Food  |  Things to Do

10 Fun Food Events Around DC This Weekend

On the menu: National Margarita Day, Mardi Gras, and Winterfest.

Photograph of hibiscus margarita by Scott Suchman

Calling all leaf-lovers: vegetables are taking over H Street’s Sticky Rice on Thursday night. The vegan five-course tasting menu features crispy leek dumplings, smoked beet nigiri, and more meatless wonders from 6 PM to 10 PM. Tickets are $45.    

The National Museum of American History hosts a discussion and cooking demo with culinary journalist Toni Tipton-Martin, author of  Jubilee: Recipes from Two Centuries of African American Cooking,  and food historian Ashley Rose Young. The session starts at 1 PM on Friday and is free to attend. Copies of Tipton-Martin’s cookbook will be available for purchase and signing. 

A Baked Joint is hosting a tea tasting and poetry circle at their breezy bakery on K Street on Friday at 6 PM. Test your tastebuds with the help of the cafe’s resident “tea witch,” then share those sonnets in a fun-loving atmosphere. Tickets are $10.

This zero-proof dinner promises to be anything but sobering. Chef Ashish Alfred continues his monthly Feel Good Fridays series at George’s Chophouse in Bethesda at 8 PM on Friday. Inspired by his experiences in recovery and socializing without alcohol, the night features whimsical nonalcoholic drinks. Admission is free and drinks are priced a la carte.

As part of their five-day Mardi Gras extravaganza, Black Jack and Tilt Side Bar are teaming up to host a masquerade ball on Saturday. The 14th Street nightlife hotspot  will transform into the Big Easy with a DJ, photo booth, themed cocktail menu, and costume contest. The event is free to attend, but guests should register here.

Pomegranate margaritas on the menu at El Techo. Photo courtesy of Violetta Markelou.

Celebrate National Margarita Day the Jimmy Buffett way by taking advantage of Saturday tequila deals all around town. In Shaw, tropical theme bar  El Techo is mixing up five varieties of margs including a pineapple version that benefits No Kid Hungry. Over on 14th Street,  Tico is setting up a build-your-own margarita bar that will feature customizable garnishes, including a flaming pineapple (it also benefits No Kid Hungry). And aside from their classic lime margarita, which will be offered for $5 on Saturday, Tacos Tortas & Tequila has $8 blends with turmeric, tamarind, or tangerine.

Pizzeria Paradiso’s quarterly beer extravaganza, Winterfest, will take place on Saturday from 1  to 5 PM in the Georgetown location’s game room. In addition to seasonal brews and arcade games, festive fondue and roasted chestnuts will be on the menu. Tickets are $15 and include four six-ounce pours and a souvenir glass. Additional pours are $3. 

The digs at Flight Wine Bar. Photographs by Jeff Elkins

For the aspiring wine whiz, Flight Wine Bar is offering a special class as part of their monthly Flight Wine School. The Saturday session and tasting at 4 PM features winemaker Michael Huber, who brings his bottles and wisdom to the DC from his home in Austria. Tickets are $65.

Shannon Mustipher’s byline has appeared in publications like GQ and Bon Appétit, but on Sunday the bar aficionado swaps the pen for a lectern. Mustipher will speak at Allegory at 6 PM about the role African Americans have played in shaping American mixology. A  question-and-answer session will follow with a special happy hour menu featuring classic and modern drinks from the discussion.

On Sunday at 5:30 PM, AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center is hosting a free screening of the documentary The Game Changers, “a film about meat, protein, and strength.”  The film boasts A-listers like tennis player Novak Djokovic and actor Jackie Chan. After the screening, Honest Tea co-founder Seth Goldman will join other food entrepreneurs in a panel dissecting the movement toward plant-based foods. Tickets are free, but you can reserve a spot here.

Mardi Gras at Black Jack. Photograph by Daniel Swartz.

And heading into next week…

For true heat-seekers, Taco Rock’s inaugural Flammin’ Hot Poppers Challenge will take place on Monday at 7:30 PM in Rosslyn. It’s free to watch but the entry cost is $10 and everyone is encouraged to RSVP.

Get out your beads: Fat Tuesday is almost here and the Mardi Gras Extravaganza at Union Market’s Dock 5 is where you’ll want to be from 6 to 10 PM. Join Washingtonian, big-name chefs like David Guas (Bayou Bakery) and Good Stuff Eatery‘s Spike Mendelsohn, Gina Chersevani of Last Call, and many others for a food, cocktail, and music-filled evening. A dozen local mixologists will participate in a Hurricane contest to the tune of live New Orleans music. Tickets are $50.

Emma Francois is an editorial fellow at Washingtonian covering everything from food to fashion. She graduated from Georgetown University and has previously worked for USA Today, the Georgetown Voice, and the Chautauquan Daily.