Washington DC Restaurants and Dining

(Washington, District of Columbia - DC, USA)

Washington DC has been considered one of the best places for ethnic dining in America for many years, but more recently the capital has expanded its variety of cuisine and now has an enormous selection of restaurants, serving food from all over the world. These eateries provide everything from light snacks and lunchtime bites, to upmarket sit-down evening meals and memorable fine dining.

Restaurants in Washington are usually good value for money and there are also a number of outlets that serve food 24 hours a day. Children and seniors will generally enjoy some kind of discount for meals.

Dining out in Washington DC is popular with tourists and there are literally thousands of choices spread around the city, many with outdoor seating areas and views of local landmarks. The restaurant at the Hay Adams Hotel is especially notable, since it overlooks the White House and Lafayette Park. Distinctive cuisine is served around the coastal areas, where fresh seafood and fish dishes are extremely popular. Further to the south, in the Virginia area, typical Southern-style cuisine predominates.


Washington restaurants and diners that serve breakfast usually open between 06:00 to 07:00. Standard breakfast choices include bagels, coffee, fruit juice, bacon, ham, eggs, grits (a hot cereal of ground hominy seasoned with butter and salt) and many types of biscuits. Several coffee shops and fast-food outlets offer breakfasts around the clock.

Lunch in Washington DC is served from around 11:30 to 15:00 and many office workers take a lunch break between 12:00 and 13:00. A typical lunch can range from freshly made sandwiches, salads and hamburgers, to elaborate lunch menus at many of the city's restaurants. These lunch menus tend to be identical to the main dining menus, although the prices are reduced at lunchtime. Also, many restaurants serve buffets at this time, where you can eat as much as you want, providing good value for money if you are hungry.

Dinner in Washington DC is the largest, most formal and most expensive meal, and is generally served between 18:00 and 22:00, although many offer early specials at around 17:00, where the prices are reduced to attract customers at this time of the day. Sunday dining in Washington Dc is an important meal and is eaten as early as midday in the South, usually straight after traditional church services. Sunday brunch is also a popular meal and many hotels provide an elaborate buffet between 10:00 and 14:00.

Fresh produce is available at Washington's many farmers' markets and there are often prepared foods, meats and freshly made bread, ideal for budget snacks and picnicking in city parks. Grocery stores also offer prepared foods for cheap takeaway meals.

Washington has a number of large fast-food outlets and pizza chains are particularly plentiful. Typical American food and diners are also popular and serve steaks, juicy burgers and large, fresh sandwiches. The cosmopolitan city of Washington is too diverse to be known for one type of food and there are many excellent restaurants situated throughout, including:

• African - there are a number of establishments serving African dishes in the city, providing typical ethnic cuisine
• Brazilian - popular dishes are based around rice and beans
• French - serving classic dishes such as Coq au vin (pieces of chicken cooked in red wine) and Cassoulet (a stew of meat and white beans)
• Greek - well-known for authentic, tasty Greek food in traditional tavernas
• Italian - serving a variety of creamy pasta dishes, tomato-based pasta dishes and also some superb traditional pizzas
• Japanese - there are a number of Japanese restaurants in the city, known for sushi dishes and traditional Asian-style cuisine
• Mexican - serving tasty, spicy dishes, including chili based meals, salsas and guacamole
• Seafood - the Tidewater and coastal region are famous for fresh fish and the regional specialty is crab cakes and shellfish
• Southern-style - specializing in crispy fried chicken, Virginia ham, barbecue ribs, cornbread and vegetables
• Spanish - offering a broad spectrum of this type of cuisine, including Chorizo (spicy sausage) and Pisto manchego (stewed vegetables similar to Ratatouille)
• Thai and Vietnamese - serving typical Thai curries, rice dishes and freshly prepared vegetable dishes
• Vegetarian - there are a few vegetarian eateries in Washington, but vegetarians should also consider Chinese and Southeast Asian restaurants, where there are many tasty meat-free dishes