Food

Bidens Do Date Night at Swanky DC Italian Restaurant Fiola Mare

The President is drawing criticism for not wearing a mask as he exited the restaurant.

Fiola Mare attracts bold-faced names—and foodies with its magnificent seafood. Photograph by Scott Suchman

Joe and Jill Biden dined at Fiola Mare last night for their first DC restaurant date night since moving into the White House. Fabio Trabocchi’s Italian seafood destination in Georgetown is also a favorite of the Obamas, among other political VIPs and celebs ranging from Ivanka Trump to Oprah.

A patron told White House pool reporter (and former Washingtonian staffer) Brittany Shepherd that the President had the “lobster,” though the only lobster on the menu appears to be a $46 crudo. (Maybe the tipster spotted wild New Zealand langoustine, which are $28 each.) The restaurant is also known for its handmade pastas, grilled seafood, and luxe ingredients ($250 for an ounce of caviar).

Video and photos from fellow customers show Biden maskless as he exited the restaurant just before 8 PM, a move that drew criticism from right-wing personalities on Twitter. DC still requires all indoor diners to wear a mask unless they area actively eating and drinking.

The Bidens’ last dining outing in DC was a Memorial Day brunch at 14th Street French brasserie Le Diplomate with Vice President Kamala Harris and Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff (who went on their own date night this week to the Dabney). The President has also made pitstops to Call Your Mother in Georgetown for bagels and Las Gemelas near Union Market for tacos. He now far surpasses Trump’s record of visiting a single DC restaurant while in office (the steakhouse in his own hotel). So far, though, the Bidens are still nowhere near the out-and-about foodies that the Obamas were.

Jessica Sidman
Food Editor

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.