Back to DC - a few great DC hotspots

Spending the week in DC in between performances of FlagBoy at The Capital Fringe Festival was quite daunting because I really didn’t know what I would do. My only plans were to come down and perform the show on the weekends and then head home to NYC during the week. Looking over my budget (yes I got recession heart palpitations) I decided to park it and shack up with friends and family, to avoid spending all my cash on traveling. Well, I realized there was much needed writing and reading I could get caught up on along with checking out new spots for eating, lounging, and cruising (did I say cruising? - Cruising: a popular spot where one goes to check out the alluring and titillating HUMAN landscape).

Here are few spots I ventured to:

Coffee Shop/Lounge:

Sidamo Coffee & Tea - located at 417 H Street NE, it’s the perfect spot for breakfast, lunch, coffee, and tea on the go. They have a huge selection of exotic teas and coffee. This particular day - The Coffee of the Day was Ethiopian Lima and Tanzania. Not on the go? Take some time out, by making yourself comfortable at a private table for one, two, or three. Sit back and enjoy a breakfast sandwich, grilled chicken salad, or a chicken salad sandwich, and more. (Chicken salad sandwich…awesome!) Want to enjoy the sites of H St. and get your cruise on? Just take the storefront window seat located on the inside of the coffee shop. If you just want to work or read make yourself comfortable, no one will pressure you to be on your way, or to turn turntables for new customers. You’re on your time there and the owners of the coffee shop are so welcoming and humble. Oh…don’t forget to bring your laptop…FREE WIFI!!!

This place is very cool! Very community friendly. People greet you and genuinely ask how your day is. Very nice!

Sidamo Coffee & Tea

www.sidamocoffeeandtea.com

417 H St NE

Washington, DC 20002-4335

(202) 548-0081

Restaurant/Bar/Lounge:

Vapiano Pasta | Pizza | Bar - located in Chinatown at 623-625 H Street NW, this is the perfect after-work spot for socializing over cocktails and dinner (light or small). This spot is so reasonably priced and the service is quick. The ambiance gives you the feel of an upscale lounge, with a casual ‘laid-back’ feel. There’s a real food bar where you actually walk to the food counter and place your order with a trendy and clever personable “chip card.” You can also use the “chip card” to order your drinks from the bar. The food preparation takes place right before your eyes, by some extraordinary chefs, in very short minutes. The clientele is very trendy and affluent young to middle aged professionals. And there’s definitely a lot of “eye-candy” for your cruising appetite!

Check out Vapiano…you’ll Love it!

Vapiano Chinatown

623-625 H Street N.W.

Washington, DC 20001

There tons of locations nationally and internationally including two more in the DC Area:

Vapiano Ballston

4401 Wilson Blvd

Arlington, VA 22203

Vapiano M Street

Dupont Circle

1800 M St NW

Washington, DC 20036

Log on to www.vapianointernational.com for a location near you.

Banana Café & Piano Bar - located in Eastern Market at 500 8th Street SE, renowned for its Cuban, Mexican, and Puerto Rican Cuisine it definitely lives up to its name! Banana Café is such a warm and colorful restaurant. It’s no surprise that owner, Jorge Zamorano who is a self-taught artist, chose to design the restaurant with authentic art and colors representing his South American cultural influences from Cuba, Puerto Rico, and Mexico. It makes this restaurant a stand out in the Eastern Market community. I think you will enjoy the all around ambiance and comfort of the restaurant, whether your sitting inside or outside…you’ll love it. The food is plentiful and delectable. I ate with a friend this day and we shared the Ropa Vieja and the Carnitas Cubanas. Awesome! For drinks - The Black Traveler’s signature: Mojito!!! Yes, Banana Café’s Mojitos get an A. You should also try the Tropical Margarita. Don’t have too many, you may leave in a drunken stupor. Unfortunately I can’t speak much on the Piano Bar because I wasn’t there during those hours, but I’d say it’s worth featuring. However…cruise away because there are definitely some beautiful folk from all walks of life. To add to that, the clientele is quite gay friendly!!!

Definitely check out Banana Café…you may run into me there.

Busboys and Poets

Imagine a place where you can grab a sandwich, attend an open mic, have a cocktail, pick up the latest books by America’s leading black intellectuals, attend a lecture by a nobel laureate, and plug-in to free wi-fi.  Well, you will find all this and more at Busboys and Poets in DC’s vibrant U street/Shaw neighborhood.  Named after a reference to famed Black poet, Langston Hughes, Busboys and Poets is not just a restaurant, it’s a community center.  Busboys and Poets makes no secret about promoting progressive values, but you will find everybody and their mama here.  Looking around during a packed Sunday brunch you will see Howard University students, young white hipsters, and older Black ladies with their pastel hats and church suits.   

I almost always inevitably show up here for at least one meal when I have out of town guests.  They serve breakfast, lunch, dinner and late-night food at reasonable prices.  It’s a fantastic spot for brunch and is packed on weekend mornings.  The menu is eclectic and global.  The food is consistently good and everybody will find something they enjoy.  The baristas are top-notch, and the coffee is always perfect.    

Busboys and Poets hosts daily events.  On any given day you can attend a film screening, lecture, open mic, concert, or networking event.  They also were quite popular during election season, and lines formed down the block to get in for debate and inaugural parties.   

Busboys and Poets business is so booming that they opened two more locations in the DC area, but I am loyal to the original on 14^th street.  If I ever leave DC, Busboy and Poets will be one of the places I will really miss.  There is a vibe and energy here that is so unique. Few places these days are as community focused and there is always something going on here, interesting people to meet, great art to look at, and good times to be had.   

2021 14th St NW 
(between N U St & N V St) 
Washington, DC 20009

202) 387-7638

www.busboysandpoets.com