Washington, DC, formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as “Washington”, “the District”, or simply “D.C.”, is the capital of the United States of America. The centers of all three branches of the federal government of the USA are in Washington, DC, including the Congress, President, and Supreme Court. Washington is home to many national monuments and museums, which are mainly situated on or around the National Mall. The city hosts 176 foreign embassies as well as the headquarters of many international organizations, trade unions, non-profit organizations, lobbying groups, and professional associations.
Three quick facts about Washington, DC:
- Washington was named in honour of George Washington, one of the United States’ founding fathers, and was founded in 1791 to serve as the new national capital.
- Washington had an estimated population of 672,228 (as of July 2015). Commuters from the surrounding Maryland and Virginia suburbs raise the city’s population to more than one million during the workweek.
- In August 2016, Washington was named the Restaurant City of the Year by Bon Appétit magazine.
the local: Cheryl Vivian
the location: Washington, DC, USA
how long have you lived in Washington, DC? 5 years
a quick intro
Cheryl Vivian is a neurotic baker who came to DC via Detroit, Chicago, and New York. She likes to get nerdy about baking and loves grilled cheese, charcuterie, a good happy hour and vintage everything. There are at least two dozen eggs, four pounds of butter, and a quart of buttermilk in the fridge at all times. She doesn’t cry over burnt cookies, sunken cakes, or tough pie dough but she will try (and try) until it’s just right. Cheryl loves to blend new trends with traditional recipes and believes that everything is better with a pinch of salt.
you can follow Cheryl on:
– website: neuroticbaker.com
– instagram: www.instagram.com/cherylvivian
– facebook: www.facebook.com/neuroticbaker
– twitter: twitter.com/neuroticbaker
Cheryl is a neurotic baker who came to DC via Detroit, Chicago, and New York.
Historic Street next to the White House
WHERE TO EAT:
Momofuku CCDC
1090 I St NW, Washington, DC, 20001 | ccdc.momofuku.com
The atmosphere was great. Light and airy with very high ceilings. My table was in another room way in the back of the restaurant which surprised me because we had no idea the place was so large. I started with the Brisket Buns with horseradish, pickled red onion and cucumber. The brisket was melt in your mouth good. The fat was buttery and very flavorful. I ordered the Slow Roasted Pork Shoulder which was served with a sesame glaze, pickles and pickled red onion over rice. OMG, the pork shoulder was great. I made notice that none of the tables had salt and pepper shakers on them. The only condiment on the table was a chili sauce which I contemplated adding to my dish, but once you started to blend everything together, the sauce wasn’t necessary.
Momofuku CCDC Pork Shoulder Bowl
DGS Delicatessen
1317 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington, DC, 20036 | www.dgsdelicatessen.com
DGS is one of my favorite deli’s in DC. Ok, so it’s the only deli I’ve been to and I use the term deli loosely because it’s more of an artisan deli. There isn’t anything on the menu that I’ve tried so far that I haven’t liked. Their corned beef and pastrami are cut differently from what I’m used to in deli’s in Detroit and NYC. This is a very thick cut, more like brisket and it’s melt-in-your-mouth delicious! I introduced a co-worker there the other day for lunch and decided to get the Schmutzy fries. It was basically a reuben on top of french fries. Chopped pastrami, sauerkraut, swiss, russian dressing and fresno chilis. It’s sinful and makes your toes curl. If they were open late it would easily be my go to place after a night out.
DGS Schmutzy Fries
The Diner
2453 18th St NW, Washington, DC, 20009 | www.dinerdc.com
The Diner has become my all around “go-to” for breakfast, brunch and 3am after-barhopping location. I have been going for a few years now and when I seem to always order a series of side dishes. My new favorite is the breakfast bowl which is tater tots, topped with jalapeno peppers, onions, mushrooms, cheddar cheese, bacon and a scrambled egg. Since the friend I dined with was a vegetarian, we asked for the bacon on the side and since I don’t like eggs, I just scooped out all of the goodness underneath and added the bacon later. Then I ordered a side biscuit with a side of sausage gravy. My friend ordered an omelet that came with a side of grits that he didn’t want, so I took those, but also asked for a side of cheese to add to my grits. I took the remains of the side of bacon and cheese and added it to my grits. I don’t need to tell you how good grits are with bacon and cheese. It’s the only way I can eat them. And The Diner makes their grits with milk which makes them extra yummy and creamy.
The Diner Biscuit with Sausage & Gravy
Thanks for helping us Eat Like a Local in Washington, DC, Cheryl!
Planning a trip or thinking about visiting Washington? Check out Destination DC for some great information and guides! Or buy DK Books’ Top 10 Washington DC from Amazon!
The Eat Like a Local series is a unique look at good places to eat in various town, cities and countries around the world. This isn’t your usual tour book guide list and it definitely isn’t paid for by any restaurants or tourism boards – this is just a local resident sharing their favourite food recommendations. You can check out all the places we’ve covered on and find out how YOU can get involved on this page.
Disclosure: This is not a sponsored post. However, I am part of the Amazon affiliate program and the product links shared in this post are affiliate links – if you click on them and purchase something, I will receive a tiny commission fee (at no extra cost to you) which helps me keep this site running. Please read my disclosure policy for more information.
All photos in this post belong to Cheryl Vivian and are used here with permission. Please do not copy or reproduce any part of this post (written content or images) without obtaining the proper permissions.
