Food

7 Fun Food Events Around DC This Weekend

On the menu: Chiko's Slim Jim party, Taste of DC, and a boozy spelling bee.

The secret ingredient for this stew? Slim Jims. Photograph courtesy of Chiko

Halloween isn’t until next week, but restaurants and bars are already celebrating. If you’re into scary haunted trails and chainsaw-wielding circus acts, you’ll love our complete guide to Halloween, jam-packed with parties, dinners, shows, and more.

Wildly popular DC restaurants Maydan and Chiko are teaming up to create a Chinese-Korean Slim Jim (yep, the gas station snack) menu for their next “Chiko After Dark” series on Friday from 9:30 PM to midnight. Chef Scott Drewno’s love for the humble meat stick was publicized by Bloomberg last June, putting into motion this unique pop-up sponsorship. Interested? All specials will be offered at $8 per dish.

Last year’s Taste of DC festivities. Photograph courtesy of Taste of DC

Taste of DC is this Friday and Saturday, walking distance from the Navy Yard metro stop. The food festival boasts over 50 restaurants, two stages of live music, and an artisanal market. There’s also a Taste After Dark series that goes from 7 to 10 PM, so don’t worry about getting there late! Tickets range from $15 to $50 per person.

This Saturday is the 5th annual Dogtoberfest at Glen’s Garden Market in Dupont. Flying Dog Brewery is serving $4 seasonal drafts, sausages, handmade pretzels, and fresh potato salad from 2 to 5 PM. Unfortunately given the rain forecast the event has been moved inside, so the dog costume contest with its $50 gift certificate to Glen’s Garden Market will be done through Instagram. Anyone who lives in the Washington region can participate, as long as they tag @glensgardenmkt in a photo of their dressed-up pooch from now until Halloween.

For families looking to celebrate Halloween together there’s a parent-child lunch cooking class on Saturday, hosted by Tastemakers food hall in Brookland. On the menu includes jack o’lantern sandwich bites, chili with chocolates, and a Halloween brownie pizza. Tickets are $95 per adult and child (between the ages of 9-12).

You can learn how to make this chocolate-laced chili at Tastemakers. Photograph courtesy of Tastemakers.

Drinking and spelling aren’t two things that usually marry well, but Capitol Cider House is bucking convention and hosting a “Boozy Bee” this Sunday at 6 PM. As this is a qualifying round, the first and second place spellers will be invited back for an end-of-year spell-off and potentially bring home the mystery grand prize. Entry is $7 and includes a cider pour.

If you and your crew are health nuts, try out Food Jonezi Chefs’ Girlfriendz Cooking Class on Sunday, 3 to 6 PM. The theme is true friendship, and dietitian/chef Charmaine Jones will lead a lesson in healthy eating for you and your best friend. The event includes cooking, and more importantly, eating. Tickets are $75.

And heading into the week…

Sommeliers Andy Myers from José Andrés’ ThinkFoodGroup and Sebastian Zutant of Primrose Wine Bar go head to head on Monday at Zaytinya for Somms Uncorked. The “epic wine smackdown” will pit the two sommeliers against each other as they pair wines with chef Michael Costa’s lux menu: thick lamb rib chops, an “arpege egg,” or egg yolk with whipped yogurt, escargot, and much more. Tickets are $150.

Editorial Fellow