The Room
Cedric Maupillier opened Convivial in Shaw in 2015 — a Provence-born chef-driven French dining room dedicated to the proposition that DC needed a working modern-French neighbourhood-fine-dining destination. The James Beard Foundation has shortlisted Maupillier for Best Chef Mid-Atlantic.
The dining room is intentionally restrained — exposed brick, a long bar at the front, banquettes along the eastern wall. Eater DC has held Convivial on its top-twenty rankings every year of operation.
The Food
The menu runs modern-French with Mid-Atlantic-American influences. The French-bistro classics — coq au vin, beef bourguignon, the seasonal-rotating French specials — run as the menu's centre. The chef's tasting at $85 is the order for a first visit.
Wine programme runs French. Cocktails are classic-French. Service is informed and warm.
Best Occasion Fit
First Date: The bar at Convivial is one of Shaw's most-reliable first-date seats.
Birthday: Birthdays at Convivial are warm, French-bistro affairs the room handles with ten years of practice.
Close a Deal: Convivial is the Shaw alternative to a steakhouse for a deal that wants the room to read as French-bistro-modern.