For all its traditional iconography, D.C.’s Chinatown doesn’t feel all that … well, Chinese. However, it remains a center point of the city and Bowser’s working hard to keep it that way. It might not have much Chinese food, but it does have great museums and basement bars that make it worth a trip.
☕ First, Coffee
The draft oat milk lattes at La Colombe on 6th Street NW never get old. But, for something more local, head to Marianne’s (by DC Central Kitchen) in the MLK Library. The pastries are top-notch, and it provides job training to residents facing barriers to employment.
🍽️ What To Eat
The great tragedy of D.C.’s Chinatown is the lack of good Chinese food (head to Rockville for that), but you can still get a good bowl of hand-pulled noodles at WASAI or some soup dumplings at Reren Lamen. For something more interactive, Kura Revolving Sushi Bar is a hoot or try Tonari for Wafu-style pizza.
Chinatown neighborhood borders. (Google Maps)
🖼️ What To Do
Check out the new Oprah Winfrey portrait at the National Portrait Gallery, or go to one of their many free writing or drawing workshops. Practice your putting skills at indoor minigolf course Puttery, or the high-tech golf bar Five Iron Golf. Cheer on the Wizards or the Caps at Capital One Arena before they move to Alexandria. Or swing through the Museum of Illusions and the German American History Museum.
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What To Drink
Chinatown shines in its moody basement bars. Denson Liquor Bar and the Silver Lyan are two of my favorite speakeasies in the city. Both feature low lighting, stellar cocktails, and make you feel like you traveled to the 1920s. For something more dive-y, try Jackpot, filled with knick-knacks, cheap drinks, and most importantly, free popcorn.
