If you’ve procrastinated on Father’s Day plans, don’t worry—there are still plenty of festivities and food-centric fun ideas to pursue before Sunday, June 19.
Scrap the grill and enjoy a not-so-basic Father’s Day meal:
- Dolce Vita (1610 14th St., NW) in Logan Circle is hosting a Father’s Day jazz brunch with live entertainment ($55). The three-course Mediterranean affair features dishes such as grilled branzino with artichoke and mango panna cotta.
- Chef-owner Ed Reavis of All Set in Silver Spring is celebrating Juneteenth and Father’s Day with a special weekend menu inspired by Black culinary traditions he’d like to impart to his own son. The three-course dinner menu ($60 per person) includes dishes like fried green tomatoes with crab fondue, smoked double-cut pork chops, and blueberry cobbler. It’s available Friday, June 17 through Sunday, and reservations can be made via Tock.
- Have a Father’s Day feast at dLeña in Mt. Vernon Triangle (476 K St., NW, Suite D). Starting at 5 PM on Sunday, the Mexican restaurant will serve up special appetizers and entrées including ribeye tacos with truffle pico de gallo ($30), and wood-grilled scallops ($58) for the occasion.
- For the dad who does not want the typical brunch buffet, head to Karma Modern Indian (611 I St., NW) to enjoy an Indian-inspired three course pre-fixe menu ($55-$75) that kicks off with a mint watermelon cooler.
Treat dad to a beer:
- Atlas Ivy City Brewery & Tap Room (2052 West Virginia Ave., NE) is taking one for the team and listening to all the cheesy dad jokes this Sunday. If your dad makes a staff member laugh, he will receive a free beer.
- More free beer! Both All-Purpose locations (1250 9th St., NW and 79 Potomac Ave., SE) are handing out complimentary Full Count Lager, their exclusive DC Brau collab, for dads on Father’s Day.
- Lena’s Wood-Fired Pizza & Tap in Del Ray (401 E Braddock Rd., Alexandria) is celebrating dad all weekend (June 17-19) with both meaty and vegetarian specials: a slow-roasted prime rib or spaghetti with Impossible meat bolognese. A nice extra gift: 25 percent off growlers of beer to-go.
Don’t forget the whiskey-lovers:
- Maker’s Mark is hosting a special evening for fathers at Hook Hall (3400 Georgia Ave., NW) where they will receive a chair massage, engraved bottle, customized glass or baseball, and a cocktail featuring the household-name whiskey ($59).
- Haven’t found your dad the perfect gift? Boundary Stone (116 Rhode Island Ave., NW) is selling bottles of its 10 year Anniversary Whiskey. The Bloomingdale pub is treating dads to free cans of Busch Light, so you can get him more free beer while you’re at it.
Celebrate with some of DC’s finest food, but at home:
- Lobster, snow crab, clams, mussels, sweet corn, and marble potatoes can all be enjoyed in Fiola Mare’s “sea bucket.”(3100 K St., NW) Take the ready-to-steam pot home for $550 and feed the entire family.
- Moon Rabbit (801 Wharf St., SW) is serving up modern Vietnamese cuisine to take home for Father’s Day (must order by June 16). Chef Kevin Tien prepares six-hour roasted lemongrass pork shoulder in fish sauce caramel, pickled jalapeno garlic and daikon radish, and Vietnamese coffee cake among the elaborate to-go offerings ($249+).
Give your dad a break and have someone else do the grilling:
- Guinness Open Gate Brewery (5001 Washington Blvd., Halethorpe) is hosting “Guinness Grills for Dad.” Let your dad have some say in the grilling process by choosing between a Tomahawk steak or New York strip steak. The brewery will also be releasing its new Rice Lager.
- Head over to Fair Winds Brewing Company (7000 Newington Rd., Lorton) for an all-you-can-eat pig roast on Father’s Day ($15+). They will be smoking a whole pig to be served with a wide selection of classic grill-out sides.
- Take home the Father’s Day Grilling Package (feeds 6-8) from Smokecraft Modern BBQ (1051 N Highland St., Arlington), which includes a build-your-own nachos kit, St. Louis rib platter, BBQ sampler platter, wings, and more.
- Juniper Restaurant (2401 M St., NW) is firing up the grill and roasting an entire pig, jumbo shrimp, and sausage to celebrate the day for dad’s ($19+). You can also order from their regular brunch menu in addition to the grilling station.