Cielo Rojo in Takoma Park has been named the winner of the Best Margarita category in Washington City Paper’s annual Best of D.C. competition, which included restaurants throughout Washington, D.C., Maryland and Northern Virginia.
Cielo Rojo has consistently been named as one of the best restaurants in the area by Eater DC, including one of just six Maryland restaurants to make its Best of Summer 2026 list. Former Washington Post food critic Tom Sietsema’s “6 favorite places to eat in the D.C. area right now” in 2024.
The restaurant’s margarita lineup includes a House Margarita with fresh-squeezed lime juice and agave, a Jalapeño-Basil Margarita with house-made jalapeño-basil lemonade and agave, and a Hibiscus Margarita with house-made hibiscus tea, agave, and lime. Its Austin Healey Margarita, described as the restaurant’s version of a “Cadillac margarita,” features Tequila Ocho Blanco, lychee, organic raspberries, agave, and lime.
Cielo Rojo opened in 2019 and serves California-inspired Mexican cuisine, with a menu featuring tacos, enchiladas, and a variety of shareable plates. Owners David Perez and Carolina McCandless first met in 2012 while working at Gracias Madre, a vegan Mexican restaurant in San Francisco. McCandless is originally from Takoma Park, where her parents own nearby Amano.
