When you’re looking for cheesy, crispy pizza that you won't want to share, head to Alfreda. The small Dupont Circle spot is great for gossip with coworkers or catching up with friends over a bottle of wine plucked right from the main wall of the dining room. The menu is short and to the point—there are four pizzas, three salads, and a couple appetizers. Get the Alfreda pizza, topped with a slightly sweet granna padano, cracked pepper, and oregano you smell the minute you walk through the door.

This tiny corner spot brings a Jewish-style deli to Navy Yard with thick sandwiches like Marc’s Mash Up that's stuffed with juicy chicken, creamy avocado, and thick slabs of country bacon. Most folks grab and go at the counter service spot, but there are a dozen stools—mostly overlooking Half St.—where you can enjoy knishes and bagels, too. This is a particularly welcome addition for Nats fans looking for a last-minute bite to bring into the stadium.

This causal Italian spot is in the old Nicoletta Italian Kitchen space, and has greatly improved on the Italian food you can get. There’s an all day Happy Hour in the bar area during the week, where you can get $7 martinis. If that’s not reason enough to stop by (it is for us), the taglioni neri, a soft squid ink noodle in a nice spicy sauce, and the cheesy, comforting gramigna are.

La Bonne Vache puts a fun French twist on the classic American burger. It’s in the old Booeymonger space in Georgetown, and it still holds that low-key sandwich shop charm, just with a little more je ne sais quoi. Bistro style two-tops are squeezed into every nook and corner of the space, and there’s a small bar crammed in the corner where you can eavesdrop on your neighbor’s conversation without much effort.

Grab a laid-back seafood dinner at Pesce, where the fresh cuts of tuna and branzino are served alongside mole and salsa verde. The tiny Latin seafood restaurant in Dupont Circle looks like a maze—small dining rooms and tables zigzag throughout the space. The light walls are covered in mini mirrors and murals of fish, and each room feels like you’re sitting in a little tank, which can feel like betrayal as you sip your creamy lobster bisque.

Your Only Friend, a sandwich shop in Mt. Vernon Triangle, is our favorite place to sit down and spill secrets over lunch. While there’s a counter-service carryout, walk past and grab a bar seat. Or plop down on one of the nook-like tables where TLC’s “Creep” plays just loud enough to make your emergency lunch meet-up feel like a closed-door meeting. The menu is full of thick-stuffed sandwiches like our personal favorite, Chicky Pep No 2, a breaded chicken sandwich smothered in melted cheese.

DC is no stranger to faux French bistros, but Union Market’s Pastis (of NYC and Miami fame) is a welcome addition to the ever-growing list. The menu mixes well-made classics with French-adjacent food, like a juicy cheeseburger with caramelized onions that taste like they came fresh out of a soup. But most importantly, Pastis doesn’t take itself too seriously. The soundtrack jumps from Rihanna to Lou Reed to Don Omar—no ”La Vie En Rose” here. Come for a casual date night or a dinner with friends.

After eating at Omakase @ Barracks Row, you’ll never look at sushi the same way, again. The Japanese spot’s 21-course meal combines fatty buttery yellowtail that melts the moment it touches your tongue, impeccably tempered sardines, and did-you-catch-this–this-morning bluefin tuna that'll leave you incredibly full yet secretly wishing for another 21 rounds. Everyone dines together (the room seats just 14 people all at the bar) as the staff and chef guide you through each dish.

Union Market’s pizza game is a lot stronger thanks to Parachute Pizza. The stall’s crispy Sicilian pizza comes in seven different combinations, but our favorite is the Spicy Boii, which is covered in pepperoni, pickled chilis, and hot honey. Our New York friends would still roll their eyes, but it’s pretty good pizza for DC standards. While the whole pies are pricey—they range from $36-46—they’re gooey, the fresh crust is buttery and crunchy, and they’re better than the slices which can be dry.