The Best Places to Eat in Dupont Circle
Your guide to the best restaurants in one of DC’s most vibrant neigh...
Iconic, Local, Sophisticated, Melting Pot
Explore Dupont Circle and you’ll discover dozens of bistros, bars, boutiques and museums, as well as the vibrant stretch along 17th Street famed for its gay-owned businesses.
Every day of the year, laid-back locals and savvy visitors flock to the Dupont Circle fountain to read, people-watch and meet up with others. We highly recommend getting in some time there, too.
This cosmopolitan neighborhood offers a little something for everyone. An array of unique shops and exciting restaurants along Connecticut Avenue, one of the busy streets in the neighborhood, is exciting enough to keep you going all day.
Art-lovers can gallery hop around for First Friday Dupont or experience America’s first museum of modern art, The Phillips Collection. Globally minded folks should trek down Embassy Row, which starts on Massachusetts Avenue and cuts right through the circle.
As far as food goes, expect that international flavor of embassies to rub off on restaurants. Dupont's dining spots radiate outward from the central circle and include a diverse mix of marquee restaurants, casual bistros, brunch hot spots and late-night dining options. Check off a Michelin-starred dining experience at Sushi Taro, one of the District’s best Japanese restaurants (Chef Nobu Yamazaki’s kaiseki, or tasting menu, is not to be missed), or sample globally-inspired farm-to-table fare at The Pembroke.
A can't-miss activity in the neighborhood is joining the throngs of locals on Sundays who visit the year-round Dupont Circle farmers’ market (one of our favorite farmers’ markets in the District) in front of the Metro station entrance on Q and 20th streets.
Read up on Dupont Circle’s sophisticated side. Whether it’s boutique shopping or bookstore browsing, you’ll find it here. Share your Dupont Circle story using #MyDCcool!
Featured Events
Discover the best things to do in Washington, DC, from events happening right now to annual festivals and more.