Free wine and cheese at Righteous Cheese
1309 Fifth St., NE
Now this is what we call a good deal. The Union Market vendor launches weekly “open house nights” on Thursdays from 5 to 6, where you’ll find different varieties of fromage paired with drinks and learn how to replicate the duos at home. Up first this week: the best cheeses to match with hard cider.
Denizens Brewing Company brewery tours
1115 East-West Hwy., Silver Spring
Check out Silver Spring’s new brewery during Saturday and Sunday tours, held at 1, 2:30, 4, and 5:30. Reservations can be made online, with an intimate ten spots allotted for each. Guests can also get growler fills and nosh on BBQ Bus ’cue (or falafel burgers for vegetarians).
New happy hour and dishes at Brookland’s Finest
3126 12th St., NE
Both early and late-night crowds can get in on the new happy hour at this neighborhood joint, with discount beers, wines, and cocktails ($4 to $6) from 4 to 7 Monday through Thursday, and nightly from 11 to close. Chef Shannan Troncoso also adds more autumnal dishes to the menu, such as a bone-in pork rack with sweet potatoes, and kale salad with pumpkin seeds.
Saturday brunch at Mio
1110 Vermont Ave., NW
Head to this Latin spot for creative brunch dishes such as fried green tomatillos with Oaxaca cheese and roast vegetables, pork belly with mofongo balls, and a Benedict with roasted poblano hollandaise. Service runs from 11 to 3.
Fall/winter menu arrives at Mari Vanna
1141 Connecticut Ave., NW
Cozy up to warming dishes at this Russian bar/restaurant, which launches a new lineup on Thursday. Items include beef-stuffed pastries, lamb kabobs served atop flatbread, and pumpkin soup. Imbibers can try new flavors of house-infused vodkas, such as apple-cinnamon and coffee.
Lunch and brunch at Mama Rouge
3000 K St., NW
The Georgetown waterfront’s newest restaurant begins lunch and brunch service, in addition to dinner. Look for French and Southeast Asian dishes like spicy herb-fried chicken, pork-belly bánh mì, and savory crepes.
Fall menu at Joe’s Stone Crab
750 15th St., NW
The downtown power spot launches new dishes on Thursday, which include a king crab Louie, a grilled seafood platter, and an old-school filet Oscar (crab-topped filet with asparagus and béarnaise sauce). Also for the wheat-free crowd: a gluten-free brownie sundae.
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.
