10 Dishes To Eat When You Are In Washington D.C.

Washington, D.C. is well-known for its monuments and cherry blossoms. What you don’t want to miss out on, however, is the amazing food scene. Create your D.C. foodie bucket list with these 10 delicious plates

The half-smoke at Ben’s Chili Bowl

Restaurant, American

Washington, D.C. is home to the famous half-smoke. This sausage is half-smoked, half-grilled and made from pork and beef. It’s spicier and bigger than a traditional hot dog. Get it covered in chili and dig in!

Crack Pie at Momofuku CCDC

Bakery, Dessert, American

Move over, apple pie. America has a new favorite – and it’s Momofuku’s Milk Bar’s crack pie. It earns its name for its addictive salty-sweet combo that will make you come back for more.

Homemade poptarts at Ted's Bulletin

Diner, Restaurant, American

Feel like a kid again with one of Ted’s homemade poptarts. These pastries take the traditional snack to the next level with house-made warm, flaky dough and sugar-sweet filling.

No pho king way.
A post shared by Mel ⚡ (@moooolissa) on Jan 6, 2016 at 12:22pm PST

Grab a bowl at Pho Viet WDC

Restaurant, Vietnamese

This place is pho-real. Pho Viet got a nod from the Washington Post for best bowl of pho around. Try the beef special which has beef eye round, brisket, steak flank, soft tendon and meat balls in a spicy broth for under $10.

OMG !!!!! It’s been a long time. Now that the weather is more nicer, I can probably swing by every weekend now. @georgetowncupcake #GeorgetownCupCake #LOVE #ArlingtonVA #JE55ICA #imcoollikethat #aloha #hawaiinei? #Havaee #Shaka #Shakaforlife #shakethatshaka #Thankful #Greatful #blessed #lifeisbeautiful #lifeisgood #goodvibes #Love
A post shared by Jessica Revaz (@iamsurfchiq83) on Apr 22, 2018 at 3:37pm PDT

Red Velvet Cupcake at Georgetown Cupcakes

Bakery, Dessert

Hop in line at the popular Georgetown Cupcake (known from the TLC show) for one of their famed red velvet cakes. The cream cheese frosting is to die for and the small heart sprinkle on top is just begging to be Instagrammed.

Avgolemono at Greek Deli and Catering

Cafe, Greek

Nothing will warm your soul like a bowl of Greek Deli’s Avgolemono (chicken lemon) soup. This dish is made daily and sells out fast. It’s comforting, fresh and will leave you wanting seconds.

It is a sin to come to D.C. and not eat oysters @oldebbitt. #oysters
A post shared by John Curtas (@johncurtas) on Apr 22, 2018 at 6:41pm PDT

Oysters at Old Ebbitt Grill

Restaurant, American, Italian

D.C.’s oldest saloon, Old Ebbitt, is a must on your foodie journey around the District. Order the fresh oysters, mixing and matching from the coastal waterways. They have a great happy hour deal, so you can have a glass of rosé with your mollusks.

Tots at The DINER

Diner, American

This 18th Street icon has perfected the art of late-night dining. Prevent hangovers (or cure them in the a.m.) with an order of breakfast tots: sautéed onions and mushrooms, bacon, cheddar, jalapeños, and two eggs any style on top of tots. Yum!

Don’t forget that we deliver! Order now through @dukescounter’s website or through @trycaviardc! (Photo credit: @chewandcheer)
A post shared by Duke’s Grocery (@dukesgrocery) on Apr 19, 2018 at 4:00pm PDT

A Proper Burger at Duke's Grocery

Restaurant, European

The Proper Burger at Duke’s Grocery brings a taste of London to the capital. Sorry vegetarians, this delightful dish isn’t for you. It has angus beef, melted gouda, pickles, red onion, and sweet chili sauce all stuffed into a brioche bun.

Green Hat Gin

#DrinkLikeALocal #HappyHour is on here at @hankscocktailbar in #petworth for #GinWeek and the cocktails are flowing. Come on through!
A post shared by New Columbia Distillers (@dcdistillers) on Apr 11, 2018 at 2:41pm PDT
While not technically a dish, Green Hat Gin is distilled in Washington, D.C. by New Columbia Distillers. The gin offers a crisp and evergreen flavor. Visit the distillery on Saturdays for free tastings and tours and pick up a bottle to take home.
Checked out Federalist Pig on a Saturday around 5 and didn’t have to wait long despite the steady traffic of people. Shared a sampler platter of ribs, pork shoulder, and brisket (sides: mac and cheese, fries, Texas toast) Hands down the best bbq in the city. The garlic bbq sauce was a great accompaniment, even though the meat was great on it’s own. I would 100% go back and have them cater my next party! (Also, the fries were amazing, and I don’t even like fries that much.) Go early in the day before they run out of meat!! …………. #foodstagram #fedpig #foodies #foodgasm #foodie #foodphotography #brisket #bbq #barbecue #ribs #pork #porkshoulder #texastoast #toast #condiments #bbqsauce #garlic #macandcheese #yummy #best #meat #pig #more #delicious #butcher #dc
A post shared by // DC (mostly) Food & Drank // (@thentherewasfood) on Apr 4, 2018 at 7:55am PDT

All the Smoked Meats at Federalist Pig

Restaurant

Get ready to pig out at Federalist Pig in Adams Morgan. This barbecue restaurant serves up wood-smoked meats and mind-blowing sides. The Pitmaster Special for two is a steal and allows you to try four meats and two sides (we recommend the mac and cheese).

About the author

Kirsten Ballard

Kirsten was born in North Carolina and moved to Washington, D.C. in 2015. She received a BA in Journalism and Mass Communication and a minor in Creative Writing from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She has worked for newspapers, women's magazines and food publications. Currently, she works at a newspaper trade association. In her free time, she's running, reading and eating her way around DC.