Historic Restaurants of Washington, D.C.: Capital Eats

While today foodies flock to the flavors of Logan Circle and the H Street corridor, Washington's first true restaurants opened around 1830. Waves of immigrants introduced a global mix of ingredients to the capital's eager palates by opening eateries like the venerable China Doll Gourmet and Cleveland Park's Roma Restaurant. By the twentieth century, the array of dishes to tempt hungry residents was astounding. Diners could have tea at Garfinckel's Greenbrier or lunch at local favorites such as Little Tavern or Ben's Chili Bowl. For an elegant evening, fine restaurants like Rive Gauche and the Sans Souci satisfied the most sophisticated gastronome. With careful research and choice recipes, "Streets of Washington" blogger John DeFerrari chronicles the culinary and social history of the capital through its restaurants, tasting his way from the lavish Gilded Age dining halls of the Willard Hotel to the Hot Shoppe's triple-decker Mighty Mo.