Guidebook for Washington

Savannah
Guidebook for Washington

Food Scene

This award-winning bakery is unique and totally delicious: they make fresh pretzels all day until 5 or 6 pm. Choose from the basic salt, cinnamon-sugar, & "everything" pretzels, or go for their tasty breakfast sliders on mini pretzel rolls (egg/bacon/cheese), a pretzel dog (hot dog wrapped in a pretzel roll), a calzone, or a "pretzel bomb" (a pretzel roll stuffed with nutella and cinnamon!). Plus, delicious homemade lemonade and local coffee/tea options. We love to walk here on weekend mornings!
110 locals recommend
The Pretzel Bakery
257 15th St SE
110 locals recommend
This award-winning bakery is unique and totally delicious: they make fresh pretzels all day until 5 or 6 pm. Choose from the basic salt, cinnamon-sugar, & "everything" pretzels, or go for their tasty breakfast sliders on mini pretzel rolls (egg/bacon/cheese), a pretzel dog (hot dog wrapped in a pretzel roll), a calzone, or a "pretzel bomb" (a pretzel roll stuffed with nutella and cinnamon!). Plus, delicious homemade lemonade and local coffee/tea options. We love to walk here on weekend mornings!
This quaint little basement shop offers illy coffee options, seasonal drinks, and anything you could possibly want for a picnic at Lincoln Park across the street: freshly-baked pastries, baguette sandwiches, charcuterie, cheeses, wine and beer, and plenty of gelato or ice cream choices. Plus, they are super friendly and love seeing repeat customers.
35 locals recommend
Wine & Butter Cafe & Market
1023 E Capitol St SE
35 locals recommend
This quaint little basement shop offers illy coffee options, seasonal drinks, and anything you could possibly want for a picnic at Lincoln Park across the street: freshly-baked pastries, baguette sandwiches, charcuterie, cheeses, wine and beer, and plenty of gelato or ice cream choices. Plus, they are super friendly and love seeing repeat customers.
We are obsessed with this pie shop, which offers both sweet and savory pies by either the slice or the whole pie. Our favorites include the S.M.O.G. (steak/mushroom/onion/gruyere) for dinner and the dark chocolate pecan pie for dessert. On some weekdays they have a great dine-in deal where you can get two slices of savory + two slices of sweet + two drinks for only about $20 -- a total steal! Also open pretty late and great for takeout; some nights you can even catch some live music.
102 locals recommend
Pie Shop
1339 H St NE
102 locals recommend
We are obsessed with this pie shop, which offers both sweet and savory pies by either the slice or the whole pie. Our favorites include the S.M.O.G. (steak/mushroom/onion/gruyere) for dinner and the dark chocolate pecan pie for dessert. On some weekdays they have a great dine-in deal where you can get two slices of savory + two slices of sweet + two drinks for only about $20 -- a total steal! Also open pretty late and great for takeout; some nights you can even catch some live music.
Cute little DC-themed candy shop. We particularly love that they serve ice cream and even stock pints of our favorite local ice cream brands, like Ice Cream Jubilee. Great for picking up DC-themed gifts/souvenirs too!
The Capital Candy Jar
201 15th St NE
Cute little DC-themed candy shop. We particularly love that they serve ice cream and even stock pints of our favorite local ice cream brands, like Ice Cream Jubilee. Great for picking up DC-themed gifts/souvenirs too!
Hands-down the best ramen in DC. They usually don't take reservations & spots fill up fast, so go early!
256 locals recommend
Toki Underground
1234 H St NE
256 locals recommend
Hands-down the best ramen in DC. They usually don't take reservations & spots fill up fast, so go early!
California transplant near the Navy Yard. Plenty of table space and strong wifi for working, plus tasty baked goods, avocado toast, and drink options other than coffee.
60 locals recommend
Philz Coffee
1827 Adams Mill Rd NW
60 locals recommend
California transplant near the Navy Yard. Plenty of table space and strong wifi for working, plus tasty baked goods, avocado toast, and drink options other than coffee.
Beautiful view over the water and fresh, fantastic Italian food. On Mondays they have half-price pasta at dinner!
55 locals recommend
Osteria Morini
301 Water St SE
55 locals recommend
Beautiful view over the water and fresh, fantastic Italian food. On Mondays they have half-price pasta at dinner!
Routinely listed as some of the best Italian food in the city - a great anniversary/celebration/date night option.
85 locals recommend
Acqua Al 2
85 locals recommend
Routinely listed as some of the best Italian food in the city - a great anniversary/celebration/date night option.
Union Market is a huge indoor food hall with tons of culinary options. Our favorite is Neopol Smokery for truly excellent smoked salmon, but you can also find great fish & chips, fresh-brewed kombucha, Korean bbq tacos, French crepes, empanadas, and many others. Lots of options if your group includes picky eaters!
906 locals recommend
Union Market
1309 5th St NE
906 locals recommend
Union Market is a huge indoor food hall with tons of culinary options. Our favorite is Neopol Smokery for truly excellent smoked salmon, but you can also find great fish & chips, fresh-brewed kombucha, Korean bbq tacos, French crepes, empanadas, and many others. Lots of options if your group includes picky eaters!
I love this pretty bakery for its varied drink options, Instagram-worthy decor, and phenomenal pastry options - they bake all day long so the fare is always fresh out of the oven. On the weekends you can also pick up traditional French baguettes and other bread options. Everything is delicious.
13 locals recommend
Pluma by Bluebird Bakery
391 Morse St NE
13 locals recommend
I love this pretty bakery for its varied drink options, Instagram-worthy decor, and phenomenal pastry options - they bake all day long so the fare is always fresh out of the oven. On the weekends you can also pick up traditional French baguettes and other bread options. Everything is delicious.
New and affordable option for tasty tacos and other Mexican dishes. I especially love the esquites (street corn)! They also offer $2 Taco Tuesdays.
8 locals recommend
Taco City DC
1102 8th St SE
8 locals recommend
New and affordable option for tasty tacos and other Mexican dishes. I especially love the esquites (street corn)! They also offer $2 Taco Tuesdays.
If you love a good gyro and appreciate authentic tzatziki, look no further. This is a great quick spot for a tasty lunch. If visiting Ford's Theater is on your DC itinerary, they also have a location directly across the street from the theater entrance.
GRK Fresh Greek - H St NW Washington DC
2121 H St NW
If you love a good gyro and appreciate authentic tzatziki, look no further. This is a great quick spot for a tasty lunch. If visiting Ford's Theater is on your DC itinerary, they also have a location directly across the street from the theater entrance.
We love this place and regularly take friends and family here when they come to town. The set up is a little unusual - everyone pays $20 and everyone gets the same thing: salad, bread, and two servings of steak and frites. Everything is absolutely delicious and a good value! If you can manage to fit in some dessert after your two helpings of steak and fries, their carrot cake is some of the best we've ever tasted.
62 locals recommend
Medium Rare
515 8th St SE
62 locals recommend
We love this place and regularly take friends and family here when they come to town. The set up is a little unusual - everyone pays $20 and everyone gets the same thing: salad, bread, and two servings of steak and frites. Everything is absolutely delicious and a good value! If you can manage to fit in some dessert after your two helpings of steak and fries, their carrot cake is some of the best we've ever tasted.
This is a brand-new pizzeria that just opened up by Union Market. It features a wide range of neapolitan-style pizza, plus delicious apps and other treats. If you don't want to make the trek all the way across town to 2Amys, this is a good standby!
29 locals recommend
Stellina Pizzeria
399 Morse St NE
29 locals recommend
This is a brand-new pizzeria that just opened up by Union Market. It features a wide range of neapolitan-style pizza, plus delicious apps and other treats. If you don't want to make the trek all the way across town to 2Amys, this is a good standby!
This pizza place is a decent drive or metro ride away, but the reward is some of the best pizza in the city. Regularly featured in awards and "best of" lists, 2 Amys is so popular that you are always highly encouraged to show up early or risk waiting 1 hour+ for a table. It's worth the trek!
54 locals recommend
2 Amys
3715 Macomb St NW
54 locals recommend
This pizza place is a decent drive or metro ride away, but the reward is some of the best pizza in the city. Regularly featured in awards and "best of" lists, 2 Amys is so popular that you are always highly encouraged to show up early or risk waiting 1 hour+ for a table. It's worth the trek!
This gelato is famous throughout the city, and this location is extra-special because it is their gelato factory! You can watch the process, taste new flavors, and of course buy a cone or cup to go. Worth a stop if you're exploring near Union Market!
30 locals recommend
Dolcezza Factory
550 Penn St NE
30 locals recommend
This gelato is famous throughout the city, and this location is extra-special because it is their gelato factory! You can watch the process, taste new flavors, and of course buy a cone or cup to go. Worth a stop if you're exploring near Union Market!

Parks & Nature

This beautiful, sprawling park in the middle of Capitol Hill is a lovely place to relax for a picnic and some people-watching. In the summer you can join pick up games of frisbee or soccer, and in the fall you'll be walking under a beautiful canopy of changing autumn leaves. Two large playgrounds are great for kids, too.
85 locals recommend
Lincoln Park
85 locals recommend
This beautiful, sprawling park in the middle of Capitol Hill is a lovely place to relax for a picnic and some people-watching. In the summer you can join pick up games of frisbee or soccer, and in the fall you'll be walking under a beautiful canopy of changing autumn leaves. Two large playgrounds are great for kids, too.
Beautiful, sprawling reserve in the middle of the city - great for bike rides, family photos, nature walks with kids, and long runs where you don't have to stop for traffic lights every few minutes. Especially beautiful in the fall!
252 locals recommend
Arboretum
252 locals recommend
Beautiful, sprawling reserve in the middle of the city - great for bike rides, family photos, nature walks with kids, and long runs where you don't have to stop for traffic lights every few minutes. Especially beautiful in the fall!
This is one of our favorite areas of DC - a newly-developed, thriving neighborhood right on the waterfront. There are splash pads and wading pools for kids in the summer, an ice rink in the winter, tons of great restaurants at various price-points, and even a trapeze school. During the summer we like to attend the weekly outdoor movie nights and live concerts right on the water while enjoying a Jubilee ice cream cone.
145 locals recommend
The Yards Park
355 Water St SE
145 locals recommend
This is one of our favorite areas of DC - a newly-developed, thriving neighborhood right on the waterfront. There are splash pads and wading pools for kids in the summer, an ice rink in the winter, tons of great restaurants at various price-points, and even a trapeze school. During the summer we like to attend the weekly outdoor movie nights and live concerts right on the water while enjoying a Jubilee ice cream cone.

Shopping

This iconic market has been around since 1873 and is still open for business every day. Inside the market hall you can find vendors of all different kinds of groceries and food, plus a restaurant (cash only!) serving famous pancakes. On Saturdays and Sundays many more vendors arrive to set up shop on the streets outside, offering handmade souvenirs of all kinds, delicious food, and a flea market stretching for several blocks.
699 locals recommend
Eastern Market
225 7th St SE
699 locals recommend
This iconic market has been around since 1873 and is still open for business every day. Inside the market hall you can find vendors of all different kinds of groceries and food, plus a restaurant (cash only!) serving famous pancakes. On Saturdays and Sundays many more vendors arrive to set up shop on the streets outside, offering handmade souvenirs of all kinds, delicious food, and a flea market stretching for several blocks.
Stop by this popular store for trendy clothes, paper goods, and coffee or lunch.
284 locals recommend
Maketto
1351 H St NE
284 locals recommend
Stop by this popular store for trendy clothes, paper goods, and coffee or lunch.
A brand-new bookstore on popular H Street, just down the street from Whole Foods and the Wydown cafe.
19 locals recommend
Solid State Books
600F H St NE
19 locals recommend
A brand-new bookstore on popular H Street, just down the street from Whole Foods and the Wydown cafe.
We love this independent bookstore for its helpful staff, large inventory, busy calendar of events, and lots of DC-specific items.
24 locals recommend
East City Bookshop
645 Pennsylvania Ave. SE
24 locals recommend
We love this independent bookstore for its helpful staff, large inventory, busy calendar of events, and lots of DC-specific items.
A one-of-a-kind shop full of more books, puzzles, and games than you knew existed. Great place for quirky/nerdy gifts.
33 locals recommend
Labyrinth Games & Puzzles
645 Pennsylvania Ave. SE
33 locals recommend
A one-of-a-kind shop full of more books, puzzles, and games than you knew existed. Great place for quirky/nerdy gifts.

Essentials

Great local option for groceries in central Capitol Hill.
193 locals recommend
Trader Joe's
750 Pennsylvania Ave. SE
193 locals recommend
Great local option for groceries in central Capitol Hill.
Large grocery store with a wide selection of organic/health-minded options.
287 locals recommend
Whole Foods Market
600 H St NE
287 locals recommend
Large grocery store with a wide selection of organic/health-minded options.

Getting Around

Local metro station servicing the blue, orange, and silver lines; a bikeshare station is also located here. It's a good idea to check the WMATA website for any real-time track or line updates, since the DC metro system is perpetually under construction.
74 locals recommend
Stadium-Armory Station
192 19th St SE
74 locals recommend
Local metro station servicing the blue, orange, and silver lines; a bikeshare station is also located here. It's a good idea to check the WMATA website for any real-time track or line updates, since the DC metro system is perpetually under construction.
The DC Streetcar runs along H Street to Union Station.
28 locals recommend
DC Streetcar
2550 Benning Rd NE
28 locals recommend
The DC Streetcar runs along H Street to Union Station.

Arts & Culture

The guided tours can be a little slow, but you shouldn't miss seeing the beautiful reading room on a trip to DC. Check the website for special exhibits too - they are usually fantastic. They also offer story time and other free events for kids.
314 locals recommend
Library of Congress
101 Independence Ave SE
314 locals recommend
The guided tours can be a little slow, but you shouldn't miss seeing the beautiful reading room on a trip to DC. Check the website for special exhibits too - they are usually fantastic. They also offer story time and other free events for kids.
Schedule a tour or wander around yourself - this is a beautiful building. Check the Court website to see whether an argument is scheduled the day of your visit; it's worth it to stand in a (usually short) line to be able to step into the argument room for about 3-5 minutes and see the Justices in action.
159 locals recommend
Supreme Court of the United States
1 First St NE
159 locals recommend
Schedule a tour or wander around yourself - this is a beautiful building. Check the Court website to see whether an argument is scheduled the day of your visit; it's worth it to stand in a (usually short) line to be able to step into the argument room for about 3-5 minutes and see the Justices in action.

Sightseeing

Schedule a tour ahead of time with your congressional representative; it is almost always busy, but worth the stop! In the summer, PBS hosts a Fourth of July concert on the lawn, and in the winter stop by to see the Capitol Christmas tree.
671 locals recommend
United States Capitol
First Street Southeast
671 locals recommend
Schedule a tour ahead of time with your congressional representative; it is almost always busy, but worth the stop! In the summer, PBS hosts a Fourth of July concert on the lawn, and in the winter stop by to see the Capitol Christmas tree.