Guidebook for Washington
Food Scene
The Coupe is great for brunch, lunch or dinner – but my favorite part about it is that in addition to a dining area and bar area, there's a space in the middle full of comfy couches that you can order food and hang out in. During the summer, the windows open up to the street and it's a delightful spot.
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The Coupe
3415 11th St NWThe Coupe is great for brunch, lunch or dinner – but my favorite part about it is that in addition to a dining area and bar area, there's a space in the middle full of comfy couches that you can order food and hang out in. During the summer, the windows open up to the street and it's a delightful spot.
Maple is a lovely Italian restaurant. The service is friendly and warm, and the meals are delicious. They also have a nice outdoor back patio that's fantastic when it's nice out.
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Maple
3418 11th St NWMaple is a lovely Italian restaurant. The service is friendly and warm, and the meals are delicious. They also have a nice outdoor back patio that's fantastic when it's nice out.
Bad Saint was listed as Bon Appetit's #2 best new restaurant in America in 2016, and the lines around the block reflect that. Seriously – they don't take reservations and there are only 24 seats, so the line starts a couple hours before they open. The Filipino home-style cooking is worth it, though, if you have the time – you can find plenty of reviews online with tips for getting a seat and on what to order.
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Bad Saint
3226 11th St NWBad Saint was listed as Bon Appetit's #2 best new restaurant in America in 2016, and the lines around the block reflect that. Seriously – they don't take reservations and there are only 24 seats, so the line starts a couple hours before they open. The Filipino home-style cooking is worth it, though, if you have the time – you can find plenty of reviews online with tips for getting a seat and on what to order.
The Diner is what you'd expect – burgers, shakes, breakfast food, and comforts. It's always solid. It's located on 18th Street in Adams Morgan, which is packed with bars, restaurants and more. Be warned – on weekend nights, Adams Morgan turns into a messy, college-type crowd. But during the day, it's a wonderful neighborhood to walk around.
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the DINER
2453 18th St NWThe Diner is what you'd expect – burgers, shakes, breakfast food, and comforts. It's always solid. It's located on 18th Street in Adams Morgan, which is packed with bars, restaurants and more. Be warned – on weekend nights, Adams Morgan turns into a messy, college-type crowd. But during the day, it's a wonderful neighborhood to walk around.
Red Hen is one of my favorite restaurants in the city. It's homey Italian. Reservations can be hard but they make room for some walk-ins, and you can wait at one of the many bars nearby in Bloomingdale, around the corner on Rhode Island Avenue.
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The Red Hen
1822 1st St NWRed Hen is one of my favorite restaurants in the city. It's homey Italian. Reservations can be hard but they make room for some walk-ins, and you can wait at one of the many bars nearby in Bloomingdale, around the corner on Rhode Island Avenue.
I recommend hanging out pretty much anywhere on the 14th Street corridor, especially U Street and South to Logan Circle. Matchbox has awesome pizzas – the fig, prosciutto and ricotta with honey is my favorite – and good beer.
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matchbox
521 8th St SEI recommend hanging out pretty much anywhere on the 14th Street corridor, especially U Street and South to Logan Circle. Matchbox has awesome pizzas – the fig, prosciutto and ricotta with honey is my favorite – and good beer.
Big Bear is in a lovely residential, tree-lined part of town. It's a cafe, and the best part is the outdoor patio, secluded a bit from the street by hanging vines.
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Big Bear Cafe
1700 R St NWBig Bear is in a lovely residential, tree-lined part of town. It's a cafe, and the best part is the outdoor patio, secluded a bit from the street by hanging vines.
If you're touring around the White House and the National Mall, the Old Ebbitt is the best place for a nicer meal. It boasts being both the oldest and largest restaurant in D.C. and is operated by Clyde's, a restaurant chain in the area. Full Disclosure: I worked at Clyde's restaurant in college – the Tombs in Georgetown. If you're in Georgetown, I have to recommend the original Clyde's as well. All of their properties are what I think of as traditional D.C. dining; they might not be the most adventurous, but I'm always happy when I go.
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Old Ebbitt Grill
675 15th St NWIf you're touring around the White House and the National Mall, the Old Ebbitt is the best place for a nicer meal. It boasts being both the oldest and largest restaurant in D.C. and is operated by Clyde's, a restaurant chain in the area. Full Disclosure: I worked at Clyde's restaurant in college – the Tombs in Georgetown. If you're in Georgetown, I have to recommend the original Clyde's as well. All of their properties are what I think of as traditional D.C. dining; they might not be the most adventurous, but I'm always happy when I go.
There aren't a ton of good dining options right on the National Mall, but District Taco is a few blocks away and worth going to for a quick, cheap meal. The breakfast tacos are secretly the best thing on the menu, but you can't go wrong with anything there.
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District Taco
656 Pennsylvania Avenue SoutheastThere aren't a ton of good dining options right on the National Mall, but District Taco is a few blocks away and worth going to for a quick, cheap meal. The breakfast tacos are secretly the best thing on the menu, but you can't go wrong with anything there.
Essentials
Convenient, large grocery store. They have a parking garage if you have a car, but it's within walking distance to my place if you're just picking up a few essentials.
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Giant Food
1345 Park Rd NWConvenient, large grocery store. They have a parking garage if you have a car, but it's within walking distance to my place if you're just picking up a few essentials.
Shopping
Odd Provisions is a a cute little market a few blocks from me. They're on the fancier side, a little more expensive, but it's a great place to pick up high-quality cheeses, vegetables, etc. They have beer and wine as well.
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Odd Provisions
3301 11th St NWOdd Provisions is a a cute little market a few blocks from me. They're on the fancier side, a little more expensive, but it's a great place to pick up high-quality cheeses, vegetables, etc. They have beer and wine as well.
Not the most interesting, but it's certainly convenient and rare to be within walking distance of a Target in a city.
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Target
3100 14th St NWNot the most interesting, but it's certainly convenient and rare to be within walking distance of a Target in a city.
Eastern Market is the best place to spend a Sunday. The market itself is a historic farmers market, where you can pick up vegetables, handmade pasta, meats, and more. Outside on the weekends though, there's also a craft fair and the street around is limited to pedestrians. It's a lovely place to walk around, shop, pick up something to munch on, and sit outside with a coffee.
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Eastern Market
225 7th St SEEastern Market is the best place to spend a Sunday. The market itself is a historic farmers market, where you can pick up vegetables, handmade pasta, meats, and more. Outside on the weekends though, there's also a craft fair and the street around is limited to pedestrians. It's a lovely place to walk around, shop, pick up something to munch on, and sit outside with a coffee.
Drinks & Nightlife
Meridian Pint is a solid neighborhood bar. The best part is the outdoor seating on the sidewalk in the nicer months.
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Meridian Pint
6035 Wilson BlvdMeridian Pint is a solid neighborhood bar. The best part is the outdoor seating on the sidewalk in the nicer months.
The Good Silver
3410 11th Street NorthwestThe Good Silver is a charming cocktail bar with good bar snacks.
Garden District is an outdoor biergarten with picnic tables and great BBQ. It fills up fast, but you can't beat it for a place to drink a stein on a summer day.
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garden district
1801 14th St NWGarden District is an outdoor biergarten with picnic tables and great BBQ. It fills up fast, but you can't beat it for a place to drink a stein on a summer day.
Right Proper has a brewery in D.C. and an extensive beer list at this Shaw/U. Street restaurant. It's a relatively big space and has a Southern-focused menu, with great bar food.
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Right Proper Brewing Company
920 Girard St NERight Proper has a brewery in D.C. and an extensive beer list at this Shaw/U. Street restaurant. It's a relatively big space and has a Southern-focused menu, with great bar food.
This rooftop bar in the W Hotel is pricey – think $15 cocktails. But it's worth it to stop in for one round and look out over the White House and Washington Monument. You might be lucky enough to catch Marine One taking off with the president from the White House lawn. Go in the late afternoon/early evening for incredible sunset views.
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POV Rooftop
515 15th St NWThis rooftop bar in the W Hotel is pricey – think $15 cocktails. But it's worth it to stop in for one round and look out over the White House and Washington Monument. You might be lucky enough to catch Marine One taking off with the president from the White House lawn. Go in the late afternoon/early evening for incredible sunset views.
Getting Around
The Columbia Heights metro station is about a 10 minute walk from my apartment and services the Green and Yellow lines. I also highly recommend the 14th Street buses, which run frequently and go straight down 14th street to downtown.
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Columbia Heights Station
3030 14th St NWThe Columbia Heights metro station is about a 10 minute walk from my apartment and services the Green and Yellow lines. I also highly recommend the 14th Street buses, which run frequently and go straight down 14th street to downtown.
Parks & Nature
Rock Creek Park has a great bike path, and is popular among runners. It's a pretty incredible, isolated feeling that you're in the woods by a creek in the middle of the city.
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Rock Creek Park
3545 Williamsburg Ln NWRock Creek Park has a great bike path, and is popular among runners. It's a pretty incredible, isolated feeling that you're in the woods by a creek in the middle of the city.
The Sculpture Garden is a block-long park with – as you'd expect – sculptures. In the winter, there's an ice-skating rink, and in the summer, there's live jazz on Friday nights, but it's always a good place to stroll through if you're on the National Mall.
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National Gallery of Art - Skulpturhave
7th Street NorthwestThe Sculpture Garden is a block-long park with – as you'd expect – sculptures. In the winter, there's an ice-skating rink, and in the summer, there's live jazz on Friday nights, but it's always a good place to stroll through if you're on the National Mall.
Entertainment & Activities
My favorite things about the National Zoo are that it's close by and it's free. There's an entrance from Rock Creek Park that's about a 30 minute walk downhill from my apartment. It's kinda cool to just pop over and see some lions, tigers and pandas.
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Smithsonian National Zoological Park
3001 Connecticut Ave NWMy favorite things about the National Zoo are that it's close by and it's free. There's an entrance from Rock Creek Park that's about a 30 minute walk downhill from my apartment. It's kinda cool to just pop over and see some lions, tigers and pandas.