# Restaurant Recommendations in DC? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 23, 2016, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/restaurant-recommendations-in-dc/758164 "2016-06-23T16:49:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![puddleglum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puddleglum/32/137_2.png) [@puddleglum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puddleglum)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2016, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/restaurant-recommendations-in-dc/758164/41 "2016-06-28T14:39:36Z")
Rays Hell Burgers is a must do. There is a new haven style pizza place in Clarendon which is close to Rosslyn. If you are on the Mall the Indian museum has the best cafeteria. If you are by the white house, Farragut square has food trucks at lunch time. If you are by Lincoln there are food trucks on Virginia near the state department. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2016, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/restaurant-recommendations-in-dc/758164/42 "2016-06-28T17:04:45Z")
> [@Enter\_the\_Flagon](#): > > There’s not a lot of excellent Thai food around DC, but one place you’ll find it is Thai Square on Columbia Pike (also near The Plaza at 2501). Plenty of good places to eat on that part of the Pike. Atilla’s is there as well; use [the take-out counter](http://www.atillasrestaurant.com/cary-out/), don’t bother with the sit-down restaurant. ---
**Author:** ![tim-n-va](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim-n-va/32/3001_2.png) [@tim-n-va](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tim-n-va)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2016, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/restaurant-recommendations-in-dc/758164/43 "2016-06-28T18:05:16Z")
Not a direct response to the OP but people other than the OP will likely read this thread. This is for a tourist needing gluten free food. B-Penn Quarter (Formerly Plan B until they realized what the name sounded like - by the Navy Memorial) - gluten free hamburger buns walking up 7th from that area: Hill Country BBQ, Carmine’s (Italian), Merzi (Indian), Legal Seafood, California Tortilla and Nando’s Peri-Peri (Peruvian chicken). All have gluten free menus either in the facility or on their website. On 9th there is Ella’s Wood Fired Pizza but I was sick after eating their gluten free pizza but it could have been something else. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2016, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/restaurant-recommendations-in-dc/758164/44 "2016-06-28T19:09:06Z")
That reminds me, Lost Dog Cafe offers gluten-free pizza and vegan toppings. Speaking of vegan, there’s a small Chinese take-out chain with good vegan food. China House in Shirlington is one of theirs. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2016, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/restaurant-recommendations-in-dc/758164/45 "2016-06-28T19:16:23Z")
Also, can’t beat the dogs at Nats Park, they’re playing at home this weekend. I’ll be there on the fourth (the guy with the curly W on his hat). ---
**Author:** ![tim-n-va](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim-n-va/32/3001_2.png) [@tim-n-va](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tim-n-va)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2016, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/restaurant-recommendations-in-dc/758164/46 "2016-06-28T20:30:47Z")
> [@Skywatcher](#): > > That reminds me, Lost Dog Cafe offers gluten-free pizza and vegan toppings. > > Speaking of vegan, there’s a small Chinese take-out chain with good vegan food. China House in Shirlington is one of theirs. Lost Dog in Dunn-Loring is on my list of places to visit soon. Thank you. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2016, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/restaurant-recommendations-in-dc/758164/47 "2016-06-28T20:57:32Z")
> [@tim-n-va](#): > > Lost Dog in Dunn-Loring is on my list of places to visit soon. Thank you. Sure thing! [Here’s their gluten-free menu.](http://www.lostdogcafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Gluten-Free.pdf) ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2016, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/restaurant-recommendations-in-dc/758164/48 "2016-06-29T00:53:27Z")
tim-n-va writes: \> . . . Nando’s Peri-Peri (Peruvian chicken) . . . No, it’s chicken in the style of Portuguese immigrants to Mozambique. (Yes, really.) The company is actually based in South Africa: > **[Nando's](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nando%27s)** > > Nando's (/ˈnændoʊz/; Afrikaans: \[ˈnandœs\]) is a South African multinational fast casual chain that specialises in Portuguese flame-grilled peri-peri style chicken.\[a\] Founded in Johannesburg in 1987, Nando's operates over 1,200 outlets in 30 countries. Their logo (also seen as a sort of mascot) depicts the Rooster of Barcelos, one of Portugal's most common symbols. > > The restaurant was founded in 1987 in Rosettenville, Johannesburg by Portuguese-born Fernando Duarte and South African-born Robe... ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2016, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/restaurant-recommendations-in-dc/758164/49 "2016-06-29T01:16:37Z")
Yup, during apartheid, the ANC would place a tire around informers and set it on fire. They called it the Nando peri peri. ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2016, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/restaurant-recommendations-in-dc/758164/50 "2016-06-29T01:24:47Z")
Enter the Flagon writes: \> I’m not one of those people who thinks that DC lacks good places to eat, but \> having lived in Los Angeles, where really top-notch Thai food abounds, I haven’t \> had the same experience in DC. You didn’t say in your original post that Los Angeles had better Thai restaurants than D.C., you said that “There’s not a lot of excellent Thai food around DC . . .” That’s not true at all. For instance, _Travel + Leisure_ lists the top 20 Thai restaurants in the U.S. Three of them are in the Washington area. Note that the ones in the Maryland suburbs are particularly good: [http://www.travelandleisure.com/slideshows/best-thai-restaurants-in-the-us](http://www.travelandleisure.com/slideshows/best-thai-restaurants-in-the-us) Why is it that people can’t make simple, accurate statements about things like this on the SDMB? Why do they feel like they have to exaggerate to make their points? Yes, the Washington area isn’t the top metropolitan area in the U.S. for Thai food, but it’s one of the half-dozen best areas. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2016, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/restaurant-recommendations-in-dc/758164/51 "2016-06-29T01:50:59Z")
> [@Wendell\_Wagner](#): > > You didn’t say in your original post that Los Angeles had better Thai restaurants than D.C., you said that “There’s not a lot of excellent Thai food around DC . . .” That’s not true at all. For instance, _Travel + Leisure_ lists the top 20 Thai restaurants in the U.S. Three of them are in the Washington area. Note that the ones in the Maryland suburbs are particularly good: > > [http://www.travelandleisure.com/slideshows/best-thai-restaurants-in-the-us\](http://www.travelandleisure.com/slideshows/best-thai-restaurants-in-the-us%5C) Hey, Uncle Boon’s! I’ve never been there (I don’t get up to NYC much) but I’m friends with the owner’s sister (sorry, I probably can’t hook you up). In Wheaton, I prefer Nava Thai to Ruan Thai, but that’s just personal preference, they are both outstanding. ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2016, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/restaurant-recommendations-in-dc/758164/52 "2016-06-29T02:42:54Z")
> [@Wendell\_Wagner](#): > > I can’t find a single website with a complete list of all the Ethiopian restaurants in D.C. and the suburbs, but there are dozens of them. Here’s a pretty good write-up which includes my top two (and top “wanna-try”): [http://www.seriouseats.com/2014/07/best-ethiopian-restaurants-washington-dc.html](http://www.seriouseats.com/2014/07/best-ethiopian-restaurants-washington-dc.html) although it’s a couple of years old. I like both Dukem and Meskerem. Haven’t tried Ethiopic, but hear great things about it. > [@DCnDC](#): > > Chinatown these days is basically a block and a half on H St.; it used to be about a half dozen full city blocks, but the Chinese long ago escaped to the suburbs, which is why all the best Chinese (and other Asian) restaurants are in the 'burbs now. If you do hit chinatown, try “[Zengo](http://www.richardsandoval.com/zengodc/uploads/menus/zengodc-dinner.pdf)” it’s a Japanese/Mexican fusion restaurant. Yes, yes, I know, you’ll just have to trust me on this one. MamaZappa and I had an amazing meal there awhile back. Best salmon I’ve ever eaten, but I was still groaking Moon Unit’s bibimbap. Or was it the Bulgogi taco? Or if you’re near Chinatown/Verizon Center and need something subtle and comforting, try [“Fado”](http://www.fadoirishpub.com/washington/main-menu/) which has real Irish food and a lovely atmosphere (except during soccer events.) The lamb hash there made my Grandfather cry. (In a good way.) If you like Lobster rolls, go to [“Luke’s Lobster.”](http://www.lukeslobster.com/location/penn-quarter/) And finally, worth a purposeful trip to Olde Town Alexandria, is [“Bilbo Baggins’”](http://www.bilbobaggins.net/#!dinner/cmky) ---
**Author:** ![Enter\_the\_Flagon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Enter\_the\_Flagon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enter_the_Flagon)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2016, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/restaurant-recommendations-in-dc/758164/53 "2016-06-29T02:47:07Z")
> [@Wendell\_Wagner](#): > > You didn’t say in your original post that Los Angeles had better Thai restaurants than D.C., you said that “There’s not a lot of excellent Thai food around DC . . .” That’s not true at all. You know what? You’re right. I let my personal experience color my perception. I’ll try to do better. You may consider that one windmill defeated. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2016, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/restaurant-recommendations-in-dc/758164/54 "2016-06-29T03:03:36Z")
> [@TruCelt](#): > > If you do hit chinatown, try “[Zengo](http://www.richardsandoval.com/zengodc/uploads/menus/zengodc-dinner.pdf)” it’s a Japanese/Mexican fusion restaurant. Yes, yes, I know, you’ll just have to trust me on this one. MamaZappa and I had an amazing meal there awhile back. Best salmon I’ve ever eaten, but I was still groaking Moon Unit’s bibimbap. Or was it the Bulgogi taco? I took my wife there on one of our early dates. We were both impressed. Haven’t ever made it back but it was very, very good. And the combinations may have looked odd on the menu, but on the plate it all made sense. ---
**Author:** ![tim-n-va](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim-n-va/32/3001_2.png) [@tim-n-va](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tim-n-va)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2016, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/restaurant-recommendations-in-dc/758164/55 "2016-06-29T15:48:22Z")
> [@Wendell\_Wagner](#): > > tim-n-va writes: > > \> . . . Nando’s Peri-Peri (Peruvian chicken) . . . > > No, it’s chicken in the style of Portuguese immigrants to Mozambique. (Yes, really.) The company is actually based in South Africa: > > [Nando's - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nando%27s) Thank you for the correction. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2016, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/restaurant-recommendations-in-dc/758164/56 "2016-07-05T17:50:39Z")
We haven’t seen the fireworks live since, I think, 2007. We were on the hill where the Air Force Memorial is and could hardly see a thing! Humid night with no wind so all the smoke just hung there, obscuring everything that came later. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2016, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/restaurant-recommendations-in-dc/758164/57 "2016-07-05T17:58:21Z")
> [@Skywatcher](#): > > We haven’t seen the fireworks live since, I think, 2007. We were on the hill where the Air Force Memorial is and could hardly see a thing! Humid night with no wind so all the smoke just hung there, obscuring everything that came later. Yeah, it was a dreary day, although we saw quite a bit of them from our bedroom window. PBS was caught inter-splicing some of 2015’s fireworks into their ‘live’ coverage last night. [http://www.countryliving.com/life/entertainment/a39098/pbs-reused-fireworks-footage-capitol-fourth/](http://www.countryliving.com/life/entertainment/a39098/pbs-reused-fireworks-footage-capitol-fourth/) ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2016, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/restaurant-recommendations-in-dc/758164/58 "2016-07-06T17:33:30Z")
> [@madmonk28](#): > > PBS was caught inter-splicing some of 2015’s fireworks into their ‘live’ coverage last night. Thanks! Turned out that two of my sisters were in town and had gone to the Mall with our brother. I was wondering why their experience didn’t jibe with what was on TV, which I wasn’t really paying attention to. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/restaurant-recommendations-in-dc/758164.md?page=2)