"The food scene in and around the nation’s capital is vibrant these days..."
View full list of The 25 Best Restaurants in Washington, D.C., Right Now by the New York Times
In an article published on April 29, 2024, the New York Times listed the top 25 restaurants in the Washingon, D.C. area. 2 of the 25 restaurants are located in Rockville, which is no surprise as Rockville is home to many authentic and culturally diverse cuisines. See the featured Rockville restaurants below:
Z&Z Manoushe Bakery
The crust of Z&Z’s classic manoushe, covered in a forest green slick of olive oil and za’atar, is both tantalizingly chewy and thoroughly crisp, from the edge to the tip of each triangle-cut slice. If the quality and complexity brings to mind artisan pizza, you’re not alone. While the owners, Danny and Johnny Dubbaneh, are quick to point out Levantine flatbreads predate pizza, the brothers’ family-run business does operate a little like a pizzeria, with the many variations on its signature item — don’t miss the manoushe topped with tomatoes, cucumbers and toum — ordered to-go in cardboard takeout boxes. The cozy, four-table bakery is a step up from Z&Z’s farmers’ market beginnings, but it still belies the regional demand the Dubbanehs have helped to create for manoushe, with Z&Z products now available in grocery stores across the Mid Atlantic.
1111 Nelson St
Rockville, MD 20850
Pupuseria Mamá Emilia
Salvadoran food is tightly knit into the fabric of the local culture. Elsy Claros — whose mother, Emilia Cruz Lopez, ran a pupuseria in El Salvador — played a role in spreading the cuisine across the metro area, with the pupuserias she opened with her sisters. Mamá Emilia ups the ante. Ms. Claros opened the restaurant with the help of her daughter, Ericka, in 2022. There are traditional pupusas, oozing cheese, frijoles and chicharrón. But there are also pupusas with fillings that include shrimp, mint and kale. There are nearly 30 different styles, all served hot and freshly blistered, starting at breakfast, when you’d be well served ordering the signature item with eggs, in a red sauce that rivals the best enchilada gravy.
785 Rockville Pike
Rockville, MD 20852
Read the full New York Times article: https://www.nytimes.com/article/dc-best-restaurants.html