GranthamMommy

We plan to spend our first day in DC on the Mall. We plan to take advantage of the free breakfast at our hotel and head to the mall for 9am. We have reservations at the Washington Monument for 12:30. If the weather is nice, we may walk or choose to take the Tourmobile.

Any suggestions for a place for lunch after the monument that is either easy to get to (near or in a tourmobile stop perhaps)

Nothing fancy. Just a place to grab a sandwich and rest our feet before heading out for the rest of afternoon.

Thanks in advance.

longhorn55

There's a NPS-concessionaire-operated food kiosk near the Washington Monument. The food is simple (hot dogs, chips ,etc.) but there are picnic tables where you can sit and eat.
You will also not be far from the Smithsonian American History Museum which has a cafe that seats 600 people and serves hot food as well as sandwiches. I haven't been there since the museum re-opened in November, but I find the food at the Smithsonians to be OK (some better than others.)

GranthamMommy

Thank you! Texas fan?

SoloNoMo

The Post Office Pavilion (easily spotted by its tower), just across the street from the Federal Triangle Metro station and a block behind the Natural History Museum, has food courts. A little further down, there is a cafeteria underground between the National Gallery of Art and the East Wing -- great sandwiches. Thi I haven't been yet, I hear that the American Indian Museum has really good food.

twelveoaks

If I recall correctly the house of representatives building has a cafateria and it is very close to the mall.

GranthamMommy

Perfect. Thank you everyone. I think we'll make the American History museum our next stop.

Here is the info from the website...
Note: Cash only!

Stars and Stripes Cafe- Open 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
Lower Level
The main eatery for the National Museum of American History is the newly renovated Stars and Stripes Cafe, which seats 600 and is large enough to accommodate groups. Cash only; all prices include tax. Please note that the full menu, including hot food service, will be available beginning January 17, 2009.



Sandwiches and Wraps $9.00 - Grilled Chicken Salad Wrap with Granny Smith Apples, Pecans; Roast Turkey Sandwich with Cranberry Dressing, Cheddar Cheese, on Multi- Grain Bread; Grilled Woodland Mushroom Sandwich with Roasted Pepper, Onion Jam, on Cracked Wheat Roll; or Tuna Salad Sandwich with Bibb Lettuce, Vine-Ripened Tomato, on Brioche.
Smucker’s Uncrustables Peanut Butter and Grape Jelly Sandwich $3.00
Desserts and Snacks $3.00 - Jumbo chocolate chip and sugar cookies
Commemorative Flag Cookie $4.00
Beverages $3.00 - Coffee, tea, Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite, Dasani water, organic milks



Constitution Cafe- Open 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
First Floor
The new Constitution Cafe, open the same hours as the Museum, is the perfect place for morning coffee, a light lunch or a mid-afternoon ice cream. Its large picture window has a terrific view of the Museum’s fountain and the street.

fourfortravel

For sandwich grabbing, I'd head to the National Gallery over American History for lunch, mostly because the latter has recently reopened and is still very crowded. The cafeteria at NGA (ground level) offers sandwiches, hot entrees, salads, etc. and is rarely crowded--although this weekend may be a different story.

BaltoTraveler

The Air and Space Museum has a cafe and a fast-food court.

kgh8m

The Reagan Building is between Pennsylvania and Constitution (closer to the White House and the Washington Monument than the Post Office Building) and has a MUCH better food court than the Post Office Building. There are a lot of tasty choices at the Reagan Building.

DancingBearMD

Our fav lunch spot on the mall is the cafe in the National Gallery's Sculpture Garden, located between the NG and the Natural History Museum (directly across from the National Archives). Nice sandwiches and such and a lovely setting.

309pbg

The American Indian Museum has really great food but is at the other end of the Mall. Although it's cafeteria style, they serve interesting and delicious foods and also beer and wine....if you choose to indulge!

Anonspawn

As a local when I'm on the mall I always make a point to have lunch at the Museum of the American Indian. It's delicious and there's a huge range one person can have burger and fries while the other has tamales and quinoa.

GranthamMommy

Okay, Maybe it's the Museum of the American Indian!

I am so excited about this trip.
We went to Italy a few years ago and thought maybe our next trip to be to our own nation's capital.

With all the election/inauguration attention this year, it seemed appropriate.

Ruff

I second the recommendation for the cafe in the National Gallery's Sculpture Garden. As a native Washingtonian, this is where I go.

annabelle2

I just returned from visiting my brother in Maryland, and my childhood haunts in Virginia and DC (born there).

We ate lunch at the Museum of the American Indian. We had a great lunch (the planked salmon from the Pacific Northwest 'station' was our favorite) but there are so many diverse and unusual choices, and the side dishes can start to add the $$ on, that I would recommend it only if your group is somewhat adventurous and you have a bit of time to make your choices.

The museum itself is gorgeous!

LaurenKahn1

Cheap food on The Mall does not exist. The museums have cafeterias but the prices are typical for a captive audience. I second the recommendation for the food court in the basement of the Old Post Office Pavillion at 12th & Pennsylvania Ave., NW.

I hope you are not planning to come for the inauguration. If so, you will really have to leave The Mall area and downtown to get something to eat because it will be absolutely mobbed on The Mall. Next to the toilets at inauguration, the food is the next problem (not to mention whining, freezing cold kids).

The cafeteria at the US Capitol is not so close to The Mall, by the way. It is only convenient if you are taking a tour at the Visitor's Center.

LaurenKahn1

Another food court near The Mall is the one in the Ronald Reagan International Trade Center. The best way I can describe the location is that it is opposite the Old Post Office Pavillion across 12th Street, NW. If you take the Blue or Orange Line Metro, get off at Federal Triangle and follow the signs to the Reagan Center. For the food court, you do not even have to go outside.

On the Red Line, a food court can be found at Union Station. Remember to go all the way down to the bottom of the station. There are restaurants on other levels but the food court is in the basement.

Pentagon City (yellow line) is a shopping mall easily accessible by Metro. The food court is in the basement. I go there quite a bit with tour groups because there is bus parking and it is free.

nelsonian

The food court in the Post Office Building is great for a quick snack and a rest, and the building itself is worth seeing. We went up to the Bell Tower and had a great view over Washington DC.

Rich

Is the little outdoor portable McDonalds still there? . . I'd guess it is only there in the spring and summer, but it was handy for getting a quick burger.

I think it was next to the Air and Space Museum last year.

DancingBearMD

BTW, if you go to the Reagan building (which does have a decent food court down in the basement), see the piece of the Berlin Wall near the entrance on the East side of the building.