Lincoln Restaurant In Downtown Washington D.C.

Abe Lincoln was a great negotiator, so it stands to reason that his namesake restaurant would offer something for everyone.

The menu is stacked with small plates that encourage tasting. The options are often nostalgia-inducing, but bend toward seasonal ingredients.

Many of the options taste like old summer classics. In lieu of sinking your teeth into slices of summer watermelon, order the watermelon-and-feta salad ($9). Its sweet fruit is tempered by bitter endive, olives and the fruit's pickled rind. In lieu of fried shrimp, Lincoln serves long, juicy strips of panko-crusted calamari ($9) with Tabasco-tartar sauce. Finish a meal with shared funnel cake ($7) dipped into whipped cream cheese with Bing cherries.

Balance the retro bites with light warm-weather plates. While you wait for dishes to arrive, order a tiny jar of white bean spread sweetened with tomato jam and served with garlicky watercress pesto ($7) to spread over toast.

Escarole salad with summer beans ($9) includes marbled coppa in sweet mustard dressing. Tomato risotto with sweet corn ($11) features swirls of milky burrata and a touch of vanilla to tame the acidic tomatoes.

Lincoln's plates need no debate.

Lincoln, 1110 Vermont Ave. NW (at L St.); 202-386-9800 or lincolnrestaurant-dc.com