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Start a Top 5 for IndianEditor’s picks
Press picks, until locals rank their own Top 5s. Sourced from the local food press. As seen in The Infatuation. Updated September 2026.
Rasika · Penn Quarter
Rasika brings modern Indian cooking to its Penn Quarter flagship. Chef Vikram Sunderam’s menu moves between familiar dishes and more distinctive preparations in a dining room that suits a full evening out.
Daru · H Street Corridor
Daru puts a contemporary spin on Indian cooking along the H Street corridor. The focused menu and lively room make it a dinner destination with its own character rather than an extension of DC’s older Indian dining rooms.
INDIGO · NoMa
Indigo serves Indian comfort food near NoMa from a casual neighborhood setting. Curries, rice, and breads make the place an easy stop for a straightforward meal rather than an occasion built around formality.
Jewel of India · Silver Spring
Tucked into an unassuming Silver Spring strip mall, the kind of place worth the drive outside the District. Crisp garlic naan, lamb chops, and a carefully balanced dal are the reasons people keep coming back.
Diya Indian Cuisine · Old Town Alexandria
A white-tablecloth room in Old Town Alexandria built around okra masala as the house specialty. Lamb korma rounds out the savory side, and a gajar halwa closes the meal properly.