MAP IT
From local favorites to Creole and Caribbean cuisine, these trusted restaurants define the District’s dining scene.
Few people have witnessed as much change in the District as Virginia Ali, who, along with her husband Ben, opened up the DC institution Ben’s Chili Bowl on U Street in August 1958. Purveyors of DC’s signature take on a hot dog, the half-smoke, the Ali family played a unique role during the 1968 race riots following the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr, as they stayed open past curfew to serve both activists and local police and firemen. The restaurant has stood the test of time, persevering after the late 1960s riots that led to decay in the 1970s and 1980s, the construction of the Metro's Green Line in the late ‘80s and the eventual revitalization of the U Street neighborhood as a dining and nightlife mecca. To say Ben’s has been a success is an understatement, as the quaint shop has hosted President Barack Obama and countless celebrities.
With executive chef Angel Barreto's new status as the best chef in the DC area, Anju in Dupont Circle is locked in as one of DC's hottest reservations. The home-style concept from The Fried Rice Collective melds modern cooking with traditional Korean flavors, resulting in tantalizing delights like the fried chicken complemented by jujube mole, white barbecue sauce and spicy gochujang.
Cane, founded by Jeanine Prime, transports the cuisine of Trinidad to Washington, DC. The restaurant's name hearkens back to the sugar cane fields where enslaved Africans toiled during British rule in Trinidad. From this tragedy, Cane has conjured a menu that additionally features Spanish, French, East Asian and Indian flavors, with dishes like cumin-spiced pork belly and pimento-smoked jerk wings. Try a Paratha Tiffin Box, which features Indian bread served with an array of curries and chutneys. Cane was named a Bib Gourmand in the 2020 Michelin Guide for DC.
Recognized both locally and nationally for its classic rendition on soul food, Oohh's & Aahh's is led by Oji Abbott, an acclaimed chef who was born and raised in the District. The no-frills restaurant dishes out Southern comfort that will make you feel as if you’ve stepped into grandma’s kitchen. The whiting fish is beloved, as are the wings (choose from barbecue, Buffalo, lemon pepper and teriyaki), while sides like the macaroni and cheese and cornbread cannot be ignored.
Bronze / Alex Clirror
Drawing inspiration from Afrofuturism, Keem Hughley tells the mythical tale of Alonzo Bronze through innovation, gastronomy and the culture of the African Diaspora. The story unfolds throughout Bronze's menu, reflecting the cultural travels and Caribbean settling of the Bronze people, with charred yuzu squid, wild pepper prawns, braised oxtail and Sun Ra-themed cocktails.
DC has often been referred to as “Little Ethiopia” for its plethora of restaurants that offer the delicious cuisine from the African country. Dukem Ethiopian has stood above the rest for more than a decade, its take on specialties like kitfo (minced raw beef marinated in chili powder-based spice blend and clarified butter) and tibs (sauteed meat that can be served hot or mild) endearing it to the U Street neighborhood. Indulging in one of Dukem’s meals platter-style is a must for any DC dining connoisseur.
Billed as the oldest soul food restaurant in the world, Florida Avenue Grill opened its doors in 1944 and has been treating customers with kindness and lovingly prepared food ever since. Entrepreneur Imar Hutchins purchased the Grill in 2005, which was owned and managed by the Wilson family for 40 years prior. Hutchins has kept all the charm and flavor of the restaurant intact. You can enjoy breakfast all day, or stop by for one of their popular home-style dinners, served with a corn muffin and two sides – like it should be.
The popular Sweet Home Café at the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, spearheaded by chef Jerome Grant, will take you on a historical culinary journey as vast, spellbinding and complex as the museum’s collection. The restaurant serves up food that represents four distinct regions: the Agricultural South, the Creole Coast, the North States and Western Range. Grant’s from-scratch cooking and use of local ingredients makes for a mouthwatering catfish po’ boy or beef brisket sandwich on a sweet potato bun.
For more than 20 years, this unadorned but adored carryout spot has excited taste buds just off of H Street NE. Sadly, that legendary location recently closed, but you can still savor Horace & Dickie's soulful flavors at their spot in Takoma and from their food truck that bounces all over the city. Locals rave about the fried fish, the crab cakes, the mac and cheese, the hush puppies, the bean pie... it’s hard to go wrong.
Owners Vernon and Lynn Woodland cook up a 100% vegan menu at NuVegan Café, which has two locations in DC, one in College Park, Md. and another in Richmond, Va. The Woodlands aim to make vegan food that appeals to everyone, crafting creative takes on the fried chicken sandwich and cheeseburger, but also serving up herbed quinoa, chick peas and ginger-spiced tofu.
Inhabitants of Adams Morgan know all about Bukom Café, a neighborhood staple that dazzles diners with its outstanding West African cuisine. There’s goosi, a milk rice dessert that originated in Senegal, as well as fufu, a sticky dough that you consume by hand. We’ve also heard the jollof rice is a must-try. Bukom also doles out strong cocktails and Kenyan beer and hosts live reggae music on weekend nights.
Did you know that Capitol Hill is home to a boutique bakery owned by an MIT-educated engineer with a sweet tooth? Well, you do now. The Sweet Lobby, based in Barracks Row, is owned by Dr. Winnette McIntosh Ambrose, a self-taught pastry chef who concocts internationally inspired sweet treats. Winnette won Food Network’s Cupcake Wars within months of opening The Sweet Lobby, turning her into a star and turning the store into a must-stop shop for those craving macarons, shortbread and éclairs that are to die for.
Negril was founded 40 years ago by Jamaican native Earl Chinn, who saw an opportunity to bring his native cuisine to the nation’s capital. The eatery now has four locations in the area, so one could say Chinn made the right call. Negril’s menu is populated by a mélange of signature Jamaican and Caribbean mainstays, from the coco bread to the jerk chicken to mouthwatering desserts like rum cake and coconut custard tart.
Filmmaking couple Haile and Shirikiana Gerima founded this endearing bookstore and cafe in 1998 and named it after their acclaimed 1993 film. Inside, you will find books and videos focused on the African diaspora, as much of the Gerimas work has been. A community outpost that also offers a cafe featuring breakfast items, paninis, wraps, smoothies and even pizza, Sankofa frequently hosts events, including film screenings and poetry readings.
This family-owned bar and grill now sports two locations in DC – one on H Street NE, the other in Shaw. Caribbean recipes are interpreted with a Cajun flair on the robust menu, which features signatures like the District Po Boy (sirloin steak, bacon, provolone, shrimp, remoulade sauce) and the Gumbo on H (andouille sausage, shrimp, Cajun-style chicken, scallion rice). Po Boy Jim also offers brunch and late-night dining, meaning it should be on your list of late Saturday night AND early Sunday morning destinations.
While DC has put the half-smoke and go-go music on the map, another hometown hero is mumbo sauce. This spicy-sweet concoction goes well on wings, pizza and, well, just about anything. At the MLK Deli in Congress Heights, the signature sauce adorns Mr. Luke’s fried chicken sandwich, which is served on a brioche bun. The deli also delivers on all kinds of classics, from hearty Reubens to weighty crab cakes. Pair one of those with a homespun lemonade and you’re in heaven.
Feast on finger-licking smoked meats at DCity Smokehouse, where barbecue perfection from pitmaster Shawn McWhirter awaits. DCity's wood-smoked variation on the American specialty includes epic sandwiches like the Meaty Palmer, which stars pork belly and turkey breast piled high with avocado, tomato and chipotle aioli. We’re also big fans of the pit-smoked chicken wings, the brisket, the rib tips... look, just go and try everything.
Entrepreneur Karin Sellers is behind Here’s the Scoop, which opened to great acclaim in Columbia Heights. The menu is packed with goodies: 12 ice cream flavors to choose from (including salted caramel, butter pecan and birthday cake), an array of pies and cookies and signature milkshakes. Sellers is also from the area and works to make Here’s the Scoop a community hub, where students from nearby Howard University can mingle and the city’s next entrepreneurs can be born. She also hires and mentors emerging bakers.
Serving up brunch seven days a week, Milk & Honey Café is an award-winning restaurant with roots in Atlanta and locations in Bowie and College Park, Md. and Alexandria, Va. A location on H Street NE in DC is coming soon. The restaurant serves as the perfect spot for a quick breakfast meeting or a celebratory brunch with friends and family. Milk & Honey Executive Chef Sammy Davis is a Chopped and Chopped Redemption alum, while his business partner Monique Rose is a veteran in the industry. Together, the two have created a menu packed with Southern favorites that you can return to time and time again.
Founded by former investment analyst Andre McCain, HalfSmoke combines a gastro pub, restaurant and café. The Florida Avenue hot spot is obviously well known for its namesake, a beloved DC dish cooked on a wood-fired grill. However, the menu goes much deeper than that. The Snack Time offerings include fun items like crab fries and mac ‘n cheese bites, while the Main Event fills you up via dishes like jambalaya, shrimp and grits and butterfly chicken. The Butter Me Up menu is stacked with tasty sandwiches and HalfSmoke does brunch, too.
Martel Stone is the executive chef at The H Restaurant, which is housed inside The Gathering Spot, a curated DC community which you can request to join online. Stone has represented DC well on reality shows such as Alex vs. America and Chopped Next Gen. At the H Restaurant, the chef combines American and African cuisine to create a menu that reflects his own background and international travels.
The Park at 14th
The Park at 14th serves up blackened salmon, jerk wings and crab cakes with Caribbean rice on Thursdays through Saturdays from 5-7 p.m. after which the club's lounge-like vibe is unleashed. But the hottest reservation there is for its weekend brunch, which treats eaters to bottomless mimosas and unlimited food.
FishScale ignites a new love for seafood with a fresh take on wild caught fish and blue crab. Chef Henry Brandon Williams, inspired by Caribbean and Asian cultures, offers a menu that rotates seasonally and features rockfish, speckled sea trout, mahi-mahi and Alaskan salmon, to name a few. Williams crafts the wild caught fish into burgers, cheesesteaks, sandwiches and other soulful entrees, making for a healthy, sustainable and unforgettable meal.
You’ll find Ethiopic at the start of H Street’s west side. Its soothing neighborhood atmosphere and consistently great food has made it a staple of one of DC's most popular streets. The ambiance here is cozy and the food is perfect for sharing. Try the Awaze Tibs: cubed prime beef sautéed in berbere sauce, onions, tomatoes and peppers. Don’t eat meat? The vegetarian sampler is a must.
At Doro Soul Food in Shaw, Michelin-starred chef Elias Taddesse adds an Ethiopian flair to traditional American soul food, featuring Ethiopian-style fried chicken, a special spin on mac ‘n’ cheese and even vegan crispy tenders. The Ethiopian-born, French-trained culinary innovator hopes to tell stories with every ingredient of his food and make a difference in his community, efforts for which he has been recognized — he was a James Beard semi-finalist and a finalist for the DC area restaurant association's Rising Culinary Star of the Year award.
Just outside the U Street corridor, Spicy Water African Grill plates up cuisine inspired by the street foods of Abidjan, the capital of the Ivory Coast. Originally an Eastern Market staple, founder Duraine Kouassi opened his storefront in February of 2023, selling the same traditional dishes in an easy-to-digest format … unless you opt for the whole chicken. Kouassi grew up cooking for his family and hopes that Spicy Water will serve as a space for customers to feel at home and be reminded of the sights and smells of West African nightlife and cooking.
More About DC
You may also like..
Partner Content