Eat Great Cheap 2015Few better gyros exist—in these parts at least—than the version made with pork at Plaka Grill. What sets it apart? The main thing is the tender, juicy meat, slowly burnished on a spit and sliced. But it’s also the accessories, such as crunchy red onions, airy tzatziki, and a handful of hot, salty French fries. The sandwich is justifiably famous, but it’s not the only reason to hit this friendly order-at-the-counter hangout, painted with murals of winding Greek streets. There’s a nice array of dips to share (a potent tapenade, a wonderful mix of feta with hot and sweet peppers), and strapping classics like pastitsio—a gooey, lasagna-like comfort—and moussaka are made with care.
Cuisine: Greek
Where you can find it: 110 Lawyers Rd., NW, Vienna; 703-319-3131
Also good: Avgolemono soup; chicken souvlaki; mixed grill, with sausage, chicken, pork, and bifteki, a patty of ground lamb and beef.
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.
Ann Limpert joined Washingtonian in late 2003. She was previously an editorial assistant at Entertainment Weekly and a cook in New York restaurant kitchens, and she is a graduate of the Institute of Culinary Education. She lives in Petworth.
