New Heights

The story

New Heights Restaurant, Washington DC – Modern American Cuisine in Woodley Park

A Trusted Neighborhood Gem

Since 1986, New Heights has anchored the corner of Calvert Street in Woodley Park. Founded by Umbi Singh, the restaurant entered a new chapter in 2022 under the care of Mark Namdar, Olena Fedorenko, and Executive Chef Jose Molina. The trio—veterans of DC’s hospitality scene—have kept the name and the spirit of the place intact.

Chef Molina, who began cooking at sixteen, brings a deep respect for seasonal ingredients and a quiet passion for the craft. His Bolivian roots inform his palate, but the cooking here is squarely modern American, refined and ingredient-driven. The kitchen’s philosophy is simple: buy the best, treat each component with care, and let technique create balance.

The dining room is a study in Arts & Crafts warmth. Floor-to-ceiling windows open onto a cozy bar and patio, blurring the line between indoors and out. The view is the real draw: Rock Creek Park stretches below, the Taft Bridge glows at dusk, and Kalorama’s rooftops taper into the distance. It is a surprisingly serene perch in the middle of the city.

The MICHELIN Guide has recognized New Heights consistently since its inclusion, calling it a restaurant that “under-promises and over-delivers in the best of ways.” The recognition fits—this is a place that earns its accolades through steady, unshowy excellence.

Seasonal menus anchor the experience, and special events like the Women’s History Month prix-fixe tasting menu celebrate the legacy of women chefs whose techniques have shaped the kitchen’s approach. The restaurant’s American cuisine is also the foundation for its limited-time USA 250th Anniversary menu, a three-course tribute to historic presidential inaugural dishes.

New Heights remains what it has always been: a class act in a city that knows one when it sees one.