Best Food Tours in Washington DC

When you have finished seeing and doing everything Washington DC has to offer, a very interesting option is to continue your tour with one of the city's gastronomic tours. The U.S. capital stands out for its museums and monuments, but also for its extensive gastronomy as any cosmopolitan place.

From the Capitol to U Street and from Eastern Market to the Potomac River, Washington DC has a wide variety of gastronomic circuits for you to enjoy the most varied flavors. Here are the best options, where you can find them and everything you need to make your experience a satisfactory one.

This tour will force you to go out of the main circuit of Washington DC and that is already good news because you will get to know a different profile of the city.

On the U Street tour you will not only taste some of the best flavors of the American capital, but you will also learn, through an expert local guide, the history of the streets of Black Broadway and its influence on the Jazz Age.

This culinary tour will take you to one of the best corners of the city to enjoy a burger, sausage, pizzas and other delicious foods that will enhance the flavor of your experience, all while your guide tells you the story of jazz pianist Shirley Horn and the Lincoln Theater building.

The U Street tour lasts approximately three hours and a portion of the proceeds are donated to Bread for the City, an organization that provides food, warm clothing, medical care and financial assistance to reduce poverty in Washington DC.

Details of interest

• Price... The full tour including the assistance of an expert local guide and lunch starts at €92.
• Duration of the tour... The tour lasts approximately three hours.
• How to get to U Street... From Capitol Hill you can get there directly by buses 90, 92 and 96 or by Metro taking the green and yellow lines from L'Enfant Plaza to U Street Northwest.
• Benefits of this tour... Not only will you enjoy a delicious lunch, but you will learn about the history of one of Washington DC's most eclectic neighborhoods.

If you're a beer aficionado this tour is ideal for you. On an approximately five-hour tour you'll sample a variety of award-winning beers and visit four of Washington DC's top breweries, while an expert local guide walks you through all the steps of brewing.

The tour also typically includes lunch or dinner, as well as bus transportation to the Hellbender, Right Proper, Brookland Pint and 3 Stars breweries.

On each of the visits you will be able to do different activities, such as brewing your own beer, learning the complete brewing process of an industrial bottling plant and the secret behind the flavors of each of the beverages.

The tastings and meals included in the tour are designed so that you can enjoy your visit and live a different experience in your trip to Washington DC, away from the typical visits to war memorials and public buildings on the National Mall.

Details of interest

• Price... The full tour with beer tasting, meals and transfers starts at 105 euros.
• Duration of the tour... The tour lasts approximately five hours.
• Advantages of this tour... You will get to know a different tour of the American capital and the operation of the main breweries in Washington.

Washington DC has the second largest Ethiopian community in the world and also one of the most important gastronomic circuits of this community.

There are about fifty Ethiopian food restaurants throughout the U.S. capital and most of them are located in Shaw, east of U Street.

This tour with an expert local guide offers a journey through the history of the neighborhood and the waves of immigration, and allows you to enjoy four tastings that include a traditional Ethiopian breakfast, a national dish, Italian-influenced desserts and other pairings that will allow you to discover the flavors and textures of Ethiopian cuisine.

The tasting offerings include meat and vegetarian dishes, Ethiopian breads, traditional appetizers and sauces, and a coffee ceremony, all on a three-hour tour with four stops at some of Shaw's top restaurants.

Details of interest

• Price... The full tour with tasting and expert local guide starts at €64.
• Duration of the tour... The tour lasts approximately three hours.
• How to get to Little Ethiopia... From Capitol Hill you can get there directly by buses 90, 92 and 96 or by Metro by taking the green and yellow lines from L'Enfant Plaza to Shaw-Howard University Station.
• Advantages of this tour... You will have access to one of the most important gastronomic cultures of Africa in one of the largest Ethiopian communities in the world.
• Disadvantages of this excursion... The tour includes a walk of approximately two kilometers at a moderate pace, which should be taken into account if any of the visitors have mobility problems.

Eastern Market is the oldest functioning food market in Washington DC and also because of its proximity to Capitol Hill a focal point of the city, even for locals.

This tour usually includes the chance to enjoy eight tastings, including artisan bread, local fruits and vegetables, regional and international cheeses, Salvadoran empanadas and typical Eastern European desserts.

The urban myth of the U.S. capital as a planned city was built around Eastern Market and since then this market has acquired a fundamental importance for Washington DC. In a tour of an hour and a half you will learn the secrets of this emblematic place and you will also have an approach of the flavors it houses.

This tour admits a maximum of six participants and an expert local guide will lead you inside the market while telling you the history of the building. Children under the age of seven who do not participate in the tastings are admitted free of charge.

Details of interest

• Price... The complete tour with the eight tastings and the expert local guide starts at 39 euros.
• Duration of the tour... The tour lasts approximately one and a half hours.
• Easter Market Hours... The market is open Tuesday through Sunday from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm.
• How to get to Eastern Market... From Capitol Hill you can take the 32 and 36 bus.
• Advantages of this tour... You will be able to access a circuit very frequented by locals and taste local and foreign food in an area very close to Capitol Hill.

On this food tour, an expert local guide will tell you about the history of Georgetown and will be your host at an Indian restaurant, a French bakery, an Italian food stall and also at a local coffee shop.

In a three-hour tour you will learn all about Georgetown, one of Washington DC's most distinguished neighborhoods. An area of embassies and some of the most notable residents' homes, it is also an area of restaurants and food stores that contribute to the neighborhood being considered a culinary reference in the city.

The three-hour tour includes meals and food pairings, which may include alcoholic beverages, and the assistance of an expert local guide. Vegetarian options are available on the menu.

Details of interest

• Price... The complete tour with the visit to the restaurants and the expert local guide starts at 69 euros.
• Duration of the tour... The tour lasts approximately three hours.
• How to get to Georgetown... From Capitol Hill you can take buses 32 and 36 combined with the GT-US bus or buses 33 and 38B.
• Advantages of this tour... You will get to know an emblematic neighborhood of Washington DC and its culinary circuit in the same tour.

Dupont Circle is one of the most cosmopolitan neighborhoods in Washington DC and therefore its gastronomy is very varied. This tour proposes a tour with up to four tastings among which you can choose from Asian dishes, Mediterranean desserts, Malaysian food or typical American cuisine alternatives.

On this tour you will also get to know the diversity of the neighborhood, its impressive 19th century mansions that represent the opulence of Washington DC and the embassies representing more than fifty countries in the U.S. capital.

The four-hour tour, with four stops and groups of up to twelve people, will include restaurants from around the world but will start and end with local food.

Interesting details

• Price... The complete tour with the visit to the restaurants and the expert local guide starts at 73 euros.
• Duration of the tour... The tour lasts approximately four hours.
• How to get to Georgetown... From Capitol Hill you can take the Metro Red Line from Union Station to Dupont Circle or the Blue Line from Capitol South Station to Farragut West. Also by buses 32 and 36.
• Advantages of this tour... It is an opportunity to get to know Washington's bohemian neighborhood from a culinary perspective.

Adams Morgan is one of the most vibrant nightlife neighborhoods in Washington DC, with many eclectic bars and international restaurants including Guatemalan, Dutch, Peruvian, Vietnamese, Brazilian and Israeli cuisine. On this tour you will visit a variety of ethnic food venues to enjoy specialties from around the world.

On this four-hour excursion, you will visit about five ethnic restaurants with tastings and an expert local guide included, and learn about the history of one of the most culturally diverse neighborhoods in the U.S. capital. Vegetarian options are also available.

The culinary tour of Adams Morgan restaurants is an ideal plan to do during the noon hour for lunch and later enjoy the themed bars in the area.

Details of interest

• Price... The complete tour with the visit to the restaurants and the expert local guide starts at 75 euros.
• Duration of the tour... The tour lasts approximately four hours.
• How to get to Georgetown... From Capitol Hill you can take buses 90 and 96 or buses 32 and 36 or the Metro Red Line from Union Station, combining with buses 42, 43 and L2.
• Advantages of this tour... The tour includes access to some of the best restaurants in Washington so it is an economical option to have access to several of them with tastings.

This tour offers a luxury option at an affordable price. It includes a trip on a sightseeing cruise on the Potomac River and a premium dinner to watch the sunset and the city light up at night.

On a three-hour excursion you will have access to one of the most beautiful panoramas of Washington DC while enjoying a three-course dinner.

This tour also includes a DJ with live music and a near shore tour to see Washington DC's finest landmarks The ship's design allows for free sailing under the bridges of the U.S. capital and the glazed walls of the cruise ship promise a sweeping view.

The cruise departs from the Washington DC docks and smart casual attire is recommended.

Details of interest

• Price... The full tour with the cruise ship tour and three-step dinner starts at €94.
• Duration of the tour... The tour lasts approximately four hours.
• How to get to Georgetown... From Capitol Hill, you can take buses 32 and 36 combined with the P6 bus or the Metro Green Line from Archives-Navy Memorial-Penn Quarter to the Waterfront.
• Advantages of this tour... The tour combines an affordable cruise excursion with a three-step dinner.

All the excursions in this article are oriented to the gastronomic side of the tour but also include other cultural activities such as a tour of different neighborhoods and their secrets or a cruise on the Potomac River. Therefore in these excursions you will not only discover the flavors of Washington DC but also its stories.

These excursions also allow you to combine interesting activities outside the main circuit of attractions and museums in Washington DC and discover the cosmopolitan side of the American capital.

Because you are going to learn a lot about the culture of not only the United States and Washington DC but also many of the countries of the world. The Little Ethiopia tour will take you to the best of African cuisine and the Adams Morgan tour will give you a quick tour of many other countries.

At other sites such as Eastern Market or U Street you can learn more about local food and the influences of these places on the culture of Washington DC.

All tours include the assistance of an expert local guide which will ensure that you will not only enjoy the meals but also the stories of each place. On your own you will be able to visit each and every restaurant but you will miss information along the way that may not complete your experience.

If you are interested in getting to know the American capital from the gastronomic side, I recommend that you choose the tour that best suits your interests and start enjoying with all your senses the tastiest side of Washington DC.