"Looking for a low-key night with your significant other that wraps up by 10pm? Lutèce is the move. The quaint spot has a menu full of the usual neo-bistro suspects: steak tartare, grilled octopus, berkshire pork—you know the drill. Try a few different things by going a la carte, or let the chef take the wheel via the $125 tasting menu. Be open to a table on the patio. Yes, Wisconsin Avenue is a main artery of Georgetown and it will be loud—and less charming than inside—but the food and wine will be just as memorable. Prime dinner time reservations for the dining room tend to fill up several weeks out, so plan in advance. The Chef’s Table, with a $125 tasting menu, is slightly easier to book." - joe brantlinger, tristiana hinton, omnia saed, madeline weinfield, allison robicelli