No reservations yet for Father’s Day? No problem. Spend Sunday at one of these cool events, or check out these great restaurants that are mostly first-come, first-feast.
Take dad out to the ballgame
The Nationals are away this weekend, but that doesn’t mean you can’t hit the Park (and the field). Watch the Nats take on the Blue Jays in Toronto, all while enjoying brunch on the baselines while the game plays on the scoreboard. The menu includes chicken and waffles, eggs and bacon, bloodies, mimosas, beer, and more. All-inclusive tickets are $75 for adults, $20 to $35 for kids.
Go whole hog on barbecue
DC is no Memphis, but Washington’s barbecue scene is on the up and up thanks to a bunch of tasty new places (and some delicious mainstays). Our food team recently scoured the region for the 13 best barbecue spots (and good news for meatless dads, in addition to pulled pork and ribs, there’s a few good veggie ‘cue options, too). Want to go DIY? Daniel Boulud’s DC restaurant, DBGB, hosts a beer and butchery class on Saturday at 11 AM ($65 per person), and there’s still space.
Crack crabs
Chesapeake crab season is finally here, and we’ve eaten the blues to prove it. Pick up our latest issue (on newsstands now) for Washingtonian’s 2018 crab house guide, which includes places in Washington (no car needed) as well as seafood restaurants with a waterfront view. A few of our many favorites: Ivy City Smokehouse in DC; Cantler’s, the Point, and Mike’s near Annapolis; and Kentmorr Crab House just over the Bay Bridge on the Eastern Shore. Also, for just this weekend, Chatter’s (formerly Chadwick’s) in Chevy Chase is hosting a Father’s Day feast for $49 with all-you-can-eat crabs and sides.
Wine and dine him
The whole “Father’s Day equals dad grilling and eating meeeeeat” thing is way overplayed. Sometimes fathers just want a nice meal and a good glass of wine, no standing over a hot grill or going full carnivore required. My dad asked to go to Middleburg on Father’s Day, followed by a nice wine-country brunch—destinations like Girasole or Field & Main are wonderful—followed by a trip to one of his favorite wineries. Like father, like daughter.
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.
