Destination: DC
DC Flavor Tours
Sign up now for a DC Flavor Tour, and join SAVEUR and Chef Brian McBride of Blue Duck Tavern or Chef Benjamin Lambert of Restaurant Nora on a private guided greenmarket tour. Plus, enjoy an exclusive SAVEUR lunch featuring DC's freshest fare.
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August 26
Blue Duck Tavern Flavor Tour
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August 22
Restaurant Nora Flavor Tour
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Win a Culinary Getaway to DC
Experience the best DC has to offer on a culinary getaway for two: One lucky winner and a guest will win a weekend getaway to DC, where you'll spend three nights at the Park Hyatt Washington DC. The prize package also includes two Georgetown Food Tour Tickets from DC Metro Food Tours.
Enter NowExplore DC Flavors
- Acadiana
- Birch & Barley
- Blue Duck Tavern
- Charlie Palmer Steak
- CityZen
- Cork Market & Tasting Room
- DC Metro Food Tours
- Eastern Market
- FRESHFARM Market, Dupont Circle
- FRESHFARM Market, by the White House
- Georgetown Cupcake
- Julia Child's Kitchen
- Komi
- Marvin
- minibar
- Old Ebbitt Grill
- Restaurant Nora
- The Palm
- The Source by Wolfgang Puck
- Zaytinya
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Acadiana
901 New York Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20001
(202) 408-8848
acadianarestaurant.com
Whether you choose to sip a finely crafted Sazerac or tuck into a plate of light and crispy fried green tomatoes, a seat at Acadiana is the best way in DC to quell a craving for a taste of the South. The bayou-inspired dining room has long been a favorite of local hospitality workers and the reason shows: classic comfort food staples (like oyster po' boys) never fail to please.
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Birch & Barley
1337 14th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20005
(202) 567-2576
birchandbarley.com
This new addition to the Logan Circle drinking and dining scene has quickly established itself as a local favorite by offering delicious and creative elevated bar food-like a veal- and pork-spiced brat burger and soft pretzel rollsÑand spoiling patrons with choices. Munch on crispy duck eggs or grilled octopus, take your time browsing the more than 500 beers on the encyclopedic menu, or let the helpful waitstaff, which includes a beer sommelier, steer you. At Birch & Barley, you don't get just dinner, you get an education.
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Blue Duck Tavern
1201 24th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20037
(202) 419-6755
blueducktavern.com
At this cozy, neighborhood outpost of market-driven comfort food, chef Brian McBride prepares carefully crafted dishes sourced from local farmers for a discerning and loyal clientele (including the Obamas, who chose the restaurant as the spot for their last anniversary celebration). Come for a brunch of sourdough baked pancakes with cherries and clotted cream, a lunch of jumbo crab cakes with fennel and mustard, or a dinner of lamb loin, pistachios, green olives, and fingerling potatoes, roasted in the kitchen's massive wood-fired oven.
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Charlie Palmer Steak
101 Constitution Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20001
(202) 547-8100
charliepalmer.com
Charlie Palmer Steak's setting, just a stone's throw from the Capitol, makes for prime politico-gazing. Indeed, depending on the week, the sleekly modern chop room serves between 70 and 80 congressmen and 20 to 30 senators. They come for quietly perfect service, buttery Wagyu sirloins and thick rib-eyes, piquant tuna tartares, an impressive wine list, and elegant steakhouse sides, like sautéed hen of the woods mushrooms, hand-cut fries, and a blue prawn cocktail. Whether or not you have a deal to seal, the options are equally delicious.
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CityZen
1330 Maryland Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20024
(202) 787-6006
mandarinoriental.com/washington/dining/cityzen/
Helmed by chef Eric Ziebold, recipient of the James Beard Award for Best Chef Mid-Atlantic 2008, CityZen is an oasis of elevated American cuisine inside Washington, DC's luxe Mandarin Oriental hotel. Plan ahead to score a sought-after reservation and a chance to sample local delicacies like gratinéed cauliflower terrine with scarlet carrots and crispy Swiss chard, veal sweetbreads with cipolline onions, trumpet mushrooms and sultana raisins, and rich roasted banana fritters with crème brûlée ice cream.
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Cork Market & Tasting Room
1720 14th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20009
(202) 265-2675
corkdc.com
Don't let the name fool you: this cozy, brick-walled 14th Street hot spot is about much more than chardonnay and cabernet. Cork's wine list is a charmer, yes: more than 160 bottles (about a third of which are also available by the glass), from small vineyards in both established and up-and-coming regions. But its menu of international cheeses, charcuterie, and savory hot bites-like pork cheeks with polenta, house-cured trout with fennel, and chicken liver bruschetta—are the perfect complement for any wine tasting, and help attract a diverse oenophile and non-oenophile clientele, including Jill Biden and White House staffers.
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DC Metro Food Tours
305 South Saint Asaph Street
Alexandria, VA 22314
(202) 683-8847
dcmetrofoodtours.com
Despite its global influence and diverse citizenry, Washington, DC isn't exactly known for its ethnic eats. But the folks behind the new culinary-themed organization DC Metro Food Tours are hoping to change that. One of the most recent additions to their schedule is an Ethiopian tour (more than 100,000 Ethiopians reside in the metro area), which takes hungry visitors on an intimate hunt through the markets and restaurants of Little Ethiopia, with stops along the way for spicy beef kifto, lentil pastries, Ethiopian coffee, and much more.
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Eastern Market
225 7th Street, SE
Washington, DC 20003
(202) 698-5253
easternmarket-dc.org
At the ripe old age of 137, DC's oldest continuously operating public market has endured generations of civic change, not to mention a devastating fire in spring 2007 that threatened to permanently shutter the Capitol Hill culinary landmark. But thanks to painstaking restoration and the fervent support of District denizens, the market is back-and as big, bustling, and vibrant as ever. Take a stroll among the fruit and vegetable stands, flower kiosks, and butcher counters. Or queue up on Saturday mornings with the brunch crowd for some of the best blueberry pancakes in the city.
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FRESHFARM Market, Dupont Circle
1500 20th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20036
(202) 362-8889
freshfarmmarket.org
Open every Sunday, year-round, rain or shine, this 100% producer-run (only farmers from the immediate Chesapeake Bay region can peddle their wares) is a favorite spot for organic produce. Come early and sip your coffee alongside locals filling their market bags for the week, or pick and choose your own provisions from a seasonal selection of fruits and veggies for a weekend picnic. Pièce de résistance candidates? French croissants and almond pastries from Bonaparte's bakery to rival those in any Parisian boulangerie.
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FRESHFARM Market, by the White House
810 Vermont Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20571
(202) 362-8889
freshfarmmarket.org
In fall 2009, the first farm market in the capital's history to be set within shouting distance of the Executive Mansion debuted to much applause among advocates of local food and healthy eating, including the Obamas. Open Thursday afternoons from spring through autumn, the market draws the faithful to tables groaning with artisan cheeses, fragrant fresh-cut flowers, grass-fed beef, lamb, and bison, homemade pickles and preserves, and seasonal fruit and vegetables. There's also a unique chance the rub elbows with local purveyors.
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Georgetown Cupcake
3301 M Street, NW
Washington, DC 20007
(202) 333-8448
georgetowncupcake.com
Need a red velvet fix? Craving coconut and cream cheese frosting? Georgetown Cupcake has emerged as the District's premier spot for cupcakes, and has established itself as a formidable player in the taste craze that's been sweeping the country. How good are they? Loyal customers queue up in lines that snake out the door and down the sidewalk just to try the 24 rotating flavors, including chocolate mint, key lime, and espresso bean. The Discovery Channel is developing a reality show based around the owners.
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Julia Child's Kitchen
1000 Jefferson Drive, SW
Washington, DC 20560
(202) 633-1000
americanhistory.si.edu/juliachild/
The memory of Julia Child-her practical lessons, her good humor, her revolutionary recipes-is enshrined in the hearts of millions of American cooks. So it seems only fitting that her Cambridge, Massachusetts, home kitchen also be enshrined in a special spot within the permanent collection in the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of American History. After being used as the setting for three of her pioneering television programs, the kitchen was moved to DC and painstakingly reassembled down to the pots and pans hanging on the wall and the shelves of cookbooks.
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Komi
1509 17th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20050
(202) 332-9200
komirestaurant.com
If you're after an exceptional evening of fine dining with a parade of elegant dishes carefully presented in a spare and glowing dining room, you'd be hard pressed to do better than Komi. Since opening under chef Johnny Monis, Komi has seduced everyone from everyday diners to the top critics in town with its Greek-accented tasting menus. With few seats and a strict prix-fixe dinner policy, Komi may require advance planning, but it's every bit worth the expense and effort.
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Marvin
2007 14th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20009
(202) 797-7171
marvindc.com
A melting-pot masterpiece with a perfect DC pedigree. Situated just off U Street (otherwise known as Black Broadway) and co-owned by homegrown music superstar Eric Hilton, Marvin warmly blends bistro comfort food and urban cool in a fitting tribute to its soul-singing namesake. The welcoming menu covers the gamut from chicken and waffles to moules frites, liver and onions to duck confit. Young and old, black and white, haute and homey at Marvin-it's all about the mix.
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minibar
405 8th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20004
(202) 393-0812
cafeatlantico.com/miniBar/miniBar.htm
With just six seats and an eye popping price tag of $120 for 30 (yes, 30!) courses, it would be easy to dismiss minibar as a food stunt except, of course, for chef José Andrés. His star is incredibly bright and the food he and his team turn out is incredibly creative. So get yourself on the waitlist now. By next year you can be sitting in front of your own personal chef as he prepares cotton-candy eel, tomato crisp with anchovy caviar, organic carrots with coconut foam, or a deconstructed New England clam chowder.
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Old Ebbitt Grill
675 15th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20005
(202) 347-4800
ebbitt.com
Its perch down the street from 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue has turned the 154-year-old Old Ebbitt Grill into a favorite stop for White House visitors, but that doesn't make it a tourist joint. Indeed, one of the things the saloon has always understood is that the quickest way to a city's heart is through its well-fed stomach. It long ago established loyalty among locals with its perfectly charred burgers, homemade crab cakes, and warm, wood-paneled, clubby ambience. Arrive early and hungry, then fuel up on the legendary breakfast club, an over-the-top bacon-wrapped, deep-fried ham and French toast sandwich drizzled with real maple syrup. Or steal an evening spot at the raw bar, one of the best places in town to find fresh oysters and a date.
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Restaurant Nora
2132 Florida Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20008
(202) 462-5143
noras.com
Equal parts country (dining room walls hung with antique Amish and Mennonite quilts) and chic (the carefully selected wine list offers bottles from more than 100 small, award-winning producers). And in 1999 Restaurant Nora became the nation's first certified organic restaurant (95% of ingredients served meet organic standards). It has cemented its name as one of the country's premier destinations for sophisticated seasonal cuisine over the past decade. Indeed, take one bite of the heirloom beet salad, the cocoa-crusted duck breast, the hand-rolled gnocchi with veal bolognaise, or the white chocolate sweet potato pie and you'll understand why President Obama chose to treat his wife here with a surprise birthday dinner last winter.
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The Palm
1225 19th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20036
(202) 293-9091
thepalm.com
Though related to a small chain of steakhouses that got their start in New York nearly a century ago, the DC Palm is the sort of white-tablecloth, bloody beef and neat Scotch power broker clubhouse that more than stands on its own. Beloved by politicians and media heavyweights including Chris Matthews, Tucker Carlson, and James Carville, the Dupont Circle institution recently underwent a careful renovation to brighten the dining room and update the kitchen. But fear not: they knew better than to mess with a good thing—dozens of signature caricatures of local luminaries still graffiti the walls, and the creamed spinach, house onion rings, and legendary oversize lobsters haven’t changed a whit.
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The Source by Wolfgang Puck
575 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20001
(202) 637-6100
wolfgangpuck.com/restaurants/fine-dining/3941
Adjacent to the acclaimed Newseum, The Source was the first foray of Californian celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck into DC's dining scene. His deft fusion of classic Puck touches (gourmet wood-fired pizzas, modern Asian accents, irreverent presentations) with high-gloss glamour fit for the capital's power brokers, quickly established it as one of the most desirable dining rooms in town. Start the evening with a seat at the luminous bar, where you can eavesdrop on fresh-faced politicians and spiffy sports stars over ice-cold gin and cucumber martinis. But save room for dinner: the Washington Post dining critic calls the "sesame miso tuna tartare tower" the best cone in town.
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Zaytinya
701 9th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20001
(202) 638-0800
zaytinya.com
Acclaimed Spanish chef José Andrés assembled an all-star team in his Zaytinya kitchen, including Mike Isabella (now a Top Chef alum). If the restaurant's packed dining room and perfectly refined take on Greek, Lebanese, and Turkish meze (small plates, like tapas) are any indication, that strategy is paying off in spades. Bring a crowd and come hungry for beguiling bites like lamb kibbe tartare with radishes and mint, tender phyllo triangles stuffed with citrus-scented spinach, shredded chicken in walnut sauce, Turkish pastrami, and Ottoman-style roasted eggplant. And remember: You have to share!
In The Spotlight
BLUE DUCK TAVERN
Blue Duck Tavern's open kitchen, with a central focus on its wood-burning oven, welcomes both travelers and locals alike to gather and celebrate in good taste. With a menu that showcases the best of the season, Executive Chef Brian McBride and Chef de Cuisine Michael Santoro bring sharply focused and bold flavors to the table through simple, time-honored cooking methods and modern technologies. Chefs McBride and Santoro slow roast three-quarters of the menu in a wood-burning oven, using braising, preserving and smoking techniques to bring the true flavors of America's simple, wholesome foods to Blue Duck Tavern's guests.
Blue Duck Tavern
1201 24th Street, NW
Washington, DC
(202) 419-6755
blueducktavern.com
RESTAURANT NORA
As the first certified organic restaurant in the country, Restaurant Nora is the embodiment of pure, local, and delicious food. Executive Chef Nora Pouillon's commitment to seasonal and healthful eating is evident in every part of the menu, from the four-course tasting menu to a little corner dedicated to describing the freshest produce of the moment. The memorable wine list features over one hundred excellent boutique wines from small international producers. However, Nora's atmosphere is as unpretentious and welcoming as it is forward-minded and chic, both in their décor of antique Mennonite and Amish quilts and in their thoughtful and attentive service.
Restaurant Nora
2132 Florida Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20008
(202) 462-5143
noras.com
