Menomale Pizza Napoletana: Authentic Pizza Pies

This newly-opened traditional pizzeria has rapidly become a Washington, D.C. favorite, serving up thin-crust pies topped with a spectacular sauce and freshly-sourced meats and vegetables. The team behind this restaurant has a unique pedigree – the pizzas are handled by Ettore Rusciano, who was born in Italy and studied the art of the pizzaiolio until he was awarded the title of Master, while his partner Leland Estes brings an encyclopedic knowledge of beers to the table. The restaurant offers 20 craft beers on draft and a large list of bottled brews from all over the globe. This combination makes Menomale a favored neighborhood hangout that has diners and drinkers alike raving. The centerpiece of the restaurant is a hand-built, 6,000 pound wood-fired oven that reaches internal temperatures of 900 degrees – essential for producing that crisp char that gives pizza its character. The space is a little small, but it’s always packed with pizza lovers who proclaim it the best in D.C.

Menomale Pizza Napoletana
2711 12th Street NE
Washington, DC 20018
(202) 248-3946

www.menomale.us
www.yelp.com/biz/menomale-pizza-napoletana-washington

Capital Chicken and Waffles: Mobile Comfort Food in Washington, D.C.

Standing out from the battalion of food trucks with its delicious array of soul food offerings, Capital Chicken and Waffles is a top D.C. destination for quick and tasty food. Your meal can come with either traditional maple syrup or hot sauce. The waffles make a perfect foundation for tasty fried chicken and these decadent dressings. This is comfort food with a heart and soul, offering D.C. area diners a little something different.

Be sure to check the website for a listing of all the places Capital Chicken and Waffles will be. Whether you are stopping by on your lunch break or looking for a late night bite, Capital Chicken and Waffles is sure to satisfy your taste buds. Capital Chicken and Waffles does comfort food right.

Capital Chicken and Waffles
Washington, DC
www.capitalcw.com
www.yelp.com/biz/capital-chicken-and-waffles-washington

Minibar: One of Washington’s Most Unique Dining Experiences

Despite its casual-sounding name, D.C.'s Minibar is anything but a place to grab a burger and a beer. It’s actually the most exclusive eatery in Washington, where patrons scramble for months to get reservations for a seating at the restaurant’s six-foot bar. If you get a coveted spot, prepare to be served 25 or so mini-courses of unrivaled culinary inspiration. The restaurant is a product of the gastronomic inventiveness of Chef Jose Andres, who combines tastes, textures, and temperatures in a way that defies description, but is sure to amaze your palate. Minibar is located inside America Eats Tavern. At $150 a person, not including drinks, it’s an experience worth the price.

Minibar
America Eats Tavern
405 8th Street NW
Washington, DC 20004
(202) 393-0812

Cedar: Rustic Bounty, Washington Ambiance

Bringing the rustic bounty of the great outdoors into a modern urban setting is what Washington, D.C.'s Cedar is all about. The menu features a contemporary take on country ingredients using the freshest produce, meats, game, and fish . Starters include a hearty Roasted Butternut Squash Soup with apples and bacon, an uber-fresh Artisan Greens Salad with Meyer lemon puree, and a luscious Lobster and White Chocolate Soup with root vegetables. A roster of delectable entrees will make you feel like you’re picnicking in an enchanted forest, including Braised Wild Boar Shank, King Trumpet Mushrooms, Roasted Sturgeon, and Grilled Elk Sausage. Excellent service and a relaxed, contemporary ambiance make Cedar an excellent choice for lunch, dinner or Sunday brunch.

Cedar
822 E Street NW
Washington, DC 20004
(202) 637-0012

Zentan: Sushi and More in D.C.

Zentan is a Mandarin Chinese word for “detective,” and this restaurant is a place that you really should investigate. Located at Thomas Circle in Washington, D.C., Zentan serves sushi and other cuisine in an equally beautiful setting. You’ll really like the dining room when you come in – it’s clean and classy. Come in the morning and start your day from Monday to Friday with a classic breakfast, or make it back for lunch and dinner for different fare. Make it to the bar after work and check out the sakes, plum wines, cocktails and imported or domestic beers. The sushi selections will satisfy any palate, and the kitchen items run the gamut from Vietnamese to Japanese, Szechuan and Singaporean cuisines.

Zentan
1155 14th Street NW
Washington, DC 20005
(202) 379-4366
www.zentanrestaurant.com
www.yelp.com/biz/zentan-washington

Locolat Café: Savor the Flavors of Real Belgian Chocolate

Indulge in the sublime flavor of real Belgian chocolate at Washington, D.C.'s Locolat Café, where handmade confections are brought to a level of high art by owners Ada and Niel.

Chocolate bars, truffles, cakes, and pastries aren’t all that’s going on at Locolat. The lunch and dinner menu includes a wide array of luscious sandwiches and paninis prepared with the finest ingredients like salmon, prosciutto, grilled vegetables, and gourmet cheeses. Add to the menu steamed mussels, salads, soups, quiches, and both sweet and savory waffles and you’ve got yourself a meal you can write home about.

Locolat Café is open for brunch, lunch, and dinner Tuesdays through Sundays.

1781 Florida Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20009
(202) 518-2570

Fogo de Chao: A Brazilian Steakhouse in Washington, D.C.

If you’ve never experienced a Brazilian steakhouse, here’s one tip: bring your appetite.

Fogo de Chao brings the Brazilian steakhouse experience to the U.S. First opening its doors in Porto Alegre, Brazil in 1979, the company has expanded rapidly all over the Western hemisphere. Regulars at the Washington, D.C. outpost rave about the many exquisite cuts brought to the table here, including the luscious filet mignon wrapped with bacon and the exceptional lamb chops.

The way it works here is that you pay a flat fee per person – around $50 for dinner – and then servers come to the table with meat as it comes off the grill. You can take whatever you like, but make sure to leave room for the good stuff. The meal also includes a well-stocked salad bar.

Fogo de Chao
1101 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20004
(202) 347-4668
http://www.yelp.com/biz/fogo-de-chao-washington

Marcel’s: Fine French Cuisine in Washington, D.C.

Our nation’s capital has no shortage of incredible restaurants, but one of the city’s most dependable upscale eateries is Marcel’s. Chef and owner Robert Wiedmaier opened the doors of Marcel’s in 1999 to share his obsession with exquisite whole-animal butchery and traditional French cuisine, and regulars rave about the incredible food and service present at every meal.

Chef Robert sources much of his meat from local ranches, including having 30 Randall Lineback calves raised exclusively for his restaurant each year at Chapel Hill Farm in Berryville. The cuisine here is incredibly labor-intensive, but worth all the effort. The way to go here is with the tasting menus, which can be 3, 4, 5, or 7 courses. Truly adventurous diners go for the 7 course dinner, which incorporates an incredible array of flavors and textures.

Visit the Marcel's website to find out more about this DC restaurant!

Marcel’s
2401 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20037
(202) 296-1166
http://www.yelp.com/biz/marcels-washington

Old Ebbitt Grill: Historic Washington Dining

Just a hop-skip from the White House, the historic Old Ebbitt Grill is the go-to spot for politicos and other capital city denizens. This is old-school D.C. at its best, with mahogany and velvet booths, gas-lit brass lamps, beveled glass, and a long bar suitable for mingling and sharing political secrets. The huge space has different dining sections to accommodate almost any mood, from elegant, to romantic, to casual. The menu is wide ranging, too, with everything from sandwiches to full-on entrees. The Old Ebbitt Grill aims to use local, sustainably raised meats and produce. Some diners think their burgers are the best on the eastern seaboard.

Old Ebbitt is open every day for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and brunch.

675 15th Street NW
Washington, DC 20005
(202) 347-4800

& Pizza: A DC Pizzeria

For some of the best pizza south of NYC, head to & Pizza, where even former New Yorkers rave about the pies. All of the pizzas here are hand crafted with the utmost care, and use only the freshest ingredients. Here, you can truly craft your perfect pie — choose your dough (wheat, regular or multigrain), select your cheese (includes home made mozzarella and asiago), and then select your toppings.

The pie is made before your eyes, put on a conveyor belt and is set in the oven — all while you watch! Once your pie bakes, you can choose to finish it off with infused olive oil, fresh herbs, and even chopped olives. Best of all, you get all this for around $9! The pies are a nice size — more than enough for one hungry person, or big enough to share.

& Pizza
1118 H Street NE
Washington, DC 20002
(202) 733-1285
andpizza.com
www.yelp.com/biz/h-and-pizza-washington

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