"Capitol Hill standby Art and Soul recently reopened after a lengthy hiatus and a multi-million dollar renovation. The 5,100-square-foot restaurant is dressed in blue as an ode to the menu’s new focus on seasonal and local dishes from Chesapeake Bay watershed communities. Chef Danny Chavez, an alum of Michelin-starred Plume who got his start at Art & Soul as a line cook, is making roasted mushrooms with focaccia; pan seared octopus; and mains like adobo rub pork belly and roasted chicken roulade, with rhubarb and apple crisp for dessert. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner with a lengthy weekend brunch service (9 a.m. to 3 p.m.). The updated look includes neon lights and abstract artwork of D.C. monuments, complete with a giant year-round patio. Art Smith, who at one point was Oprah Winfrey’s personal chef, originally opened Art and Soul at the then-Liaison hotel in 2007." - Tierney Plumb
