Drinking and Dining on DC’s 14th Street

With new restaurants seemingly popping up every month on Washington DC’s 14th Street, this hip strip in Dupont Circle has added even more delicious dining options to an already stellar lineup of restaurants and bars.

Most of the restaurants on 14th Street are situated between N and R streets; about a 15-minute walk from the White House.  Here is one “new kid on the block” of 14th Street, along with a couple of old standbys to check out on your next date night in DC:

• Le Diplomate – Sometimes it feels like you can’t walk five blocks in Center City Philadelphia without passing a Stephen Starr restaurant.   In April of 2013, Stephen Starr was at it again with his first attempt at DC dining with the French brasserie, Le Diplomate.  At the helm of the 200-seat French styled bistro is Executive Chef Adam Schop whose years of experience with Parisian cuisine have already garnered immense popularity with the 14th Street foodies, so be sure to book in advance at this Starr establishment.

• Birch & Barley and Churchkey. It’s difficult to talk about places to eat and drink in DC without mentioning the winning combo of Birch & Barley and Churchkey.  Since their inception in 2009, both restaurants have combined to be arguably two of the best beer bars in DC with a shared stock of over 500 beers.  Downstairs at the slightly more sophisticated sit-down restaurant, Birch & Barley, you’ll find a modern American cuisine that complements their extensive beer selection.  Upstairs at the beer-centric Churchkey, the draught list is the focal point but you can still enjoy smaller plates off their pub style menu.

• Estadio. Chefs Haidar Karoum and Ruffino Bautista of this cozy hot spot offer their contemporary interpretation of traditional Northern Spanish cuisine, which has proved to be a winning combination on 14th Street.  In addition to the Basque and Catalan dishes, Estadio also boasts an extensive wine list of over 250 labels (more than 90% of which are from Spain.)  There might be a wait, but the kitchen lives up to the hype with an array of authentic pintxos and tapas for every taste bud in the house. Try this fan favorite: Crispy Brussel Sprouts, Caramelized Onions, Pine Nuts and Currants.

For more information about these 14th Street restaurants and others in DC, please visit here.