Historic Restaurants of Washington, D.C.

Discover the culinary heritage of America's capitol with this guide to Washington, D.C.'s historic restaurants and storied local eateries.
While today's foodies enjoy the latest culinary trends of Logan Circle and the H Street corridor, Washington's first true restaurants opened around 1830. Waves of immigrants introduced a global mix of ingredients to the capital's eager palates by opening eateries like the venerable China Doll Gourmet and Cleveland Park's Roma Restaurant.
By the twentieth century, the variety and quality of cuisine was astounding. Diners could have tea at Garfinckel's Greenbrier or lunch at local favorites such as Little Tavern Diner or Ben's Chili Bowl. For an elegant evening, fine restaurants like Rive Gauche and the Monocle satisfied the most sophisticated gastronome.
With careful research and choice recipes, "Streets of Washington" blogger John DeFerrari chronicles the culinary and social history of the capital through its restaurants, tasting his way from the lavish Gilded Age dining halls of the Willard Hotel to the Hot Shoppe's triple-decker Mighty Mo.

John DeFerrari, a native Washingtonian with a lifelong passion for local history, pens the Streets of Washington blog and is the author of Lost Washington, D.C. (The History Press, 2011). He has a master's degree in English literature from Harvard University and works for the federal government.