Washington, D.C.: Places to Eat Near the National Mall
Don’t expect to book a table anywhere near this city’s most important kitchen. The chef who made it famous has gone, and the ovens have long since cooled. Yet every week thousands peer into it at the National Museum of American History—the kitchen of Julia Child (1912-2004). This woman whose extraordinary passion and presence changed the way Americans think about food gave all of her kitchen's 1,200 elements to the Smithsonian.
And sooner or later, of course, museum visitors need to think about food as sustenance—either a quick bite to refuel or a fine dining reward after a well-spent day. So herewith a dozen spots close by the National Mall, three within official buildings, the rest just a few blocks from all those worthy Smithsonian wonders.
Family-Friendly
Carmine’s
425 7th St. NW
Where: Main drag of Penn Quarter, two blocks north of the Mall
Ambience: New York-nostalgic, self-described as a “Sunday afternoon at Grandma’s”
Best for: Southern Italian comforts like fried calamari, pastas with red or white sauce, chicken marsala, veal five ways plus shrimp, steaks and tiramisu
Special: Gift shop with Carmine’s own cookbooks, apron, corkscrew and shot glasses
Elephant & Castle
1201 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
Where: One block north of the Mall
Ambience: British-pub atmosphere with tin ceiling, stained glass and Guinness signs
Best for: Fish and chips and Yorkshire pudding plus wings and nachos, bleu cheese burger, wraps, poutine
Special: Weekend brunch with yogurt parfait, grilled sirloin, eggs benedict, French toast and sports on TV
Shake Shack
800 F St. NW
Where: A Penn Quarter corner near the Spy Museum and National Portrait Gallery
Ambience: Laidback, thanks to industrial ceiling, steely order counter, sociable customer lines
Best for: Burgers (all-natural Angus or “shroom”), griddled hot dogs, frozen custard
Special: Organic, biodynamic wines and “Shackmeister” ale
On-Site
Mitsitam Café
4th and Independence Ave. NW
Where: National Museum of the American Indian (closes at 5 pm, cafe at 3 pm)
Ambience: Cafeteria-style stations by region; tables in a sunny, soaring space with Mall and “fountain rapids” view
Best for: Bison loin, wild-rice salad, fruit tarts, traditional fry bread
Special: “Certified Green” with three stars
Ronald Reagan Food Court
1300 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
Where: International Trade Building (Federal Triangle)
Ambience: Bustling food stations around a vast arena of seating
Best for: Satisfying diverse appetites with 18 options from deli food and tortillas to Cajun, Asian and smoothies
Special: Chance to see the vast, glass-roofed atrium of the trade center and a 9-foot-high, graffitied piece of the Berlin Wall
Cascade Café
6th St. NW and Constitution Ave.
Where: Underground at the National Gallery of Art, between the East and West wings
Vibe: Spacious cafeteria with masterpiece posters and extended lunch hours
Best for: Noodle bowl, grilled sandwiches, chef’s changing entrée, gelato (19 flavors)
Special: The waterfall wall that drops from glass pyramids on the plaza above, I.M. Pei’s prototype for his pyramid at the Louvre
Chef-Blessed
China Chilcano
418 Seventh St. NW
Where: Penn Quarter, steps from Jaleo, a sibling also by superstar chef José Andrés
Ambience: Festive atmosphere with bright surreal mural, woven pillows, a ceiling swirled with Nazca lines in neon
Best for: Chifa, Peruvian fare with Chinese accents, and nikkei, in which Japanese-style sashimi meets Peruvian potatoes
Special: An array of rare piscos—as brandies, sours and punch
MXDC Cocina Mexicana
600 14th St. NW
Where: One block east of the White House
Ambience: Copper chandeliers casting mellow light on banquettes, bare brick walls and metal sculpture
Best for: Juan Pavlovich’s ceviches, tortilla soup, paella, pork belly tacos, hibiscus margarita and 120 tequilas
Special: Partnership with Todd English—prized chef, cookbook author and PBS host with sites from Vegas to the Queen Mary II
Cedar
822 E St. NW
Where: Penn Quarter, due north of Natural History museum
Ambience: Rustic (forest murals) yet sophisticated (green marble bar)
Best For: Game like Texas wild boar with sweet potato tart, vegan entrees (Caesar salad with tempeh)
Special: Sourcing of local farms and the restaurant's rooftop garden
Power Places
The Source
575 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
Where: Beside the Newseum, steps from National Gallery of Art
Ambience: Chic bar-lounge with Japanese Izakaya fare, sleek aerie for Russell Smith's Asian-accented cuisine
Best for: Tuna tartare in miso cones, wok-fried or steamed seafood, duckling and dumplings
Special: Saturday dim sum brunch, input from star chef/owner Wolfgang Puck, $135 per person tasting menu of signature items
101 Constitution Ave. NW
Where: At the foot of Capitol Hill, one block north of the Mall
Ambience: Sense of power in the air, in the alcoves and at cloth-covered tables
Best for: Mike Ellis' bone-in NY strip, "surf and turf" with Maine lobster, anything picked from the garden
Special: A glimpse of the U.S. Capitol out floor-to-ceiling glass windows, the all-American wines in a “floating” cellar
Occidental Grill & Seafood
1475 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
Where: Less than two blocks east of the White House
Ambience: Legendary quarters with leather booths and politico sightings
Best for: Rodney Scruggs’s elegant regional dishes, from lump crab cake and Delmarva oysters to lamb chops with peach chutney, plus lobster tail and venison with blueberry grappa sauce
Special: a portrait gallery of U.S. presidents, “statesmen” and celebs
