Washington, DC is a fantastic place to visit for any hungry foodie. Wherever you end up staying in DC, the extensive metro system can take you to all kinds of great restaurants. First time travelers may be overwhelmed by all the food options, but fear not! With my experience and your taste buds, you’ll find great places to eat in Washington DC with my top 8 list.
1. Rose’s Luxury
Rose’s Luxury is an incredible tapas restaurant in the Capitol Hill area of DC. From the moment they opened, they’ve had great success with their New American style tapas and unique drinks. Their use of ingredients is fresh and unique, and the restaurant staff is incredibly kind. In fact, they donate money for every meal they served, managing to contribute nearly $40,000 to help feed hungry children! Any kind soul who loves food should absolutely visit Rose’s Luxury during their stay in DC.
Rose’s Luxury. (Photo courtesy of Rose’s Luxury.)
Nearest Metro: Eastern Market
2. Donburi
Japanese food fans will love Donburi, and that’s just a fact. Most people think getting good Japanese cuisine in DC would break the bank, but at Donburi you can get a great filling meal for $10-$20.
You may be asking what a “donburi” is. Simply put, it’s an all-in-one bowl with a heaping pile of rice, pickled vegetables, meat and sauce. It sounds simple, but there are a huge variety of donburis to choose from, like the Karaagedon which is marinated and breaded fried chicken or the Sakedon which is raw salmon over rice with pickled daikon and cucumber. Filling, tasty and cheap is a win, win, win!
Curry Katsudon at Donburi. (Photo courtesy of Donburi.)
Nearest Metro: Woodley Park-Zoo/Adams Morgan
3. Momofuku
If you love food documentaries you may have heard about Momofuku. Momofuku is an incredibly creative restaurant located in Downtown DC. The restaurant has an upscale vibe, but the food is actually interesting and new takes on common Japanese and Korean cuisine.
The restaurant features Korean classics like slow-roasted pork shoulder and fried chicken, but also features incredible ramen and tons of veggie dishes. If you plan to eat with a big group, consider doing their large group format meals that come with tons of side dishes, appetizers and entrees to share amongst the table in a family style. Absolutely worth it.
Fried chicken at Momofuku. (Photo courtesy Momofuku.)
Nearest Metro Station: Metro Center
4. Founding Farmers
Founding Farmers is a popular DC favorite in Foggy Bottom, where George Washington University campus is. The food, as you may expect from the name, is inspired by old fashioned American farm food with a slightly modern update.
This restaurant prides itself on being owned by a collective of 47,000 family farmers called the North Dakota Farmers Union. Every ingredient and liquor is made by a member of the farmers union, so you can rest assured that the quality is always top notch. Plus, the portion sizes are farmer-sized, where it’ll be VERY difficult to leave the restaurant still hungry. Try out their brunch offerings for their chicken and waffles or stop by for lunch and get some of the best sandwiches you’ll ever taste.
Founding Farmers. (Photo courtesy Founding Farmers, by Ken Fletcher.)
Nearest Metro Station: Foggy Bottom-GWU
5. 2 Amys
If you ask any DC local for a list of the best pizzas in town, they’ll always mention 2 Amys. 2 Amys is a neighborhood pizza joint that has the most authentic Neapolitan pizza you’ll find in DC. They literally are the most authentic, and they’re D.O.C. certified to prove it (D.O.C. stands for Denominazione di Origine Controllata, which was started in 1998 by the Italian government after they formally decided the Neapolitan pizza was a traditional food to be preserved).
I suggest trying the Margherita for a classic taste of Italy and also getting a Norcia which has salami and roasted peppers.
2 Amys. (Photo credit Ehplen. See credit below.)
(Photo credit ehplen.) Nearest Metro Station: Cleveland Park
6. District of Pi
My husband loves pizza, so it’s always a given we’re going to get a few slices (or a whole pie) when we’re in DC. But sometimes, you want a change from a regular pizza. That’s where District of Pi comes in.
You’ll find this pizza restaurant near the Chinatown metro station, and it’s the best place to get a good deep dish pizza. They use cornmeal dough for their deep dish which means people with gluten allergies can enjoy it too!
You might look at the price and think that it’s a bit high, but you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the amount of toppings they load up in there. They’re MASSIVE, and will fill up even the hungriest traveler! Choose your own toppings or go for one of their signature deep dishes, either way you can’t go wrong.
District of Pi (Photo credit Chris Sommers.)
Nearest Metro Station: Gallery Pl-Chinatown
7. Dacha Beer Garden
Dacha Beer Garden is a great place to grab a good beer and enjoy some tasty, locally sourced Bavarian bar food. The best place to sit is in the outdoor patio, where you can enjoy the weather while you start off with some rabbit croquettes, beet fries and a massive pretzel. Their different bratwursts are super tasty and their skewers are simply awesome. Try their Currywurst, which includes two berlin-style bratwursts served over fries and house-made curry ketchup, and their stout marinated steak skewers!
Dacha Beer Garden. (Photo courtesy Dacha Beer Garden.)
Nearest Metro Station: Shaw-Howard
8. Le Diplomate
Le Diplomate is a great French restaurant/cafe near Logan’s Circle. And by great, I mean GREAT. Le Diplomate serves classic French fares as well as homemade pastries and breads. You can actually smell the warm bread from a block away. You’ll find French classics like escargot, beef bourguignon and steak au poivre, as well as incredibly fresh seafood. Definitely a recommended date spot that will win you points for sure.
Le Diplomate. (Photo courtesy Urban_Lenny. See credit below.)
(Photo credit Urban_Lenny.) Nearest Metro Station: Shaw-Howard
Eat in Washington DC
Washington, DC has a great Metro system. We’ve included the nearest Metro Lines for each of our favorite restaurants. Enjoy!
For More:
- Washington, DC Tourism, https://washington.org/
- Rose’s Luxury, www.rosesluxury.com
- Donburi, www.facebook.com/pg/donburidc/
- Momofuku, ccdc.momofuku.com
- Founding Farmers, www.wearefoundingfarmers.com/locations/dc
- 2 Amys, www.2amysdc.com
- District of Pi, pi-pizza.com/locations
- Dacha Beer Garden, www.dachadc.com
- Le Diplomate, www.lediplomatedc.com
– Cover photo; Momofuku. Photo courtesy Daniele Stabile.
