The Best Places to Eat on the Capitol Riverfront

Ben's Chili Bowl

When attending a Nationals game, you will find a plethora of food and drink options, including local favorite Ben’s Chili Bowl and trendy spots like Due South, which offers neighbors and Nats fans a waterfront view with a side of Southern cuisine (Bacon-braised collard greens? Yes, please!). Check out our game day dining breakdown to learn more about what you can enjoy inside Nationals Park.

Agua 301 boasts some of the best Mexican cuisine in the neighborhood, with a modern take on traditional recipes and an extensive list of tequila offerings. Scarlet Oak, named for the District’s official tree, caters to foodies and Nats fans alike with a classic American menu. Chef Leo Garcia, who worked as a sous chef at acclaimed Shaw locale The Red Hen, brings some gravitas to the Capitol Riverfront restaurant with his credentials.

Shilling Canning Company

If raw bars are your thing, then head your bivalve cravings at Shilling Canning Company. The oft-updated menu features a raw bar selection (think littleneck clams and oysters with a charred ginger mignonette), as well as a range of shareable plates like the dry-aged duck crown with preserved plums and black walnuts. 

Ampersandwich – Shilling's secondary operation – offers more than puns and buns. Order the Baltimore Pit Beef sandwich and you'll see; we’re talking seven ounces of wood-fired beef stacked with barbecue sauce and creamy horseradish. Other options include a crispy chicken sandwich (yes, you can make it spicy and a good ol’ double patty burger).

Proximity to a baseball park means many people are in search of great beer. The Capitol Riverfront neighborhood is making a name for itself in this arena with the buzzworthy Bluejacket Brewery.

From beer director Greg Engert (who established himself with Washington’s wildly popular brewer Churchkey), this hoppy hotspot allows beer-lovers to sample experimental brews made on-site. The popular brewery features a rotating selection of 20 beers and five cask ales along with an all-American food menu at its adjacent restaurant, Arsenal.

Just across from the Centerfield Gate at Nationals Park lies happy hour haven Mission Navy Yard, a massive two-story space with four bars (including one that’s 150 feet long) and a robust rotation of 16 draft beers. The space is perfect for pairing a large group outing with tacos and tequila before heading to the game.

Sports bar The Big Stick also offers an expansive menu of beers on tap, while beer garden The Brig makes for a fun outdoor drinking option in the warmer months.

The 17,000-square-foot District Winery is home to a sleek winery. Start your day with a tour of the on-site facilities, which includes a flight at the tasting bar.

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If there’s anyone who knows the DC dining scene, it’s Haidar Karoum, chef-owner of the globally inspired Chloe. Karoum has made a splash in the neighborhood with an international tour de force menu designed for sharing.

Navy Yard now has award-winning, homestyle Puerto Rican cooking thanks to La Famosa, Chef Joancarlo Parkhurst’s venture that pays homage to the owner’s hundreds of hours spent cooking with his grandmother or “Mamita.” The indigenous and African influences on Puerto Rico’s cuisine can be felt through Parkhurst’s dishes; we highly recommend diving in with an El Gordito (ground beef, roast pernil, ham, grilled onions and Swiss cheese on a Mallorca roll) or the Carne Guisada (Puerto Rican-style beef stew with sirloin, sofrito and veggies).

Nearby, the vibrant colors and flavors of India are on full display at RASA, the fast-casual restaurant from first-time restaurateurs Sahil Rahman and Rahul Vinod. Diners can choose to build their own bowl from an array of tantalizing, locally sourced ingredients, or pick from Rasa’s cleverly named creations – we’re talking Tikka Chance on Me and Aloo Need is Love.