Cherry blossoms are a big deal in the D.C. area. Every year, there is a flurry of excitement over when to expect peak bloom and what to expect during this year’s National Cherry Blossom Festival.

Some notable past stories from WTOP include exploring the little-known history behind D.C.’s oldest, original cherry blossoms, diving into the citywide tradition of decorating front porches with cherry blossom decorations and featuring the lasting legacy of one of the Tidal Basin’s most beloved trees.

WTOP staff have even taste-tested local, cherry blossom-inspired treats and found out how you can tell the difference between various types of cherry blossom trees.

For those who are in need of delicious treats to celebrate the season, WTOP has you covered once again. From high tea to desserts and beyond, here are some of the delightful and crave-worthy cherry blossom foods you can find in the D.C. area.

Cherry blossom-themed high tea

If you like to live the high life with high tea, here are a few hotels and other businesses offering themed options during the cherry blossom season.

• Moonraker at Pendry Hotel (D.C.): High tea with a cherry blossom-inspired twist and “Sakura specials” on the menu, priced at $80 per person. Also available is an interactive “Cherry Blossom Paint & Sip Experience,” priced at $75 per person.
• Park Hyatt (D.C.): Tableside tea service offered in the Tea Cellar on Saturdays and Sundays, priced at $110 per person.
• Willard InterContinental (D.C.): Afternoon tea is available in the “Peacock Alley” space on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, priced at $90 per adult or $105 with a glass of Champagne and $65 per child.
• Quadrant Bar & Lounge at The Ritz-Carlton (D.C.): “Cherry Blossom Tea Time” is available on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, priced at $88 per person.
• CUT at Rosewood Hotel (D.C.): Starting March 15, Wolfgang Puck’s restaurant is debuting the “Cherry Blossom Afternoon Tea” menu, offered on Saturdays and Sundays. The experience is priced at $85 per person or $105 per person with a glass of Duval-Leroy Brut Champagne, French 75 or Hugo Spritz.

Cherry blossom-themed cocktails and mocktails

For a list of both alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages to consider in the D.C. area, hit up the following D.C.-area restaurants and bars. Please note that these offerings are temporary, may vary and may not be the only cherry blossom specials available at these locations.

• Ciel Social Club at AC Hotel (D.C.): This rooftop bar is decked out from head to toe in cherry blossom decor and is serving a wide selection of seasonal cocktails and food specials. Some worth looking forward to include the “Lychee Martini” with Skyy Vodka, sake, lychee juice, yuzu and orgeat, the “Yuzu Aperol Spritz” with Aperol, cava and yuzu, and the “Japanese Black Manhattan” with High West Bourbon, Averna Amaro, Japanese sweet vermouth and umami and angostura bitters.
• ilili (D.C.): For those craving a nonalcoholic option, ilili has a zero-proof mocktail, bottled in-house and made with a hibiscus and rosehips cordial, rose water and lime juice.
• SABABA (D.C.): “Tokyo Red” with Suntory whiskey, Luxardo, cherry hibiscus syrup and yuzu juice, and the “Melon Spring Elixir” with Barr Hill gin, Midori, lemon juice and mint syrup.
• China Chilcano (D.C.): “Hanami Ember” with Suntori Toki Whiskey, Mancino Sakura Vermouth and Aperol, “Kyoto Bloom” with Roku Gin, Mancino Sakura Vermouth, Green Chartreuse and a Campari wash of the glass and “Sakura Drift” with Kiyomi Rum, raspberry and lime.
• Chang Chang (D.C.) and NiHao (Arlington, Virginia.): Both restaurants will serve a sakura blossom sochu-based cocktail with Sloe Gin, Tutti Frutti, plum cordial, Peychaud’s and lemon.
• Bresca (D.C.): “Just a Whisper” with sakura syrup, yellow chartreuse, Roku Gin, dragon god, soda and a strawberry Calpico foam.
• Ambar (various locations): “Cherried & Spiced” with gin, pear rakia, cherry-cardamom syrup and lime juice.
• Royal Restaurant (Alexandria, Va.): “Cherry Blossom Sangria” with brut rosé, Lustau blanc vermouth, cherry juice and orange flower water.
• The Majestic (Alexandria, Va.): “Cherry Blossom Sangria” with sweet vermouth, tart cherry juice, sparkling wine and simple syrup, topped with a twist of orange peel.

Cherry blossom-inspired mains, desserts and other sweet and savory treats

For those with a seasonal sweet tooth, check out the following restaurants and shops for their treats. Please note that these offerings are temporary, may vary and may not be the only cherry blossom specials available at these locations.

• SABABA (D.C.): “Cherry Blossom Sundae” with cherry blossom ice cream topped with candied almond and white sesame.
• a.kitchen+bar (D.C.): The various specials include a raw scallop dish with rhubarb, tarragon and sakura shuyo, with mains such as a lamb shoulder with fregola sardo, hakerie turnips and watercress. Two desserts to expect include a hibiscus panna cotta and a chocolate tahini sorbet.
• Bar Japonais (D.C.): Masaaki “Uchi” Uchino, the executive chef and Sushi Nakazawa alum, launched his inaugural omakase menu. Expect 15 courses of specials, which include a cherry blossom-steamed sushi, firefly squid and cherry salmon. These specials are also be available à la carte.
• Zaytinya (D.C.): “Manour Cream with Cherries” with sweetened tart cherries, Greek balsamic pickled dry cherries, candied almonds and tarragon, and “Ekmek Kadayif” with kataifi, chocolate mousse, cherry compote, toasted pistachio, chocolate crumble and milk sorbet.
• Jaleo (D.C.): “Gazpacho de cerezas con queso de cabra,” which is a chilled Spanish soup with cherries and goat cheese, “Panceta con cerezas y pure de patata,” which is a confit pork belly with cherries, a cherry demi-glace and potato puree, and “Sherry Blossom Parfait” with cherry marmalade, vanilla yogurt mouse, cherry granita, olive oil, pistachios and cherries.
• China Chilcano (D.C.): “Cherry Blossom Panna Cotta” with Sichuan cherry compote, yuzu and almonds. Other seasonal treats include a crab rangoon and a “Sakura Crystal Dumpling.”
• CUT at Rosewood Hotel (D.C.): The “Cherry Blossom Tasting Menu” encompasses three cherry blossom-inspired courses with dishes that include skull island prawn with sunflower seed and a cherry gremolata as an appetizer, a cherry wood-smoked short rib as a main and, for dessert, a strawberry and cherry blossom caramelized shortcake with basil stracciatella gelato. The experience is priced at $85 per person with wine pairings available for an additional fee.
• Ambar (various locations): “Hot Chocolate Brownie” with red tart cherry compote, vanilla ice cream, caramel sauce and hazelnuts.
• Immigrant Food (various locations): “Cherry Blossom Tres Leches” with freeze-dried strawberries and three types of milk.
• NiHao (Arlington, Va.): “Sakura Cherry Swiss Roll” with a traditional Swiss roll with cherry jam and sakura powder.

Other cherry blossom offerings worth exploring

Once again, the immersive digital art gallery, known as ARTECHOUSE, has brought back a cherry blossom-inspired exhibition. This year, the exhibition, called “Blooming Wonders: A Best-of-Spring Exhibition,” combines larger-than-life floral landscapes with interactive, themed installations. The exhibition runs through the end of April.

Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here.

© 2025 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

D.C. has established a timetable to clear about a dozen homeless encampments across the city. The city’s Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services maintains a website explaining the process and providing a timeline for clearing the camps.

President Donald Trump recently demanded on social media that D.C. move faster to clean up the encampments. Mayor Muriel Bowser said a White House staffer called about a specific encampment near the State Department, which the president was particularly concerned about.

That small camp was cleared out in 24 hours.

“The existing protocol permits an immediate clean up in the event of a public health or safety risk. The District previously planned to close this site, but the earlier engagement was postponed due to weather,” DHHS Deputy Mayor Wayne Turnage said in a statement.

At that site, only assorted trash and empty soda cans remain. District officials said they are now challenged to keep up with other encampments that may pop up.

“The safest place for people is in a shelter or permanent housing. D.C.’s case management teams continue to engage individuals and families experiencing homelessness and work to match them to housing resources and wraparound services such as behavioral health services and case management. Our primary focus is always working to move people experiencing homelessness into safer shelters or housing,” Turnage said.

Several more clearings are scheduled in the coming weeks, according to D.C.’s website:

• March 11, 1899 Ninth St. NE
• March 12, 901 26th St. NW
• March 12, 27th and K streets NW
• March 13, 2nd and D streets NW
• March 18, 3100 Mt. Pleasant St. NW
• March 19, 1425 New York Ave. NW
• March 20, North Capitol Street and Massachusetts Avenue NW

See the full timetable online.

“Over the past two years, we have cut the number of tents in half while opening new shelters, expanding housing vouchers and continuing our work to make homelessness rare, brief and nonrecurring,” Turnage said.

The city has engaged with the nonprofit Friendship Place to help assess the sites and connect homeless individuals with housing units.

“Someone is safest in housing in some sort of facility,” said Chris Rutledge, vice president of external relations for Friendship Place. “We connect them through case management to potential landlords and to whatever services they may need.”

Many homeless people suffer from mental health issues or other disabilities that can keep them from fully participating in society, which Friendship Place works to address.

Rutledge said D.C. is headed in the right direction.

“The city, in the last few years, has really been able to cut the number of tent encampments in half, and opening facilities such as ours so we can help make that a reality,” Rutledge said.

Friendship Place helps approximately 5,400 people in the D.C. area each year transition into programs that will get them back on their feet.

Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here.

© 2025 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

WASHINGTON – The Trump administration is once again urging DC leaders to prioritize safety and security, this time focusing on roads and rails.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy sent letters to DC officials, stating that changes are necessary. Duffy mentioned the safety of federal workers returning to the office and the president’s theme to “Make DC Beautiful” in a video posted on social media.

Trump administration urges safety improvements

What we know:

In a letter to Metro CEO Randy Clarke, Duffy highlighted fare evasion, which WMATA says is down 82%. He also emphasized the need to lower crime on buses and trains, citing a recent incident where a man had his jacket stolen. Metro Transit Police arrested the two suspects in connection with that incident. WMATA has been increasing enforcement and camera surveillance and is accelerating the process to get transit police recruits certified.

In a letter to Mayor Bowser, Secretary Duffy expressed concerns about road safety and specifically called out murals and other artwork which he said draw attention to their message rather than promote safety. This week, Mayor Bowser announced that the bold yellow “Black Lives Matter Plaza” mural near the White House will be changed.

Concerns raised over public transit and road safety

What’s next:

In a separate letter to Amtrak CEO Stephen Gardner, Secretary Duffy said Amtrak needs to do more to prevent crime and improve its management of Union Station. About three weeks ago, a fatal shooting occurred in the Union Station parking garage during the busy evening commute. Duffy suggested bringing in Homeland Security resources as well. Union Station is owned by the federal government, and Amtrak leases its part of the property.

Amtrak and the DC Mayor’s Office have not yet commented on the letters. Metro told FOX 5 that GM Randy Clarke is looking forward to working with their federal partners to improve safety.