The Mall by Day, the U Street Corridor by Night
Breakfast: Le Bon Café
Grab a seat at one of the outdoor tables at this cozy Capitol Hill cafe for a plate
of French toast, a waffle, or a made-to-order egg sandwich; or pick up a croissant
or bagel to enjoy on the road.
Visiting the Capitol takes a little planning. Tour slots are free and can be booked
online as late as the day before, and a small number of same-day tickets are available
at the information desks on Emancipation Hill. The basic tour includes a short history
lesson and an introduction to the building. The House and Senate galleries are also
open to visitors, but you’ll need to arrange separate passes ahead of time through
your senator or representative. The Visitor Center is also open 8:30 to 4:30 Monday
through Saturday, and you can stop in to the exhibit hall, the cafeteria, and the
gift shops any time.
Next Stop: Visit the Library of Congress
Next to the Capitol sits the largest library in the world, where more than 500 miles
of bookshelves house books, photos, maps, and other items. In 1814, the original building
and its contents were burned by the British, and since Thomas Jefferson offered his
own collection as a replacement, the main building now bears his name (Adams and Madison
are the other two buildings in DC). More than 151 million items are housed in the
library, and free tours are offered between 10:30 and 3:30 on weekdays and between
10:30 and 2:30 on Saturdays.
Lunch: On Pennsylvania Avenue, Southeast, at Good Stuff Eatery, Sonoma, or We, the Pizza
Pennsylvania Avenue, Southeast, near the Capitol, abounds with lunch options.
Top Chef alum Spike Mendelsohn has made a home at Third and Penn, where he runs burger joint
Good Stuff Eatery and casual pizzeria We, the Pizza, both in converted rowhouses with
patio seating out front. At Good Stuff, make sure to pair your burger with a milkshake
(we suggest the toasted marshmallow). At We, the Pizza, you can opt for a slice or
a full pie—we can’t resist the spinach and artichoke.
For a longer-lasting sit-down meal and a glass of wine, head to Sonoma, a few doors
closer to the Capitol. This restaurant’s charcuterie and extensive wine list are highlights,
but the creative salads and pizzas are also worth a try.
PM: Take In Art for Free at the National Gallery of Art
The National Gallery of Art’s West Building is home to one of the world’s best collections
of paintings, sculpture, and more dating from the 13th to the 20th century. Highlights
include pieces by Monet, Renoir, and Cezanne, and the only Da Vinci in the Western
hemisphere, “Ginevra de’ Benci.”
The I.M. Pei-designed East Building, meanwhile, houses mostly modern and contemporary
pieces, including a huge Calder mobile that hangs from the ceiling and works by Picasso,
Pollock, Matisse, and Mondrian. The Gallery’s sculpture garden also sits on the Mall
(next to the West Building), serving as home to works by Louise Bourgeois and Sol
LeWitt.
Next Stop: The Newseum
This seven-level complex opened in its current location near the Mall in 2008, notable
for the First Amendment quote emblazoned on its facade. Inside, you’ll find 15 main
exhibition galleries covering major events like the fall of the Berlin Wall and the
September 11 attacks. Other not-to-be-missed highlights include the Pulitzer Prize
Photo Gallery, the NBC News Interactive Newsroom—which allows guests to read the news
themselves from a teleprompter—and the views from the sixth-floor terrace. This is
not a Smithsonian museum, so a two-day pass costs $21.95.
Happy Hour: The Source
There’s nothing Washingtonians love more than a good happy hour, and celebrity chef
Wolfgang Puck’s the Source created a menu with that in mind. The Source (which is
in the Newseum) makes it possible to squeeze dinner out of a few specials. Monday
through Saturday from 4 to 6, you can get three dishes—like shrimp tempura rolls,
pork-belly-stuffed
bao buns, and miniature
bánh mì—from the downstairs lounge’s
izakaya menu for $20.12, and beer and sake are, of course, available to wash down the cheap
snacks.
Dinner: 14th Street
The 14th Street, Northwest, area is awash with new, interesting restaurants and bars;
you may have trouble choosing just one. Some options include Pearl Dive Oyster Palace
for exceptional fresh seafood and El Centro D.F. for a menu
that’s entirely gluten-free. For small, shareable plates, try Estadio,
which offers great Spanish tapas near Logan Circle; or Bar Pilar,
where the options change seasonally but always include strong vegetable and pork dishes.
Post-Dinner: Explore the U Street Nightlife
If you’re looking for live music, you couldn’t be in a better neighborhood. Options
include the 9:30 Club, which is consistently voted one of the best music venues in
the country by Pollstar; dance/electronica venue U Street Music Hall; and the New
Vegas Lounge, which has live Motown and blues on weekends.
