1 
AAA Destination Guide: Official AAA maps,
travel information and top picks
AAA Destination Guide: Washington D.C. includes trip-planning
information covering AAA recommended attractions and restaurants,
exclusive member discounts, maps and more.  
The nation’s capital. Those three words neatly sum up Washington’s
global importance as governmental entity and its enormous appeal as a
tourist mecca. John F. Kennedy once said “Washington is a city of
Southern efficiency and Northern charm,” and although his tongue was
likely firmly in cheek, there’s no denying the city’s role in efficiently
governing the nation while charming millions of visitors each year.
D.C.’s embarrassment of must-see riches—museums, monuments,
memorials, galleries—makes putting together a sightseeing itinerary one
truly daunting task. The United States Capitol and the White House
define the jurisdictional entity known as the District of Columbia. The
Mall, that green swath stretching from the foot of
Capitol Hill west to the awe-inspiring statue of
Abraham Lincoln, is where it’s at for visitors,
encompassing not only the National Gallery of Art,
six memorials and one monument but many of the
museums identified with one of the world’s largest
and most remarkable educational organizations, the
Smithsonian Institution. But that’s just part of the
picture; Washington also has vibrant neighborhoods,
a cosmopolitan diversity and cultural facilities second to none. With so
much to see and do, spring’s pale pink explosion of cherry blossoms is
the lovely icing on a very special city.

Essentials
The seat of the federal government, the United States Capitol should be
near the top of any visitor’s must-see list. Its main ceremonial space, the
Rotunda, is filled with paintings, frescoes and an encircling frieze that
together present more than 400 years of U.S. history.
George Washington is the only president who never governed from the
White House, but it is one of the few structures in today’s city that he
would probably recognize. Antique furnishings, presidential portraits and
graceful decorative accents make this house a rich repository of
Americana.
Climb the steps of the Lincoln Memorial and contemplate Daniel Chester
French’s powerful sculpture of our 16th president, serenely seated in a
colossal armchair. Then turn around and look to the east for an inspiring
view that takes in the Reflecting Pool and the green expanse of West
Potomac Park.
Few cities are lovelier than Washington in springtime. Daffodils, tulips
and dogwoods are all in bloom, along with the city’s thousands of
Japanese cherry trees. Take a walk around the Tidal Basin when the
blossoms are at their glorious peak, normally early April.
Get dressed up and attend a concert, play, opera or dance performance
at the world-class The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
Gaze upon the Rembrandts, Monets and other works that are part of the
superlative collection of paintings in the West Building of the National
Gallery of Art. Then take the underground concourse to see the
ultramodern East Building’s impressive exhibits of modern art.

Destination Guide: Washington D.C.  
2 
Essentials Map
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Spend the afternoon hanging out in Georgetown. Home to some of
Washington’s most politically and socially prominent citizens, the city’s
oldest neighborhood has trendy shops and restaurants galore as well as
that are a pleasure to strollquiet, leafy streets lined with handsome brick
residences.
Let your imagination soar like the wondrous array of aircraft at
Washington’s most popular museum, the National Air and Space
Museum of the Smithsonian Institution.
Wander among the flowers, plants and trees in the conservatories of the
United States Botanic Garden. It’s a restful, rejuvenating way to spend
an hour in the middle of a hectic day of sightseeing.
Head to Nationals Park and check out Major League Baseball’s newest
team, the Washington Nationals—D.C.’s long-awaited successor to the
much-loved Washington Senators.
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1. United States Capitol
1st St & Independence Ave SW
Washington, DC 20001
Phone: (202) 226-8000


2. White House
1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW
Washington, DC 20500
Phone: (202) 224-3121


3. Lincoln Memorial
Washington, DC 20037
Phone: (202) 426-6841

4. The John F. Kennedy
Center for the Performing Arts
Rock Creek Pkwy &
New Hampshire Ave NW
Washington, DC 20566
Phone: (800) 444-1324
5. National Gallery of Art
4th St & Constitution Ave NW
Washington, DC 20565
Phone: (202) 842-6176


6. National Air and Space Museum
7th St & Independence Ave SW
Washington, DC 20560
Phone: (202) 633-5285


7. United States Botanic Garden
100 Maryland Ave SW
Washington, DC 20001
Phone: (202) 225-8333



Washington D.C. in 3 Days
Three days is barely enough time to get to know any major destination.
But AAA travel editors suggest these activities to make the most of your
time in Washington, D.C.
Day 1: Morning
For visitors—and many Washingtonians—The National Mall is the
epicenter of the nation’s capital. You could spend three days alone just
visiting all the museums and attractions that surround it. Street parking is
limited and metered, so don’t bring your car; everything is within easy
Destination Guide: Washington D.C.  
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walking distance of Metrorail’s Smithsonian station (Orange and Blue
lines).
Your first stop should be the Smithsonian Institution Building (the Castle),
which houses the Smithsonian Information Center. In addition to the all-
important restrooms, the center has interesting exhibits and plenty of
Smithsonian-related information. Pick up coffee at the Castle Café and
then mosey through the Enid A. Haupt Garden, with plantings of pansies
and ornamental cabbages in winter, daffodils and tulips in spring and
hanging baskets of multicolored annuals in summer.
Visit the National Air and Space Museum first; you’ll beat the crowds if
you arrive when it opens. The Air and Space is chock-full of iconic
vessels, from the Wright Brothers’ original 1903 flying machine to space-
age craft. Next door is the National Museum of the American Indian. The
wampum belts, elaborate headdresses and primitive guns are
fascinating, but what really makes the NMAI a must-see is the emphasis
on human history and cultural pride.
Take a break at one of the benches lining the Mall’s crisscrossing gravel
paths before heading to the National Museum of Natural History. It’s
packed with cool exhibits and always brimming with kids and school
groups, so pick a few things rather than trying to see it all. Perennial
favorites include the O. Orkin Insect Zoo’s tarantulas and giant
cockroaches, the dinosaur skeletons and the glittering diamonds, rubies
and sapphires in the Janet Annenberg Hooker Hall of Geology, Gems
and Minerals.
Afternoon
Your best bet for a convenient lunch is at one of the museums: the Air
and Space’s Wright Place Food Court, the Museum of the American
Indian’s Mitsitam Native Foods Café or the Museum of Natural History’s
Atrium Café. The Mitsitam Native Foods Café has out-of-the-ordinary
items such as Indian fry bread and wild rice salad studded with dried
cranberries, pine nuts and pumpkin seeds.
Switch from dioramas and airplanes to paintings and sculpture. The West
Building of the National Gallery of Art has an outstanding permanent
collection and a couple of bona fide masterpieces. Make sure you see
Anthony van Dyck’s regal works of portraiture; his well-heeled subjects
are literally larger than life. Then take the underground concourse to the
East Building, featuring Picasso, Matisse, Warhol and other modern
masters.
There’s more modern art on the other side of the Mall at the Hirshhorn
Museum and Sculpture Garden. Shaped like a drum, it has a series of
curving galleries spotlighting such artists as Willem de Kooning and
Alexander Calder, whose colorful mobiles literally hang by a thread. Also
take a spin through the sunken outdoor sculpture garden to see abstract
figure studies and a cast of “The Burghers of Calais,” one of Auguste
Rodin’s most famous sculptures.
From the sculpture garden, walk back up the Mall toward the Smithsonian
Castle. If museum fatigue threatens at this point, you’re in luck. Vendor
carts on wheels park along Constitution Avenue N.W. and the streets that
bisect the Mall. Refuel with a hot dog, soft pretzel, ice cream or a
popsicle. Equally ubiquitous are the souvenir stands, where you can pick
up T-shirts, sweatshirts, pennants, postcards, you name it.
Back at the Castle, three more art museums are just steps away. The
Arthur M. Sackler Gallery and the Freer Gallery of Art exhibit Asian art;
the National Museum of African Art focuses on the ceremonial regalia,
masks and pottery of sub-Saharan Africa. If you’re really pressed for
time, see American painter James Whistler’s “Harmony in Blue and Gold:
The Peacock Room” at the Freer; this interior design scheme is ornately
embellished with gilded leather wall hangings and four resplendent
golden peacocks painted on wall panels.


Destination Guide: Washington D.C.  
4 
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Washington D.C. in 3 Days – Day 1 Map

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Evening
Keep it simple after all the sightseeing and have dinner at a restaurant a
block or two off the Mall. The Capital Grille has a terrific view of the
Capitol dome from the front door, plus steaks accompanied by indulgent
sides, including fresh creamed spinach and parmesan truffle fries. 701
Pennsylvania Avenue has good fish and seafood (crab cakes, roasted
mahi mahi, spice-crusted salmon) and marvelous service. Café Atlantico
is a big, lively place that grooves to the rhythm of reggae and calypso
music. Have a margarita, guacamole prepared to your order tableside
and then perhaps sauteed scallops with coconut rice.
If you’ve still got energy to burn, walk up Pennsylvania Avenue to the Old
Post Office Pavilion and browse around. After shopping, take in a
performance at Ford’s Theatre National Historic Site. The Shakespeare
1. The National Mall
Washington, DC 20037

2. Smithsonian Institution Building
(The Castle)
1000 Jefferson Dr SW
Washington, DC 20560
Phone: (202) 633-1000

3. Enid A. Haupt Garden
Washington, DC 20024
Phone: (202) 633-5285

4. National Air and Space Museum
7th St & Independence Ave SW
Washington, DC 20560
Phone: (202) 633-5285


5. National Museum of
the American Indian
4th St & Independence Ave SW
Washington, DC 20560
Phone: (202) 633-1000


6. National Museum
of Natural History
Constitution Ave & 10th St NW
Washington, DC 20560
Phone: (202) 633-1000


7. National Gallery of Art
4th St & Constitution Ave NW
Washington, DC 20565
Phone: (202) 842-6176


8. Hirshhorn Museum
and Sculpture Garden
Independence Ave & 7th St SW
Washington, DC 20560
Phone: (202) 633-5285

9. Arthur M Sackler Gallery
1050 Independence Ave SW
Washington, DC 20560
Phone: (202) 633-1000


10. Freer Gallery of Art
12th St & Jefferson Dr SW
Washington, DC 20560
Phone: (202) 633-1000


11. National Museum of African Art
950 Independence Ave SW
Washington, DC 20560
Phone: (202) 633-5285


12. The Capital Grille

601 Pennsylvania Ave NW
Washington, DC 20004
Phone: (202) 737-6200

13. 701 Pennsylvania Avenue

701 Pennsylvania Ave NW
Washington, DC 20004
Phone: (202) 393-0701

14. Cafe Atlantico

405 8th St NW
Washington, DC 20004
Phone: (202) 393-0812

15. Old Post Office Pavilion
1100 Pennsylvania Ave NW
Washington, DC 20004
Phone: (202) 606-8691

16. Ford's Theatre
National Historic Site
511 10th St NW
Washington, DC 20004
Phone: (202) 347-4833

Destination Guide: Washington D.C.  
5 
Theatre Company (see Performing Arts under Things to Do) stages
works by the Bard most of the year at the Lansburgh Theatre (450 7th St.
N.W.) and Sidney Harman Hall (610 F St. N.W.) But if the weather’s
pleasant, we suggest just heading back to the Mall for a leisurely evening
stroll.
Day 2: Morning
Many of D.C.’s monuments and memorials are clustered in West
Potomac Park, an extension of the Mall. Spend the morning at a few of
those that have a special resonance for you, whether it’s the Franklin
Delano Roosevelt Memorial, the Korean War Veterans Memorial, the
Lincoln Memorial, the National World War II Memorial, the Thomas
Jefferson Memorial, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial or the Washington
Monument.
Riding the elevator to the observation room near the top of the
Washington Monument is fun and the view of the city is panoramic, but a
ticket is required and you may well end up waiting in line. If time is of the
essence, skip it and take a bench break near the gushing fountains at the
National World War II Memorial. Another spot to rest your feet for a few
minutes is Constitution Gardens; it’s a peaceful little oasis in the middle of
the city.
Some tips: If you’re here in early April when the cherry blossoms are in
bloom, the steps of the Jefferson Memorial are an ideal spot to
experience springtime in Washington. Do your “Rocky” jog a la Sylvester
Stallone up the Lincoln Memorial’s steps, then turn around and behold
the expansive view stretching all the way back to the Capitol. And in the
midst of all this grandeur the Korean War Veterans Memorial has the
most human and haunting scale of all—a squad of 19 men on ground
patrol advancing warily, their faces a study in evocative details.
Cross Constitution Avenue N.W. and stop at the Corcoran Gallery of Art.
The Corcoran has an eclectic collection of American and European
works, primarily paintings but in other media as well. Make sure you see
Albert Bierstadt’s “The Last of the Buffalo.” Bierstadt specialized in
romanticized depictions of the 19th-century American West, and this
painting—the last in a series of large landscapes—conveys a sense of
drama that practically leaps off the canvas.
Afternoon
You don’t need to leave to have lunch; Café des Artistes, in the
Corcoran’s columned main atrium, has an airy elegance and a menu of
salads, sandwiches and pizza. Have a house salad perked up with corn,
pine nuts and dates or the “BLT & G,” apple wood bacon, tomatoes,
lettuce and a dollop of spicy guacamole on sourdough bread.
Touring the White House is fun, but you must have a group of ten people
or more and make advance arrangements through a member of
Congress. Instead, snap some souvenir photos with the Executive
Mansion in the background and check out the exhibits at the White
House Visitor Center, in the Department of Commerce Building between
14th and 15th streets N.W. Then walk through Lafayette Square,
stopping to view the equestrian statue of Andrew Jackson and the four
monuments honoring Revolutionary War generals.
You can’t miss the distinctive red facade of the Renwick Gallery, the
Corcoran’s former home. It has exhibits of mostly contemporary American
decorative arts and crafts—everything from glassware to avant-garde
jewelry. Definitely worth a look is the Grand Salon on the second floor,
which is like walking into a 19th-century art collector’s private gallery; the
high-ceilinged room is Victorian-era splendor incarnate, with rows of
paintings hanging on the walls.
Evening
The Old Ebbitt Grill is a true Washington institution that opened for
business in 1856. Slide into one of the comfortable mahogany and velvet
booths and enjoy an expertly prepared New York strip steak or the rich
cannelloni di casa, house-made pasta stuffed with spinach, mortadella
ham and cheese. And save room for the banana bread pudding.
There are lots of bars and clubs in the vicinity of the Connecticut Avenue,
18th Street and M Street junction. Dupont Circle, a few blocks north, also
has a hopping club scene. Wear black and get your attitude on while
Destination Guide: Washington D.C.  
6 
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1. Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial
Washington, DC 20024
Phone: (202) 426-6841


2. Korean War Veterans Memorial
Washington, DC 20037
Phone: (202) 426-6841


3. Lincoln Memorial
Washington, DC 20037
Phone: (202) 426-6841


4. National World War II Memorial
Washington, DC 20024
Phone: (202) 426-6841


5. Thomas Jefferson Memorial
Washington, DC 20024
Phone: (202) 426-6841

6. Vietnam Veterans Memorial
Constitution Ave & Henry Bacon Dr NW
Washington, DC 20024
Phone: (202) 426-6841


7. Washington Monument
15th St & Constitution Ave. NW
Washington, DC 20004
Phone: (202) 426-6841


8. Constitution Gardens
Washington, DC 20037
Phone: (202) 426-6841
9. Corcoran Gallery of Art
500 17th St NW
Washington, DC 20006
Phone: (202) 639-1700


10. Cafe des Artistes

500 17th St NW
Washington, DC 20006
Phone: (202) 639-1786
11. White House
1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW
Washington, DC 20500
Phone: (202) 224-3121


12. Lafayette Square
H St & 15th St NW
Washington, DC 20006

13. Renwick Gallery
17th St & Pennsylvania Ave NW
Washington, DC 20560
Phone: (202) 633-5285

14. Old Ebbitt Grill

675 15th St NW
Washington, DC 20005
Phone: (202) 347-4800

15. Hotel Rouge
A Kimpton Hotel

1315 16th St NW
Washington, DC
Phone: (202) 232-8000


Washington D.C. in 3 Days – Day 2 Map

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you’re waiting in line to get into Bar Rouge, 1315 16th St. N.W. (at
Massachusetts Avenue N.W. and Scott Circle in the Hotel Rouge-A
Kimpton Hotel. Hip with a capital “H,” the long, narrow room throbs to
beat-heavy world music. Dragonfly, 1215 Connecticut Ave. N.W. (at M
Street), has a sushi bar and DJs that spin everything from old-school
disco to cutting-edge electronic. Lucky Bar, a few doors up at 1221
Connecticut Ave. N.W. (at 18th Street), is more laid-back, with a mix of
Destination Guide: Washington D.C.  
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live and DJ music and TVs tuned to soccer matches and college football
games.
Day 3: Morning
Capitol Hill is one of D.C.’s most charming neighborhoods: walkable,
tree-shaded and with ever-present glimpses of that unmistakable Capitol
dome. Townhouses line the streets, many of them handsomely and
expensively renovated, with tidy flower gardens enclosed by black
wrought-iron fences.
You could grab a quick breakfast at Starbucks or Au Bon Pain, just two of
the familiar names with Capitol Hill branches, but for a change of pace try
little Le Bon Café (210 2nd St. S.E., just off Independence Avenue).
Linger at one of the small marble-topped tables over espresso and a
fresh-baked pastry or scone, and pick up a smoked turkey or mozzarella,
tomato and pesto sandwich to eat later.
You need a ticket to go on the guided tour of the United States Capitol.
It’s worth it to see the magnificent Rotunda, with its huge paintings, dome
canopy and encircling frieze all depicting events in American history, but
lines can be long. Do, however, walk around the grounds to fully
appreciate the scope of this imposing structure. Then head over to the
Supreme Court Building, a white marble edifice anchored by lofty
Corinthian columns.
Take the 1-hour guided tour of the Thomas Jefferson Building, the most
architecturally interesting of the three buildings that make up the Library
of Congress. The highlight is the Main Reading Room, a huge, octagonal-
shaped, richly decorated space. Note the 12 seated figures painted
around the collar of the 160-foot-tall dome; each one is 10 feet high.
Give your eyes a break from stone, marble and brick at the United States
Botanic Garden. The main conservatory (the “Jungle”) is a climate-
controlled refuge filled with exuberant tropical vegetation. The serene
Garden Court, with its wooden benches, potted orchids and flowering
shrubs, is an ideal spot to relax and luxuriate in the beauty.
Afternoon
From the United States Botanic Garden, walk along the Capitol Reflecting
Pool to Constitution Avenue. Turn right and then turn left at Delaware
Avenue, which will take you to Union Station (see The Capitol AAA
Walking Tour under Things to Do). Have lunch at the food court on Union
Station’s lower level. It’s a favorite with Hill office workers, and for good
reason. You can get practically anything here: burgers, barbecue,
burritos, pizza, sushi, salads, soup, pasta, deli sandwiches, hot dogs,
wraps, Asian food, Greek food, Indian food, ice cream, smoothies,
muffins and more. Afterward, take a spin around this grand Beaux Arts
building, distinguished by a soaring barrel-vaulted ceiling.
Spend the rest of the day in Georgetown, Washington’s oldest residential
neighborhood and one of the most popular places in the city to shop, eat,
party or just hang out. The only thing it lacks, in fact, is a convenient
Metro station. The closest stops are Foggy Bottom-GWU (Orange line)
and Dupont Circle (Red line); from each station it’s a leisurely 20-minute
walk. The Georgetown Metro Connection bus departs every 10 minutes
from the Dupont Circle station and takes only a few minutes to reach
Georgetown; the fare is $1.50, or 35 cents with a Metrorail transfer.
If you feel like malling it, hit The Shops at Georgetown Park (see our
Shopping article), home to the usual high-end selection of specialty
retailers. But the coolest shopping is along and just off Wisconsin
Avenue. For punk chic go to Commander Salamander (1420 Wisconsin
Ave. N.W.); the music is loud, the clientele young and scruffy and the
clothes oh so au courant. Betsey Johnson (1319 Wisconsin Ave. N.W.) is
equally hip, with an emphasis on psychedelic ’60s-style fashions. A bit
farther up is A Mano (1677 Wisconsin Ave. N.W.); from the whimsically
painted tableware to fruit basket centerpieces to imported French stone
fountains, it’s like stepping into a European country garden.
Head back down Wisconsin Avenue and duck into Patisserie Poupon
(near the Q Street intersection) for a late afternoon snack. The aroma of
freshly ground coffee pervades this delightful little bakery. Have a flaky
almond croissant, a macaroon (in flavors from lemon to chocolate) or
Destination Guide: Washington D.C.  
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some traditional French fig ice cream while drooling over the display of
cakes and fruit tarts.
Do some more food browsing at Dean & Deluca (3276 M St. N.W., a
block west of Wisconsin Avenue). This branch of the famed New York
international food purveyors offers such regional specialties as Maryland-
style crab cakes, corn chowder and organic, locally grown heirloom
tomatoes, herbs and other produce. Get something from the espresso
bar and then let sensory overload take over.
Washington D.C. in 3 Days – Day 3 Map
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Evening
You’ll have a devil of a time picking a restaurant for dinner because there
are so many good ones. For casual conviviality you can’t beat Clyde’s of
Georgetown (3236 M St. N.W., just west of Wisconsin Avenue), a local
watering hole for more than 40 years. From roasted pork loin to basil-
marinated Chesapeake rockfish, Clyde’s does refined American classics
well.
You also can have dinner at Blues Alley (1073 Wisconsin Ave. N.W.,
below M Street), but most people come for the music. Washington’s
premier jazz club is yet another local institution, and the list of performers
who have played here is legendary. The look is worn around the edges,
but that’s what makes it a classic. Seating is first-come-first-served, and
reservations are essential; phone (202) 337-4141.
Most of Georgetown’s bars are the friendly saloon type. There’s Mr.
Smith’s (3104 M St. N.W., a block east of Wisconsin Avenue), the self-
proclaimed “friendliest saloon in town.” It has a long antique bar, a garden
patio and a piano player who always draws an appreciative crowd of
regulars.
Note: Metrorail operates until midnight Sun.-Thurs. and 3 a.m. Fri.-Sat.,
but the last train may depart before the system closes; final departure
times are posted at the stations.
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1. United States Capitol
1st St & Independence Ave SW
Washington, DC 20001
Phone: (202) 226-8000


2. Supreme Court Building
1 1st St NE
Washington, DC 20543
Phone: (202) 479-3211


3. Thomas Jefferson Building
10 1st St SE
Washington, DC 20540
Phone: (202) 707-9779
4. Library of Congress
1st St & Independence Ave SE
Washington, DC 20540
Phone: (202) 707-5000


5. United States Botanic Garden
100 Maryland Ave SW
Washington, DC 20001
Phone: (202) 225-8333


6. Clyde's of Georgetown

3236 M St NW
Washington, DC 20007
Phone: (202) 333-9180


Destination Guide: Washington D.C.  
9 
Restaurants
Being a politicians’ town, Washington has its share of lively meeting
places suitable for both power lunching and a sophisticated dinner out.
Conveniently located about midway between the White House and
Georgetown, Kinkead’s Restaurant calls itself
“an American brasserie.” The restaurant
occupies a town house, with a casual
downstairs cafe/bar and a more refined
upstairs section with tucked-away nooks and
alcoves that nevertheless have a full view of
the open kitchen. Chef Bob Kinkead changes
the always-intriguing menu daily,
emphasizing seafood dishes such as a
pepper-seared rare tuna steak with portobello mushrooms and a pinot
noir sauce or chile-rubbed grilled swordfish paired with corn ragout and
mango salsa. Carnivores can opt for filet mignon accompanied by
double-stuffed new potatoes. The wine selection is very, very nice.
Another celebrated chef, Michel Richard, holds sway at Michel Richard
Citronelle. A few steps from The Latham Hotel lobby, this beautifully
appointed dining room has a “mood wall” that changes color and a glass-
walled kitchen where the artistry of Richard’s staff is on full display. This
is impeccably prepared, flavorful French with a California influence. Start
with a vegetable salad or Monterey Bay abalone with cream of caviar
before moving on to roasted salmon, a New York strip steak or duck with
a black cherry-anise sauce. Finish with an aromatic plate of imported
cheeses. The sommelier is eminently qualified to guide your wine
selection. As befits the restaurant’s elegant formality, jackets are required
for gentlemen.
Georgetown is one of D.C.’s dining hot spots, and Fahrenheit, in The
Ritz-Carlton, Georgetown, is one of the places diners in the know seek
out. The room has a stylishly contemporary look: tall windows, a soaring
ceiling and exposed brick that is softly illuminated (the building formerly
housed an incinerator). The cuisine is regional American, and dishes vary
according to the season. Maryland crab cakes are paired with pesto
sauce and a medley of autumn vegetables. A robust casserole of chicken
sausage, white beans and fingerling potatoes is topped with parsley
crostini. Pineapple upside-down cake with coconut crème anglaise
provides a sweet ending.
Diners searching for more exotic fare have all sorts of options in
cosmopolitan D.C. For a full-blown experience try Marrakesh, very
popular among Washingtonians for special occasions. Plush Oriental
tapestries, the sinuous rhythms of Moroccan music and a ritual hand
washing with rose-scented water set the stage for a seven-course feast
that you eat sans utensils. Subtle spicing enlivens the chicken with dates,
marinated beef shish kebab and lamb with chickpeas and onions. For
vegetarians there’s couscous topped with vegetables, chickpeas and
raisins, although non-meat eaters could make a meal of the salad platter
featuring eggplant in tomato sauce, coriander-flavored carrots, and
seasoned cucumbers and bell peppers. Enjoy your mint tea and
Moroccan pastries while watching the belly dancers undulate.
Another local favorite is the Lebanese Taverna, a family-owned place
that’s also family friendly. The courtyard-like dining space has domed
ceilings, lushly upholstered seating and hand-carved walnut decoration.
Many people make a meal of the mezzas, or appetizers; the hummus,
couscous, spinach pies and stuffed grape leaves, accompanied by pita
bread from a wood-burning oven, are all winners, as are the rotisserie
chicken and chargrilled kabobs. If the weather’s nice, angle for one of the
sidewalk tables under the green umbrellas.
Lauriol Plaza, in the culturally diverse Adams Morgan neighborhood, is
consistently voted Washington’s favorite Mexican restaurant (although
the cooking also incorporates a number of other Latin influences). You
could go the traditional route—tacos, enchiladas or fajita platters, all done
well—but why bother when there are more interesting choices such as
camarones brochette, six jumbo shrimp stuffed with cheese and
jalapeños, wrapped in bacon and served on a sizzling plate, or lomo
saltado, tenderloin strips with tomatoes, potatoes, jalapeño peppers and
Destination Guide: Washington D.C.  
10 
Restaurants Map
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a special Peruvian sauce? Lauriol Plaza’s vast, two-tiered, window-filled
dining room is lovely, but the rooftop deck has an especially festive air.
It’s very popular, so be prepared to wait for a table.
Not all that many cities can claim an Ethiopian restaurant, let alone a
number of them, but D.C. has a large and vibrant Ethiopian community.
Zed’s Ethiopian Cuisine is a good place to acquaint yourself with the
distinctive cooking of this African nation. Stews and stew-like
concoctions—both vegetarian and non-vegetarian—are served
communal style on large round platters. Instead of a spoon or fork, scoop
up a bite of food with the flat, spongy, porous pancake known as injera.
Its sourdough-like flavor counters the heat of many dishes (you also can
specify that they be prepared mild). Wats are spicy stews with chicken or
lamb; alechas are similar but more mildly spiced. Vegetables, whether
buttery chopped collard greens, pureed lentils or yellow split peas, are
delicious. Service is leisurely, so Zed’s is a good choice if you want to
linger awhile.
Restaurants Details - Get additional information on AAA.com;
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1. Kinkead's Restaurant
2000 Pennsylvania Ave NW
Washington, DC 20006
Phone: (202) 296-7700

2. Michel Richard Citronelle

3000 M St NW
Washington, DC 20007-3701
Phone: (202) 625-2150

3. Fahrenheit

3100 South St
Washington, DC 20007
Phone: (202) 912-4110

4. Marrakesh

617 New York Ave NW
Washington, DC 20001
Phone: (202) 393-9393

5. Lebanese Taverna

2641 Connecticut Ave NW
Washington, DC 20008
Phone: (202) 265-8681

6. Lauriol Plaza

1835 18th St NW
Washington, DC 20009
Phone: (202) 387-0035

7. Zed's Ethiopian Cuisine
1201 28th St NW
Washington, DC 20007
Phone: (202) 333-4710

8. Nora

2132 Florida Ave NW
Washington, DC 20008
Phone: (202) 462-5143

9. Obelisk

2029 P St NW
Washington, DC 20036
Phone: (202) 872-1180

10. Occidental
Grill & Seafood

1475 Pennsylvania Ave NW
Washington, DC 20004
Phone: (202) 783-1475

11. Old Ebbitt Grill

675 15th St NW
Washington, DC 20005
Phone: (202) 347-4800

12. Clyde's of Georgetown

3236 M St NW
Washington, DC 20007
Phone: (202) 333-9180

13. Hard Times Cafe

1404 King St
Alexandria, VA 22314
Phone: (703) 837-0050