This Sunday marks Bastille Day, the French national holiday, and there are plenty
of places to sip Champagne, eat fromage, and get into the Gallic spirit all week long.
Provençal feast at Mintwood Place
When: Tuesday through Sunday
Chef
Cedric Maupillier shows his patriotism by whipping up dishes from his native Toulon. Order à la carte
or splurge on a five-course feast featuring dishes such as dorade with braised fennel and lamb saddle with ratatouille
and squash blossoms. $65 per person; $100 with wine pairings.
Let them eat cake bar at the Phillips Collection
When: Thursday 5 to 8:30 at the Phillips Collection; Malmaison after-party 9 to 2
Brightest Young Things teams up with the gallery for an art-filled soiree, the Unstill
Life.
Come for cubism-inspired cocktails, absinthe, and an all-you-can-eat cake bar; stay
for a gallery talk and tour and an after-party at the newly opened Malmaison.
Bastille Day gala at the French Embassy
When: Friday 7 to midnight
Head to the heart of the festivities during a gala at the Embassy of France, where Chez Billy, Ris,
and other restaurants dish up celebratory eats. You can also listen to live jazz,
sip cocktails from the open bars, and participate in raffles and auctions. Tickets start at $110 per person.
“Let them eat
gougères!” at Central
When: Saturday 5 to 11
Head to Central for dinner and receive a gratis basket of warm, cheesy
gougères during Michel Richard’s celebration.
In addition to the regular menu you’ll also find Bastille Day specials such as cherry
vacherin, bottles of French wine at a 20 percent discount, and jazz quartet Laissez
Foure.
Ninth annual Bastille Day block party at L’Enfant Café Bar
When: Saturday (patio party at 3, masquerade ball at 9)
Whether you feel like donning a French maid costume or sipping vodka cocktails and
watching burlesque, L’Enfant’s raucous fête is always a fantastic way to celebrate.
The festivities spill out beyond the patio, where you’ll find bars serving Stella
and Hoegaarden, food trucks like Rito Loco and Pleasant Pops, and lots of entertainment.
Can-can dancers and the infamous French maid relay race are always must-sees as well.
Three courses (with plenty of options) at Bastille
When: Sunday 4 to 8:30
It’s only fitting that Alexandria’s neighborhood French spot would celebrate the eponymous
holiday. You’ll find plenty of dishes to choose from on the three-course menu—think
warm goat cheese salads and duck with grilled peaches—and you can also add a trio
of fromage. $39 per person; $51 with a cheese course.
Outdoor fete at Café du Parc
When: Sunday (lunch from noon to 4, dinner from 5 to 9)
The celebrations start early at the Willard Hotel’s French eatery, where you can head
over for lunch on the outdoor patio and live music from the Gypsy Roots Quartet. A
Gallic-themed grill turns out salmon, lamb chops with ratatouille, petite filet with
béarnaise sauce, and more through the day. Servers will also pour French wines.
Afternoon wine festival and tasting menu at 2941
When: Sunday (wine festival from 11 to 2:30, tasting menu from 5:30 to 8:30)
Chef
Bertrand Chemel gets in the holiday spirit with a double dose of Bastille festivities. Start with
an afternoon wine festival, where
$48 buys an all-inclusive menu of French wines and dishes such as grilled merguez
sausage sandwiches, mini
croque monsieurs, and more. (Kids participate for free.) In the evening, Chemel serves up a four-course
tasting menu for $95 per person.
Baguette race at Paul Penn Quarter
When: Sunday (kids’ race at 2, adult race at 2:30), 2:30 (adult race).
If a French maid race seems a little too
scandaleux, grab the kids and get ready for Paul bakery’s baguette race at the Penn Quarter location. Children and adults can enter their own heats to win
prizes including $25 gift certificates and goodie bags from Alliance Française, which
is cohosting the event.
Bastille Day at Bistrot du Coin
When: Sunday (dinner at 7 or 9:30, deejay after midnight)
Feel like relaxing over wine and bistro fare in a lively atmosphere? The Dupont brasserie—Washington’s
longtime go-to spot to celebrate Bastille Day—isn’t lining up a ton of official events
for the holiday, but you can dine on the regular menu at one of two evening seatings
and the head upstairs for a deejay and dancing after midnight.
Bastille-themed recipes at the Dupont FreshFarm Market
Anna Spiegel covers the dining and drinking scene in her native DC. Prior to joining Washingtonian in 2010, she attended the French Culinary Institute and Columbia University’s MFA program in New York, and held various cooking and writing positions in NYC and in St. John, US Virgin Islands.
