MomtoCCC

Going to DC in mid-April for a work conference (staying in Crysal City since that is where meeting is). My friend and I are going a couple of days early to see some museums and have some fun. We are planing on going to the Spy Museum, Holocaust Museum and I would like to visit the Newseum. We've seen most of the Smithsonian museums already.

Looking for some suggestions for lunch while we are touring around. I could also use some help understanding where some of the good neighborhoods are so when I'm searching on Yelp or other sites for dinner ideas, I know what to look for.

Thanks.
Kellye

obxgirl

For restaurants near the Newseum and the Spy Museum, Penn Quarter is your neighborhood. There are probably 100 restaurants in the area, some of them among city's best. These are some that like:

Jaleo
Paul Bakery
Cowgirl Creamery
Poste
Zaytinya
Zola
Rasika
Nando's
Oyamel

november_moon

I just got back from a trip to DC - stayed in Crystal City. That area is actually quite good. I was pleasantly suprised. There are a lot of restaurants right there. I highly recommend Jaleo.

longhorn55

I've been to the Newseum twice--first visit was 8 hours (over 2 days) and second visit was 6 hours. So, plan on spending a lot of time there. They have a good food court, the Food Section, with dishes developed by Wolfgang Puck or if you are willing to spend the time and the money, you can eat lunch at Puck's restaurant there, The Source.

MomtoCCC

Thanks for the help! Jaleo looks like a nice choice. I'll check out the others.

gardendiva

Paul Bakery is great for lunch or a sweet snack in the afternoon.

yestravel

Graffiatos -- little plates, pasta pizza and all very good http://graffiatodc.com/about/

BlueSwimmer

Dupont Circle is a good evening dining area, as is Georgetown. Penn Quarter has lots and lots of options. The U Street area has some funky places, a little less refined and more gritty in vibe: Cork is fabulous for wine flights and small plates, Coppi has wonderful organic Italian food, and there are some great Ethiopian places in this area.


The Spy Museum is near the Verizon Center and many eateries of all levels. During the day you can just walk around the area and you will have tons of choices. For lunch, Cowgirl Creamery for a cheese-related lunch is fun. There are basics like Potbelly or Gordon Biersch nearby. For a zen lunch, try Teaism. There is a Jaleo (the original location) right near here. FOr something fancy, Poste at the Hotel Monaco is around the corner. It is a "scene" for cocktails and an excellent restaurant.

If you are staying in Crystal City, see november_moon's thread about nearby dining. You can easily metro or take a cheap cab from there to Old Town Alexandria, which is a great place for strolling, window shopping, seeing colonial architecture (as opposed to the later neo-classical DC architecture) and dining. On Saturday mornings, there is a wonderful huge farmers market at the courthouse square.

maitaitom

Love the Newseum.

Try lunch at the cafe in The National Museum of the American Indian.