Washington, D.C. · United States
The Washington, D.C. food cheat sheet
One page from Chef Amazing · November 2026
The dish to eat
A coarse, smoky sausage of pork and beef, split and grilled, in a steamed bun under chili, mustard and raw onion.
Best at Ben's Chili Bowl, U Street. Get: The original chili half-smoke, all the way
Five places, and what to order
- Dukemclassic · U StreetGet: Kitfo and a combination platter on injera
- Chercherfamily-run · Columbia HeightsGet: Doro wet (chicken stew), yebeg wet (lamb stew) or the vegan combo
- Ethiopicclassic · H Street NEGet: Ethiopian platters with injera, with beer or wine
- Stan's Restaurantfor mumbo sauce · DowntownGet: Wings with mumbo sauce on the side
- Hank's Oyster Barfor chesapeake crabs and oysters · The WharfGet: Raw oysters and beach seafood classics
The market
Covered market. Butchers, fishmongers, bakers and produce indoors, farmers and crafts outside on weekends
In season this November
Thanksgiving to-go dinners · Eastern Market outdoor farmers market
How it works here
Tip: Tip 18-22% at sit-down restaurants, a dollar or two a drink at the bar.
Book: Book the hot places on Resy or OpenTable, often the day tables drop (2-4 weeks out); counters and slices are walk-in.
When locals eat: Lunch noon-2pm, dinner 6-9pm; it gets late only in the big cities.