Two Of America's Best Koreatowns Are Just Outside Of DC With Mouth-Watering Meats And Tasty Desserts

Ask most Northern Virginia residents where they hail from, and they're likely to say anywhere but Northern Virginia. According to the Northern Virginia Regional Commission, about 30% of the region's population is foreign-born. That fact is most obvious when, half an hour outside of Washington D.C., the signs switch from English to Korean.

Since the 1970s, immigrants from South Korea have settled in Annandale for its proximity to work opportunities in the big city. But they quickly began opening restaurants and offices in the census-designated place (not officially a town or city). "It was office workers who helped create Annandale's Koreatown," local activist Steve Lee told Annandale Today. Put it in the same category as the neighboring, picturesque city of Manassas and its Mexican immigrant food, or Herndon, Virginia's "rising star," in part for its delicious diversity of Indian cuisine.

But Annandale isn't Northern Virginia's only Koreatown. Half an hour west of the older community, Centreville saw its Korean population grow steeply in the early 2000s thanks to more affordable housing prices in the expanding suburb. Together with Ellicott City, Maryland, the areas account for D.C.'s place as the third-largest metro area in the country for Korean Americans. And while Annandale is now home to close to 50 Korean restaurants, Centreville boasts well over 100. When visiting D.C., both are worth a visit, especially if you're flying into Dulles International Airport, which is only under 20 minutes north of Centreville.

The biggest question to ask yourself when venturing to Annandale is whether you're hoping to eat at a beloved stalwart, or resolving to try something new and different. Second-generation Americans like Jin-Gak Bae, owner of JMT Kitchen + Bar, are innovating with fusion dishes that you're unlikely to find elsewhere. For example, JMT's braised spicy pork ribs — a tender mouthful of sizzling fire, topped with a gooey blanket of mozzarella cheese — is a bite you didn't know you needed.

Bae is a restaurant lifer whose family owns Han Gang Korean Cuisine, one of the oldest Korean barbecue restaurants in Annandale. Even today, you'll hear little English spoken inside its walls. The mouthwatering meats include the Han Gang jumuluck galbi, cubes of seasoned short rib considered the chef's specialty. Get it alongside hwe dup bap, a raw fish and rice dish made table-side that's not unlike Hawaiian poke.

To Sok Jip is another long-established favorite for classics like mackerel and kimchi stew or bo ssam, ultra-tender pork belly ready to be wrapped in cabbage leaves. For a wider variety of choices, head to K Market International, where the food court includes stalls selling everything from buckwheat noodle soup to kimbap, Korean rice rolls. But save plenty of room for cake at nearby Shilla Bakery. The local chain varies widely from location to location ,and Annandale's is the only one that serves desserts made to resemble animals like bears and pigs. You'll feel like one of the latter after this food crawl, but get ready, there's still Centreville to visit.

You'll cover a bit more ground in your journey around Centreville, where the highlights are less concentrated than in Annandale. Start your day by digging into a bit of everything at Siroo Juk Story. The comprehensive menu here (there's also a location in Annandale), includes creamy bowls of pumpkin or black sesame porridge, as well as potato-studded Korean corn dogs, kimbap and even the sweet stack of shaved ice known as bingsu.

For something only available in Centreville, Gogiville is the platonic ideal of a midrange Korean barbecue restaurant. Its wide variety of banchan (sides) and sauces make a meal of crisp brisket, sweet bulgogi, and spicy pork belly even more of an event. If you're feeling fancier, just across the street, you'll find Honest Grill, where the atmosphere is elevated and soju is replaced by a menu of wines. Don't miss enhancing your dry-aged ribeye with bacon-topped corn cheese.

At your next meal, you'll want to load up on simultaneously juicy and crisp double-fried poultry at Cheogajip Chicken. Not enough gastric real estate left for cake? Try Café Bdan for its bingsu (including one created just for your pup), boba milk teas, or ice cream in flavors like bing cherry or red bean. Some may say that Los Angeles' wildly trendy Koreatown is unmatched, but all it takes is a short drive outside of D.C. to taste some compelling contenders for the crown.