MITA
Restaurant · U Street
804 V St NW, Washington, DC 20001
Highlights
Plant-based Latin American tasting menus with creative dishes
Plant-based Latin American tasting menus with creative dishes
"Chefs Miguel Guerra and Tatiana Mora, formerly at Michelin-starred El Cielo, brought Shaw a wonderland of Latin flavors via tasting menus that put vegetables on a pedestal. Mita got its start as a pop-up in Union Market’s La Cosecha food hall and won a Michelin star within a year of opening a brick-and-mortar. The sleek space gives the Venezuelan chefs a palette to expand their creativity across multi-course dinners packed with soft arepas, sauces, and polished elements (starting at $75 per person). The sleek bar specializes in biodynamic wines and cocktails filled with Latin spirits." - Tierney Plumb
"MITA is not only DC’s most exciting vegan restaurant, it's one of the best vegan restaurants on the East Coast. On the ground floor of an otherwise modest apartment building, the industrial-chic space gives the impression that it was once something decidedly edgier than the first floor of a new-build high-rise. The restaurant uses ingredients from around Latin America and serves dishes so rich and creamy they will challenge your conception of non-dairy cooking. The menu changes frequently, but the arepas—some of the best we've ever had—are a mainstay. Other standout dishes include arracacha with fava beans and sweet plantains pureed into something resembling a rich chowder, and a barley salad with charred banana." - tristiana hinton, madeline weinfield
"Shaw vegan’s hot spot that just earned its first Michelin star showcases cherry blossom delicacies this spring. A dessert made of rich cherry mousse, dark chocolate, raspberry yuzu sorbet, and a silky mochi veil is available as part of the tasting menu or a la carte at the bar, wash it down with the Sakura Maru cocktail. Named after the ship that carried the first Japanese immigrants to Peru, the beverage is a blend of Torontel Caravedo pisco, Iwai 45 Japanese whiskey, sake, Campari, and a hint of raspberry syrup and lemon juice, topped with a frothy layer of dairy-free aquafaba." - Vinciane Ngomsi
"Chefs Miguel Guerra and Tatiana Mora’s Michelin-starred tasting menu spot is serving up big plant-based flavors, like mini arepas with a trio of sauces, a savory masa churro served with chanterelles and black garlic, and watermelon crudo. Diners can choose between a 14-course tasting menu ($150), 6-course prix fixe ($95), and 4-course prix fixe ($75) that is only available Tuesday through Thursday. Cocktails combining Latin American spirits and sustainably farmed wines from Latin America round out the beverage program. Definitely show up early or linger after your tasting to chat with beverage director Lou Bernard at the sleek bar and try some of his creative cocktails infusing Singani 63 with shiitakes and spiking carajitos with aguardiente." - Tierney Plumb
"MITA is not only DC’s most exciting vegan restaurant, it's one of the best vegan restaurants on the East Coast. On the ground floor of an otherwise modest apartment building, the industrial-chic space gives the impression that it was once something decidedly edgier than the first floor of a new-build high-rise. While MITA’s reputation is well known, it still feels like a secret you can keep to yourself if you come here during the week when the tables are sparsely filled. The restaurant uses flavors and ingredients from around Latin America and serves dishes so rich and creamy they will challenge your conception of non-dairy cooking. We like to sit at the bar (the tables are reserved for tasting menus) with a view of the open kitchen and order from their a la carte menu. Come with someone who likes to share and order everything. Food Rundown Arepas Every meal at MITA starts with tiny arepas, each made from a different ingredient—corn, wheat, yuca, potato, and plantain, and served with guasacaca, chontaduro butter, and sour cream. While the arepas are intended as an intro to the rest of the meal, we’ve been tempted to just eat them all night. Arracacha – Fava Beans – Sweet Plantain – Dashi Abundantly creamy in texture, this blend of finely pureed vegetables is reminiscent of a rich chowder. The sweet plantains give just enough sweetness to soften the fava and the arracacha. Charred Banana – Pearled Barley – Mitake – Peas This barley salad is sweetened with charred bananas but avoids any dessert comparisons thanks to the mitake mushrooms and peas. The balance of savory vegetables with the sweet banana, along with the softness of the pearled barley, make this a satisfying take on vegan comfort food." - Madeline Weinfield
