The New York Times just published its latest Washington travel guide, and while 36 hours in the city yielded plenty of good finds, coffee wasn’t one of them. The writer, who sticks to Capitol Hill, H Street, and the Navy Yard for dining, recommends breakfast at the Tune Inn, but not the hot brew. Not just there, but anywhere, really.
“The coffee is meh—a problem throughout much of the city—but the French toast tastes of nutmeg, the Irish omelet with grits is legitimate and the service is professional,” reads the guide.
Maybe try a cup at Peregrine, Pound the Hill, or anywhere besides a spot known for its fried burger? (Side note: nothing against Tune Inn, one of the best dive bars in town, not known for its latte art).
It was not all bad news from the Grey Lady. Culinary highlights include fried oysters at Rose’s Luxury, foie gras from the Atlas Room, Market Lunch’s blueberry pancakes, and dinner at New York import Osteria Morini. It’s up for debate whether the author hit Toki Underground after expressing annoyance at the no-reservations policy and referring to the menu of Taiwanese ramen as “sublime Japanese food” (we can agree on the sublime part). Drinking stops around H Street include tried-and-true places like Biergarten Haus and The Pug.
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.
