Where to Eat and Drink on Capitol Hill
The historic neighborhood near Congress is packed with prime dining options
Updated
Though the typical tourist might envision Capitol Hill as a sea of government buildings, it’s also home to a strong constituency of reliable restaurants. The charming neighborhood, which includes hyperlocal pockets of Barracks Row, Eastern Market, and Hill East, is a top destination for Ukrainian dumplings, upscale tlayudas, meaty subs, and everything in between.
Joselito, Beuchert’s Saloon, and Eat Brgz have closed. For now, we say goodbye to Bistro Cacao, Nostra Cucina, and Ambar. A few newcomers to watch have joined the Southeast neighborhood as of late, including Lobby Bar and Butterworth’s.
Here are 18 must-try dining destinations on Capitol Hill.
Pascual is one of the buzziest new restaurants in D.C. (and America) from the same restaurant group that includes Lapis and Lutèce. Almost every dish is cooked over the wood-fired grill, giving everything from charred eggplant tamal to lamb neck barbacoa a smoky flavor. The hearth-focused menu honors chef Isabel Coss’s native Mexico City, and her combined experience working at top-tier Mexican restaurants, including Michelin-starred Pujol. Don’t miss out on her bunuelos for dessert, a beautiful fried dough pastry served with chocolate sauce and caramel made of goat’s milk.
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Deb Lindsey
This restaurant evokes California’s farm-to-table spirit, alongside wines sourced from around the world. The roast chicken would make Ina Garten cry. And definitely save room for dessert and ice creams (available for to-go service) prepared by its talented pastry chef Rochelle Cooper. Consider its sleek sibling La Collina for standout Italian dishes like cacio e pepe, dry-aged beef carpaccio, and arancini bambini, along with grapefruit-accented Negronis by the pitcher.
Deb Lindsey
This family-owned Italian deli has acquired a serious local following for its meaty subs. Its most famous sandwich, the “G” Man, comes with ham, salami, mortadella, pepperoni, fontina cheese, provolone cheese, and oregano. Pickup wraps at 2:30 p.m. and delivery stops at 3 p.m.
Giddy-on-up to this burger bar featuring Southwest style with everything from ranch water to a green chile burger. Hill East Burger bar routinely invites in top chefs from around the District to introduce limited menu specials including a teriyaki burger (made by Perry’s chef Masako Morishita), leaving us salivating and hopeful that it will return someday soon.
Deb Lindsey for The Washington Post via Getty Images
This culinary clubhouse is home to some amazing vendors including Cameo Coffee, Hi-Fi Taco, and Shelter — a craft beer bar featuring brews from the Navy Yard’s Bluejacket Brewery. It’s also a food hall where you can order from your phone and dishes are delivered directly to your table — making for a seamless, no-wait-in-line experience. At the Roost’s acclaimed sit-down restaurant Caruso’s Grocery, everything from the chicken Parmigiana to the slightly-faded red booths is meant to feel like an old-school red sauce joint.
Stacey Windsor/For the Roost
