Washington, D.C

The 9 Best Restaurants In Columbia Heights – Washington DC – The Infatuation

Published

2 years ago

February 5, 2024

The 9 Best Restaurants In Columbia Heights – Washington DC – The Infatuation

You’ve worked up an appetite after releasing your inhibitions at the drum circle in Meridian Park, and now you need to feed your renewed spirit. Luckily you’ve got options like sticky beef sesame jerky at a local Lao spot and the city’s best breakfast burritos. Here’s your guide to where to eat and drink in Columbia Heights.

THE SPOTS

photo credit: Nina Palazzolo

Thip Khao makes some of the best food in the city. The Lao spot’s sinus-clearing red-curry noodle soup is our go-to for crying into on a cold winter (or any really) day. And we love their crispy beef sesame jerky. So it’s not surprising that there’s often a line before the doors open. If you do manage to crowd your way into Thip Khao’s dining room, just know you’ll be squeezed so close to your neighboring table that you’ll be able to hear everything going on over there, which is nice if you’re a nosy person, not so nice if there’s a break up situation happening.

photo credit: Nina Palazzolo

When you’re looking for a breakfast spot that won’t judge your 3am texts, go to La Tejana. The Tex-Mex restaurant serves nine ridiculously good tacos that they rightly recommend you order in batches of two or three. Each soft taco is made with some variation of eggs, queso, potatoes, or refried beans on flour tortillas made in-house. On the weekends, expect a line that forms early, but moves quickly. You can take your order to-go or hang around the standing counter mounted against a wall.

No, Queen’s English isn’t a posh British tea house. It’s actually a living room type restaurant serving some of the best Cantonese food in the city. You’ll find yourself rubbing elbows with your neighbors as you curb the temptation to pluck a generously coated truffle dumpling off their plate with your chopsticks. The family-style menu is meant for sharing, just not with strangers at the next table. Exercise some self control because you won’t want to share once your table starts filling up with your own plates of orange sesame rock shrimp and spicy cucumber.

photo credit: Nina Palazzolo

If you’re on the lookout for a chill spot to work, The Coupe is a great option. The all-day breakfast cafe takes up the entire corner of the block, and is full of booths with a view and more secluded tables to get some serious work done. Just like any top-notch café, they’ve got an extensive coffee and pastry menu for those not up for a full meal. But, if you’re hungry, The Coupe Royale is the way to go. It’s loaded with eggs, sausage, a crispy hash brown square, and your choice of either french toast or pancakes (get the pancakes, always get the pancakes).

photo credit: Nebabu Tadesse

For the days when there’s no better company than your own, head to Letena Ethiopian Restaurant. Snag a comfy seat, drown out the world with Ethiopian jazz, and dive into their solo-friendly menu. We swear by the vegetarian sampler where seasoned green collards and spinach, peppery orange lentils, and vibrant red beets will have you thanking whatever higher power you believe in for bringing you this far.

The pastries at Ellē are so good they’ll inspire you to move to France, enroll in culinary school, and lead a life making buttery guava turnovers. Until then (boo capitalism) enjoy the best mudslide walnut cookies that life has to offer alongside freelance poets sipping on $6 lattes that are most definitely being written off as a critical expense. If you’re looking for a quiet workspace, head to the secluded backroom where you can lean against the cool brick wall while you knock whatever assignment you’re working on.

photo credit: Golshan Jalali

Options for good Mexican food in the city are limited, but fortunately, there’s Taqueria Habanero. You’ll find kids swinging off chipped wooden chairs while their parents unwind over sopping birria tacos, and lone diners savor sizzling shrimp fajitas at the bar. For the ultimate experience, come here midday. It’s not as busy, the service is fast, and your tender beef brisket flautas will be served piping hot. And to seal the deal, never leave without an order of the churros. Double up if you’re sharing, so you’re not fighting over the last one.

photo credit: Rey Lopez

This neighborhood spot is your all-around Italian restaurant, whether you’re looking for a great pizza, the city’s freshest donuts, or a reliable low-key date night spot. Little Coco’s long dining room is a combo of high tops, small wooden tables, and plastic-covered booths where you can tight-squeeze five of your closest friends. You’re not going to find DC’s best pasta (though it’s good enough for a casual night out), but you will find delicious gooey pizza, like The Dr. Pepper covered in pepperoni and fior di latte, that tastes exactly like we imagine the ultimate Ninja Turtle cheese pull.

photo credit: Nina Palazzolo

This three-story bar is popping almost every night of the week with people who live nearby enjoying an afterwork drink and hookah. Twinkle lights line the ivy on the small covered patio where you can pull up a seat for most of the year. Happy Hour, which runs from 5-8pm, is your best bet, but get there early if you want a seat at the small first-floor bar (the only one that’s guaranteed to be open) because it gets packed quickly.

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Washington, D.C

Storm Team4 forecast, Enjoy a pleasant start to the week with temperatures in the 70s

Published

3 hours ago

March 9, 2026

Press Room

Storm Team4 forecast, Enjoy a pleasant start to the week with temperatures in the 70s

4 things to know about the weather:

“May” not “March” for now
Next rain late Wednesday, Thursday
Back to average by Friday
Much colder next Week

The warmer weather we’ve waited months for will be with us for only three more days before the March Lion starts to roar again.

Monday and Tuesday will be the best days of the week by far. Sunny skies and temperatures running 20-25° above average. Plan for highs reaching the low 70s Monday and near 80° on Tuesday.

A series of cold fronts later in the week will send temperatures back to average 54° by the end of the week and then well below average for most of next week.

Clouds will return by Wednesday morning and rain chances will arrive no later than sunset. Wednesday will still be close to 80° and have our first taste of humidity in a while. Rain is likely from Wednesday evening through noon on Thursday as our first cold front arrives.

Thursday’s highs, likely near 70°, will occur before sunrise but gusty northwest winds will have temperatures falling steadily throughout the day. Expect temperatures in the 50s, rain for the morning commute and 40s with rain ending for the ride home.

Download the NBC Washington app on iOS and Android to check the weather radar on the go.

Warm streak won’t last long

The good news is that Friday and the upcoming weekend look dry. Highs will be back in the mid-50s for Friday and Saturday but Sunday should get back into the mid-60s.

Another cold front will arrive early next week leading to temperatures running 10-15° below average. It’s also not entirely out of the question that there could be a wet snowflake or two on St. Patrick’s Day.

The return of the cold air next week will keep the cherry trees at bay so the odds of peak bloom occurring in March, like it has the last five to six years in a row, are looking slim at best.

QuickCast

MONDAY:
Mostly Sunny
Nice And Warm
Light Breeze
Wind: Southwest 5-10 mph
Chance of Rain: 0%
HIGHS: 68° to 74°

MONDAY NIGHT:
Clear Skies
Remaining Mild
Patchy Areas Of Fog
Wind: Variable 5 mph
Chance Of Rain: 0%
LOWS: 46° to 52°

TUESDAY:
Mostly Sunny
Near Record Warmth
Light Breeze
Wind: Southwest 5-10 mph
Chance of Rain: 0%
HIGHS: 76° to 82°

WEDNESDAY:
Breezy, Warm And Humid
Increasing Clouds
Showers By Evening
Wind: Southwest 10-25mph
Chance of Rain: 40%
HIGHS: 75° to 80°

THURSDAY:
Cloudy, Windy, Much Colder
Rain Likely Before 2pm
Falling Temperatures
Wind: Northwest 20-35 mph
Chance of Rain: 80%
HIGHS: 65° to 45°

Sunrise: 7:29 Sunset: 7:09
Average High: 54° Average Low: 37°

Stay with Storm Team4 for the latest forecast. Download the NBC Washington app on iOS and Android to get severe weather alerts on your phone.

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Washington, D.C

Storm Team4 Forecast: Warm weather on the way with rain later in week

Published

15 hours ago

March 8, 2026

Press Room

4 things to know about the weather:

Feeling more like spring and summer over the next 72 hours.
Monday and Tuesday will feature plenty of sunshine.
Almost humid and definitely warm with strong storms possible on Wednesday.
Rain with falling temperatures and windchill in the low 40s on Thursday.

Happy daylight saving! Today was this year’s first sunset after 7 p.m. — 7:08 p.m. to be exact.

For the rest of the evening, expect clear skies, although there could be an isolated shower, especially south and east of the D.C. area.

Monday will be a beautiful day with temperatures in the upper 60s and lower 70s with plenty of sunshine.

Tuesday will get to around 80°. That could break a record of 79° sit back in 2016. Expect sunshine and dry conditions

By Wednesday, there is a possibility for severe storms in the afternoon and evening, but temperatures will once again approach 80°. Heavy rain and winds are the main thing to watch out for.

A pretty strong cold front will push through the area Thursday morning. That will bring some steady moderate rain to our area on Thursday. Temperatures will only be in the 50s, but the average high temperature for this time of year is also in the 50s, so this is actually closer to normal.

Download the NBC Washington app on iOS and Android to check the weather radar on the go.

QuickCast

SUNDAY NIGHT
Mostly clear skies
Temps: 60s and 50s

MONDAY
Sunny
HIGHS: Lower 70s

TUESDAY
Partly Sunny
HIGHS: Near 80°

WEDNESDAY
Afternoon and evening storms
HIGHS: Near 80°

THURSDAY
HIGHS: Near 50°

Stay with Storm Team4 for the latest forecast. Download the NBC Washington app on iOS and Android to get severe weather alerts on your phone.

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Washington, D.C

Students at ease after judge blocks Trump cuts to Upward Bound

Published

2 days ago

March 7, 2026

Press Room

Students at ease after judge blocks Trump cuts to Upward Bound

Four years ago, high school senior Aaron O’Brien wouldn’t believe he’d be studying chemistry now. Thanks to the Upward Bound program, that’s not hard to believe anymore.

“Before I came into the program, whew I don’t know who that man was,” O’Brien said.

Through free tutoring, test prep and college visits weekly, Upward Bound has helped millions of students like O’Brien, who attends McKinley Tech High School, pursue higher education.

The program is coordinated by colleges like George Washington University.

“The program has really expanded my vision for the future,” O’Brien said.

He joined Upward Bound as a freshman in high school.

“I never imagined I would be in these spaces and be able to network with so many different people,” he said.

“Upward Bound is basically a family,” said Layla Leiva, a senior at DC International School.

“A lot of us are first generation or low income. My parents do not know what the common app is, or standardized testing, and being able to have students that I can relate to meant the world for me,” she said.

Upward Bound falls under a series of federal TRIO programs funded by the Department of Education. Several programs in the series help veterans, students with disabilities, limited English and those facing foster care and homelessness.

Amid the Trump administration’s overhaul of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (D.E.I.), however, TRIO program funding was slashed because words related to the inclusionary policies were mentioned in its grant applications.

Last fall, a group that advocates for TRIO sued the Department for over $40 million in slashed grants.

Last June, Secretary of Education Linda McMahon testified at a Senate budget hearing, saying that TRIO didn’t give her apartment enough oversight.

“I just think that we aren’t able to see the effectiveness across the board that we would normally look to see with our federal spending,” McMahon said at the hearing.

When funding froze, George Washington University paused most of its programing and cut nearly all its staff.

“It was a staff of just me, I was still working with my seniors,” said George Washington’s Upward Bound director, Darrell Thornton.

After growing up in a similar program, Thornton says he wanted to give back.

“I knew I wanted to be that educator that made a difference,” he said.

Earlier this year, a federal judge temporarily blocked the Trump administration’s cuts, restoring funding for the program.

“It kind of felt like I was cut off from my family for a little bit. When we got back, it was like thank God,” Kevin Williams, a junior at Ron Brown Preparatory College High School said.

The university was also able to bring its staff back.

“I’m so relieved to find out this program finally has funding and that this program will continue to support students in the way that it did for me,” Leiva said.

News4 reached out to the Department of Education, but have not heard back.

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