Welcome to BYT’s newest “hot damn, how could I live without this” column, Eating Out. We’ll be highlighting one food or booze special event every night of the week. From the best happy hours in the city to the uber expensive $500 per person tasting menus, there is something good to eat or drink every single night in this city and we want to help you find it. And yes, we do get the joke.
Cheese Tasting @ Glen’s Garden Market
It’s the beginning of the week, so we don’t want you to get too bogged down in heavy food and boozey cocktails, so we’re keeping it light with a cheese tasting at Glen’s Garden Market. Stop by the Shaw location to hear Glen’s very own cheesemonger, Kurt Schewe, tell you about the areas best local cheeses. While you’re learning more about cheese than you ever though you would, enjoy some samples of wine, beer, and cider, paired to go along with your bites of cheese. As always, I recommend taking something home, and while I’m sure Schewe will have fantastic suggestions, I’ve really been on a Mead kick lately, so I highly recommend a bottle of Charm City Meadworks. I’ve liked almost every flavor I’ve tried (except the basil) so go nuts.
Bourbon Heritage Month @ Jack Rose
A few different bars are going all out for Bourbon Heritage Month, but when it comes to celebrating whisky of any variety, there’s no better place to go then Jack Rose. They’re going hard on a Wednesday night (so I hope you took it Tuesday easy, like I recommended) with their 5 Years Finished party. From 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. there will be complimentary booze and bites ranging from a comped bourbon punch to tastings of matured sherry, cognac and Spanish brandy. If you have a little bit of money to spend, they’ll also be pouring barrel finished beers and blast from the past cocktails. If that isn’t enough, it’s also the premier of their new single barrel by Nelson’s Green Brier Distillery. It’s rare as hell and should be good. If you don’t have a hangover on Thursday, you’ve fucked up.
Mexico Night Market & Illegal Mezcal @ Compass Rose
Just because you got drunk on Wednesday, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have fun on Thursday. Especially when that fun involves mezcal at one of our favorite restaurants. Everything Compass Rose does is quality, so I have no doubt this will be great. For $25 enjoy three different types of of street food (all based around Mexico, obviously). Drinks are extra and are all involve the smokey deliciousness that is Illegal Mezcal. Have some food, have some booze, and more importantly, have a good time.
Banned Books: Literary Cocktails @ Petworth Citizen
Okay, yeah, it’s a very booze heavy week, but unlike Jack Rose’s all out bash, it’s possible to grab a cocktail at Petworth Citizen without getting too wild. This week, bartender Chantal Tseng is crafting cocktails related to all of our favorite banned books. Stop by, grab a drink, and spend some quality time reading your very own favorite banned book. Oh man Banned Books Week is great. It’s like Christmas for nerds.
After the week you’ve had, you’re going to need to take it easy, which is right where VegFest comes in. Whether you’re a full vegetarian, a pescatarian, or some one who eats all of the things forever, there will be something for you. Admission is free, plenty of vendors are giving out free samples, there’s a beer garden. What more could you really want? Of course, at large events like this you have to be strategic. I recommend making a beeline to 3 Twisted Vegans (which supposedly make the best vegan burger in the city), HipCityVeg (despite their dumb name, I’ve heard nothing but good things), and Undone Chocolate (because who the hell doesn’t like chocolate).
Hopfunk Fest @ 3 Stars Brewing
Kick off Beer Week the right way by trying out a shit ton of brews in 3 Stars beautiful facility. Participating breweries include DC Brau, Ocelot, Adroit Theory, Union Brewing, and much more. Not to mention, the good folks at Rappahannock will be shucking some sweet oysters and there will be food trucks abounding. 3 Stars is also promising corn hold and DJ’s but those are all secondary. All you really need is food and beer. 3 Stars makes my favorite saison of all time, the Peppercorn, so grab yourself one of those and settle in for a good party.
