While D.C. is renowned for its daytime political antics, the city is not usually touted for its vibrant evening hot spots. As a result, residents are often faced with “the night is young, but everything’s closed” dilemma. While the city may lack all-night bar and dancing venues, the city has made quite a bit of progress on the restaurant front.
Late-night eateries are a growing trend around the District that are marked by later hours and new arrivals in different neighborhoods. Such places are usually centered on D.C.’s main social areas – Georgetown, Dupont Circle and Adams Morgan – and by design bring in a post-partying clientele late at night.
Upper Georgetown boasts the staple of all 24-hour eateries with the affordable fare at Georgetown Cafe. From Middle Eastern dishes like shawarma to classic American chicken fingers and fries, the food is consistently yummy, especially when hunger is at its peak. Although the cafe lacks anything that could be identified as decor, it is one of the few smoker-friendly establishments left in the city and is therefore ideal for late-night dining or a long sit-down with friends. A local favorite, Georgetown Cafe boasts a colorful variety of customers.
Moving south on Wisconsin Avenue, there are several other worthy late-night spots. The first is Cappuccino’s Pizza, which serves large, thin-crust slices and low-price whole pies in a small, dim space until 6 a.m. The pizza is greasy and the menu offers few options, but it is the speediest food in Georgetown.
Further along the Wisconsin strip is Au Pied de Cochon, an old-world French bistro that extended its hours to cater to a younger crowd and lost some degree of culinary integrity in the process. While Au Pied retains a warm and sometimes boisterous ambiance, it is currently better suited for a bottle of inexpensive red wine and a snack of their hot ratatouille than a full meal. The staff is friendly, but waits for a table can be long and service can be quite slow during peak hours of this ’round-the-clock eatery.
The heart of Georgetown has a well-regarded late kitchen at Bistro Francais. open until 4 a.m. This spot is a more upscale restaurant and the authentic French cuisine and lively crowd are well worth the pricey menu.
These late-night Georgetown haunts are best accessed using the Georgetown Metro Connect Shuttle, which has stops within a block of each restaurant. The shuttle runs from the Foggy Bottom Metro until 2 a.m., so any serious night owls must take a cab or engage in a brisk walk.
GW’s campus area is extremely limited in late-night dining options. The obvious exception to this predicament is Manouch’s hot dog stand, which often hangs around the corner of 21st and I streets on weekends until 4 a.m. In addition to the gregarious and charming proprietor, the stand offers delicious hot dogs and pretzels prepared to fit one’s taste.
Moving along to Dupont Circle, the Afterwords Cafe is a long-standing D.C. favorite that is opened 24 hours for weekend clientele and closes earlier during the week. The nachos and sandwiches are both delectable snacks, along with a scrumptious Dysfunctional Family chocolate dessert. Although service may be a little slow, customers can pass the time browsing in the adjoining Kramerbooks store. In addition to top-notch food, Afterwords also boasts surprisingly delicious margaritas. The deal on pitchers accompanied by nachos is definitely worth an order.
Because a seat in the small coffee bar in Kramerbooks is seldom available, studious readers may be interested in another late-night place to ingest espresso and hit the books: Soho Tea and Coffee. Closer to campus, this popular haunt of students and Dupont residents offers a wide selection of coffees and sandwiches until 4 a.m. every night. Weekly open-mic evenings are frequently loud and do not usually provide a pleasant sound ambiance in which to study.
D.C. Caf?, just off Dupont Circle at 20th and P streets also offers gyros and other options until 5 a.m. daily.
Adams Morgan provides perhaps the greatest array of after midnight restaurants, with frequent changeover along and around 18th Street and Colombia Road. The most recent arrival is The Diner, sister establishment to Tryst, a successful neighboring cafe. The Diner is true to its name, with a menu running the standard gamut of breakfast dishes to hamburgers and fries. It has quickly become a popular local hangout with its 24-hour service.
Farther down 18th Street is a more seasoned eatery, the 18th & U Duplex Diner. This often-crowded spot prides itself on home-style cooking with dishes like tomato soup and grilled cheese. The food may be decent and the decor fun, but the restaurant is very pricey for such culinary basics. Dotted among the bars are a host of smaller late-night snack stops. Julia’s Empanadas is a consistently good take-out option, serving authentic empanadas with many choices for filling and sopapillas for dessert.
Beyond the more central areas of D.C., the American City Diner is definitely a fun spot for its authentic ’50s style. It is located up Connecticut Avenue and is most easily accessible by car, but their cheese fries and plentiful milkshakes are well worth the trip.
There is ample proof that this city does operate after the close of political business. Food may be found around the clock, even if early closings remain a problem in other areas of the social sector.
