) was brought to life by husband-and-wife team Carolina McCandless and David Perez. Since opening last July, the restaurant has garnered acclaim as one of the “Hottest New Brunches” and “Hottest New Restaurants.” Recently, the restaurant was also highlighted for its unique coffee drinks that have drawn lines out the door.
The couple who opened San Pancho also own nearby Cielo Rojo. They first crossed paths in 2012 at a Mexican restaurant in San Francisco’s vibrant Mission District, where they developed a passion for the region’s iconic “Mission style” burritos. Inspired by their experiences, they founded San Pancho with the tagline “Born in La Mission,” aiming to deliver authentic burritos crafted from premium ingredients. Their flour tortillas, imported from Mexico, are made in the traditional Sonoran style, while their meats are sourced from local, hormone-free farms. Committed to scratch-made dishes, San Pancho seeks to transport San Francisco transplants and food enthusiasts alike to a little corner of the bay right in their own neighborhood. Visit their website here.