Reaching For The Stars
Behind the Pass with the Skilled Hands That Deliver Award-Winning Meals
WRITTEN BY: Natalie Flynn
Stepping into Causa feels a bit like traveling—one moment you’re in Blagden Alley, the next, deep in a story of Peru told through flavor, precision, and heart. Chef Carlos Delgado along with partners Glendon Hartley and Chad Spangler have built a restaurant that hums with purpose. Their care and craft earned them a Michelin star in 2023, and they’ve kept it since—a nod to a team that knows exactly what it wants to say on the plate.
For the Causa team, recognition was part of the mission from the start. “Getting a Michelin meant that we’re part of the movement, part of what’s pushing the industry forward,” Hartley says. “To be included in that select group is no small feat.” For independent restaurants, earning a Michelin star can be both a point of pride and a smart business strategy in an unpredictable and risky industry.
When Michelin first arrived in DC in 2016, it validated what locals already knew: This city cooks. Started in 1900, the Michelin Guide was meant to encourage road travel, thus increasing consumer demand for tires. One star denotes that a location is worth a stop, two stars a detour, and three a destination in its own right. As of October 2025, prior to the release of the new Michelin Guide this November, 25 restaurants in DC hold the coveted star distinction. For some, like Chef Ryan Ratino, the pursuit of Michelin recognition was lifelong. Nicknamed “the Michelin Man” by classmates at Le Cordon Bleu, he’s always measured success by the toughest standard: anonymous reviewers. “That is the best gauge because you have to be on it all the time,” he says. That focus helped him become one of the youngest American chefs to helm both a one- and a two-star Michelin restaurant. Today, he leads Bresca and Jônt—one a playful modern bistro, the other a refined, counter-style tasting experience. His goal is to make exceptional food feel within reach. With tasting menus starting at $65, Ratino hopes diners see that fine dining isn’t reserved for special occasions. “I want to showcase what we do to more people: open restaurants accessible to more people, not less. It’s anniversaries, it’s birthdays, it’s just Thursday night. I want to be within reach.” His team works with a micro-economy of farmers and producers within a 100-mile radius that are supported by the business, and who in turn support their efforts to remain approachable. Playful and deeply considered, his menus riff on childhood favorites while balancing technical mastery with artistry—from a “stick of butter” that is actually white-chocolate-enrobed pastry cream with macerated berries, to perfectly executed lamb with rich reductions.
Just up 14th Street, Rooster & Owl, from husband-and-wife duo Yuan and Carey Tang, offers a similarly thoughtful approach. Their four-course menu, at $85 midweek, is a study in balance—comfort and surprise, technique and warmth. Chef Tang’s inventive touches, like a pasta-free “cacio e pepe” made with Bartlett pear and Tête de Moine cheese, invite curiosity without pretension. A seemingly humble Japanese eggplant donburi sits alongside the option of tea-smoked duck for the third course, the vegetable proving a deceptively delightful option. This unexpected elevation of the everyday is a theme consistent throughout the entire menu Tang says, “We’re independently owned and operated—no board, no outside investors. It means the space is humble, but for us, flash doesn’t make the plate better. Every detail is about who we’re cooking for.” Full of rooster and owl art given as gifts by regulars, the restaurant is inviting and warm, like being welcomed into the couple’s home. It reminds her of the people supporting the restaurant on both sides of the table. “Every time I look at an item I think of the guests and all that they’ve celebrated with us, and that there are people behind this.”
With a background in Michelin-starred kitchens, Tang notes that Michelin was always the couple’s goal. “Even in our first interviews in 2018, when we didn’t even have a restaurant, we built a team who wanted to be achieving and striving and maintaining a Michelin star. And those first four individuals are still part of our team now, and for me that solidified the culture and the team dynamic. We aren’t just showing up every day to work, we are showing up to do better, to strive, in an industry that can often feel repetitive.”
Causa shares that same philosophy. This year, the team introduced a four-course menu for $125 midweek, inviting diners to discover the depth of Peruvian cuisine shaped by global influences. Nearly half their ingredients are sourced directly from Peru and Japan, and every team member completes a 10-week training program to understand the history behind each dish. “We call ourselves ambassadors of Peruvian food,” says Hartley. “Our concept is all about history, and everyone that works here has to know the history behind each dish.” “We wanted to get people in the door. When they try our product, they’re more likely to come back,” states Hartley. As for what the Michelin distinction means, he believes it conveys authority to the diner, that they know an experience will be worth it.
“Michelin is so historically valuable to people as the standard for where to eat. You want to spend your money wisely, especially if you don’t eat out often. You’re not just going to spend hundreds of dollars on something where you have no context on what it is, which is why I think it’s invaluable.” Hartley notes that Causa received a big jump in business after the first star, and once again when it was retained. He finds the system particularly meaningful because it ranks restaurants every year, lending to both its credibility and relevance. Across these kitchens, the Michelin star isn’t a finish line—it’s a benchmark that sets the standard. Each chef defines excellence on his or her own terms: precise yet approachable, grounded locally but informed globally. Multicourse formats invite diners to explore rare or expensive ingredients thoughtfully, often in a single bite that tells a story. Careful plating and design enhance the experience, encouraging guests to recognize flavors and sourcing in future encounters. In DC, fine dining is ultimately about flavor, story, and the hands that make it all happen.