The Caps season is in full swing, and that means lots of meals near the Verizon Center. Sure, that Crabby Melt from The Green Turtle will do the trick, but two relative newcomers can help you up your food game. A brand-new bar from the team behind Ghibellina and Acqua Al 2 called Denson Liquor Bar sits across the street from The Green Turtle, but it's hard to find thanks to its basement address at 600 F St NW. Once inside the Art Deco retreat, order a classic cocktail like a negroni or a sazerac ($9 during happy hour), plus global snacks that have the potential to fill you up.

On the other side of the arena is Flight Wine Bar, which recently refocused on its food after nearly one year of operations. This seafood bouillabaisse we snapped is one of its new dishes. Shrimp, scallops and mussels swim in a sake broth. If you want red meat before you rock your red, there’s a hanger steak with whipped potatoes, black sesame tahini, tabbouleh and friend shallots. Wash it all down with a creative flight of three wines like “Not Your Grandma’s Chardonnay,” “Thought-Provoking Light-Bodied Reds” or “Hipster and Proud of It.”