You can dine your way around the globe in DC's restaurants. Here's a guide to what you can find, and where you're likely to find it.
AFRICAN
DC is home to more Ethiopian restaurants than any city outside of Africa, and many of them are clustered in the U Street and Adams Morgan neighborhoods. A traditional meal begins with a 16-inch piece of flatbread, called an injera. Servers place stews, vegetables, meats and legumes around the circular bread, and serve additional injera alongside the main courses. You’ll eat with your hands, using the bread as a scoop for the main dishes. Many restaurants also feature imported Ethiopian beer and tej, or honey wine, and offer traditional coffee blends, as Ethiopia provides the world with much of its coffee. While Ethiopian restaurants are the most common African eateries you’ll see in DC, the District is also home to a handful of Moroccan and West African restaurants.
ASIAN
Asian fare runs the gamut in DC, from fine dining restaurants like Makoto in the Palisades neighborhood near Georgetown, and downtown’s Ten Penh and Bombay Club to noodle shops and pho takeout places in Chinatown. Asian food enthusiasts also flock to the northern Virginia suburbs, where large immigrant populations give rise to tasty, affordable (and, in some cases, Metro-accessible) Asian eateries. But if you’re simply craving fresh sushi, zesty Pad Thai or flavorful curries, you’ll have plenty of options within walking distance of DC’s most popular attractions.
EUROPEAN
European cuisine abounds in all parts of DC, where diners can sample Italian, Greek, Spanish, French, German and other familiar favorites. DC’s French influences are particularly evident on the fine dining scene, where acclaimed chefs like Michel Richard, Yannick Cam and Robert Wiedmaier delight and amaze diners with their high-end creations. Flavors of the Mediterranean shine through at casual tapas and mezze bars like Jaleo and Zaytinya and upscale eateries like Taberna del Alabardero and Komi. European influences don’t end on the plate, however. Sample the world’s largest selection of beers—many of them from Europe—at the Brickskeller or choose from more than 100 Belgian beers at Brasserie Beck.
SOUTH & CENTRAL AMERICAN
Thanks to DC’s large Latin American population, South and Central American cooking traditions are well represented on the District’s menus. Diners frequently stop for pupusas and empanadas, or meat and vegetable-stuffed pastries, at casual storefronts in the Adams Morgan and Columbia Heights neighborhoods. Sip caipairinhas and mojitos as you take salsa lessons at the lively bars and clubs in the neighborhood. For high-end Nuevo Latino flavors, try stylish downtown eateries like Ceiba and Café Atlántico.
