Washington, D.C
12 Delicious Black-Owned DC Restaurants You Should Know
Washington, D.C. pays homage to Black culture across the city with memorials, museums, parks and, perhaps most delectably, its restaurants. As one of the most diverse cities in the U.S., D.C. has always been known for its wealth of cuisines represented at dining institutions across the city, and a number of its Black-owned institutions are among the most distinctive and flavorful in the nation’s capital. From fried chicken to chili, and from Caribbean to Ethiopian joints, Black-owned restaurants in the D.C. area certainly are not short on flavor. Below, we’ve rounded up just a few of the most delicious Black-owned restaurants you should know in the DMV.
Arlington
In summer of 2020, James Beard-nominated Chef Rahman “Rock” Harper opened the doors to his fried chicken mecca, named after none other than his own mother, Carole Harper. This tribute to the matriarch of the family serves up delicious fried chicken on its own or in sandwich form, along with all the requisite sides. Recently, the restaurant expanded to a second location in Water Park.
1711 Crystal Dr, Arlington, VA 22202
Shaw
A D.C. institution since 2013, DCity is serving smokehouse barbecue from a humble location in what was once a garage. Smoked wings, ribs and Mac & Jack Cheese are not to be missed, and the restaurant boasts a full bar to boot.
203 Florida Ave NW, Washington, DC 20001
U Street
Ben’s has become something of a mainstay in D.C. over the course of the last six decades, and its original location on U Street is a historic gem. Not only has the chili recipe stayed consistent, but so too have countertops, booths and stools in the first of the restaurant’s now multiple locations across the DMV. Don’t miss great deals during happy hour.
1213 U St NW, Washington, DC 20009
Shaw
Halfsmoke is where dining meets party, whether you’re five or 55 years old. With plenty of board games, lounge-worthy futons and a menu that includes a bottomless happy hour and boozy milkshakes, you could spend hours at this restaurant. And by the way, brunch goes all day.
651 Florida Ave NW #7, Washington, DC 20001
All Set offers a modern take on seasonal dishes made with fresh, local ingredients.
All Set
Silver Spring
All Set, co-owned by Executive Chef Ed Reavis (who also co-owns Money Muscle BBQ and Fryer’s Roadside), offers a modern take on seasonal dishes made with fresh, local ingredients. The New England-inspired menu includes offerings like Maine Style Lobster rolls alongside Chesapeake classics like Maryland crab cakes — each equally delicious.
8630 Fenton Street, Plaza, 5, Silver Spring, MD 20910
Downtown
Delighting diners since 1993, Georgia Brown’s brings together fine dining and Southern soul. With the occasional bout of live jazz, the restaurant seeks to take diners to Louisiana with biscuits, fried green tomatoes and fried chicken livers (and doesn’t disappoint).
950 15th St NW, Washington, DC 20005
Columbia Heights
One of the most consistently well-rated Ethiopian restaurants in a city full of Ethiopian restaurants is Letena, which certainly means something. The vegetable sampler is not to be missed, and the injera is perfectly fluffy and tart. The decor of the restaurant is also stunning, so be sure to sit in rather than order out.
3100 14th St NW #121, Washington, DC 20010
Dupont Circle
If you’re looking for a trendy African restaurant, look no further than Swahili Village, whose menu largely features Kenyan classics, but also brings together flavors from India, Iran, Portugal and the rest of the African continent. The Dupont Circle location is actually one of five Swahili Villages scattered throughout the northeast, making this a practical empire of its own.
1990 M St NW, Washington, DC 20036
U Street
Theirs is frequently touted as one of D.C.’s best fried chicken sandwiches, and you’ll find a number of Roaming Rooster locations throughout the city, all serving up not only sandwiches, but wings, tenders, nuggets and more. Roaming Rooster has been a mainstay in D.C. since 2015, when the restaurant started off as a food truck that has since found plenty of brick and mortar locations.
1301 U St NW, Washington, DC 20009
The plush seating area of Jeanine Prime’s St. James.
St. James
U Street
This modern Caribbean restaurant is a newer addition to the burgeoning restaurant empire from Trinidadian native Jeanine Prime (whose first restaurant, Cane, has been the recipient of much fanfare, including four consecutive Michelin’s Bib Gourmand awards). The restaurant brings together African, East Indian, Chinese, Portuguese and French flavors in an eclectic mix of both large and small plates designed to be enjoyed family style. Be sure to try the crab and Trini-style taro dumplings in a coconut curry sauce and the goat-centric paratha platter.
2017 14th St NW, Washington, DC 20009
Shaw
Home to one of the very best burgers in D.C. (that somehow travels incredibly well), Melange is the brain child of Ethiopian-born, French trained, Michelin-starred Chef Elias Taddesse. All burgers are made using dry aged, 100% locally sourced beef, and served atop house-made milk bread buns for an almost out-of-body experience.
1819 7th St NW, Washington, DC 20001
Wharf
New Orleans-themed Milk & Honey is a must-visit for brunch, where decadent dishes like shrimp and grits and chicken and Biscoff waffles abound. The restaurant now has several locations across the DMV, but the Wharf outpost is one of our favorites for people-watching and for a stroll along the water after a large meal.
676 Maine Ave SW ste 710, Washington, DC 20024
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Washington, D.C
Police search for suspect caught on camera slashing tires in Georgetown
Washington D.C. police are searching for a vandal who was caught on surveillance video slashing the tires of multiple vehicles in a Georgetown alley on Tuesday afternoon. The suspect, who fled the scene on a red bicycle, targeted a Chevy Suburban and a Ford Escape on the 1700 block of 35th Street Northwest.
Washington, D.C
Reflecting Pool being drained – again – as Trump administration tries once more to fix DC landmark – WTOP News
Crews began draining the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool on Sunday, according to Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, for the second time in three months.
(CNN) — Crews began draining the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool on Sunday, according to Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, for the second time in three months.
In an interview released Tuesday with Katie Miller, a conservative podcaster and wife of President Trump’s deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller, Burgum said they started draining the pool as planned after the July Fourth fireworks show, noting some of the fireworks debris was still in the water.
Asked about the schedule for this round of renovations, he gave no specifics beyond a broad overview.
“Drain the water. Clean up the fireworks stuff. Repair the vandalism that was done. Fill it back up again,” Burgum said.
As of Tuesday evening, there was still water in the pool, and it was unclear if it will be drained further. Burgum indicated over the weekend that it may only need to be partially drained.
The move comes after weeks of problems – algae blooms, green-hued water, a chipping bottom and allegations of vandalism – have plagued the iconic landmark, making its woes the subject of a national fixation.
Members of the Trump administration, including President Donald Trump, have said vandals caused damage to the Reflecting Pool by gashing the lining, though they have not provided evidence to support that claim. In late June, the president said the pool would be drained after the July Fourth holiday to fix it.
The administration will use the same contractor, Virginia-based Atlantic Industrial Coatings, for this next round of repairs. Previously, the company landed a no-bid contract worth more than $14 million for their part of the work – sealing the pool and painting the bottom “American Flag- blue.”
Asked about the timeline for his part of the repairs, Eddie Gross, owner of Atlantic Industrial Coatings told CNN that “nothing has been set yet.” He declined to answer questions about his contract and the cost of additional repairs.
The Department of Interior did not respond to questions about the timeline for this round of repairs.
Burgum, in an interview on CNN’s “State of the Union” Sunday, suggested the repairs could happen with the pool only being partially drained. He sought to portray the costs as minor.
“It’s going to be a small number because the majority of the work was related to the labor and the materials for the liner,” Burgum said.
“We’ll use the same company, because they did a fantastic job,” he said.
Burgum also said the government could “absolutely” prove the damage was caused by vandals, and that there are photographs supporting the claim. But he dodged a question about whether those photographs show anyone damaging the pool.
The secretary also denied that Trump having his motorcade drive through the pool mid-renovation in May did any damage to the site.
“No, I was with him when we came that night … We were driving in a Cadillac Escalade. It is one of the presidential fleet of cars,” Burgum said, adding that the vehicle Trump took on the ride was “substantially lighter” than the armored presidential limousine known as “The Beast.”
“The whole base level of this industrial rubber layer was not yet completed, and so there was no damage that night whatsoever,” he said. “That was one of the questions we asked before we even brought the presidential motorcade there, but not a chance.”
The other contractor involved in the project, Greenwater Services, previously told CNN that when the pool is drained it will not affect their system, which is up and running.
Chas Antinone, the president of Greenwater Services, told CNN the company can shut down and then restart the so-called ozone nanobubbler, as necessary.
Companies involved in the renovation have found themselves at the center of national news as Reflecting Pool issues continued.
The-CNN-Wire
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Washington, D.C
DC is second riskiest city for driving, Allstate says
D.C. is the second riskiest city for driving, an insurance company report says.
Allstate said it looked at the number of crashes, how often they happen and certain types of behavior behind the wheel.
“On the phones, bike lanes, people on motor scooters having no regard for the law,” one driver told News4. “It is risky, yeah. I’ve seen a lot of close calls.”
The average driver around D.C. goes just about four years in between collisions. Drivers in the least risky city — Brownsville, Texas — go about 15 years in between collisions.
D.C. also got dinged for bad driving — like being on phones a lot — and plenty of nighttime driving, which increases risk.
Allstate analyzed property damage claims from January 2023 through December 2024 to rank cities. Here’s the Top 10:
- Boston
- D.C.
- Baltimore
- Worcester, Mass.
- Springfield, Mass.
- Glendale, Calif.
- Providence
- Sunrise Manor, Nev.
- Los Angeles
- Philadelphia
But local Allstate agent Rudy Alston says D.C. drivers themselves may not deserve the bad rap.
“I think a lot of it isn’t so much from D.C. natives,” he said. “I think it’s a lot of people coming from outside of D.C. — coming from Maryland and Virginia that commute to D.C. — that maybe aren’t as familiar with the traffic laws in D.C. and how congested D.C. is with the influx of pedestrians, Uber drivers, the Door Dash guys on the scooters, the Metrobuses. So, I just think when they get here, they’re just not familiar with it.”
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