DC Recommendations
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. Don’t worry about sounding professional. Sound like you. There are over 1.5 billion websites out there, but your story is what’s going to separate this one from the rest. If you read the words back and don’t hear your own voice in your head, that’s a good sign you still have more work to do.
D.C. Bakeries/Cafes/Coffeeshops/Ice Cream—
Tatte (bakery, coffee | West End, Dupont Circle, Capitol Crossing, Clarendon, City Center)
A Baked Joint (cafe | Mt. Vernon Triangle)
Breadfurst (best chocolate chip cookies! bakery | Van Ness)
Baked & Wired (cupcakes, coffee | Georgetown)
Le Pain Quotidian — LPQ for short (French cafe & restaurant | Dupont Circle & Eastern Market)
Radici (Italian - coffee, wine, market | Eastern Market)
Emissary (coffee & restaurant | check out both the main on one P and the little one on 20th)
Dolcezza (gelato & coffee | Dupont Circle, City Center, Mosaic)
Elle (coffee | Mt. Pleasant)
Wine & Butter (coffee, pastries, market | Capitol Hill @ Lincoln Park)
Cafe Riggs (open in the mornings from 7-11 for coffee)
Le Bon Cafe (coffee | Capitol Hill, House side)
Slipstream (coffee | Logan Circle, Navy Yard, Downtown)
Big Bear Cafe (coffee, cafe | Bloomingdale)
The Wydown (coffee | H Street & 14th Street)
Tryst (coffee/bar)
Jeni’s Ice Cream (ice cream | Navy Yard, Eastern Market, 14th Street, Old Town Alexandria)
District Doughnut (doughnuts & coffee | the Wharf, Georgetown, Barracks Row, Union Market)
Call Your Mother (bagels | Georgetown, Barracks Row, West End, Parkview, Mosaic)
The Creamery at Union Market (ice cream | Union Market)
Pluma by Bluebird Bakery (bakery | Union Market District)
Baker's Daughter (café & market | Ivy City)
YELLOW (café | Navy Yard & Georgetown)
Un je ne sais Quoi (Patisserie | Dupont Circle | best croissants in DC)
D.C. Restaurants—
Dauphine’s (New Orleans Inspired | Downtown)
Medium Rare (Steakhouse w a great brunch | Cleveland Park)
La Tomate (Italian | Dupont)
Lutece (French | Georgetown)
Lapis (Afghan | Adams Morgan | a favorite)
All-Purpose (Jersey-style Pizza | Shaw, Navy Yard)
Officina (Italian | the Wharf, Georgetown, Downtown | $11 pasta on Wednesdays)
San Lorenzo (Italian | Shaw | one of my all time favorites)
L’Ardente — the place with the tiramisu flambé & 40 layer lasagna (Italian | NoMa)
Nina May (New American | Logan Circle)
Logan Tavern ( casual American | Logan Circle)
The Pembroke (contemporary American | Dupont)
Ambar (Balkan | Eastern Market, Clarendon)
Little Pearl (American | Capitol Hill)
Junction (American | Capitol Hill)
St. Anselm (American | Union Market District)
Maketto (Taiwanese/Cambodian | H Street)
Albi (Levantine | Navy Yard)
Le Diplomate (French | 14th Street)
Gatsby (American | Navy Yard)
Sfoglina (Italian | Van Ness, Downtown)
Imperfecto (Mediterranean/Latin American | West End)
Annabelle (Modern American | Kalorama)
Duck Duck Goose (French | Dupont Circle)
The Duck & the Peach (Eastern Market)
Gravitas (Ivy City)
Primrose (American | Brookland)
Caruso's Grocery (Italian-American | Hill East)
Fast Casual—
Las Gemelas (Mexican | Union Market District)
Good Stuff Eatery (American | Capitol Hill, Georgetown, Crystal City)
Cava (Mediterranean | everywhere | perfect picnic food)
Santa Rosa Taqueria (Mexican | Capitol Hill)
Places I want to Try—
Joselito (Spanish | Capitol Hill)
Quattro Osteria (Italian | Shaw)
Republic Cantina (Tex-Mex | Union Market District)
Alexandria—
Fontaine (French | old town)
Mason & Green (sustainable grocery store | old town)
Junction (bakery & bistro | del ray)
The People’s Drug (food & cocktails | old town)
Urbana 116 (Mexican | old town)
Virtue Feed & Grain (American tavern | old town)
Chadwicks (American | old town)
Old Hat Bar (American | old town)
Arlington—
Ruthie’s All Day — legit my actual favorite restaurant right now (Arlington Heights area)
Cava Mezze — fancy cava (Clarendon)
Maison Cheryl — super cute French American bistro (Clarendon)
Northside Social — coffee, wine, food (Clarendon)
Green Pig Bistro