As parents flock into the District, the question arises of where they should treat you and your friends to a great meal. From breakfast to the best new restaurant in America of 2014, we’ve got you and your family covered for a weekend filled with delicious food and awkward family photos.
Estadio
Photo by Lindsey M
Reminiscent of a Madrid tapas bar, this relatively new restaurant serves the best tapas in town. Estadio’s vibe is evocative of a traditional Spanish restaurant. Many of the long tables seat multiple parties creating an exciting, energetic scene. To start, sample a couple of the simple and deeply satisfying pinxtos.
I recommend the boqueron with artichoke and olive on fresh homemade bread. Another popular dish is the grilled pork loin with crispy kale and roasted pears. Enjoy a cocktail or two. Although the drinks are not traditionally Spanish, they are conducive to a long evening of genial conversation and endless tapas.
Bar Pilar
Photo courtesy of Districtbrit
Bar Pilar serves terrific cocktails and a sumptuous regional farm to table menu. The Chef, Jesse Miller, is known for his inventive cooking style and skill with vegetables. The bar gets fairly rowdy at night, so brunch may be the parental preference.
Enjoy a Blue Collar Bloody Mary (vodka, house bloody mix, house picked veggies, and High Life pony) paired with a “Hangover Cure” which includes a biscuit, sausage gravy, home fries, and cheesey eggs.
Don’t forget to save room for dessert. The dessert menu includes a variety of intriguing sweets such as the triple chocolate chipwich with vanilla gelato and SF chocolate milk and the Grilled Bounty Hill Farm’s peaches with olive oil, sea salt, and lychee sorbet.
A Baked Joint
Photo courtesy of A Baked Joint
If you’ve ever indulged in a Baked and Wired cupcake (and who hasn’t?), you wouldn’t be surprised to hear that A Baked Joint (by the same owners) is absolutely scrumptious. Similar to Baked and Wired, the café is modern and industrial looking with large communal tables and airy open spaces. While the coffee and desserts are exceptional, you must try their “AM or PM Working Menu”.
For breakfast, I would recommend the savory oatmeal with smoked ham, kale, caramelized onions, and pecorino topped with a poached egg.
If you’re in search of a lighter breakfast, try their toast with peanut butter and drizzled sriracha. The go to order on the PM menu would definitely be the meatloaf. This dish pairs meatloaf with house made bourbon ketchup, crispy onions, and perfectly toasted bread. If you wish to show your parents a hip, young DC crowd, stop here.
Compass Rose
Photo courtesy of Claire B on Yelp
This restaurant serves a variety of brightly flavored, international street eats. The atmosphere is dark and crowded which only enhances the laid back intimacy of the meal. The head chef, Sam Molavi, offers dishes from every corner of the world.
The most popular dish to start is the Georgian khachapuri, a rich, dense cheesy bread. Each dish is unique. Its origin is marked next to the name of the plate, allowing you to envision where your dish is rooted. Owner Rose Previte lives upstairs with his husband and their restaurant conjures a hip, global living room feel.
Rose’s Luxury
Photo courtesy of Washington Post
If waiting in line isn’t your strong suit; you may choose to skip this dreamy food mecca. Miss it at your own peril! If you are interested in sampling Bon Appetit’s best new American restaurant of 2014, where Barack and Michelle recently celebrated his birthday, hop in line and pray you’ll be seated within the next two hours.
The food is inventive and delectable. Rose’s popcorn soup with grilled lobster imparts such an explosive taste; one immediately understands the daily line up.
The meal starts out with a hot loaf of house made baked potato bread with whipped butter and chives. The plates are fairly small and shout out to be shared. Some favorite dishes include the rock shrimp ceviche with crispy plantains, charred carrots with harissa and house made yogurt with pearl onions. The cocktails are sublime and don’t leave without trying at least two of the brightly flavored, yet comforting desserts.