Time to Celebrate
Citronelle (Latham Hotel, 3000 M St., NW;
202-625-2150)—chef Michel Richard’s flagship and the grande dame of the
area’s fine-dining scene—is closed for repairs. If you’ve got a special
occasion to toast, instead head to 1789 (1226 36th St.,
NW; 202-965-1789), in a Federal-style rowhouse lined with antique maps and
flowered wallpaper. Chef Anthony Lombardo is putting an Italian spin on
what has been a staunchly American menu, enriching a peach salad with
knobs of burrata cheese and pairing the famous rack of lamb with
polenta and ricotta-stuffed peppers.
The French institution La Chaumière (2813 M
St., NW; 202-338-1784) is rustic and casual, but flourishes such as
attentive service and Grand Marnier soufflés still make it feel special.
Hearty appetites can indulge in Emmental-and-Gruyère-capped onion soup, a
lovely boudin blanc, and classic quenelles of pike in a rich lobster
sauce.
Afternoon Pick-Me-Ups
With cupcake, gelato, and candy shops galore, Georgetown is a
mecca for sugar fiends. Check out Fleurir Hand Grown Chocolates
(3235 P St., NW; 202-465-4368) for artful chocolates in flavors
such as wattleseed-toffee and Grand Marnier-and-orange-blossom, plus
gift-worthy bars stuffed with bacon and smoky caramel.
Macarons, feathery croissants, and Breton-style butter
cakes are the things to pick up at Pâtisserie Poupon
(1645 Wisconsin Ave., NW; 202-342-3248), a narrow and minimalist French
bakery/cafe. The charming, brick-enclosed back patio is our favorite place
to sit.
For something lighter, head to the Argentinean-style gelateria
Dolcezza (1560 Wisconsin Ave., NW; 202-333-4646), which
has scoops ranging from piquant gin-spiked cucumber sorbetto to luscious,
chocolate-flecked stracciatella.
Although the cupcake competition is fierce in this city, the
fudgily iced Chocolate Satin cupcake and the Razmanian Devil, a lemon
cupcake with raspberry-jam filling, have us convinced that Baked
& Wired (1052 Thomas Jefferson St., NW; 202-333-2500) is the
standout.
Pie Sisters (3423 M St., NW; 202-338-7437) is
a bit off the main drag, which means you aren’t likely to encounter
hourlong lines. Go for a wedge of rich coconut cream or double-crusted
apple, topped with pastry hearts.
Burger Crawl
The lounge at Bourbon Steak (2800 Pennsylvania
Ave., NW; 202-944-2026), Michael Mina’s restaurant in the Four Seasons
Hotel, is known for a high-gloss crowd, cocktails that take ten minutes to
make, and increasingly, some of the best burgers in the area. Don’t miss
the prime-steak burger, a spiffed-up take on a classic featuring
house-made pickles, terrific Cabot Clothbound cheddar, and an oversize,
buttery bun. The kimchee-laden Korean-style salmon burger is a good bet,
too. Accessorize them with Mina’s famous duck-fat fries, which come with a
trio of dipping sauces and seasonings.
Looking for something more laid-back (and easier on the
wallet)? The local-beef patties at Clyde’s (3236 M St.,
NW; 202-333-9180) and the Tombs (1226 36th St., NW;
202-337-6668)—two saloons that share an owner—are hefty and just sloppy
enough.
In the try-anything-once category, there’s Thunder
Burger & Bar (3056 M St., NW; 202-333-2888), a rollicking
joint that features burgers and sliders with unexpected fillings—kangaroo,
caribou, elk—every Wednesday night. Its more conventional Kobe-beef and
standard cheddar-and-rémoulade-topped burgers are satisfying,
too.
Night on the Town
At night, Georgetown is a swirl of J. Crew-clad Georgetown
University students, twentysomethings on bar crawls, and crisply dressed
neighborhood locals heading to dinner. For a low-key meal, dig into a
spicy, thin-crusted Atomica pie—it’s topped with salami, kalamata olives,
and hot-pepper flakes—at Pizzeria Paradiso (3282 M St.,
NW; 202-337-1245), then knock back a cask ale or rye stout at the birreria
downstairs.
On warm nights, snag a patio table at Euro-mod Kafe
Leopold & Konditorei (3315 M St., NW; 202-965-6005), where a
style-conscious crowd nibbles on excellent salads (kale and Parmesan,
cucumber and yogurt) and tender bratwurst over tangy sauerkraut. Or hit it
for dessert—the chocolate-mousse-filled domes and chocolate-apricot sacher
tortes pair well with Viennese-style coffee.
Have a late-night craving? The chef-and-bartender haunt
Bistro Français (3124 M St., NW; 202-338-3830) serves
classic French bistro fare—steak frites, roast chicken—until 3 am
during the week, 4 am on weekends.
Finally, read our
critics’ takes on two new Georgetown restaurants—Mike Isabella’s Mexican
small-plates spot Bandolero and the Modern
American Unum.
Let’s Get Lunch
There are outposts of the salad chainlet
Sweetgreen (3333 M St., NW; 202-337-9338) all over now,
but the tiny original is here. The Georgetown grads who opened it have
earned success with high-quality produce from local farms and innovative
bowls such as the Curry Gold, which mixes roast chicken, almonds, dried
cranberries, spinach, and beets with pineapple-yogurt
dressing.
Simple sandwiches and flatbreads are the thing at the chic
Puro Café (1529 Wisconsin Ave., NW; 202-787-1937), and
there’s no better place to enjoy them—plus an effervescent, mint-flecked
house-made lemonade—than the loungey garden, complete with billowing red
canopies and sleek ottomans.
At Cafe Divan (1834 Wisconsin Ave., NW;
202-338-1747), linger over rounds of kebabs and Turkish mezze such as
feta-filled pastries called sigara borek, patties of lamb
kofte, and minty yogurt dip with garlic and peppers.
Back to the Best of Georgetown ››
Ann Limpert joined Washingtonian in late 2003. She was previously an editorial assistant at Entertainment Weekly and a cook in New York restaurant kitchens, and she is a graduate of the Institute of Culinary Education. She lives in Petworth.
