DC Insider guide

STAFF AND PARTNER RECOMMENDATIONS!

Breakfast

LOUIS: Tatte Bakery: Chain w/ several locations, but fast & legit b’fast sandwiches. Tania seconds this! Jenni thirds this!

BRIAN: Le Diplomate: 1601 14th Street, NW,  An actual breakfast at one of the better French restaurants in town, not overly expensive. Is popular so make a reservation.

SARAH: Union Kitchen: 538 3rd St NE, Washington, DC 20002,  An on-the-go option. Independent, and excellent coffee, breakfast sandwiches, and cookies. Near the Senate side and you’ll see a cute Capitol Hill neighborhood.

SARAH: The Willard: 1401 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20004, Formal and expensive volunteer briefing breakfast. This is my hands-down favorite place for off-Hill advocacy briefings. I admit to attending less interesting briefings just to hang out at the Willard. The Willard also offers bars and an afternoon tea.

CONOR: Bullfrog Bagels: 317 7th St. SE near Eastern Market. One of my go-to spots for breakfast sandwiches when I lived in D.C. (Second location on H street in case anyone is staying near there.)

Ebeneezer’s Coffee House:  Around the corner from Union Kitchen.  Corner of F St and 2nd St NE.  Coffee shop w/ pastries. Good for b’fast before heading to the Hill.  Close to Union Station.

Lunch

LOUIS: If you’re on the Hill, there’s a strip of quick lunch spots on Pennsylvania Ave. Between 2nd and 4th SE that has a few good options: We the Pizza has good pizza by the slice. I also like the Santa Rosa Taqueria. Burrito Brothers is acceptable, and there’s also a Sweetgreen if that appeals to you. Sarah: Get a milkshake at Good Stuff Eatery, I like cookies and cream.

LOUIS: Inside Scoop: On the ground floor of Dirksen (below street level, but above the basement, I think?), there’s fro yo with a toppings bar. Recommended afternoon pick-me-up. Sarah seconds the fro-yo. Ground floor between Dirksen and Hart connecting corridors. It’s a lobby day tradition. If you didn’t have fro-yo, did you even advocate?

SARAH: On the go option: Georgetown Marketplace: 201 Massachusetts Ave NE s6, Washington, DC 20002. The greatest, greasiest sandwiches. I’ll get a sandwich with lettuce, tomato, mayo and ask for fries. It’s also a laundromat. Not the healthiest but they do fuel a full day of advocating.

JENNI: Tatte also has a great lunch! If you’re looking for more of a sit-down, Old Ebbitt Grill and The Hamilton are both great.  If you like chili dogs, Ben’s Chili Bowl is a DC staple.

CONOR: District Taco at Eastern Market: 656 Pennsylvania Ave. SE Quick, fast casual tacos right across from the Eastern Market Metro.

Bars

SARAH: The Monocle: 107 D St NE, Washington, DC 20002. I love this place for post-lobby day drinks with a small group. It’s old-timey and official-feeling, and it’s basically on the Senate campus. Ask for chips with your drinks, they serve Ruffles which somehow hit the spot by the time you pull up.

CONOR: Barrel, 613 Pennsylvania Ave. SE. Cozy whiskey lounge/bar very close to Eastern Market Metro.

Vue - Rooftop bar on top of the Hotel Washington just around the corner from the White House.  Lovely view and great place for drinks.

Quill at the Jefferson Hotel: Nice place for cocktails.  Right on 16th St just north of K Street.  Hotel’s restaurant - The Greenhouse -  also has a lovely breakfast and lunch in their bright, atrium-like restaurant.  You can also reserve a private dining room for larger groups.

Doyle at the Hotel Dupont:  Right in Dupont Circle, lovely bar w/ great cocktails and bar menu.  Lively crowd and large windows.

Dinner

The Bazaar:  Inside Old Post Office Pavillion.  Jose Andres’s latest restaurant in DC.  Fashionable and delicious.  Pricey.

Das Ethiopian:  DC has the largest Ethiopian-American community in the country and has tons of Ethiopian restaurants.  This one is in Georgetown is on the fancier side.  If you want something less fancy, Adams Morgan has dozens.

Brasserie Liberte: French bistro in Georgetown.  Lobster mac and cheese is decadent.  Solid restaurant for casual but chic French meal.

Cafe Milano:  Quintessential Washington DC dining spot. Italian food.  Place to people watch and be seen.  In Georgetown.

The Dabney:  Located in Blagden Alley, The Dabney is like being transported to San Francisco foodie heaven.  Food is delicious and fresh.  Also a great place to grab a drink.  There’s outdoor and indoor seating.  Other amazing restaurants and bars are located in the alley…like…

Tiger Fork: Asian/Chinese fusion and festive atmosphere.

Museums

LOUIS: National Gallery of Art, 6th & Constitution NW. Free, easy to cruise in for a quick visit if you’re inclined. Impressionists a particular favorite.

BRIAN: SI African Art /Asian Art:  1100 Independence Avenue, SW, New curators, new exhibits, easy to maneuver, free

SARAH: National Museum of American History, 1300 Constitution Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20560. Julia Child’s kitchen.

JENNI: Most of the museums on the mall are free; a few aren’t. Holocaust is not free but is extremely moving. On the mall, I love the American History Museum and Air & Space Museum. You can see the original Declaration of Independence and Constitution at the National Archives. The Hirshhorn is my favorite art museum.

CONOR: National Museum of the American Indian: 4th and Maryland SW, near the Capitol.

Places of Interests

SARAH: Union Market, 1309 5th St NE, Washington, DC 20002. Food stands and shopping. It’s also conveniently nearish the REI on 201 M St. NE, and a brewery. I stand in line for iced coffee at Peregrine espresso (they also set the curve on croissants), and then grab a bagel at Buffalo & Bergen (I do the Original with pastrami lox, or the Mountain Shiksa). They also serve lunch and dinner.

SARAH: Calder statue in the Hart Senate Office Building. And then walk the mall and see how many more Calder you can find. We’re obsessed with Calder.

JENNI: National Arboretum is a lovely place to explore. Mt. Vernon if you have transportation and an affinity for George Washington. See the monuments at night! They are beautiful all lit up. Conor seconds the Arbo! (Free)

Outdoor Recreation + Trails

LOUIS: Great Falls! At Great Falls, the Potomac River builds up speed and force as it falls over a series of steep, jagged rocks and flows through the narrow Mather Gorge. The Patowmack Canal offers a glimpse into the early history of this country.  Great Falls Park has many opportunities to explore history and nature, all in a beautiful 800-acre park only 15 miles from the Nation's Capital.

SARAH: Bouldering in NW Branch (Silver Spring, brewery nearby). Top roping in Great Falls or Carderock. Trail running in Rock Creek Park (here is a recurring Thursday evening Arc’teryx community trail run event thru Oct). You can also jog through the zoo. Cycling along GW parkway.

JENNI: Rock Creek Park, Billy Goat Trail, Great Falls, Huntley Meadows Park if you’re a birder, Mt. Vernon trail for running/biking along the Potomac

CONOR: Hike/trail run on Kingman and Heritage Islands (walkable from Stadium Armory metro). Great urban natural area with lots of birds and other wildlife.

CONOR: Anacostia Riverwalk trail

Other cool things!

JENNI: see the planes land at Gravelly Point. Nationals games. Paddle boating in the Tidal Basin. Ghost tour in Old Town Alexandria. Again, reiterating the Monuments at night!