Guidebook for Washington
Food Scene
Sidamo Coffee & Tea
417 H St NEThey have been on H Street for more than a decade.
This wonderful couple from India started with a food tent at the Eastern Market, and opened this restaurant a few years go. Great Indian food, including vegetable dishes. You can eat there (outdoors is best) or get takeout. Call ahead to save time.
148 locals recommend
Indigo
243 K St NEThis wonderful couple from India started with a food tent at the Eastern Market, and opened this restaurant a few years go. Great Indian food, including vegetable dishes. You can eat there (outdoors is best) or get takeout. Call ahead to save time.
Union Market
1309 5th St NEA variety of food vendors.
Best on weekends when there are a variety of vendors outdoors. The lunch counter inside the market is good for breakfast or lunch.
699 locals recommend
Eastern Market
225 7th St SEBest on weekends when there are a variety of vendors outdoors. The lunch counter inside the market is good for breakfast or lunch.
Trader Joe's
750 Pennsylvania Ave. SEThis Trader Joe's is about a 15-minute walk from Lexington Place.
Whole Foods Market
600 H St NEWide selection of prepared foods.
Tortilla Café
210 7th Street SoutheastGreat pupusas and tamales, across from the Eastern Market.
This healthy chain started in DC. It's a great place to get a salad.
23 locals recommend
sweetgreen Capitol Hill
221 Pennsylvania Avenue SoutheastThis healthy chain started in DC. It's a great place to get a salad.
Good bagels in DC? Yep. There's another location near the Eastern Market. Get there early.
47 locals recommend
Bullfrog Bagels on H Street
1341 H St NEGood bagels in DC? Yep. There's another location near the Eastern Market. Get there early.
Best barbecue in DC, according to the Washington Post, and good live music most nights.
27 locals recommend
Hill Country Barbecue Market
410 7th Street NorthwestBest barbecue in DC, according to the Washington Post, and good live music most nights.
Italian market with an insane selection of Italian wines, and a deli counter where a sandwich that two people can share costs less than $10.
45 locals recommend
A. Litteri
517 Morse St NEItalian market with an insane selection of Italian wines, and a deli counter where a sandwich that two people can share costs less than $10.
Sandwich shop where cops and firemen and other locals go. Carryout, open breakfast - 3 p.m.
18 locals recommend
Mangialardo's
1317 Pennsylvania Ave. SESandwich shop where cops and firemen and other locals go. Carryout, open breakfast - 3 p.m.
Inside the Eastern Market. It gets crowded on weekends when they have blueberry pancakes. Kind of famous for the crabcakes too.
37 locals recommend
The Market Lunch
225 7th St SEInside the Eastern Market. It gets crowded on weekends when they have blueberry pancakes. Kind of famous for the crabcakes too.
A nice place for coffee, you can sit in the swanky lobby of the apartment building.
57 locals recommend
The Wydown at the Apollo
600B H St NEA nice place for coffee, you can sit in the swanky lobby of the apartment building.
This is a neighborhood place for breakfast. Honestly the food is nothing special at all but it's like a time capsule, where you also might see some DC bigshot eating eggs.
57 locals recommend
Jimmy T's Place
501 E Capitol St SEThis is a neighborhood place for breakfast. Honestly the food is nothing special at all but it's like a time capsule, where you also might see some DC bigshot eating eggs.
Everything Else
A beautiful place to catch a subway, passenger train or bus. A lot of food options including Shake Shack.
629 locals recommend
Union Station
A beautiful place to catch a subway, passenger train or bus. A lot of food options including Shake Shack.
Sightseeing
Library of Congress
101 Independence Ave SEProbably the most beautiful building in Washington DC.
A cool park on the Anacostia River near the Nationals' baseball stadium. Lots of places to eat.
145 locals recommend
The Yards Park
355 Water St SEA cool park on the Anacostia River near the Nationals' baseball stadium. Lots of places to eat.
The U.S. Capitol Visitor Center
First Street SoutheastPlace to go to see the Capitol.
Nice garden across the street too with a beautiful fountain.
253 locals recommend
United States Botanic Garden
100 Maryland Ave SWNice garden across the street too with a beautiful fountain.
Arts & Culture
Hirshhorn Museum
7th Street SouthwestThe modern art museum of the Smithsonian Institution. Free.
You can spend days here. It's free, so look for a while and go back tomorrow.
385 locals recommend
National Gallery of Art
Constitution Avenue NorthwestYou can spend days here. It's free, so look for a while and go back tomorrow.
This neighborhood branch is one of the Carnegie libraries. It was renovated a few years ago. If you don't have a computer and need to use one, this is an option.
6 locals recommend
Northeast Neighborhood Library
330 7th St NEThis neighborhood branch is one of the Carnegie libraries. It was renovated a few years ago. If you don't have a computer and need to use one, this is an option.
A powerful experience. Timed tickets are free but they get snapped up well in advance, but if you show up at 1 p.m. you can usually get in.
451 locals recommend
National Museum of African American History and Culture
1400 Constitution Ave. NWA powerful experience. Timed tickets are free but they get snapped up well in advance, but if you show up at 1 p.m. you can usually get in.
Parks & Nature
This place is rarely crowded. Short Uber or bus ride from Capitol Hill. Check out the bansai trees.
350 locals recommend
United States National Arboretum
3501 New York Ave NEThis place is rarely crowded. Short Uber or bus ride from Capitol Hill. Check out the bansai trees.
Stanton Park
226 4th St NEA lovely urban park just steps from the U.S. Capitol.
Entertainment & Activities
Four blocks from the house, offering a variety of classes at reasonable cost.
34 locals recommend
Yoga District
500 H St NEFour blocks from the house, offering a variety of classes at reasonable cost.
Hot Yoga Capitol Hill
410 H St NEAlso close for those who like it hot.
City pool, good pool for swimming laps near the Eastern Market. Afternoons are a great time to go, less crowded. The locker rooms can be a little messy.
William H Rumsey Aquatic Center
635 North Carolina Ave SECity pool, good pool for swimming laps near the Eastern Market. Afternoons are a great time to go, less crowded. The locker rooms can be a little messy.
Getting Around
The closest Capital Bikeshare station is a block away, at D and Maryland NE. There are hundreds of stations around the city and it's an especially good way to get around the National Mall.
211 locals recommend
Capital Bikeshare
The closest Capital Bikeshare station is a block away, at D and Maryland NE. There are hundreds of stations around the city and it's an especially good way to get around the National Mall.