Himitsu is located in Petworth’s burgeoning Upshur Street corridor. (Photo by Farrah Skeiky)

A year after naming D.C. its city of the year and crowning Bad Saint as the second best new restaurant in the country, three local spots have made the cut for Bon Appétit’s 50 Best New Restaurants list: Himitsu, Timber Pizza, and Pineapple & Pearls.

Aaron Silverman’s Pineapple & Pearls is little surprise. The upscale eatery on Barracks Row was one of just three D.C. restaurants to earn two Michelin stars (not to mention that Silverman’s other restaurant topped Bon Appétit’s entire list three years ago).

“Go here for an unforgettable celebratory meal,” the magazine recommends. “[Silverman] integrates the pitch-perfect hospitality his first spot is known for into a more structured tasting menu-only setting. You’ll feel like a VIP from the minute you’re greeted with a sparkling cocktail until the end of the night.”

The real winner, though, may be Petworth’s Upshur Street corridor, where Himitsu and Timber Pizza both sit, nearly directly across the street from one another.

Himitsu, which translates to “secret” in Japanese (insert unoriginal joke here about the secret getting out), has long impressed us with artful cooking and clever cocktails from Kevin Tien and Carlie Steiner.

“Yes, there’s a solid selection of nigiri and sashimi for those who want to play it safe, but we recommend heading for more unfamiliar territory—like uni paired with Alabama white sauce,” Bon Appétit says.

If the wait is too long at the small, no-reservations spot (in the old Crane & Turtle space), you don’t have to stray far to find the third entrant, which has the most casual vibe of all three.

The magazine calls Timber Pizza “your dream neighborhood pizza joint,” praising its “blistered, bubbly, farmers’-market-produce-laden pizzas fresh from the ripping hot wood-burning oven.”

The list will be winnowed down to the top ten, which will be announced on August 15 and featured in the September issue.

Last year, Bad Saint, The Dabney, and Tail Up Goat were each named to the top 50 list, and the year before Thip Khao was honored. In 2014, Rose’s Luxury landed the number one spot.

Previously:
First Look: Himitsu’s Refined Japanese-Inspired Cooking, Inventive Cocktails
Bad Saint Named #2 New Restaurant In Nation, According To Bon Appétit
Three D.C. Eateries Make Bon Appétit’s 50 Best New Restaurant List
Thip Khao Named One Of The 50 Best New Restaurants In America
Rose’s Luxury Named Best New Restaurant By Bon Appetit