smw119

I am really concerned about the eating on this Washington DC trip. We are a family of 6 (no little ones....we will all need a hearty meal) Can you all help me out? We plan to eat breakfast at the campground and then head out on our adventures for the day.
It seems like most places do not allow food and drink at all. Some allow a water bottle. Here is our itinerary. Are there food vendors on the streets ? Are they any good? Cheap?
Day 1- Thursday- travel day/ food packed
Day 2- Friday- Capitol tour, Library of Congress, Supreme court. We will see how tired we are after that and decide if we want to hit a museum or head back to our campground. Where would you eat lunch that day? Our Capitol tour is at 12:40. I imagine we can carry some snacks with us as long as we devour them before our tours?
Day 3- Saturday-Still figuring this day our, but looking at Air and space , natural HIstory, and Monuments. Lunch ideas?
Day 4-Sunday - Still figuring out...whatever we didn't get to the rest of the week. We will need lunch again for sure this day.

Also, is it ok to carry snacks in a fanny pack etc on the days we just go to museums or will that be a security issue? Thank you so much for all your help!

gardendiva

Very close to the Library of Congress, etc. is Good Stuff Eatery. It is burgers, sandwiches, fries and shakes but of better quality. the price was reasonable for DC and a meal was very filling.

There is an old thread on here that has many reasonable priced options.

NewbE

How cheap does it have to be? Many museums on the Mall--Air & Space, National Gallery, American Indian, off the top of my head--have cafeterias and cafes that are very convenient for tourists on the go. There are hot dog vendors and basic food trucks (think roach coach, not foodie/hipster) along the Mall as well. Good Stuff is a great suggestion.

obxgirl

There are hot dog vendors and basic food trucks (think roach coach, not foodie/hipster) along the Mall as well.

Incorrect. There a variety of food trucks, a myriad of cuisines and not roach coaches, along the Mall and on Constitution Ave (back side of Natural History and National Gallery of Art). Also in the area of Independence Ave near Air & Space and Museum of the American Indian. There is another batch that you can find on 7th Street between the Archives and the Gallery Place/Chinatown Metro (which is right around the corner from the Spy Museum and the American Art/Portrait Gallery). You can usually find them during none rush hours during the week and on weekends.

Food trucks are big in DC. both for visitors and office workers seeking lunch. You won't lack for options.

Museum places are reasonable, not cheap. Burgers, pizza, salads, some more varied options depending on the museum.

I gave you some other suggestions for lunch on one of your other threads.

obxgirl

There really aren't any dining options in the monument portion of the National Mall. There are a couple of places to purchase water and snacks.

azzure

There are a couple of Shake Shacks around town...one near the Portrait Gallery and another in Union Station.

Underhill

The cafeteria in the Smithsonian Museum of American History is a good buy, as is the café in the National Gallery.

sf7307

In general, if you like MIddle Eastern food, we've found both Cava Grill and Roti to be a good amount of food for the money spent. They're all over town.

NewbE

obxgirl, I have not seen a myriad of food trucks in the areas you describe--some, most of them the same. I assume this has to do with time of day, day of week?

sf7307

Track your DC food trucks in real time - http://foodtruckfiesta.com/dc-food-trucks/

BetsyinKY

The food trucks are a fun option and the types of cuisine (and prices) vary from truck to truck. Last summer, we spent the morning at the Air and Space museum and then went out the back door (away from the Mall) and there were food trucks all up and down the block of Maryland between 6th and 7th around the L'Enfant Plaza Metro station. We also used the food truck fiesta app mentioned above. Clearly these trucks were catering to the many office workers in the area. We had no trouble finding the trucks. It was harder to decide which truck to try and then once we had food, finding a spot to sit down (or lean) and eat! (These are not the hot dog, ice cream, and cold drink trucks that you see scattered all over the Mall area. These trucks are restaurants on wheels.)

vilenwang

YES