Tastes of Fall: TheList's List of Delish Dishes

Still feeling that last weekend of summer? Not anymore -wah! - the DMV has officially turned the corner into fall. Farmers' markets are swapping tomatoes for squash, chefs are loading menus with apples and root vegetables, and suddenly every meal feels like the start of soup season. This is the season for braises that make the whole kitchen smell like Sunday. This is one of the best times of year to eat around the region.

Here at TheListAreYouOnIt.com, we've rounded up the can't-miss bites, menu changes and dining experiences to help you eat your way through fall.

• Make a night of it with a show + a great pre or post-theatre meal with our theatre + dining guide here
• This week's list of The List's favorite beverages is right here
• From festivals and pop-ups to patio parties, restaurant events, and fall food happenings around the region, we've got those covered here
• Looking for cozy dining? Check out our Patio Pleasures + Up On The Roof roundups featuring patios, rooftops, courtyards & outdoor dining spots all across the DMV — now with fire pits and blankets.

So much more fall deliciousness below:

MARK YOUR CALENDAR: 

Nepali Flood Relief: U Street’s Kathmandu is supporting Nepal flood relief throughout September, donating 20% of net proceeds through September 30 to the Prime Minister Flood Relief Fund, with a minimum commitment of $5,000.00. The restaurant will also join the Nepal Flood Relief Fundraising Masterclass Dinner on September 13 at Masti Restaurant in Reston Town Center, serving cocktails alongside a lineup of DMV Nepali chefs and restaurants. The benefit dinner will showcase regional Nepali dishes inspired by areas affected by the floods, with 100% of dinner proceeds donated to Nepal flood relief; kathmandu-dc.site

Taste America: The James Beard Foundation’s Taste America series returns on October 5 at 7:00 p.m. at The LINE DC for an intimate multi-course dinner celebrating the city’s culinary community. The evening brings together TasteTwenty chef Christian Irabién of Amparo Fondita, Julie Cortes of Kayu, and James Beard Award nominees Danny Lee and Scott Drewno of The LINE DC and Fried Rice Collective, with wine pairings accompanying the collaborative menu. Tickets are $200.00 per person, and the event is open to guests 21 and older; jamesbeard.org/events/taste-america-washington-dc

9th Annual Bambathon: Taco Bamba’s 9th Annual Bambathon returns October 6, challenging all 16 locations to race to sell 1,000 tacos while supporting Smile on the World. Taco Bamba will donate $1.00 from every taco sold, up to $1,000.00 per location, to the nonprofit co-founded by Chef Victor Albisu, which provides aid and medical care to underserved communities. Bambanation members who purchase a taco that day will also receive a reward for a free taco, redeemable within the following week; tacobamba.com

Yottem Ottolenghi at Sixth & I: Celebrated chef and author Yotam Ottolenghi will appear at Sixth & I on October 8 at 7:00 p.m., discussing his latest cookbook Simple Too. In conversation, Ottolenghi will explore his philosophy of bold, approachable cooking and share recipes designed to make flavorful meals feel effortless; sixthandi.org

Snallygaster: The District's beloved craft beer festival returns October 10, taking over 4 blocks of Pennsylvania Avenue NW with 450+ beers from 175 breweries around the world. Along with rare pours and appearances by renowned brewers, guests can enjoy cider, wine, cocktails, live music, food from 25+ vendors, a Shop Made in DC makers market, games, and family-friendly activities. Tickets go on sale July 7 at 10:00 a.m., with proceeds supporting Arcadia Center for Sustainable Food & Agriculture and its mission to build a more equitable regional food system; snallygasterdc.com

Oyster Wars: Oyster Wars returns Sunday, October 11, bringing together oyster farmers, acclaimed chefs, and seafood lovers for an afternoon celebrating East Coast oyster culture. Guests can taste freshly shucked oysters from 10 farms spanning Maryland, Virginia, Rhode Island, and Maine, alongside dishes from chefs including Kyle Bailey, Gabe Erales, Manuel Perez, Seng Luangrath, Reid Shilling, and more. VIP entry begins at 2:00 p.m., with general admission from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m., and a portion of ticket proceeds will benefit the Oyster Recovery Partnership and its Chesapeake Bay restoration efforts. Early Bird tickets are $90.00 for VIP and $70.00 for general admission; thesaltline.com

SHUCK IT! Oyster Festival: The 13th Annual Georgetown Shuck It! Oyster & Beer Festival returns on Saturday, October 17, from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. at Tony & Joe's Seafood Place in Georgetown. Guests 21+ can enjoy all the local oysters and local beer they can handle, plus live music from Johnny Spanninato & The Value Leaders and The Yachtsmen, all while supporting the Oyster Recovery Partnership and its efforts to restore the Chesapeake Bay's native oyster population; georgetowndc.com/event/shuck-it-beer-and-oyster-festival/

Chefs for Equality: One of DC's premier culinary fundraisers returns October 19 with this year's "United Plates of America" theme, bringing together top local chefs, mixologists, and restaurateurs for collaborative dinners benefiting the Human Rights Campaign Foundation. Hosted across six venues, the event features chef-driven dinners, cocktail pairings, and a new dedicated cocktail experience at Silver Lyan. Tickets are on sale now; chefsforequality.org

NEW & NOTEWORTHY: 

Doughnuts x Fried Chicken & Now, Burritos: Astro’s downtown DC location has launched a new lineup of hand-rolled, griddled-to-order burritos inspired by Chef Gerardo Castillo’s hometown of Guerrero, Mexico, and his family. Breakfast options include the Breakfast Burrito and Sunrise Burrito, while lunch and dinner bring the Super Burrito and Taco Salad, with burritos also available as bowls. The Shirlington location is set to add the offerings later this month; astrodoughnuts.com

(Hispanic Heritage Month Alert) Upside on Moore: From September 15 through October 15, guests can celebrate with limited-time dishes highlighting Mexican and Salvadoran flavors. La Michoacana will offer Huitlacoche Quesadillas with queso fresco, sour cream, pumpkin seeds, pico de gallo, and guacamole, while Lili’s will serve handmade Pupusas filled with refried beans and cheese and accompanied by curtido and tomato sauce. Both are available for dine-in and takeout; upsideonmoore.com

(Collab Alert) Astro Doughnuts x Cane: Astro is teaming up with local restaurants Cane, Purple Patch, and Caruso’s Grocery for a fall doughnut collaboration series benefiting local charities. First up is Cane’s Rum Cake Doughnut ($5.50), available throughout September and inspired by owner Jeanine Prime’s Trinidadian heritage with dark rum, coconut, nutmeg, cinnamon, and clove. A portion of proceeds will benefit Sister Mentors, with the doughnut available at Astro and at Cane on weekends throughout the month.; astrodoughnuts.com

Brunch, Italian Style (Brunch Alert): Saturday brunch is back at Sfoglina Rosslyn, the neighborhood pasta house rooted in Italian tradition and dedicated to the art and soul of handmade pasta. From 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., guests can enjoy $25.00 bottomless Bellinis or Roman Mary cocktails alongside a 3-course menu featuring Sfoglina Deviled Eggs, Cacio e Pepe Omelet, and Neapolitan Shakshuka. The day continues with happy hour starting at 3:00 p.m., featuring $7.00 glasses of wine, $8.00 spritzes, and $9.00 martinis; In addition, the downtown location of the pasta house has reopened following a brief summer closure for extensive renovations.  sfoglinapasta.com 

NOT NEW, BUT NOTEWORTHY:

Late-Night Burger Crave: Chefs Matt Conroy and Jason Chavenson have added a new late-night burger, inspired by a BLT and made with 2 dry-aged Roseda beef patties, smoked bacon, jalapeño relish, heirloom tomato, and a Manifest Bakery bun. Only 10 burgers are available each night, served Wednesday, Thursday, and Sunday from 10:00 to 11:00 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 11:00 p.m. to midnight; maisondc.com

Flower to Flour: Bluepoint Hospitality has opened The Flour Shop in a restored former flower shop in downtown Easton, bringing fresh-baked breads, pastries, cakes, and artisanal provisions to the historic space. Led by Executive Pastry Chef and Chocolatier Sarah Deale and Head Baker John Aversa, the bakery produces sourdough, focaccia, ciabatta, baguettes, rye, pumpernickel, Friday challah, and rotating bread specials daily using organic flours. Pastries and sweets include canelé, maritozzi, galettes, tea and bundt cakes, and pistachio cake, alongside packaged butter and other provisions; bluepointhospitality.com  

(Chef-Made) Freezer-to-Oven Dinners: Chef Jenn Crovato is launching Sunday Suppers, a new freezer-to-oven family dinner series available for pickup during Sunday brunch beginning September 13. An extension of her Jenn’s Homemade prepared entrée line, the rotating weekly menu will feature meals serving four, starting with Norwegian Salmon and Grilled Corn Salad ($104.00), followed by Wagyu Flat Iron with sides ($340.00) and Roasted Chicken Breast with Broccolini and Pesto Pasta ($96.00). Orders must be placed at least 24 hours in advance and picked up by 4:00 p.m. on Sundays.; 1310kitchendc.com

Oysters Raise Funds: Clyde’s Restaurant Group is partnering with Pangea Shellfish Company to support the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, with $4.00 from every bag of oysters sold donated to pediatric cancer research. Participating restaurants include Cordelia Fishbar, Rye Street Tavern, Old Ebbitt Grill, and all Clyde’s locations; clydes.com

Kareem’s Kitchen Lands: Kareem’s Lebanese Kitchen will open its 1st Maryland location at Rio Lakefront in Gaithersburg on August 24, bringing the Eido family’s generations-old Lebanese cooking traditions to the area. Led by 3rd-generation Chef Rachid Eido, whose background includes the Four Seasons and restaurants throughout the Washington region, the menu features handmade mezze, shawarma, fresh-baked pita, Farrouj, slow-cooked Lamb Mouzat, and other family recipes, plus a Maryland-inspired crab hummus created for the new location. Kareem’s first opened in Naples, Florida, in 2018, and its Maryland debut brings Eido back to a region where he built much of his culinary career. An official ribbon cutting with tastings, restaurant tours, and a chance to meet the family will take place September 1 at 11:00 a.m.; kareemskitchen.com

New from Elli Benchimol: Restaurateur and Advanced Sommelier Elli Benchimol, owner of Georgetown’s Apéro and La Bohème, will open Ellizabetta La Strega on September 9 in the former Marcel’s space in Foggy Bottom-West End. Led by Chef Jennifer Castaneda-Jones and Chef de Cuisine Stephen Jones, both Marcel’s alumni, the Italian restaurant will feature shareable plates, house-made pastas like Meyer Lemon Tagliatelle with caviar, and larger dishes including Crispy Berkshire Porchetta, Whole-Roasted Branzino, and Ribeye for Two. The 170-seat restaurant will shift throughout the day from lunch to The Witching Hour, an Italian-inspired aperitivo featuring spritzes, seasonal cocktails, and cicchetti, before transitioning to dinner. An Italian-forward wine program, mystical design touches, patio, and private dining room round out the new concept; ellizabetta.com

Walter Reed Gets a Slice: Pizza master Giulio Adriani has opened Slice & Pie’s 4th and largest location at The Parks at Walter Reed, serving the shop’s full menu of New York and Detroit-style pizzas alongside meatballs, garlic knots, and specialty sandwiches. The new location officially celebrates its grand opening September 8 at 3:00 p.m., when the first 100 guests will receive a free cheese or pepperoni slice. Slice & Pie has been ranked the #2 slice shop in the U.S. by 50 Top Pizza for 3 consecutive years, with favorites including the Burrata Pie and Classic Detroit-Style Pie; sliceandpie.com

New in the Palisades: Hospitality veterans Prady Rana and Bhakti More will open N.H. 48 Indian Kitchen in DC’s Palisades neighborhood on September 3, bringing the regional flavors of India to MacArthur Boulevard. Named for National Highway 48, the route connecting Delhi and Mumbai, the restaurant draws inspiration from the home cooking, regional cuisines, and roadside dishes found along the journey; nh48restaurant.com

The Ice Cream Flavors of Fall: Jeni’s is leaning into fall with a new collection of seasonal flavors, available at scoop shops across the DMV. The lineup includes Hazelnut Stracciatella, Miso Butterscotch Brownie, Pumpkin with Brown Sugar Blondies, and the scoop shop-exclusive Pear Frangipane, featuring crisp pear and almond ice cream; jenis.com

Spicy Schmears: H&H Bagels is adding 2 limited-time Jalapeño Popper offerings for football season, including a cream cheese with pickled jalapeños, bacon, and cheddar and an egg sandwich layered with the same flavors, available September 10 through 30. For the High Holidays, H&H is also offering discounted Bagel Bundles September 10 through 21, pairing a dozen bagels with options like spreads, house-made salads, or nova smoked salmon at a 10% savings; hhbagels.com

A Little Birdie Told Me (Brunch Alert): Weekend brunch is on at Little Birdie every Saturday and Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., with playful twists on brunch classics. Highlights include Cacio e Pepe Biscuits ’N’ Gravy, Honey Butter Chicken with johnny cakes, lemon custard-filled Sourdough French Toast, the brisket-topped Birds Nest, and a BLT Benny with dill hollandaise; littlebirdieva.com

Power Lunch (Lunch Alert): Restaurateur Ashok Bajaj and Michelin-starred Chef Carlos Cardona have introduced weekday lunch at Rosselli, bringing a refined Italian midday menu to downtown DC. Served Tuesday through Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., the new offering features house-made pastas, antipasti, panini, and seasonal entrées, with highlights including the Tenderloin & Caramelized Onion Panino, Linguine alle Vongole, Rigatoni al Forno, and Burrata Pugliese. Paired with Italian wines by the glass, the new lunch service is designed for everything from business meetings to leisurely afternoons; rossellidc.com