Known for its power lunches and elegant state dinners, DC has established a strong presence in foodie circles. Celebrity chefs like Wolfgang Puck, Laurent Tourondel and Eric Ripert have recently set up shop in the District, adding to the growing inventory of dining options. The nation’s capital was even named one of the healthiest cities in the country by Cooking Light magazine, thanks to an influx of eco-conscious new restaurants that focus on fresh, local and seasonal ingredients.
Downtown DC remains the site of much of the restaurant development. Michel Richard, whose flagship Georgetown restaurant Michel Richard Citronelle was recognized by Gourmet as one of the top 50 restaurants in the U.S. in 2006. The culinary genius also has a casual bistro in downtown, Michel Richard Central, where you'll find the chef's interpretations of classic American cuisine with a French twist.
DC boasts an impressive inventory of well-known eateries that attract diners from throughout the country. Rasika serves up fine Indian fare from restaurateur Ashok Bajaj; Acadiana offers Executive Chef and Co-owner Jeff Tunks' bold flavors of Lousiana; and CityZen is home to award-winning Chef Eric Ziebold's showplace at the Mandarin Oriental, Washington D.C. They join power dining hotspots like The Occidental and The Palm.
While many cities boast about their jazz traditions, there’s no other that can claim go-go—and there’s no place to experience it like in DC. Named for its non-stop, danceable beats, go-go is a fusion of African percussion with hints of Latin, jazz, funk, hip-hop and soul. Instruments like congas, the timbale and cowbells punctuate the steady pulse of bass and snare drums. DC native Chuck Brown, dubbed “the Godfather of go-go,” has been a prominent figure on the local music since the late 1970s when he released his first hit, “Bustin’ Loose.” In his seventies, Brown continues to draw crowds when he appears on DC area stages.
Following Richard's lead, Robert Wiedmaier, chef and owner of fine-dining mainstay Marcel's, opened Brasserie Beck, at the corner of 11th and K Streets in downtown. Named a top restaurant in the U.S. by celebrated Esquire food critic John Mariani, Beck serves up quality French and Flemish cuisine in a casual setting, with more than 50 Belgian beers on draft. Joining Beck on Mariani’s list is Oyamel, a small-plates Mexican concept from José Andrés, who’s known for downtown crowd-pleasers Jaleo, Cafe Atlántico and cx .
You don't have to get dressed up to have a capital culinary adventure. DC’s multicultural composition is reflected in its restaurants, which offer loads of possibilities for cheap (and delicious) eats. African, Asian and South American eateries abound in Adams Morgan, among some of the city's most popular nightlife destinations. Nodding to the thriving immigrant communities, diners can sample tasty and affordable Ethiopian injira and spicy meat concoctions or succulent Vietnamese dishes.
In the historic U Street neighborhood, Ben's Chili Bowl has served up half smokes and fries to Washingtonians since 1958. A few blocks away, Café Saint-Ex appeals to locals and visitors with its lively atmosphere day and night, while Busboys & Poets serves up low-cost basics in a fully wired entertainment venue and bookshop. Another must-eat in the U Street corridor is LoveCafé, run by lawyer-turned-baker Warren Brown, and won rave reviews from dessert-lovers around the world and inspired a nearby eat-in café, plus a program on the Food Network, Sugar Rush.
Environmental responsibility is also an important theme for DC restaurateurs, and as a result, diners are seeing more emphasis on green initiatives. At Georgetown hotspot Hook, Chef Barton Seaver only serves varieties of fish that can reproduce at the rate at which they’re caught. To raise awareness of sustainable seafood among diners, servers present wallet-sized guides of fish breeds to “watch” because they are in danger of depletion. Powered by wind energy, Hook prints its menus in-house on post-consumer recycled paper and its take-out containers are made from biodegradable sugar cane fiber. Adams Morgan’s The Reef, a restaurant and bar, strives reduces waste by only serving beer on draft and using only recycled paper products. Tex-Mex favorite Austin Grill powers its six DC-area locations with 100 percent wind power in place of conventional electricity.
