OK-so the nice folks over @ EAT LOCAL FIRST DC are kicking off a week of celebrating great, homegrown DC food with a pretty sweet party this Saturday afternoon (3-7pm) @ Acre 121
Tickets are a bargain $25 – (and can be purchased here.) and include live local music from Listen Local First artists Young Rapids, Frau Eva, and Typefighter, a buffet of local BBQ/sides, and a ticket for one local beer!
Sounds good, huh?
What sounds even better is that we have a pair of tickets to give away. Wooot.
To enter to win – leave us a comment telling us what your favorite neighborhood restaurant in DC is and why. We’ll notify the winners by lunchtime tomorrow.
I’m gonna go with Eatonville. I’ve only been there once so far, but it was some of the best food I’ve had in DC!
Pho 75 in Rosslyn – so good, so affordable, so fast. I could eat pho ga all day.
Two Amy’s. It is well loved, especially by those who live in DC. Too far for many tourists to access, reasonable prices, deep beer/wine selection, ahead of the curve on pizza, underrated olives + cheese + cured meats and really friendly staff + owners. I come here to relax, celebrate and drown my sorrows. What more do I need from a neighborhood spot?
Nothing beats a restaurant founded on passion for food, love for culture and awesome goat. Los Hermanos in Columbia Heights has all of those things and is probably the only legitimate Dominican restaurant in the District. Now granted, I’m not Dominican, or even Carribean for that matter, but this place which is run by twin brothers as an ode to their mother has undeniably, insanely amazing and authentic food.
Is it a “hole-in-the-wall” kind of place? Yeah. Will you feel out of your element? Most likely. But that’s what makes Los Hermanos great. The brothers welcome you in with huge smiles and go out of their way to make you love their food as much as they do. This starting to sound like a gushing Yelp review, but seriously, this shit is good shit. It’s probably about time you feel in love with some Dominican food.
Open City at 24th & Calvert NW. The coffee is excellent, the baristas are really cool, and SO MANY of the servers are sporting Stars and Bars ink in various iterations. The cheerful din promotes comfort in that you’re in the company of many lively people while allowing you intimacy at your own table. As far as the food goes: they make my favorite turkey burger in the city (probably anywhere, really), their Greek salad is lush and fresh and tangy, and they really need to bring back their Breath Mint pizza (extra garlic ahoy!). Their pies and pancakes are seasonally themed – fresh and not-too-sweet.
Many of the staff wear shirts designed by one of their (former?) servers (http://www.etsy.com/shop/237inc).
Despite the local, annoying hotel traffic (which, although annoying, probably ensures that they stay in business), I have called this place my extended living and dining room for 5 years come September. <3 <3 <3 them.
Sundevich – every single damn sandwich has been amazing. Plus I like taking friends and asking them if I can show them “something” in the alley behind my house…
Franklin’s Brewery in Hyattsville, MD, close to the University of Maryland.
Amazing beer. Great food. And always good times.
Locally sourced, fresh food is always on the menu. The beer list rotates. Decent prices. Always nice about accommodating our large group of rowdy friends. Plus they have a freakin GENERAL STORE on the first floor (and I’m not talking about the cheesy Cracker Barrel type of store, but a REAL COOL one).
If you haven’t been, GO. It’s worth the 25 minute drive to the suburbs.
My absolute favorite DC restaurant
2AMY’S
http://www.2amyspizza.com/
Panjshir (Afghan restaurant) on West Broad Street in Falls Church (used to be a location in Vienna on Maple Avenue as well, but after a shopping center fire, it closed and never reopened).
The best and most authentic Afghan/Middle Eastern food I have ever had. The sombosay goshti appetizer and aush soup are a meal unto themselves. The dinner kabobs could easily feed two people, with perfectly cooked beef, chicken, and lamb. The “spicy green sauce” served with the appetizers (and anything else that you want to put it in) is by far my favorite condiment ever.
It is worth the trip out to Falls Church any day of the week!
My favorite neighborhood restaurant in DC would have to be El Tamarindo near Adams Morgan. It’s always open late,….so if I want a late night snack or after-party grub, it’s the perfect spot! The food is great and reasonably priced. Love their tamales, pupusas, and pitchers of sangria =)
im going with barcode. the place is always hopping. both the employees and the patrons are beautiful and chic. there is a very good mix of people from super stylish VIPs to down to earth everydayers. The specials are always good and when there aren’t any, they are still very reasonable. They have endless events. U can sit down there for a very nice dinner or just drinks with the guys. and my favorite part is that they have free UFC and boxing nights-which usually turn off most women- but its still classy enough to get women to come. And when thats over, its time to hit the dance floor.
Birch and Barley. I’ve been going there since it opened. I see the chef in the kitchen and it just feels a little more special. They are homegrown all the way, serving up Southern classics (Chicken and Waffles) and fresh and local inspirations. The beer selection boasts great local beers and notable microbreweries from around the country. The upstairs bar has become the spot to be after work. All around, my favorite spot in the hood.
Smoke & Barrel in Adams Morgan. Great BBQ (tons of vegan stuff for me, but without that guilt I get dragging friends to non-meat restaurants) and a nice beer and bourbon list. Seitan wings are delicious.
Must say I love Northside Social in ARL. It’s got everything: food, ice cream, wine, coffee, pastries. There’s not a time you can go that isn’t perfect.
winner has been notified-check your emails
My favorite neighborhood restaurant ( I live in the Capitol Hill area) has got to be Cava. They never disappoint, their cocktails are LEGIIIIIIIIT, and they set their food on fire (saganaki). The service is awesome, and I’ve never had a bad experience there.