Gaskins

It’s rare to see the successful intersection of modern, relevant fine dining and a family-friendly, neighborhood restaurant. But at the crossroads in the center of Germantown, Gaskins is proof it can be done with a refreshingly casual sophistication. Gaskins is gorgeous. The coat of deep blue paint on the outside both stands out and fits in along the streetscape. Inside the renovated historic grocery store (built in 1890), the aesthetic is light and airy with white walls, black booths, marble tabletops and plants in the windows. There’s also an elegant bar divided off from the dining room, a huge barn-wood group table with plenty of space in the back and a sizable deck out front, enhanced by the quaint architecture of the town and the farmers’ fields beyond. There’s enough space and atmospheric latitude at Gaskins for a romantic two-top or a long table punctuated with highchairs.