Area Restaurant Guide

A Guide to Selected Restaurants in and around Dupont Circle | Word

 

American
Luna Grill & Diner
1301 Connecticut Avenue NW
(202) 835-2280
·         Wheelchair accessible
·         Outdoor seating
·         $$: Inexpensive
Luna Grill & Diner is inexpensive, and the food is prepared by people who understand that American diner food—meatloaf, potatoes, homemade soup—can make for fine dining, too. If you've been ignoring your craving for a hamburger, here's the place to surrender to it.
 
Kramerbooks & Afterwords Café
1517-21 Connecticut Avenue NW
(202) 387-1462
·         Wheelchair accessible
·         Outdoor seating
·         $$: Inexpensive to moderate
This bookstore/café serves delicious New American cuisine, with touches of Thai and Mexican. Like the store it's attached to, the café's patio is great for people watching.
 
 
Asian
Bua (Thai)
1635 P Street NW
(202) 265-0828
·         Wheelchair accessible
·         Outdoor seating
Funky and hip, Bua has a kitchen whose dishes pulse with genuine flavor and heat. Check out the specials, which might include a dish like black tiger prawn panang curry. In warm weather, try to sit at a balcony table in Bua's second-floor dining room.
 
City Lights of China
1731 Connecticut Avenue NW
(202) 265-6688
·         $$: Inexpensive
Salt-crusted jumbo shrimp, velvety eggplant in garlic sauce, and steamed fish are among the best dishes.
   
Raku
1900 Q Street NW
(202) 265-7258
·         Wheelchair accessible
·         Outdoor seating
·         $$: Inexpensive
The formula is simple: Pan-Asian noodles, skewers, wrappers, salads and finger foods to mix and match. This cuisine is no lily-livered imitation- when they say fiery, they mean it!
 
Sakana (Japanese)
2026 P Street NW
(202) 887-0900
·         Wheelchair accessible
·         $$: Inexpensive
Sakana is often crowded—a testament to the reliability of the traditional cooking, the budget—friendly prices and the offbeat charm of the place. The fresh sushi (don't miss the shiitake mushroom sushi!) and sashimi are especially hard to resist.
 
Teaism
2009 R Street NW
(202) 667-3827
·         Wheelchair accessible
·         Quick lunch
·         $$: Inexpensive
Tea complements everything at this tasteful hot spot. Although the cuisine is mostly Asian, there's also freshly baked naan, sprightly mango and raspberry sorbets, baba ghanouj and Thai chicken curry. Tidy salad-rice-entree combinations are served in bento boxes, which provide a good sampling of the restaurant's fare.
 
Thaiphoon
2011 S Street NW
(202) 667-3505
·         $$: Inexpensive
Fresh, tasty Thai in a funky atmosphere. Seafood dishes stand out, as do the vegetarian offerings.
 
 
Brazilian
The Grill From Ipanema
1858 Columbia Rd NW
(202) 986-0757
·         Wheelchair accessible
·         Outdoor seating
The Grill From Ipanema evokes the spirit of Brazil with its tropical setting and menu, which concentrates on beef, seafood and chicken (although alligator is an option). Beware—you may want to dance a samba to the Brazilian music pulsating over the speakers.
 
  
Ethiopian
Meskerem
2434 18th Street NW
(202) 462-4100
·         Wheelchair accessible
·         $$: Inexpensive
Outside of Addis Ababa, Washington is one of the best places to try Ethiopian food. And Meskerem is among the best of the places in Adams-Morgan. Sampler trays are the best– a selection of dishes is served on big shared trays and everyone digs in using a spongy, pancake like bread called injera to scoop up the thick, delicious stews of meat or vegetables.
 
 
French
Bistro du Coin
1738 Connecticut Avenue NW (S Street)
(202) 234-6969
·         Wheelchair accessible
·         $$: Moderate to expensive
Bistro du Coin is new to the neighborhood. While it still has a few things to iron out, its authentic and lovely open-air ambience beckons. Diners have enjoyed the expert French frites, tender steak maison, and the country pâté. (Not to mention the wine list.)
 
 
Greek/Mediterranean
Mourayo
1732 Connecticut Avenue, NW
(202) 667-2100
•     $$: Moderate to expensive
Mourayo, recently opened by the owner of LaTomate, proivdes customers with a lovely new restaurant run by a caring professional. This authentic Greek restaurant specializes in fresh fish grilled with fragrant herbs, unusual seafood dishes, and excellent meat dishes all of which are beautifully presented.
 
 
Indian
Polo India
1736 Connecticut Avenue NW
(202) 483-8705
·         $$: Inexpensive to moderate
The test of authenticity awaits in this kitchen's hot tandoori breads and velvety curries. Breads are a must—the onion kulcha is a real winner.
 
 
Italian
Buca di Beppo
1825 Connecticut Avenue NW
(202) 232-8466
·         Wheelchair accessible
·         Outdoor seating
·         $$: Inexpensive to moderate
A menu of antipasto, pasta, and chicken and veal dishes served in jaw-dropping, Bunyan-esque portions.
  
La Tomate
1701 Connecticut Avenue NW
(202) 667-5505
·         Outdoor seating
·         $$: Moderate to expensive
La Tomate is light, bright and lively. Regulars praise the chicken?vegetable soup and the pastas. Among the best dishes are the simple ones, like butterflied trout, smoked on the premises, with lemon and herbs.
 
Sette Osteria
1666 Connecticut Avenue, NW
(202) 483-3070
•      Outdoor seating
•      Wheelchair accessible
•      $$: Moderate
Wood fired traditional pizzas is a mainstay of this new resturant. There is also a daily fresh fish selection, antipasti, salads, and a variety of pasta dishes. Sette Osteria is handsomely decorated, and its lively atmosphere supports an active bar scence in the evening.
 
 
Mexican
Chipotle Mexican Grill
1629 Connecticut Avenue NW
(202) 387-8261
·         Wheelchair accessible
·         Quick lunch
·         $$: Inexpensive
Inexpensive, gourmet chain. Twenty-ounce burritos and tacos (soft or crispy) are the focus of the menu. Chips (fried in vegetable shortening) are tasty with salt and lime. Terrific guacamole.
 
Lauriol Plaza
1835 18th Street NW (T Street)
(202) 387-0035
·         Outdoor seating
·         $$: Inexpensive
Anyone who has been around knows you never bother with a table indoors if you can help it. Start off with a pitcher of margaritas or sangria for the table and dig into the fajitas and other tasty offerings!
 
 
Pizza
Pizzeria Paradiso
2003 P Street NW
(202) 223-1245
·         $$: Inexpensive
Pizzeria Paradiso packs a lot of charm into a very small space. The pizza is very good—puffy but thin crusted, slightly blistered from its time in the wood-burning oven.
  
 
Sandwiches/Wraps
Firehook Bakery & Coffeehouse
1909 Q Street NW
(202) 588-9296
·         Wheelchair accessible
·         Quick lunch
·         $$: Inexpensive
There is limited space to sit and eat, but the rustic breads, scrumptious pastries, focaccias and paninis are worth carrying out.
 
 
Seafood
Pesce
2002 P Street NW
(202) 466-3474
·         Wheelchair accessible
·         $$: Moderate to expensive
As ever, there are plenty of reasons for the lines that routinely form in (and out of) this small but soulful eatery: rich crab cakes, perfectly sautéed grouper, robust fish stew, and pasta with tender squid and red peppers, among others.