How to Spend a Perfect 72 Hours Eating Your Way Through D.C.

At its peak, this glamorous restaurant was the epitome of fine dining in Washington, D.C., and over time, it’s where politicians, as well as visiting celebrities and luminaries, have stopped to eat. Today, restaurateur Stephen Starr has reinvigorated the space with sleek finishes, cozy booths, and white tablecloth service. And if these walls could talk, they would probably whisper of the backroom deals and lobbying that The Willard Hotel is best known for being as a landmark address in D.C. This is also a great mid-day stop in between visits to the Smithsonian museums downtown.

There’s also a bit of history to learn here too. The Occidental’s menu is focused on reviving classic American fare, plus some iconic D.C. dishes and beyond. The must-order dish is the pork chop “that saved the world.” This was a dish and an actual meal in 1962 between the Soviet emissary and an American correspondent, which hammered out an end to the Cuban Missile Crisis — dining table diplomacy as it’s known in Washington, D.C.

For full-on mid-Atlantic flavor, end your Friday at Oyster Oyster. Rob Rubba led the way as James Beard’s 2023 Outstanding Chef of the Year, with a sustainability-driven menu including Chesapeake Bay oysters and an all-veggie menu, which is also vegan friendly, with tasting menu dishes from stuffed squash blossoms to a shitake chipped cookie. It is one of the toughest tables in town to book. But don’t worry, we have the inside scoop on how to score a table.