Bastille Day: La Fête Nationale is on Monday, and while restaurants and bars have been celebrating all weekend, you can still find some day-of events. A good option for shaking off the post-weekend blues: half off French wines at Vinoteca all night long.
Go Belgian: Belgian Restaurant Week returns on Monday. A variety of events are planned, from a special three-course dinner menu with Belgian beer pairings at Et Voila! ($39.95) to daily rotating festivities at Belga Cafe.
Tequila!: July is National Tequila Month, and both the Georgetown and 14th Street locations of El Centro DF are celebrating. Head to either branch for a tequila dinner on Monday, with seatings at 6 and 8 (there’s another round next Monday, July 21). The evening begins with a reception, followed by a three-course dinner with pairings, and a chance to meet representatives from the tequila companies ($69 per person).
Best of the best: One of the biggest culinary events of the summer goes down on Wednesday at the National Building Museum: Washingtonian’s AT&T Best of Washington party. You’ll find 60 top restaurants, an open bar, silent auction, and plenty to keep you entertained throughout the evening. Tickets (starting at $125 for general admission) are expected to sell out by Monday, so get yours soon.
Fans of Philly: Washingtonians may not be big Eagles fans, but we can get behind an Ode to Philly Night at City Tap House featuring a tap takeover from Philadelphia-based Yards Brewing Company on Thursday at 5. Look for ten different drafts, plus specialty eats, two kinds of cheesesteaks (fancy and whiz), soft pretzels, German buttercake, and more.
Baltimore-bound: Former McCrady’s chef Jeremiah Langhorne, who’s planning to open a restaurant in Washington, heads a pop-up at Baltimore’s Artifact Coffee on Thursday. Expect a locally foraged menu from Langhorne and chef/owner Spike Gjerde, available from 6 to 10 through Saturday.
Birthday open house: Vermilion celebrates its 11th year in Alexandria with a recently renovated space, which will open to the public on Thursday at 8 for a no-admission party. Guests can listen to live music, try a special menu from chef Will Morris, and toast the restaurant at 11 with free bubbly.
Rooftop soiree: Hit the roof during Del Campo at Dusk, a Friday evening party from 6 to 9. Former Pabu chef Jonah Kim contributes to the East-meets-West menu that combines, sushi, ceviche, sake, and pisco cocktails. Tickets are $65, all-inclusive, and available online.
Burger bash: It’s an afternoon of beers and burgers at DC Brau’s BRGR Bash on Saturday from noon to six. Ten eateries, including Burger Tap & Shake, Willow Restaurant, and Café Saint-Ex, compete to make the best patties, voted on by event-goers (tickets are either $27 for a sample of five, or $47 for two people sampling ten). Craft brews are sold separately.
Summer jam: Head over to 3 Stars Brewing on Saturday from 1 to 6 for the Artists & Artisans Summer Jam. The $15 admission fee gets you a tasting glass and free beer, plus access to a variety of local producers such as New Columbia Distillers, Rappahannock River Oysters, DGS Delicatessen, and more.
Ice cream super-social: One of the biggest ice cream bashes of the summer, DC Scoop, returns to Union Market on Saturday from 1 to 4. You can taste ice cream, gelato, and popsicles from the likes of Dolcezza, Trickling Springs, Ice Cream Jubilee, and more, participate in an ice cream-eating contest, and enter a raffle with food-related prizes.
Seafood feast: Acadiana hosts a Louisiana-style fish fry on its patio on Saturday from 2 to 5. The $60 all-inclusive ticket price gets you unlimited catfish, shrimp, hushpuppies, fried green tomatoes, peach cake, and more, alongside bottomless Abita beer and house wine. A cash bar will also be available.
Taste of Thailand: The Royal Thai Embassy hosts the annual Thai Village in Georgetown on Saturday from 11 to 6. Head to Grace Church to sample a range of Thai dishes and drinks.
French cooking class: Acclaimed French chef Gérard Panguad (Malmaison) teaches a hands-on cooking class at the Hill Center on Saturday from 11 to 1:30. The menu includes dishes like mushroom-and-herb-crusted halibut and a riff on tarte tatin. Registration is $85 per person.
Drink up, Maryland: Explore the world of Maryland-made ciders, meads, and fruit wines at Cockeysville’s Eat-Drink-Go Local Festival on Sunday from noon to six. The outdoor event includes a farmers market, live music, and tastings. Tasting passes, available online, are $25.
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.
