Restaurant in Washington DC, United States
Book if plant-based Latin cooking matters to you.
Mita is Washington D.C.'s only Michelin-starred plant-based Latin American tasting menu, operating out of Shaw since earning its star in 2024. Chefs Miguel Guerra and Tatiana Mora run a short and long format menu drawing on Brazilian, Bolivian, and Colombian influences. At $$$$ with a serious wine program, it is the right booking for a special occasion — provided plant-based cooking is a genuine interest, not a concession.
Yes — with one condition: you need to be genuinely interested in plant-based cooking, not merely open to it. Mita holds a Michelin star (2024), ranks #118 on Opinionated About Dining's Leading Restaurants in Japan list, and delivers a tasting menu format that justifies the $$$$ price tag for the right diner. If you are planning a celebration dinner in the Shaw neighborhood and want something that feels genuinely original rather than predictable, Mita is the strongest case for Latin American vegetarian fine dining in the city right now.
Mita is a plant-based Latin American tasting menu restaurant at 804 V St NW in Washington, D.C.'s Shaw neighborhood. Chefs Miguel Guerra and Tatiana Mora run both the kitchen and the ownership, which matters: the creative ambition on the plate reflects direct investment from the people cooking. The premise — Latin American cuisine, entirely plant-based , is specific enough to make Mita a clear choice rather than a compromise. Influences run from Brazil and Bolivia to Colombia, and the menu uses that range as a structural framework, not a decorative flourish.
The format is tasting menu only, with short and long options available. That flexibility is meaningful at this price point: a shorter format gives first-time guests a lower-commitment entry, while the long menu rewards diners who want the full arc of the kitchen's thinking. For a special occasion, the long menu is the right call. The service style at Mita is worth examining before you book , this is not a venue where elaborate tableside theatrics substitute for substance. The floor team at Mita earns the price point through knowledge and attentiveness rather than performance, which suits the format well. If you want choreographed spectacle, look elsewhere. If you want a room where the staff can actually talk through what is on the plate, Mita delivers.
The wine program is worth factoring into your budget. Wine Director Luis Miguel Rojas oversees a list of 135 selections with 300 bottles in inventory, with particular strength in France and Champagne. Pricing sits at $$$, meaning many bottles exceed $100. The corkage fee is $60 if you prefer to bring your own. For a celebration dinner, the pairing option is worth considering , the wine list is not an afterthought here, and the Champagne selections in particular are a sensible match for the menu's acidity-forward Latin flavors.
At $$$$ per head for cuisine and $$$ for wine, Mita is expensive. The service model either justifies that spend or makes it feel steep. General Manager Angie Gomez runs a room that prioritizes clarity over formality. Dishes that reference fermented carrot, leche de tigre, chontaduro butter, and guasacaca require actual explanation , not rote recitation, but genuine engagement with what makes each preparation work. From available evidence, the floor team handles that challenge competently. Guests who come expecting the emotional warmth and precision of a room like [Jônt](https://www.joinpearl.co/restaurants/jont) may find Mita slightly more casual. Guests comparing it to the controlled distance of [minibar](https://www.joinpearl.co/restaurants/minibar-by-jos%C3%A9-andr%C3%A9s) will find Mita warmer and more conversational. For a date or celebration meal, that register tends to work well.
One practical note: Mita is a small, focused operation. The Michelin recognition and strong Google rating (4.7 across 144 reviews) have made reservations genuinely difficult to secure. Book as far in advance as possible. Last-minute availability is unlikely, particularly on weekends. If you are planning a birthday or anniversary dinner, treat this booking window the same way you would a high-demand omakase counter , weeks out, not days.
Dinner only is the current format, so the timing question comes down to day of week and occasion fit. Weeknight bookings , Tuesday through Thursday , are your leading chance at availability and tend to produce a quieter room better suited to conversation. Weekend sittings fill faster and carry more ambient energy, which may suit a larger celebration but makes for a less intimate date. Shaw is a lively neighborhood in the evenings, so arriving with time to explore the area before your reservation adds context to the experience. There is no seasonal variation flagged in available data, but a Michelin-starred tasting menu format typically runs on a schedule that changes with the kitchen's sourcing calendar , worth confirming when you book.
Mita is the right call for: couples celebrating an anniversary or birthday who want a genuinely original experience rather than a reliable classic; diners curious about high-end Latin American vegetarian cooking who want more ambition than a standard plant-based menu; and guests who find the omnivore tasting menu format at comparable price points like [Causa](https://www.joinpearl.co/restaurants/causa-washington-dc-restaurant) or [Bresca](https://www.joinpearl.co/restaurants/bresca) less interesting than a single-format commitment to plant-based technique. It is not the right call for guests who view vegetarian cuisine as a fallback rather than a preference, or for those who need a la carte flexibility.
For broader context on where Mita fits in D.C.'s dining calendar, see our full Washington, D.C. restaurants guide. For plant-based fine dining at a similar level of ambition internationally, Fu He Hui in Shanghai and Lamdre in Beijing offer instructive points of comparison. For other high-commitment tasting menu formats in the U.S., Lazy Bear in San Francisco, Alinea in Chicago, and Single Thread Farm in Healdsburg each show what the format can do at the leading of the market.
Address: 804 V St NW, Washington, DC 20001. Neighborhood: Shaw. Cuisine: Latin American, entirely plant-based, tasting menu only (short and long formats). Price (food): $$$$, cuisine pricing $$$+ per head. Wine list: 135 selections, 300 bottles, France and Champagne strengths, $$$ pricing, corkage $60. Reservations: Hard to book , reserve weeks in advance, especially for weekends and holidays. Meals served: Dinner only. Google rating: 4.7 (144 reviews). Awards: Michelin 1 Star (2024); Opinionated About Dining Leading Restaurants #118 (2025). Dress: Not formally stated, but Michelin-starred tasting menu context suggests smart casual at minimum. Solo dining: Tasting menu format is workable solo; counter or small table seating is worth requesting. Groups: Tasting menu format accommodates groups, but confirm group-size logistics when booking.
For more on what to do around your reservation, see our Washington, D.C. bars guide, our D.C. hotels guide, our D.C. wineries guide, and our D.C. experiences guide.
Yes. Mita is one of the strongest choices in D.C. for a celebration dinner if you are open to a plant-based tasting menu. The Michelin star (2024), the short and long format flexibility, and the focused Latin American premise all contribute to an experience that feels considered rather than generic. Budget $$$$ for food and add wine on leading , this is not a budget celebration, but the quality justifies the spend for the right occasion.
No formal dress code is stated, but a Michelin-starred tasting menu in Shaw calls for smart casual at minimum. Think well-put-together but not black tie. Overdressing slightly is the safer error here , you will not be out of place in a jacket or a dress, and you may feel underdressed in very casual clothing.
At $$$$ for a plant-based tasting menu with a Michelin star, Mita is priced in line with D.C.'s top tier. It is worth it if: (a) plant-based Latin American cuisine is a genuine interest, not a concession; (b) you value original technique and strong wine pairing over sheer volume of courses; (c) you compare it against omnivore alternatives at the same price point and find the creative premise more compelling. It is not worth it if you are attending reluctantly or primarily to tick off a Michelin venue.
Workable, yes. Tasting menu formats tend to suit solo diners who want a structured, engaging experience without the social pressure of building a shared meal. Request counter or bar seating when booking to maximize the experience. At $$$$ plus wine, solo dining here is a meaningful spend , compare it against Oyster Oyster at $$$ if budget is a factor.
For plant-based at a lower price point: Oyster Oyster ($$$ vs. Mita's $$$$, New American sustainable vegetarian). For Latin American fine dining without the plant-based constraint: Causa (Peruvian, $$$$). For a different style of high-end tasting menu: Jônt or Albi (Middle Eastern, $$$$). Each serves a different diner profile , the choice depends on cuisine preference and price tolerance.
Bar seating details are not confirmed in available data. Given the tasting menu-only format, bar or counter seating may be available but should be confirmed directly when booking. If bar seating is an option, it can be a good route for solo diners or walk-in attempts , though with Mita's booking difficulty, calling ahead is advisable regardless.
The short answer is yes, if the premise interests you. The long format is the stronger choice for a first visit if budget allows , it gives the kitchen's Latin American plant-based thinking more room to develop. The short format is a reasonable entry point if you are uncertain. Either way, factor in the wine program ($$$ pricing, strong Champagne list) when budgeting. Comparable tasting menu formats at this level nationally , The French Laundry, Le Bernardin , show what the format demands to earn its price; Mita's Michelin recognition suggests it meets that bar in its category.
| Venue | Cuisine | Awards | Booking Difficulty | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mita | Vegetarian | WINE: Wine Strengths: France, Champagne Pricing: $$$ i Wine pricing: Based on the list\'s general markup and high and low price points:$ has many bottles < $50;$$ has a range of pricing;$$$ has many $100+ bottles Corkage Fee: $60 Selections: 135 Inventory: 300 CUISINE: Cuisine Types: Latin, Vegetarian Pricing: $$$ i Cuisine pricing: The cost of a typical two-course meal, not including tip or beverages.$ is < $40;$$ is $40–$65;$$$ is $66+. Meals: Dinner STAFF: People Wine Director: Luis Miguel Rojas Chef: Miguel Guerra, Tatiana Mora General Manager: Angie Gomez Owner: Miguel Guerra, Tatiana Mora; Opinionated About Dining Top Restaurants in Japan Ranked #118 (2025); Latin American cuisine, only plant based. That's the premise behind this contemporary space set in the Shaw neighborhood. It's tasting menu only, but short and long formats ensure a fit. Chefs Tatiana Mora and Miguel Guerra share their creative spirit here, where influences span from Brazil and Bolivia to Colombia and dishes sport originality. A basket of arepas is a fun dish featuring a variety of textures and flavors with tasty sauces like guasacaca, cashew sour cream with chili oil, and butter made of chontaduro. Watermelon crudo with fermented carrot in a cucumber leche de tigre sauce is inventive and bold, while a slice of mushroom terrine wrapped in greens with layers of potato delivers on umami, bite after bite.; Michelin 1 Star (2024) | Hard | — |
| Albi | United States, Middle Eastern | Michelin 1 Star | Unknown | — |
| Causa | Peruvian | Michelin 1 Star | Unknown | — |
| Oyster Oyster | New American, Vegetarian, Vegetarian (Sustainable) | Michelin 1 Star | Unknown | — |
| Bresca | Modern French, Contemporary | Michelin 1 Star | Unknown | — |
| Gravitas | New American, Contemporary | Michelin 1 Star | Unknown | — |
Key differences to consider before you reserve.
Yes, provided the guest of honour is genuinely interested in plant-based cooking rather than merely tolerant of it. Mita holds a Michelin star (2024) and ranks #118 on Opinionated About Dining's Top Restaurants in Japan 2025 list, which signals the level of ambition on the plate. The tasting menu format, priced at $$$ for cuisine, suits a celebration better than a casual night out. For couples or small groups marking a birthday or anniversary who want something original rather than a safe classic, Mita fits that brief well.
The venue data does not specify a dress code, but a Michelin-starred tasting menu restaurant at $$$$ price point in Shaw typically draws guests dressed in business casual or above. Avoid overly casual attire; this is not a neighbourhood drop-in. If you are unsure, err toward what you would wear to a formal dinner rather than a bar.
At $$$$ for cuisine and $$$ for wine, Mita is among the pricier restaurants in Washington, D.C. The Michelin star (2024) and the OAD #118 ranking provide external validation that the cooking operates at a high level. The value case holds if you are committed to the tasting menu format and plant-based Latin cuisine; if you would rather order à la carte or are indifferent to the vegetarian premise, the price will feel harder to justify. Corkage is $60 if you bring your own bottle.
A tasting menu counter or bar seat can work well for solo diners, though the venue data does not confirm bar seating availability at Mita. The format itself suits solo dining: the progression is set, there is nothing to negotiate with a companion, and the kitchen's output holds your attention. Contact Mita directly at 804 V St NW, Washington, DC 20001 to confirm solo seating options before booking.
Oyster Oyster is the closest comparison: also creative, vegetable-forward, and tasting menu-driven in DC. Causa is worth considering if you want Latin American influence with seafood back on the table. Bresca and Gravitas are stronger options if you want a broader protein range at a similar price point and ambition level. Albi is the better call if you want wood-fired flavours and a Middle Eastern lens rather than plant-based Latin.
Bar seating is not confirmed in the available venue data. Given that Mita operates as a tasting menu-only format, walk-in bar access is less likely than at à la carte restaurants. Reach out directly before assuming a bar seat is an option, especially on weekend evenings when demand is highest.
Yes, if plant-based Latin American cooking is what you are after. Mita offers both short and long tasting menu formats, which gives you some control over spend and pacing. The Michelin star (2024) and the OAD ranking confirm this is not a novelty act: chefs Miguel Guerra and Tatiana Mora are cooking at a level where the plant-based premise does not feel like a constraint. If you want the flexibility to order around a menu or add meat, look at Bresca or Gravitas instead.
Keep this venue in your Pearl passport, rate it after you visit, and track it alongside every other place you collect.
