Food · Washington, D.C. · United States
What to eat in Washington, D.C.
The dishes, drinks and food experiences that define Washington, D.C., and where locals actually eat them.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Ralf Roletschek ( talk ) - Infos über Fahrräder auf fahrradmonteur.de Wikis in der Ausbild, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
Start with Half-smoke, Mumbo sauce and Ethiopian injera and wot. Operating at the Southwest waterfront since the early 19th century, the open-air market sells steamed crabs, raw oysters and fried fish to eat on the pier by the Wharf. Restaurant prices don't include sales tax, which is around 10% on meals in the city, and a tip of 18–20% is expected on top.
Key facts
- Signature dish
- Half-smoke
- Vegetarian-friendly picks
- 4
- Tipping
- Tip 18–20% at sit-down restaurants, $1–$2 per drink at bars, 15–20% for taxis and…
- Food experiences
- 4
9 foods to try
Street food
1.Half-smoke
Washington's signature sausage: a coarse, spicy, smoked link that is often half pork and half beef, served in a bun with chili, mustard and onions.
Where: Ben's Chili Bowl on U Street, open since 1958, plus carts and diners around the city.
Snack
2.Mumbo sauce
A sweet, tangy, bright red sauce that is a hometown staple at DC carry-outs, poured over fried chicken wings and fries.
Where: Neighbourhood carry-outs and wing shops, especially in Northeast and Southeast DC; bottles are sold in some local shops.
Dish · Vegetarian
3.Ethiopian injera and wot
The Washington area has one of the largest Ethiopian communities outside Africa. Meals arrive on a large round of spongy, sour injera bread topped with stews such as doro wot (spiced chicken) and lentil misir wot, eaten by hand.
Where: Restaurants around 9th and U streets in Shaw, and many more in nearby Silver Spring in Maryland; vegetarian combination platters are standard.
Dish
4.Steamed blue crabs
Chesapeake Bay blue crabs steamed in Old Bay seasoning and cracked open with mallets at paper-covered tables; a messy, sociable summer ritual.
Where: The Maine Avenue Fish Market at the Wharf and crab houses around the region, mainly from late spring to early autumn.
Dish
5.Crab cake
Lump blue-crab meat bound with as little filler as possible and broiled or fried; the Maryland-style crab cake is a year-round fixture on Washington menus.
Where: Seafood restaurants at the Wharf and around Penn Quarter, and classic bars such as Old Ebbitt Grill near the White House.
Dish
6.Chesapeake oysters
Oysters from the Chesapeake Bay and Virginia's coast, briny or mild depending on where they are grown, served raw on ice or fried.
Where: Raw bars at the Wharf and Old Ebbitt Grill, where the oyster bar is a downtown institution.
Street food · Vegetarian
7.Pupusas
Thick Salvadoran corn tortillas stuffed with cheese, beans or pork, griddled and served with curtido (pickled cabbage) and tomato sauce. Washington has a large Salvadoran community.
Where: Salvadoran restaurants in Columbia Heights and Mount Pleasant; ask for revueltas (pork, beans and cheese) or queso con loroco.
Snack · Vegetarian
8.Jumbo slice
Oversized, foldable pizza slices that became Adams Morgan's late-night snack after the bars on 18th Street close.
Where: Pizza counters along 18th Street NW in Adams Morgan.
Drink · Vegetarian
9.Rickey
A highball of gin or bourbon, fresh lime and soda water with no sugar, created in a Washington bar in the late 19th century and named the city's official native cocktail.
Where: Cocktail bars across the city, especially in July, when local bars usually feature their own versions.
Food experiences
Maine Avenue Fish Market
Operating at the Southwest waterfront since the early 19th century, the open-air market sells steamed crabs, raw oysters and fried fish to eat on the pier by the Wharf.
Union Market
A food hall in a former wholesale market near NoMa–Gallaudet station, with stalls covering everything from Korean tacos to oysters and a district of restaurants around it.
Ethiopian dinner in Shaw
Share a large platter of injera and stews with friends around 9th Street, then walk to U Street's music venues.
Eden Center
This Vietnamese shopping centre in Falls Church, Virginia, has dozens of restaurants, bakeries and bubble-tea shops and is one of the region's best places for pho and banh mi.
Quick bites and street food
- Half-smoke — Ben's Chili Bowl on U Street, open since 1958, plus carts and diners around the city.
- Mumbo sauce — Neighbourhood carry-outs and wing shops, especially in Northeast and Southeast DC; bottles are sold in some local shops.
- Pupusas — Salvadoran restaurants in Columbia Heights and Mount Pleasant; ask for revueltas (pork, beans and cheese) or queso con loroco.
- Jumbo slice — Pizza counters along 18th Street NW in Adams Morgan.
Vegetarian options
Of the 9 foods in this guide, 4 are usually vegetarian: Ethiopian injera and wot, Pupusas, Jumbo slice and Rickey. Check preparation with staff, as stocks and fats vary.
Eating out: tips and etiquette
- Restaurant prices don't include sales tax, which is around 10% on meals in the city, and a tip of 18–20% is expected on top.
- Many Washington restaurants are busiest on weekday evenings with work crowds; book ahead for Thursday to Saturday dinner.
- Museum cafés on the Mall are convenient but pricey; Penn Quarter and the food trucks along the Mall's edges are cheaper options.
- Happy hours in downtown bars, often with discounted oysters and drinks, are a local institution on weekdays.
- Some restaurants add a service or wellness surcharge to the bill; read the menu footnotes before tipping.
Tipping
Tip 18–20% at sit-down restaurants, $1–$2 per drink at bars, 15–20% for taxis and ride-hailing, and a few dollars per bag for hotel porters and per night for housekeeping.
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| The District | Washington, D.C. itself, as opposed to Maryland and Virginia |
| The Beltway | The I-495 ring road, and by extension the political world |
| DMV | The region: D.C., Maryland and Virginia |
| Go-go | Washington's home-grown funk-based music |
| Stand right, walk left | Metro escalator rule |
Questions travellers ask
+What food is Washington, D.C. famous for?
Half-smoke, Mumbo sauce, Ethiopian injera and wot and Steamed blue crabs. Washington's signature sausage: a coarse, spicy, smoked link that is often half pork and half beef, served in a bun with chili, mustard and onions.
+Is Washington, D.C. good for vegetarians?
Several local staples are meat-free, including Ethiopian injera and wot, Pupusas and Jumbo slice.
+Do you tip in restaurants in Washington, D.C.?
Tip 18–20% at sit-down restaurants, $1–$2 per drink at bars, 15–20% for taxis and ride-hailing, and a few dollars per bag for hotel porters and per night for housekeeping.