The October Hit List: Cafe Fili, Yellow (not) Pizza, Mi Vida, and More

It’s almost as rare to find an all-day dining establishment on Capitol Hill as it is to find a unanimous vote. We’re not waiting on the latter, but Cafe Fili more than delivers on the former. At breakfast, lunch, or dinner, it finesses everything from hand-crafted coffees and pastries to fast “casual-ish” Mediterranean bowls and mezze spreads later in the day.

This popular bakery from chef Michael Rafidi (Albi) has finally evolved into a fully operational restaurant serving up wood-fired sourdough “(not) pizzas” topped with the season’s best. Also find Levantine dishes, including charred corn labneh and smoked brisket hummus, plus natural wines, beers, and ciders.

Bistro Du Jour is an any-occasion type of restaurant to celebrate classic French fare in a dining room overlooking the Washington Channel. The restaurant also recently expanded to a second location on Capitol Hill, with go-to favorites from mussels and fries to a succulent zucchini goat cheese omelet.

Did someone say $5 margaritas? You can find this deal at both of Mi Vida’s locations in Penn Quarter and 14th Street during happy hour, every day from 3-6 p.m. Be sure to check their Instagram for the flavor of the day, then book a reservation to secure the deal.

This is the breakfast sandwich everyone in D.C. is waking up for. Any Day Now is chef Tim Ma’s latest cafe concept, with a menu filled with scallion-pancake egg sandwiches. Varieties include house-cured bacon and house-fermented kimchi with American cheese, and topped with chili crisp soy sauce.

 Find more info here. Walk-ins welcome.

This chic Georgetown spot puts a contemporary spin on a French brasserie. For fall, find a bounty of dishes from chef Gilles Epié. The newest item is a steamed John Dory fish with roasted figs imported from France. It pairs perfectly with the bar’s Caper Berry Martini, which comes served dirty with extra caperberry brine.

For soul-filling staples, like fried chicken, blackened catfish, and crabcakes, head to this neighborhood bar and restaurant in Petworth. The entire place has a family-friendly vibe. It’s been in operation for more than five decades, with customers always coming back for more mac ‘n’ cheese and mashed potatoes.

The rules are simple at this Old Town Alexandria watering hole: Eat, drink, prost! This new beer garden with a roof deck opened just in time for Oktoberfest. The menu leans into Bavaria with sausages, schnitzel, and a hearty two-pound pretzel meant for sharing.

Find more info here. Walk-ins welcome.

Looking for a neighborhood haunt where you can feel like a regular? Moreland’s Tavern is a corner bar and restaurant with a rotating tap of craft beers from D.C., Maryland, and Virginia, as well as homestyle cuisine, including a vegan-friendly crabcake stuffed with lion’s mane mushrooms. For fall, you can also find a pumpkin-spiced White Russian on the cocktail list.

The latest addition at Bronze is a third-floor bar called Crane Room with cocktails inspired by faraway destinations, including The Wild Seed, a Cognac-based drink that includes Ethiopian berbere spice. The menu, built by bartender Al Thompson, takes inspiration from Afrofuturism — a genre honoring African heritage, science fiction, and futurism.