Washington DC Restaurants
The White House. The Washington Monument. Ben’s Chili Bowl?
If Congress takes as long to pass a bill as it does to order off the menu, then Washington DC has the most discerning diners in all the country. And, while tourists flock to the National Mall to take in our nation’s history, District residents head to the city’s restaurants to pay homage to America’s favorite pastime: eating.
By nature of the city, it seems that every state is represented not just in government but in tastes as well. There are niche delis like the Dupont Market that rival New York, the crab shacks at the Waterfront that have the feel of Washington State’s Pike Place Market, the gastronomic chilidog of Ben’s Chili Bowl that could only originate in the south and be perfected in a northern greasy spoon diner.
Consider this your inside scoop. If you’re visiting the city for only a short time, then the Washington DC restaurants listed here are as essential to take in as the Lincoln Memorial or the Declaration of Independence.
Near the Mall: Just north of the Capitol Building beside Union Station is the Capitol City Brewery. While the food is standard, the brewery sits in the city’s old Post Office and makes its own unique brews that cater to the latest happenings on Capitol Hill (they just brewed a light Inaugurale to welcome in Obama). If you’re touring the Mall, then this is one of the nearest places to wet your whistle, too, making it not only an essential stop, but a convenient one, too.
Dupont Circle: A plethora of bars and restaurants pepper the city’s gay district just a few blocks north of the White House. If you’re just getting off the Red Line the Big Hunt should be your first stop. While it’s not much to look at, this bar favors the young and misunderstood, is decorated with odd safari murals (such as a cowboy lassoing a frog), and has Yuengling on tap (the city’s default brew). For those looking for a more latin flair, head next door to Café Citron where sangria is sold by the pitchers and the bar top serves as a dance floor.
Heading north from the circle, walk up Connecticut Avenue to Kramerbooks and Afterwords Café and Grill to feed your body and your mind. Try and catch Sunday brunch at this bookstore turned restaurant or read a book off the shelf over a cappuccino in the café any other time. From here cut over to 18th street where you’ll find the aforementioned Dupont Market (try the Muffeletta), Lauriol Plaza (high class Mexican at decent prices, try the Bistec Carbon), and Taste of Malaysia (it’s all good, and you won’t find a more accommodating staff).
Adams Morgan: If you’re young and enjoy drinking, Adams Morgan is a must. Full of bars, students, and young professionals, this is where the District’s newest residences go to tie one on. While food may not be the first thing that comes to mind here, the Jyoti Indian restaurant makes the best Indian food in the city. For those looking for late night snacks, any one of the jumbo slice pizza places will accommodate (slices are about five bucks but are bigger than your head).
U-Street Corridor: U-Street is the hub of the District’s hole-in-the-wall restaurants, but none are more famous than Ben’s Chili Bowl. Ben’s list of People-Who-Eat-Free is short—Bill Cosby and Barack Obama—and both have come to eat here (it was one of Obama’s first stops). While a single chilidog will take years off your life, it’s worth the cost.
Honorary Mentions: Palace of Wonders may be located in the backwaters of H Street, but it’s the only bar around that offers burlesque shows, fire eating, and an unpretentious friendly crowd on a regular basis. Gadsby’s Tavern down in Alexandria, Virginia’s Old Town offers an historic feel, quite literally: Thomas Jefferson and George Washington rested inside the same walls where colonial dressed waiters serve up delicious prime rib.
Other Resources: For other ideas on where to eat check out the Washingtonian (www.washingtonian.com) for their authoritative list of the city’s 100 Best Restaurants and the Washington Post’s Going Out Guide (www.washingtonpost.com).
Thank you to Rob Crotty for this "Washington DC Restaurants" article.
Rob Crotty is a longtime travel writer who has stomached everything from kangaroo in Melbourne, raw horse in Kumamoto, and octopus dumpling in Osaka. He lives in Washington DC.
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