Washington, D.C. Hot Spots

Since chef Ann Cashion first opened this upscale Southern comfort-food joint in 1995, it's become a neighborhood institution. Her menu, with its New A

Close enough to the Capitol to qualify as a third house of Congress, the streamlined, modern halls of this temple to red meat resonate daily with the

As genuine an Italian pizzeria as you'll find this side of the Atlantic, Two Amys has a wood-burning oven, a pizza license from Naples, and suitably e

It's a testament to Blacksalt's seafood that the tony fish market in front detracts in no way from the ambience (or smell) of the tony restaurant in b

Like Washington itself, Vidalia serves up sophisticated city flavors colored by a slight but unmistakable Southern accent. Long lauded as an oenophile

Brothers Yared and Henock Tesfaye, Ethiopian transplants, opened Etete in 2004. The restaurant, a gift for their mother, serves traditional Ethiopian

Up until very recently, the only VIP deemed worthy of a free meal at the Ali family chili shrine was longtime devotee Bill Cosby, who made the venue a

Located in Dupont Circle, Komi is a unique dining experience without menus. Instead, diners get a multi-course diner, ranging from 18 to 22 courses, f

Chef Vikram Sunderam, a Bombay native, came to The District after working in one of London’s most acclaimed Indian restaurants, Bombay Brasserie. At R

Developed by chef José Andrés, the Minibar at America Eats is a unique dining experience. The restaurant-within-a-restaurant is located on the second

Thomas Keller protégé Eric Ziebold turns out accessible haute cuisine in this restaurant’s gleaming open kitchen—and largely succeeds in living up to

The newest branch of chef Michel Richard’s growing mini-empire (there are two other Citronelles opening in California this year) is an extra-swanky te

The mesmerizing and thoroughly wrenching exhibits here are required visits for any American wanting a better understanding of the Holocaust. The museu

The two architecturally opposed buildings that make up this museum jointly contain one of the world’s most extraordinary art collections. The domed Ne

Pieces of paper, no matter how famous, aren’t quite as fun to look at as other sights in the neighborhood. Still, seeing the original Declaration of I

Located on the National Mall between the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial is dedicated to the American men and

Cedar Hill, the graceful hilltop home where Douglass lived from 1877 until his death in 1895, provides an intimate look at the daily life of the great

A must-visit for both wannabe spy kids and their John le Carré-reading parents, this terrific interactive museum gives you the chance to try your hand

To take a guided tour of the most iconic political building in the Western world, you’ll need to make arrangements well in advance—by submitting a wri

Five hundred and fifty-five feet of monolithic tribute, the monument to our first president stands in the center of the Mall like a watchtower over th

The nine justices known to D.C. locals as “The Supremes” hold court—literally—in this Neoclassical palace across from the Capitol. When they’re heari

The city's first museum of modern art is its richest, with a fine collection of paintings from the late 19th to mid-20th centuries showcased in the Du

A 163-acre reserve carved out of Rock Creek Park, the Smithsonian's zoological arm is a long-standing family favorite, where creatures from aardvarks

The world's most-visited museum is heavenly for adults and a must for kids. A seemingly endless assemblage of artifacts from the history of flight—fro

The author of the Declaration of Independence is celebrated here with a gleaming Neoclassical temple inspired by the Roman Pantheon (one of Jefferson'

When Martin Luther King Jr. stood on the steps here in 1963 and said, "I have a dream," he spoke with Lincoln's antislavery legacy quite literally beh

Part of a vast estate off a quiet Georgetown street, the 10-acre garden of the Dumbarton Oaks Research Library and Collection is a celebration of land

Sure, the giant white dome of the Capitol is the symbol of representative democracy, but it also makes for a great (and free) tour. You'll learn the r

The lodestar of this block’s constellation of eclectic housewares shops, Go Mama Go! is packed with a funky mix of Japanese ceramics, Murano glassware

This trendy women's boutique stands out like a peacock just north of Wisconsin Avenue's drab procession of chain stores. Hot handbags and offbeat fash

Washington’s most celebrated independent bookstore has been open for more than 30 years, and it’s still the best place in town for a good, old-fashion

Commemorate your trip to the nation’s capital with gifts and gags ranging from the partisan to the patriotic: caps with logos from Air Force One and t

After a long day of plotting, scheming, and formulating policy, harried Hillies head to this 40-year-old traditional Irish pub to take the edge off. T

The city’s coolest jazz plays day and night at this groovy, dim-lit classic. The name, Washington geek-speak for House Resolution 57, refers to the ac

A boisterous thirtysomething crowd fills both floors of this popular watering hole: the ground-floor bistro has seats for dinner or an alt-sceney drin

High atop the Washington Hotel, this aptly named open-air bar (open only during the summer months) serves up the best cocktail-hour views in town: the