Daru
Restaurant · Near Northeast ·
Creative Indian dishes & inventive cocktails in a chic hub
Creative Indian dishes & inventive cocktails in a chic hub
"Dante Datta and Suresh Sundas, a respective drink expert and chef who met while working together at Rasika West End, reunited under one roof with an Indian restaurant and cocktail bar at a corner just south of H Street NE. At Daru, which landed on New York Times’s coveted top 50 restaurants list in 2022, Sundas likes to combine Northern and Southern Indian cooking styles with some unorthodox touches. That includes za’atar olive naan, chicken tikka tacos, chimichurri chutneys, or a malai paneer lasagna spiced with white pepper and cardamom. Datta, an alum of now-closed Columbia Room, creates inventive riffs on classic drinks, like a Pisco cocktail with blueberry and coconut or a nonalcoholic pear and cinnamon lassi. The successful duo recently opened an Indian and Nepali street food place, Tapori, further up in the H Street Corridor that’s serving more casual bites in a transformed terracotta space covered in original art. Know before you go: This small neighborhood favorite fills up fast, look for reservations far in advance or prepare to settle in at the wood-carved bar Datta made himself." - Tierney Plumb
"A neighborhood restaurant where executive chef Suresh Sundas earned recognition from the Michelin Guide for inventive cooking." - Emily Venezky
"Daru mixes classic Indian flavors with European ingredients to create exceptional dishes like the tangy paneer pesto tikka and rich and creamy black daal burrata. The cocktails also blur geographic and culinary lines. Order the East-West blending Chakra Phool, made with hints of Peychaud’s and Star Anise. The menu is an equal mix of vegetarian and meat dishes, making Daru a great option for mixed-diet groups. This tiny restaurant gives a homey refuge to the eastern edge of H Street, and the dining room is full most every night." - tristiana hinton, madeline weinfield
"Dante Datta and Suresh Sundas, a respective drink expert and chef who met while working together at Rasika West End, reunited under one roof in 2021 with an anticipated Indian restaurant and cocktail bar at a corner just south of H Street NE. Sundas likes to combine Northern and Southern Indian cooking styles with some unorthodox touches: Think za’atar olive naan, chicken tikka tacos, pomegranate aloo, hearty lamb shank with saffron, chili, and coconut, or grilled chicken reshmi kebabs with a hint of blue cheese. Inventive riffs on classic cocktails loop in fragrant ingredients like tamarind, rose water, and masala chai. Its hotly anticipated Indian street food spot Tapori arrived on H Street in February." - Tierney Plumb
"This tiny Indian restaurant gets packed every night with nearby H Street-ers trying to avoid the bustle of the main drag, so it’s best to make a reservation. Staff greet regulars like old friends with big smiles and pats on the back, and boldly flavored Indian cocktails make the place memorable. Order the juicy bison momo and the salty-sweet Artemesiac, a cocktail made with aged rum and grilled pineapple." - mekita rivas, tristiana hinton, madeline weinfield