Around the world…in one night! On Thursday, chefs from various embassies around DC will face-off to see who is the best culinary master of all at the Embassy Chef Challenge. Chef Tim Ma of Kyrisan and others judge the food while you do the eating, drinking, and partying. The event is hosted in downtown DC at the Ronald Reagan Building. Tickets start at $90.
Fun fact: May is Oregon’s official wine month, and Adams Morgan bar Jug & Table celebrates on Thursday with a tasting. The winemakers at Stoller Family Estate Winery are in town to walk you through a flight, talk about sustainable winemaking, and outline the Oregon terroir. Flights are $20, and wines are available by the glass.
Friday kicks off the three-day SerbFest, which brings traditional Serbian dishes, drinks, music, games, and artisanal gifts to St. Luke’s church in Potomac, MD. Try dishes like zeljanica (baked spinach and cheese wrapped in phyllo), svinjetina (spit-roasted pig), or krofna (a deep-fried donut), all accompanied by Serbian beers and liquor, of course.
Helmet up, fearless riders: Friday is Bike to Work Day, and all Pizzeria Paradiso locations in DC, MD, and VA are celebrating. Show up with your helmet and two wheels in tow, and you’ll get happy hour pricing all day on drafts from Oskar Blues Brewery. Sip a $3 Dale’s Pale Ale or Mama’s Little Yella Pils, and enter to win gift cards, too.
It’s all about that Greek food at DC’s Saint Sophia’s Annual Greek Festival. The three-day event kicks off on Friday on the church grounds near Cathedral Heights. Expect tons of food and sweets galore (baklava, anyone?), traditional Greek music and dance performances, craft vendors, and Greek beers and wines.
Oh, did your invite to St. George’s Chapel get lost in the mail? Too bad. Luckily for all the non-royals out there, there are plenty of places to take in the full luxury of the royal wedding on Saturday. Take a picture with a corgi at the Royal Wedding Pop-Up Bar in Shaw, or head to the St. Regis for a fancy tea, among other options.
Vegetarians beware—Saturday is the DC BBQ Bash at the Bullpen. Before the Nats face off against the Dodgers, hit up the many local joints selling ‘cue. Sloppy Mama’s, Rocklands, Due South, Hill Country, Fat Pete’s, and BBQ Bus Smokehouse—they’ll all be there. Admission is free, and you can opt to have a portion of your baseball ticket benefit Living Classrooms, which provides job training and education.
Q by Peter Chang in Bethesda hosts its first in-house cooking class on Saturday. Join chef Peter Chang and his wife, Lisa, and learn how to make the restaurant’s signature dumplings. The event is geared towards all ages ($40 for adults, $10 for kids), and there will be a brief demonstration before you get your hands dirty. After you make and cook your dumplings, you’ll sit down and enjoy lunch.
Sunday marks the 31st Taste of Arlington event, where 58 area food trucks and restaurants offer eats and drinks. Try bites by the likes of Ser and Ambar while you check out the beer and wine garden, sample the goods from local distilleries, take the dogs to the BarkPark, and listen to live music by bands like White Ford Bronco. A portion of the proceeds goes toward seven Arlington-area nonprofits.
New York Times columnist and author Mark Bittman joins Washingtonian food editor Anna Spiegel at Politics & Prose on Sunday to discuss his latest book, How to Grill Everything: Simple Recipes for Great Flame-Cooked Food. The event starts at noon at the Connecticut Avenue, Northwest location and is free to attend.
And heading into the week…
Belgian restaurant Et Voila! will pop bottles on Tuesday to celebrate their 10th anniversary. The celebratory dinner is a decadent affair—think a champagne welcome reception followed by ten courses of quail, rabbit, king crab, halibut, and dessert. Tickets are $180 a head.
Wednesday, the coworking spot Bureau will partner with local company True Syrups and Garnishes to host an outdoor happy hour celebrating summer. For just $10 you’ll get an open bar complete with specialty cocktails and boozy popsicles.
Mimi Montgomery joined Washingtonian in 2018. She’s written for The Washington Post, Garden & Gun, Outside Magazine, Washington City Paper, DCist, and PoPVille. Originally from North Carolina, she now lives in Del Ray.
