Adams Morgan & Columbia Heights
What’s on the menu: Affordable cuisine from diverse culinary traditions, including Vietnamese, Ethiopian, Salvadorean, Peruvian, Thai and more.
What to try: For a quick bite on the run, stop by Julia’s Empanadas for a flavorful meat, vegetable or cheese-filled pastry or Amsterdam Falafel Shop for a light bite. Swing by Habana Village for free salsa lessons and zesty Cuban fare or Perrys for delicious sushi.
Capitol Hill & Barracks Row
What’s on the menu: Fine steaks, martini menus and power dining mainstays, as well as budget-friendly happy hour specials.
What to try: Sample JFK’s favorite roast beef sandwich at The Monocle or interesting wines by the half-glass at Sonoma. Enjoy a sirloin with a view at Charlie Palmer Steak or sip a pint of Guinness with your Senator’s staff at The Dubliners. Have a bite to eat at Eastern Market, a popular gathering place.
Downtown- Chinatown
What’s on the menu: Chinese classics make for affordable lunch or dinner fare.
What to try: Sample the fresh, homemade noodles at China Kitchen or join the locals in line for soup at Full Kee. If you’re hungry, Tony Cheng’s Mongolian barbeque is one of the best values in town.
Downtown- Lafayette Square/ The White House
What’s on the menu: Classic and formal eateries form the core dining experience in this power-rich section of DC, but you can also find some great picks for quick and casual eating.
What to try: Enjoy breakfast with the power-dining set at the Hay-Adams Hotel. Upscale Indian cuisine doesn’t get much better than at Bombay Club. Support local agriculture with dinner at eco-friendly Equinox. Feast on oysters with locals at the Old Ebbitt Grill. Pick up a sandwich to go at Breadline or a cup of tea or ginger limeade at Teaism.
Downtown - Penn Quarter
What’s on the menu: Fashionable tables abound, including many of DC's hot new restaurants. Theatre-goers and sports fans flock here after games and concerts at the Verizon Center. Downtown office workers can point the way to some of the city’s best lunch values and happy hour specials.
What to try: Sample Belgian fare at Brasserie Beck and upscale Mexican at Oyamel, voted two of 2007’s best new restaurants in the country by Esquire. Snag a table at minibar inside Café Atlantico for more than 30 bite-size creative courses. Locals love the brick-oven pizzas at matchbox and the tapas at Jaleo.
Dupont Circle/Kalorama
What’s on the menu: Eclectic Dupont Circle supports an equally diverse network of restaurants, including some of the DC’s top tables. Coffee shops, bars, cheap eats and GLBT-friendly eateries abound.
What to try: For a fine-dining experience, book a table at Restaurant Nora, the first certified-organic eatery in the country, or savor a multi-course tasting menu at Obelisk or Komi. Locals flock to casual eateries like Hank’s Oyster Bar for fresh seafood straight from the Chesapeake Bay and Bistrot du Coin for Belgian-French classics. Beer lovers won’t want to miss a visit to The Brickskeller, which boasts the world’s largest selection of beers.
Foggy Bottom & the West End
What’s on the menu: Home to award-winning hotels and restaurants designed for the K Street lawyers and lobbyists, along with the diplomats who visit the World Bank and the Department of State. A large student population also lends to affordable restaurants.
What to try: Eavesdrop on lobbyists, lawyers and movers-and-shakers as you feast on a steak at The Palm or Sam & Harry’s. Taste some of DC’s finest seafood creations Kinkead’s. Sample locally-procured ingredients prepared in a glorious open kitchen at award-winning Blue Duck Tavern. Enjoy a meal with a view at the Kennedy Center’s Roof Terrace Restaurant.
Georgetown
What’s on the menu: Georgetown’s cobblestone streets are home to a mix of historic eateries, celebrity hotspots, eco-friendly bistros, along with hip and casual restaurants serving cuisine from around the globe.
What to try: Ease into the booth where JFK proposed to Jackie at Billy Martin’s Tavern. Watch for celebrities at Café Milano. Sit waterside and sip cocktails at Sequoia. Dine in federal-style splendor at 1789. Grab a beer on the set of “St. Elmo’s Fire” at Third Edition.
Southwest/Capitol Riverfront
What’s on the menu: Fresh seafood, cool cocktails and high-end cuisine attract diners to the waterfront.
What to try: Sample fresh seafood creations at the Maine Avenue Seafood Market. Indulge in a multi-course tasting menu at the award-winning CityZen at the Mandarin Oriental, Washington D.C. Hop on board a dinner cruise for an unforgettable view of the monuments from the water. Head to the concession stands at a baseball game for a sampling of local favorites.
U Street/Shaw/ Logan Circle
What’s on the menu: Soul food, vegetarian creations, Ethiopian cuisine and more.
What to try: Foodies won’t want to miss a visit to Ben’s Chili Bowl, home of DC’s signature dish, the chili half-smoke. Order some tibi and doro wat to share at one of the Ethiopian eateries clustered on and around 9th and U Sts. NW. For dessert, stop by Love Café for a homemade cupcake or an espresso. Grab a bite at Busboys & Poets (named for Langston Hughes) or Marvin (named for Marvin Gaye).
Woodley Park, Cleveland Park & Glover Park
Where: Follow Connecticut Ave. north of Dupont Circle or Wisconsin Ave. north of Georgetown
What’s on the menu: International restaurants serve Indian, Middle Eastern, Thai and other global cuisine.
What to try: Order a pizza at Two Amys, near the Washington National Cathedral, or sample a “swirlie” margarita at Cactus Cantina next door. Some of DC’s best-loved Mediterranean recipes are prepared at Lebanese Taverna, while Indian food lovers swear by Indique. On Wisconsin Avenue, try a roll or two at Sushi-ko, DC’s first sushi restaurant or feast on ribs at Rocklands Barbeque.
The National Mall
What’s on the menu: You can find kid-friendly favorites at many of the museums on the Mall, along with more sophisticate selections to appeal to grown-up palates.
What to try: Dine on dishes from throughout the Americas—from buffalo burgers to roasted salmon—at the National Museum of the American Indian’s Mitisam Café. Treat yourself to a gelato at the National Gallery of Art. For additional dining options near the Mall, walk up 7th St. to downtown’s Penn Quarter for casual sandwich shops and quick-service eateries perfect for picnics. Or, check out the nearby food courts at the Old Post Office Pavilion, the Ronald Reagan Building & International Trade Center or the Shops at National Place.
