Remember what it’s like to have a president who visits local restaurants? While Trump hasn’t visited a single establishment in DC besides the steakhouse in his own hotel over the past four years, Joe Biden is much more of a man about town (though not quite a prolific diner like Barack Obama). Here’s a look back at some of the places he’s frequented over the years:
It may have been dubbed the “second White House cafeteria” in the early Trump years, but the Georgetown Italian restaurant has always been a go-to for politicos right and left. Biden has been spotted there multiple times, according to Politico Playbook. He ate there with his son Hunter and grandchildren as recently as June 2019.
The Delaware sandwich chain is Biden’s hometown favorite. The then-Vice President was among the first customers at the grand opening of the DC location in 2013, where he ordered two medium Italian subs, no onions, one with hot peppers on the side. (“The only way to eat these things is with hot peppers, but not everybody understands that. You know what I mean?”) That outpost has since closed. The closest location to the White House is in Rosslyn.
A lot of VIPs use the private Secret Service entrance, but Biden walked right in the front door when he dined at this Italian-American restaurant. Meanwhile, Jill Biden has carb-loaded at Carmine’s in DC and New York before marathons.
Biden and Obama dropped by Georgetown’s veteran-run Dog Tag Bakery in July 2018. They ordered ham-and-gruyere and turkey with brie sandwiches as well as sweets like mint-basil olive oil cake, a chocolate chip cookie, and a brownie.
The 14th Street French hotspot is known for its countless VIPs. Biden was spotted there there at least a couple times. He ordered the restaurant’s popular “burger Americain” in 2013. He was there again in March 2019 for a going away party for one of the directors at the Biden Foundation.
The Italian fine-dining restaurant hosted Biden and Jill Biden, along with other board members of the Biden Cancer Initiative, for dinner in February 2018.
The former Vice President was spotted having pizza at Dupont Circle’s Pizzeria Paradiso in December 2016. Eater reported he posed for photos with the staff and autographed a menu for chef Ruth Gresser.
The New Haven-style pizzeria is apparently a favorite of Biden. He’s frequented the Friendship Heights location multiple times over the years.
RIP to one of the area’s best burger spots. Biden and Obama chowed down on cheeseburger at the now-closed Rosslyn strip mall joint in 2009.
Biden and Obama had another burger date at the Dupont location of Danny Meyer’s burger chain in May 2015. The then-VP ordered a cheeseburger, fries, and black-and-white milkshake.
Biden is well known for his love of ice cream, so no wonder he’s stopped at this Georgetown shop.
Jessica Sidman covers the people and trends behind D.C.’s food and drink scene. Before joining Washingtonian in July 2016, she was Food Editor and Young & Hungry columnist at Washington City Paper. She is a Colorado native and University of Pennsylvania grad.
