Guidebook for DC - Dupont area
Local Transportation
Metro stops - Dupont Circle [Red Line] and U Street/Cardozo [Yellow Line, Green Line]
Bus -- run from both U Street and 16th Street
Bikeshare -- docking station at the corner of T and 17th.
Dupont Circle Station
1525 20th St NWMetro access
U St/African-American Civil War Memorial/Cardozo Station
1240 U St NWMetro access
Rae's Favorites
A few must-try places
Rosemary's Thyme Bistro
1801 18th St NWGreat food
Lupo Verde
1401 T St NWGreat meals. and unrivaled cheese and salume. Yummmm.
Great local jazz nightly, with no cover charge. Tips encouraged.
Sunday brunch includes bottomless drinks and live jam sessions with local artists.
31 locals recommend
Jojo Restaurant & Bar
1518 U St NWGreat local jazz nightly, with no cover charge. Tips encouraged.
Sunday brunch includes bottomless drinks and live jam sessions with local artists.
Food Scene
L'Enfant Cafe-Bar
2000 18th Street NorthwestGreat for Sunday brunch!
Iron Gate Restaurant
1734 N St NWFab patio dining
Le Diplomate
1601 14th St NWWonderful upscale dining and people watching
Italian -- with great happy hour and cool peninsula bar overlooking 14th Street
85 locals recommend
Ghibellina
2000 Fenwick Street NortheastItalian -- with great happy hour and cool peninsula bar overlooking 14th Street
B Too
1324 14th St NWBelgian
A DC institution. Great, inexpensive Greek food. Rare outdoor seating in Dupont Circle/Connecticut Ave area.
25 locals recommend
Zorba's Café
1612 20th St NWA DC institution. Great, inexpensive Greek food. Rare outdoor seating in Dupont Circle/Connecticut Ave area.
DC institution -- watch for presidents, politicians, and celebs, but mostly mingle with locals.
288 locals recommend
Ben's Chili Bowl Mural
1213 U St NWDC institution -- watch for presidents, politicians, and celebs, but mostly mingle with locals.
Good Spanish tapas. Great patio -- even has heaters for colder weather seasons.
322 locals recommend
Barcelona Wine Bar
1622 14th St NWGood Spanish tapas. Great patio -- even has heaters for colder weather seasons.
Great selection of wine and wonderful deli/food-to-go section -- great for picnics and special meals.
53 locals recommend
Cork Wine Bar & Market
1805 14th St NWGreat selection of wine and wonderful deli/food-to-go section -- great for picnics and special meals.
Compass Rose
1346 T St NWWell-regarded cocktail bar -- with Georgian fare.
Best sushi and Japanese food in the district. High prices, but good quality.
67 locals recommend
Sushi Taro
1503 17th St NWBest sushi and Japanese food in the district. High prices, but good quality.
Commissary
1443 P St NWPopular brunch venue for locals.
Pearl Dive Oyster Palace
1612 14th St NWGreat oysters and seafood.
Vinoteca
1940 11th St NWGreat happy hour with large selection of discounted wines.
One of the original neighborhood bars on 14th.
Good food, but has changed from ''American'' to Asian fusion last time I was there.
DJs and music in the basement on some nights.
59 locals recommend
Cafe Saint-Ex
1847 14th St NWOne of the original neighborhood bars on 14th.
Good food, but has changed from ''American'' to Asian fusion last time I was there.
DJs and music in the basement on some nights.
Good Tex-Mex, particularly homemade tamales and fresh tortillas and salsa.
135 locals recommend
Lauriol Plaza
1835 18th St NWGood Tex-Mex, particularly homemade tamales and fresh tortillas and salsa.
Pearl Dive Oyster Palace
1612 14th St NWBest neighborhood seafood.
''American'' menu -- from burgers to pork chops, to meatloaf, and matzo ball soup. Menu changes a lot.
Nice happy hour at the bar with good drink prices and limited bar menu.
19 locals recommend
Firefly
1310 New Hampshire Ave NW''American'' menu -- from burgers to pork chops, to meatloaf, and matzo ball soup. Menu changes a lot.
Nice happy hour at the bar with good drink prices and limited bar menu.
Local Sites
Things you might want to check out...
Hidden gem in the neighborhood -- a smaller version of those in Rome.
18 locals recommend
Spanish Steps
1725 22nd St NWHidden gem in the neighborhood -- a smaller version of those in Rome.
Dupont Circle
Great for people watching -- or play chess with the locals.
Great place to take a jog, see 4th of July fireworks, join weekend pick-up games, and people watch.
445 locals recommend
Meridian Hill Park
W Street NorthwestGreat place to take a jog, see 4th of July fireworks, join weekend pick-up games, and people watch.
Sonny Bono Memorial Park
1362 New Hampshire Ave NWEasy to miss, quirky park in DC.
High-end B and B with hidden passageways. Room after room filled with an eclectic mix of antiques, art, and other collectibles, with almost everything in the place for sale. Check the website for events, including Sunday brunch, happy hours, etc.
39 locals recommend
The Mansion on O & O Street Museum
2020 O St NWHigh-end B and B with hidden passageways. Room after room filled with an eclectic mix of antiques, art, and other collectibles, with almost everything in the place for sale. Check the website for events, including Sunday brunch, happy hours, etc.
The Phillips Collection
1600 21st St NWEverything from Renoir to modern artists.
Masonic Temple, House of the Temple
1733 16th St NWChannel your inner Dan Brown.