Follow your nose to Compass Rose
TLDR: Compass Rose is pricy but perfect for a special occasion or “dinner to impress”; get the khachapuri and try an amber wine.
Whether it’s your first night out in DC, you’re a long-time local celebrating a special occasion, or you’re a recent transplant striving desperately to prove to visiting loved ones that you’ve made it in the big city, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better place to eat than Compass Rose on 14th St. With its cozy, eclectic decor and menu featuring dishes from all over the world, Compass Rose hits the sweet spot between elevated and comfortable cuisine.
I first visited DC in 2019 (you know, in the “before times”), and fell for it so hard in only 48 hours that I left plotting and scheming how to move here. Compass Rose was my first meal out in the city and a big part of what sold me on it. I’ve now lived here for over two years and been back several times, and it never fails to disappoint.
Here’s what you do. Step 1: order the khachapuri. Step 2: fall madly in love.
Khachapuri is a gooey, cheesy, carb-y delight apparently native to the country of Georgia. It’s basically a boat of bread, loaded down with a cargo of sweet, sweet cheese. Add an egg the server scrambles into the dish as they bring it to your table, and you’ve literally never had anything so delicious. It’s a guaranteed crowd pleaser, no matter your audience.
After that, you can honestly order anything on the menu, and I guarantee you’ll be happy. If you can spring for the “Tour of the World,” a flat price option that lets you sample several dishes, it’s well worth it. Besides the food, Compass Rose has a lovely bohemian chic vibe — lots of exposed brick, moody lighting, and draped scarves — and an outdoor seating area made to look like 1900s train cars. It’s adorable and on theme for the restaurant’s “visit the world through food” concept.
Also worth noting, Compass Rose sports a list of amber wines in addition to the usual reds and whites (also known as “those orange wines” to those of us who are less classy and may or may not already be drunk). Made from grapes with the skins still on, they have a distinct peachy tint and unique flavor that I highly recommend.
Seriously, just visit the place already. You can’t go wrong.