Bastille Day is Thursday, July 14, and plenty of bars and restaurants are celebrating the French national day with specials on food, wine, and (of course) Champagne.
Opaline Bar & Brasserie
806 15th St., NW
Dress in your best French attire for Opaline’s annual Bastille Day Celebration—you might win a prize for best-dressed. From 4 pm to 10 PM, the Parisian-inspired restaurant will be serving beef tartare, quiche Florentine, and other French fare along with special cocktails and live music by French DJ David Dupree.
Bastille Brasserie & Bar
606 N Fayette St., Alexandria
The brasserie and bar is living up to its name by serving up a three-course dinner in honor of Bastille Day. You can choose from over 20 French dishes on their prix-fixe menu including French onion soup, escargot, mussels and fries, and chocolate profiteroles. Special “coq-tails” can be purchased for an additional price. The $55 special runs from Tuesday, July 12 through Saturday, July 16.
Embassy of France
4101 Reservoir Rd., NW
Join the French Ambassador for a sophisticated celebration of French independence. Chef Gilles Epié, who has cooked for the likes of George Bush and Bill Clinton, will be in charge of a multiple-course seated dinner complete with wine pairings. The event will also feature a Champagne reception, cognac tasting, live music, and a silent auction. Tickets start at $180 and can be purchased here.
Le Sel
1315 16th St., NW
Logan Circle’s French bistro is debuting its new patio for Bastille Day on Thursday, July 14. Guests can break in the outdoor space with live entertainment and complimentary hors d’oeuvres and rosé from 4 PM to 6 PM. The night will continue with a three-course menu featuring dishes from various regions of France paired with French cocktails for $49.
Le Diplomate
1601 14th St., NW
Enjoy a daylong, family-friendly event at the popular DC brasserie. The restaurant will host a balloon twister, caricature sketch artist, and an accordion player—and all will be decked out in blue, white, and red for the holiday. Patrons can dine on croque madames, tomato tartines, baguette de paté, and other French staples. If you can’t make the Thursday event, there will be a Bastille Day brunch on Saturday morning.
Cookology Culinary School
4238 Wilson Blvd., Arlington
Learn how to cook the French classics at this hands-on cooking course on Thursday, July 14 starting at 6:30 PM. Prepare duck confit, cassoulet, crostini, and a pear tart tatin with the help of a professional chef, and take home all the recipes. Students can enjoy cocktails, beer, and wine for an additional price. Tickets are $99.
Bistro Cacao
316 Massachusetts Ave., NE
The longtime Capitol Hill bistro is serving a $90 three-course menu for the holiday. There are multiple options for each course, including duck confit, poached monkfish, creamy saffron risotto, and blueberry crepes. There will also be live music on the patio during the event. Tickets can be purchased here.
Capital Wine School
5207 Wisconsin Ave., NW
Wine lovers can celebrate from the comfort of their own homes with a virtual Bastille Day Wine Tasting Celebration. Join the school for a blind tasting of wines from some of France’s most famous regions—the Loire Valley, Burgundy, and Bordeaux are just a few. Tickets are $95, and the wine samples are available to pick up on Wednesday, July 13.
