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Our tours in Washington D.C. aim to bring guests to a wide array of restaurants that give you a good flavour of the city, but there’s an abundance of restaurants to try, and new ones seem to open every day. With the exception of the half smoke at Ben’s Chilli Bowl, DC is really not known for a cuisine of its own. Instead, it’s known for blending cuisines from all over the world. I wanted to highlight some of my favorites places that I recommend to our guests as well as my family and friends.
1. Old Ebbitt Grill
This is not an original suggestion because you will see it in every guide book, but it deserves to be there. Originally opened as a saloon in 1856, today the restaurant houses artifacts all over its walls and behind the multiple bars. They are known for some Mid-Atlantic favorites like oysters and crab cakes as well as a meatloaf that rivals my grandmother’s. Please don’t tell her.
2. Jaleo
José Andres is one of D.C.’s most celebrated chefs, and this restaurant does a mouthwateringly good job of bringing Spanish inspired tapas to America. If you like to share a little bit of everything, this is the perfect place for that with everything from cured meats and cheeses to paella and sangria.
3. Rasika
If you love Indian food, then you’ll love Rasika. This modern Indian cuisine allows you to choose a variety of appetizers and entrees to share. From house-made chutney’s to Salli Salmon Cakes and Tandoori Lamb Chops, there is something for everyone to enjoy.
4. Tryst
If you are looking for a simpler meal, coffee, or pastry, then this is the place for you. Filled to the brim with mismatched chairs, tables, and sofas, this popular eatery serves fresh brewed coffee and farm to table sandwiches and wraps. During lunch, it is a popular working spot with everyone on a laptop, and at night it transforms into a social hub of the Adams Morgan neighbourhood. I love getting their Washington Carver, which is a chocolate peanut butter shake served with two animal crackers.
5. Letena
Whilst Travelling, I am looking to taste something new that I cannot easily find at home. This Ethiopian restaurant will do that for any of our culinarily curious guests. They provide vegetarian and meat tasting platters that are easy to share with one or two other people, or you can get individual portions of their meat and vegetable entrees.
6. Beau Thai
Even with the pun in the name, I cannot get enough of this restaurant. With two locations in the city, they are consistently serving up some the best Thai inspired street food appetizers and hearty entrees. The Mount Pleasant location has great outdoor seating as well as a showcase kitchen.
7. Los Hermanos
This list would not be complete without highlighting the Latin American influence in the District. Los Hermanos has been a staple of the Columbia Heights neighbourhood for over a decade with its simple home cooked Dominican dishes. Starting as a kitchen inside the family’s bodega, they now cook over 400 pounds of rice a week.
8. Baked and Wired
Cupcakes have been the dessert of choice in DC for a whilst now thanks to a television show. Whilst the bakery on the show is good, I prefer to go down the street to get my coffee and cupcakes at this lesser known to tourists location. To me they have the perfect cake to icing ratio as well as the perfect name.
