In this year’s Best of Northwest guide, readers voted on their favorite food and drink spots, activities and aspects of campus life. Check out our editors’ picks below to see how your votes stack up against our favorites:
Campus Life
Best Campus Dog
Lola the miniature goldendoodle
The pup outshines the competition for her friendly attitude and popularity on the Vern.
Best GW meme
Sorority life as vines
In the 24-hour meme cycle, it can be hard for jokes on the “GW memes for the 10th most politically active teens” Facebook page to stick.
Best Campus Musician/Band
Michael Ferrier, ‘The Plantain Papi’
The sophomore started making music in high school but since the R&B and hip-hop artist landed in the District, he’s been performing shows and releasing mixtapes.
Best Spot to Sob
Benches between Madison and Duques halls
The benches between Madison Hall and Duques Hall are secluded and perfect for the occasional sobbing session.
Best Professor
Irene Foster
From mentions on the memes page to tall tales about tricky exams and summer assessments, Irene Foster is one of the most well-known professors on campus.
Best Male Athlete
Yuta Watanabe
The senior guard’s offensive hustle on the court and his ability to defend multiple positions made him a shoo-in for Best Male Athlete.
Best Female Athlete
Sofia Pavon
Women’s soccer’s junior midfielder Sofia Pavon proved she could still find the back of the net in her return to the pitch this season.
Best Campus Food Replacement
Panera Bread replacing J Street
As students arrived back on campus this semester, they found one noticeable restaurant replacement that stood out above every other renovation.
Best building playlist
District House
With student DJs running the show, you never know what you’ll hear blaring out of the speakers in the District House basement, and that variety is why District House is The Hatchet’s pick for best campus playlist.
Food and Drink
Best New Restaurant
Unconventional Diner
Just a one block walk from the Mt. Vernon Square/Convention Center Metro, the diner’s reasonably priced dishes and generous serving sizes will make you an instant fan.
Best Authentic International Dish
Paella at Bodega Spanish Tapas & Lounge
Just a one block walk from the Mt. Vernon Square/Convention Center Metro, the diner’s reasonably priced dishes and generous serving sizes will make you an instant fan.
Best Dessert
Thomas Sweet Ice Cream
On top of the large sizes and delicious scoops, the shop wins The Hatchet’s pick for best dessert because of the homestyle, no-frills atmosphere.
Best Bar Crawl Block
U Street between 13 and 14th streets
From upscale drinking to start off the night to singing in dirty dive bars toward the end, this block of U Street checks all the boxes for the perfect bar crawl.
Best Classy Bar
ANXO Cidery & Pintxos Bar
This Basque-inspired cidery and restaurant, located at Truxton Circle in Shaw, combines the mechanical style of an upscale brewery with the welcome pretension and alternative of cider for those averse to beer.
Best Coffee
La Colombe
Conveniently located on I Street, La Colombe is a fast-growing, independent coffee roaster with unique, single-origin coffees.
Best Hangover Brunch
Lincoln
If you need a little more elegance to gossip about the previous night, try Lincoln’s Sunday brunch.
Best Near-Campus Late Night Food
Surfside
When a night out creates cravings, Surfside is the Hatchet’s pick to cure alcohol-induced late-night hunger.
Best LGBTQ Bar
Cobalt
Despite the myriad of LGBTQ dance clubs in our flamboyant quadrant, Cobalt is an easy favorite.
Activities
Best Concert Venue
9:30 Club
If your Saturday night repertoire of local bars and clubs is getting stale, trade your regular plans for a night filled with live music at the 9:30 Club.
Best Unique Tour
D.C. by Foot’s Ghost Tours
D.C. by Foot’s ghost tours offer a spine-chilling take on D.C. history. Three tours are offered in Northwest D.C., showcasing hauntings in Georgetown, Dupont Circle and the White House.
Best Underrated Art Exhibit
National Museum of Women in the Arts
Located a few blocks from the White House, the museum features art made by women from the last five centuries.
Best First Date (if you’re paying)
D.C. Improv
There’s a lot of pressure to be funny on the first date, but D.C. Improv Comedy Club makes it easy.
Best First Date (If they’re paying)
Wine tasting at ENO Wine Bar
If you’re the lucky one and your date is paying, suggest ENO Wine Bar in Georgetown so you can drink those first date nerves away with a flight of three wines.
Best Activity for Out-of-Towners
Newseum
Any local will be quick to tell you that forking over those extra dollars is a wise choice to make the most of a trip to the District.
Best Treat Yourself Activity
Mimosa Salon
If you’re looking for some mid-week relaxation, treat yourself with a trip to Mimosa Salon on I Street.
Best Relaxing Nature Spot
Meridian Hill Park
In a city ridden with business casual attire, stop-and-go traffic and relentless political banter, Meridian Hill Park is a serene escape from the hustle and bustle of the workweek.
Best place to buy Juul pods
FoBoGro
Gone are the days of treks to restock on pods because FoBoGro accommodates your nicotine addiction close to home.
