FTUDC Restaurants!

As FTUDC  approaches and millions (ok maybe a few hundred) frequent fliers and miles/points lovers descend on Washington, D.C. I figured it was the perfect time to use my seven years in DC to put out some of my favorite restaurants to enjoy while visiting that won't be swarming with tourists and won't be a chain experience that will leave you wanting more. (Thanks to Thrifty Tourist for asking for recommendations and inspiring this post!)

Before starting a list it's important to give you the lay of the land. The suggestions that I have will be specifically for the Washington, D.C. downtown area, not the area where FTU will be held, which is in Tysons Corner in Virginia. As you can see on the below Google Map the "A" is the Hilton where all of the FTU events will be held. If you look to downtown Washington, right under the words "Washington" on the map is the National Mall (Your Monuments, Smithsonian Museums and US Capitol). So as you can see there is quite a distance. 

But if you come into town early and spend some time in DC to do some sightseeing then you will need to eat and I have you covered. (PS If you need a dining companion or if anyone wants to get a pre-FTUDC DO meal going, let me know). 

1. Founding Farmers - 1924 Pennsylvania Ave, NW Washington, D.C. 20006 (Metro: Foggy Bottom or Farragut West)

"Since September 2008, the award-winning Founding Farmers has been one of the country’s leading restaurants to offer farm-inspired American True Food & Drink in a modern, casual, andeco-friendly setting. From our modern farmhouse, breakfast, lunch, dinner, and brunch menus include homemade and “scratch-made” traditional American classics inspired by the heartland.

A collective of American family farmers owns our restaurant. We source our fresh products from family farms, ranches, and fisheries across the United States. We celebrate and share the longstanding connection between farmers — the first to lead the “green” movement — and their historic stewardship of natural resources.

We believe that everyone benefits by knowing more about the sources of the food they eat; we work diligently to ensure our restaurants walk the talk on matters of sustainability. Take comfort knowing that when ingredients are available locally and it is sensible for us to buy them, we do so.

We look forward to seeing you — and to sharing the best of our True Food & Drink."

The food at Founding Farmers, located just a few blocks from the White House, is good for any meal, but I especially love their brunch and dinner. If you are going for brunch you have to try one of their farm fresh benedicts or their red velvet pancakes, which are made with half pancake batter, half red velvet cake batter. You also MUST order one of their Made-to-order beignets which are not made until someone orders them and take 20 minutes so order as soon as you sit down. If you are going for dinner you have to try their popcorn of the day for an appetizer or their cornbread which comes with honey butter that is literally honey mixed with butter. 

If you are someone who enjoys a good cocktail then Founding Farmers also has you covered. They infuse all of their alcohol in house and have an amazing set of cocktails. My favorite is to actually let the bartender choose what cocktail to make me. The server will ask what types of alcohol you like and which ones to stay away from and then the bartender will create something from that! 

2. RFD (Regional Food and Drink) - 810 7th Street, NW Washington, D.C. (Metro: Gallery Place/Chinatown or Metro Center) 

"RFD is code for B-E-E-R and no place in town has a beer list quite like it. In face, WASHINGTON CITY PAPER proclaimed RFD's tap lineup the "Best Draft Beer Selection" in all of D.C." 

With over 300 bottles of beer on offer and a further 30-40 draft beers they most likely have what you want to drink...if they don't have the beer you like...well I just don't know what to tell you. The restaurant is located in the Chinatown area and is near the Verizon Center which is the home of the Washington Capitols, Wizards, Mystics and Georgetown University Basketball. Outside of the beer list they have tons of great food options, including my favorite the grilled cheese and tomato soup...or the tater-tots...you can't go wrong with either! 

Best news for Frequent Flyers...They are a Dining Rewards Member!!! 

3. Good Stuff Eatery - 303 Pennsylvania Ave, SE Washington, D.C. (Metro: Capitol South)

"HEREIN, WHERE GOOD PEOPLE 

...make good stuff, stands a restaurant committed to freshness, fellowship and friendliness: Good Stuff Eatery - quite frankly, the best way for Capitol Hill and surrounding areas to enjoy handmade burgers, hand-cut fries and handspun ice cream shakes that'll make you come back again and again.

We hope you're hungry" 

This Capitol Hill burger shop is a great place to look for DC Celebraties or Villains...depends on your opinion of Congress. ;) I've seen dozens of Congressmen and women here along with lots of Hill staff sampling their dozens of burger and fry combinations and pairing it with delicious milkshakes. It's so good that President Obama has visited. 

The restaurant was started by famous chef, Spike Mendelsohn and he has put together a great fresh menu full of many different kinds of burgers. My favorite is the free range turkey burger with avocado, munster, tomato and lettuce. I pair that with some fresh fries and a sampling of their different mayo dipping options including chipotle, old bay and sriracha. 

These are just a few of my absolute favorite options...if you need more suggestions just drop me a note! (chris@doitforthepoints.com) I can't wait to meet all of you at FTU and I really hope that you enjoy your time in the Nation's Capitol. It's a beautiful city with many things to offer outside of the National Mall. Get out of the tourist zones and explore the different neighborhoods and you will see the other side of DC. 

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Follow us on Twitter @doit4thepoints! Have a question for us? E-mail us at chris@doitforthepoints.com or jd@doitforthepoints.com

Pete's Diner Washington, D.C.

This is cheating a bit since I live in Washington, D.C. but I realize that it's a very popular tourist destination and when people come to visit they sometimes want to live like a local and avoid all of the "tourist" options for dining and entertainment so I figured it was a great time to start a "Live Like a Local DC" section of the blog.

In these posts I will try to post great options for every meal, including brunch because in DC brunch is a meal...no an experience in and of its self. Then I'll move on to my favorite sites in DC that go beyond the National Mall and the typical tourist spots.

So....to kick this off I have to start with one of my absolute favorite places in DC to get breakfast. The weird thing about DC as a city is there are very few true breakfast places. As I mentioned, brunch places are very abundant, but a true breakfast place is hard to find.

My favorite breakfast place is just a 2 minute walk from the Capitol Building, Pete's Diner. Pete's is everything you are looking for in a good diner style place. When you walk in this place is tiny...there are about five booths, nine or so barstools and a longggggg table with benches on either side that you can sit at. All seating is first-come first-serve so you can just take a seat anywhere. If you come in on a Saturday morning around 8:30 you will find me and my friend Chris camped out in the second to last booth. It's been our Saturday tradition since our senior year of college and we've reached the point where they know our order and we don't even have to formally order anymore.

That's the beauty of Pete's, the staff has an amazing memory and knows all of their regulars. Their regulars are everyone from Hill Staffers to Capitol Policemen to Members of Congress. Speaker John Boehner used to be a regular every morning and still pops in every once and a while when Congress is in session. Just today there were at least eight new Members of Congress that will start work in january with the 113th Congress.

Pete's is really no-frills the menu is plastic but there are specials all over the wall which is where your eye should go. The specials on the wall have most of my favorite items like the the Pete's Number 2-B which is two eggs, home fries, bacon and toast...why it's 2-B I have no idea. The decor on the walls consists of a bunch of random paintings, letters from Members of Congress and police badges from all over the country.

When you order you better not blink because your food will be there in a flash and the coffee cup will never see the bottom. The food is nothing fancy, but it's exactly what you are looking for before a long day walking across the city.

I have no idea what the bottom of these cups look like

Random Wall Decorations 

Inside Seating 

Outside Seating 

Forgot to take a picture before eating again....