D.C. Ward 6 Neighborhood Guides
Barney Circle
A small neighborhood named after the traffic circle by the Sousa Bridge, many often consider it part of Hill East.
Eat:
- Green curry from Sala Thai, a Thai restaurant with locations throughout the city.
- “Pretzel Bomb,” a Nutella-filled pretzel roll, from nearby The Pretzel Bakery, the city’s only pretzel bakery.
Drink:
- Sour ale at nearby Shelter, a bar with a rotating list of beers inside The Roost.
- Vanilla latte from nearby Cameo, a coffee shop inside The Roost.
Do:
- Donate books at the many Little Free Library boxes throughout the neighborhood.
- Find community gardens in alleys like the Hill East Community Garden, which first opened in 2004.
- Honor a neighborhood legend at Dennis Dolinger Memorial Park, a triangle park where Potomac Ave, 16th Street, and G Street SE meet.
- Learn Black history at the Seafarers Yacht Club, the East Coast’s oldest Black boat club.
- Run along the Anacostia Riverwalk Trail, a 12-mile trail that goes East of the River.
- Take a tour of Congressional Cemetery, an 1807 cemetery with famous interments.
See:
- Muralist Mimi Ton‘s work of RBG and other women heroes in Duvall Court SE.
- Mural showing solidarity with Ukraine by Nils Westergard on a garage near GreenSEED Community Garden, an organic community garden in the alley at 17th and D Streets SE.
- Neoclassical architecture at the Anne Archbold Hall, a now-closed 1930s residence hall for nurses.
- Totem poles from Lummi Nation within Congressional Cemetery.
Capitol Hill
The most populated neighborhood in the city, Capitol Hill is soaked in history hidden in alleys, popular restaurants, and epics views of the city skyline.
Eat:
- Blueberry buckwheat pancakes from Market Lunch, a no-frills breakfast/lunch counter inside Eastern Market, the city’s oldest continuously-operating market.
- Burger from Beuchert’s Saloon, a new American restaurant in a small, well-designed space.
- “DL’s Egg Drop” breakfast sandwich at I Egg You, an egg-heavy restaurant along Barracks Row that also sells Vietnamese Egg Coffee (coffee with egg yolk and condensed milk froth).
- French toast from Le Bon Cafe, a tiny French cafe literal steps away from the U.S. Capitol.
- Hot cakes from Jimmy T’s, a no-frills cafe inside a Victorian corner rowhouse.
- Soy-glazed brisket from Chiko, a tiny takeout-only Korean-Chinese fusion restaurant.
Drink:
- Coffee flight at Junction Bistro & Bar, a Alexandria-founded bistro with weekend brunch deals.
- Frozen margaritas from Santa Rosa, a taqueria and margarita bar with a chorizo and egg taco on the menu.
- Gin cocktails at The Betsy, an alley rooftop gin garden with $1 fries during happy hour.
- Latte from Peregrine Espresso, one the city’s longest-standing independent coffee shops. (They brew beans roasted in D.C. from Small Planes.)
Do:
- Attend a cooking class at the Hill Center, a non-profit that hosts classes and events inside the building that was D.C.’s first Naval hospital.
- Browse used and rare books at Capitol Hill Books, a 1991 used bookstore inside an 1891 rowhouse filled with books, including in the bathroom. For new books, stop by East City Bookshop, a women-owned shop filled with two floors of books.
- Donate art to Free Little Art Gallery DC, a Little Free Library box filled with local art for anyone to take along East Capitol Street SE.
- Find murals in alleys like the garage mural of rowhouses in Rumsey Court SE.
- Go on a date to Little Pearl, a top-rated restaurant inside a historic carriage house with a $105 7-course menu. With the same owner, Rose’s Luxury nearby is still a popular dining spot.
- Honor abolitionist Frederick Douglass by visiting his old house at 316 A Street NE.
- Read the plaques and enjoy the art on the historic call boxes found throughout Capitol Hill. Many of them honor women.
- Take your kids to multiple playgrounds like Stanton Park for younger kids and Garfield Park for older.
- See a participatory play inside a 19th century church with Saint Mark’s Players.
- Show up for a game night at Labyrinth Games & Puzzles, one of the few local game stores in the city.
- Watch an $8 movie at the Miracle Theatre, built in 1909.
See:
- Animal sculptures (called “Alphabet Animals”) on light posts thanks to Capitol Hill Arts Workshop, an organization that offers music, ceramics, dance, and other art classes for youth and adults. Here’s a map and article about the Alphabet Animals.
- Art at Triple Candie Gallery, a 24/7 art gallery seen through the windows of an old Little Tavern (a beloved burger chain that’s now closed) building.
- Coca-Cola ghost sign on the side of an old rowhouse at 420 South Capitol Street SE.
- Ebenezer United Methodist Church, the neighborhood’s first Black congregation and home to the city’s first publicly financed Black schools in the 19th century.
- Maples, the neighborhood’s oldest building built in between 1795 and 1795 in the Late Georgian-style.
- Mary McLeod Bethune Statue, one of three D.C. outdoor statues honoring U.S. women in public spaces, at Lincoln Park, the neighborhood’s largest public park once home to a Civil War hospital.
- Murals in the alley along Barracks Row between 8th and 9th Streets SE and E and G Streets SE.
- Shakespeare play at the Folger Theatre, whose library houses the world’s largest collection of the printed works of William Shakespeare.
- Views of the U.S. Capitol from Spirit of Justice Park, a two-block hidden park on top of a Congressional parking lot.
Judiciary Square
Deep with history, the area is home to many hidden gems like a gilded fountain and the oldest memorial to Lincoln.
Eat:
- Caesar salad at L’Ardente, an Italian restaurant with weekend brunch.
- Pastrami sandwich at Jack’s Famous Deli, a no‑frills deli that’s open during the week from 6:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
- Ramen from Daikaya, a small ramen restaurant with indoor and outdoor seating.
- Sushi at Love, Makoto, a collection of Japanese restaurants.
Drink:
- Beer from the Mid‑Atlantic at Free State, a cocktail bar open every night until 2 a.m.
- Matcha latte from SakuSaku Flakerie, a bakery with Japanese‑inspired pastries inside the National Building Museum.
Do:
- Escape the city at the urban park on top of the 395 highway near D Street NW.
- Hear your echo in the rotunda outside the Canadian Embassy. Don’t miss Bill Reid’s “Spirit of Haida Gwaii” sculpture in the water in front of the embassy’s main entrance.
- Honor law enforcement at the National Law Enforcement Museum, a museum underground open daily with free admission for kids under 12.
- Learn about the city’s Jewish community at the Capital Jewish Museum, a new museum that includes an 1876 synagogue.
- Pop into the German-American Heritage Museum, a small museum open Tuesday‑Friday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. about German‑speaking people’s contributions to the U.S.
- Relax at John Marshall Park and find the statue of the Chief Justice and one in honor of his love for chess.
- Take Italian classes at Casa Italiana Language School next to the 1913 Holy Rosary Church.
- Visit the National Building Museum inside the old 1887 Pension Bureau building.
See:
- Darlington Memorial Fountain, a fountain with a 1922 gilded bronze statue.
- National Fire Dog Monument by Austin Weishel in front of the DC Fire & EMS Station.
- “She Who Must Be Obeyed” sculpture by Tony Smith on the grounds of the Department of Labor.
- Statue of Abraham Lincoln, the oldest memorial to the president, in front of the DC Court of Appeals.
Mount Vernon Triangle
An area dominated by high rise apartment buildings, this neighborhood dates back to L’Enfant’s original plan for the city.
Eat:
- Biscuit sammies from A Baked Joint, a popular cafe that opens daily at 7:30 a.m.
- Cashew labneh from Shouk, a plant‑based fast‑casual restaurant.
- Chicken green curry from Baan Siam, a popular Thai restaurant with indoor and outdoor seating.
- Pizza at Stellina Pizzeria, a popular pizzeria with a waffle menu at this location only.
- “Tikka Chance On Me” bowl from Rasa, a fast‑casual Indian restaurant with a colorful door.
Drink:
- German beer at Prost DC, a bar with a rotating list of German and Austrian beer.
- Latte at Chez Lily, a dog‑friendly cafe named after the owner’s dog.
- “Sojutinis” for $8 at Mandu, a family‑run Korean restaurant with happy hour every day.
- Wine from Bar Chinois, a Chinese restaurant with French‑inspired wine and cocktails.
Do:
- Honor legacy at Bible Way Church, a historic Black congregation that is known for its community outreach and activism.
- Learn about history at First Tabernacle Bethel, an 1857 wooden chapel allegedly a stop on the Underground Railroad.
- See contemporary art at Hemphill Artworks, a 1993 art gallery open Tuesday‑Saturday 12‑5 p.m.
- Visit the DC History Center‘s exhibits inside the Carnegie Library, a 1903 library that’s the city’s first desegregated public building and now an Apple store.
See:
- Muralist HERA of herakut‘s 135‑foot Climate Action mural at 455 Eye Apartments.
- “Zero Hunger” mural by Lula Goce on the D.C. Metro air shaft at 200 H Street NW.
Near Northeast
Once a hub for Black Americans and immigrant communities- Irish, Russian-Jews, Germans, and others- Near Northeast is a neighborhood in transition as local businesses open and close along H Street NE. It’s an area with hidden murals, historic churches, and some of the city’s best food.
Eat:
- Awaze tibs from Ethiopic, a longstanding popular Ethiopian restaurant open every day except Monday.
- Chicken green curry from Tiki Garden Thai Street Food, a new family-owned Thai restaurant.
- Kingston Kurry Chicken at Jerk at Night, a popular Caribbean restaurant that started as a food truck.
- Mussels at Grandville Moore’s, a small Belgian restaurant once highlighted by The New York Times.
- Pizza from The Little Grand, a small alley bar and restaurant. Old City Market and Oven, a corner store, sells worthy pizza too.
- Taipei Curry Chicken ramen at Toki Underground, a small, second-floor ramen restaurant with cocktails and miso-butter-creme cookies.
- Trini-Chinese Style Chicken from Cane, an award-winning, Black-owned Caribbean restaurant.
Drink:
- Ale at The Queen Vic, a popular British pub with a $25 Sunday beef roast.
- “Bartender’s Choice” at Copycat, a small cocktail bar where bartenders visit after hours. Don’t sleep on their dan dan noodles off the food menu.
- “Bronze” cocktail from Bronze, a Black-owned fine dining restaurant inspired by Afrofuturism.
- Chai latte from Ebenezers Coffeehouse, a coffee shop inside a former drug house now owned by the National Community Church.
- Coffee from Sidamo Coffee & Tea, a family-owned, no-frills cafe that used to host Ethiopian coffee ceremonies.
- Makulay latte from Hiraya, a Filipino all-day cafe with colorful lattes.
- Wine from Irregardless, a restaurant that curates wine from Virginia.
Do:
- Bao from Maketto, a Cambodian-Taiwanese restaurant with an outdoor courtyard.
- Browse books at Solid State Books, an independent bookstore with regular events and a cafe inside.
- Buy local produce at the FRESHFARM H Street NE Market, a farmer’s market open Saturday mornings April-December.
- Collect stamps at the Smithsonian’s National Postal Museum, a free museum popular among locals open every day at 10 a.m.
- Dance at Little Miss Whiskey’s Golden Dollar, an H Street NE institution with a DJ every Friday and Saturday night and no cover charge.
- Explore art at Mehari Sequar Gallery, an art gallery highlighting work by Black women open Wednesday-Sunday.
- Learn history at Douglas Memorial United Methodist Church, a 19th century congregation that played a role in the Civil Rights Movement.
- See a show at the Atlas Performing Arts Center inside a 1930s Art Deco theater.
- Walk the only public rooftop labyrinth in the city at 10 G Street NW. It’s open during normal work hours Monday-Friday.
- Visit Gallery O on H, an indoor-outdoor event space with a small gallery open to the public.
See:
- Beaux-Arts architecture inside Union Station, built by the same man behind NYC’s Flatiron Building and one of the busiest train stations in the country.
- “Hopscotch Kids” mosaics by Deirdre Saunder along the bridge behind Union Station.
- Mosaic and other public art in the alley behind H Street NE in between 7th and 8th Streets NE.
- Mural by MISS CHELOVE on the side of School Within School flanking the Sherwood Recreation Center.
- Mural by Richmond-based Nils Westergard along Wylie Street NE, a small street with deep community.
- Public art in the alley by Atlas Performing Arts Center.
- Replica of Philadelphia’s Freedom Bell in Columbus Circle in front of Union Station.
NoMa
Named the country’s “fastest-growing neighborhood,” the area once housed farmland and an immigrant community called Swampoodle. Today, murals, public art, and history are hidden among apartment buildings.
Eat:
- Birria from Little Minor Taco, a taco takeout spot in an alley.
- Burrata margherita pie from Andy’s Pizza inside Streets Market, a local grocery store.
- Butter chicken from Indigo, a family-owned Indian restaurant inside a colorful rowhouse.
- Chicken curry at Laos in Town, a popular Laotian restaurant with an outdoor patio.
- Meatball sandwich from Salumeria NoMa, an Italian deli that sells fresh pasta, cured meats, and cheese with its original location in Brookland.
- Neapolitan pizza from Menomale, often considered among the best pizza in D.C.
Drink:
- Beer at Wunder Garten, a spacious beer garden with 16 beers on tap.
- Cider at Red Bear Brewing Company, a LGBTQIA+-owned brewing with 20+ drinks on tap and board games for visitors.
- Cocktails at Nice & Easy, a biker dive bar down an alley with weekend live music.
- Flat white from Simona Cafe, a cafe open daily with Wi-Fi and outlets.
Do:
- Bike along the Metropolitan Brand Trail, which goes from Union Station to Maryland with murals along the way.
- Collect stamps at the Smithsonian National Postal Museum, an interactive museum about the postal system that’s beloved by locals.
- Donate non-perishable food items to the Father McKenna Center, a non-profit serving those struggling with homelessness and food insecurity, inside a historic Catholic church.
- Enjoy a book on one of the benches at Swampoodle Terrace, a small park with a rowhouse mural.
- Honor history at the Dorothy I. Height Post Office, the first federal building named after a Black woman.
- Read the news at the entrance of NPR’s headquarters. Pre-pandemic, visitors were allowed to tour the building.
- Shop local at the farmers market at 3rd Street NE in between M and N Streets NE Thursdays 4-8 p.m. May through October.
- Sit at one of the many tables at the new mural-lined park on the 1200 block of 3rd Street NE.
- Stroll through nearby La Cosecha and Union Market, two food halls with many Latin American and local businesses.
- Take your kids to the vertical playground often mistaken for a dog park at the Swampoodle Dog Park & Playground.
- Visit the National Guard Memorial Museum open to the public for free Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Walk the rooftop labyrinth, the only one in D.C., at the American Psychological Association at 10 G Street NE. It’s open to the public during regular business hours Monday through Friday.
- Watch trains pass from the tables behind the building at 900 2nd Street NE.
See:
- American flag mosaic art on the ground by Jim Bachor along 3rd Street NE in between 1 Street NE and Parker Street NE.
- Call box art by Jason Yen honoring the Beatles outside the Uline Arena, the site of the Beatles’ first large-scale concert in North America. The building is now the city’s first REI store among other things.
- Colorful rowhouses built in the 19th century along Parker Street NE.
- Grand architecture and colossal statues at Union Station, one of the country’s busiest train stations.
- Hanging gardens at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives building. It’s not open to the public so look from the outside.
- Journeys, a leaf sculpture by Barbara Grygutis with a poem by Poet Laureate of Washington D.C Dolores Kendrick at the NoMa-Gallaudet U New York Ave Metro station.
- Light art installations at the underpasses along K Street NW, L Street NW, and M Street NE in between 1st and 2nd Streets NE. These underpasses have housed those experiencing homelessness in the past and then controversially removed.
- Mosaics of children playing by Deirdre Saunder along the Hopscotch Bridge behind Union Station.
- Murals on most blocks using NoMa BID’s map.
- “Neighbors and Friends” mural by Kate DeCiccio honoring the residents of the John and Jill Ker Conway Residence, a home for veterans who once experienced homelessness.
- Saint Aloysius Church, a Renaissance church built in 1859 for the Irish Catholic community that’s now connected to Gonzaga College High School.
- Saint Phillip’s Baptist Church, an 1892 Queen Anne church building once home to a historically Black congregation. The building is being redeveloped.
- Streamline Moderne architecture at 131 M Street NE, the site of a 1930s building that used to be one of the city’s largest warehouses.
- Trigadilly sculpture by Chas Coburn outside the CNN’s D.C. bureau.
- Union Station Bell, a replica of the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia.
- U.S. Government Publishing Office, one of the government’s only brick buildings that once printed the Emancipation Proclamation shortly after the office was formed in 1861.
- View of the U.S. Capitol from the Christopher Columbus Memorial Fountain, a controversial memorial dedicated in 1912.
Southwest Waterfront
18th-century rowhouses, a Titanic memorial, a technicolor church, a community duck pond, Southwest Waterfront is one of the city’s most historic neighborhoods with a tight community.
Eat:
- Falafel from Falafel Inc, a restaurant that gives back to refugees.
- “Minelli” sandwich from Grazie Grazie, a sandwich shop from the owners of Taylor Gourmet.
Drink:
- Coffee from the Colada Shop, a mural-decorated Cuban cafe.
- Japanese‑inspired cocktails at Moonraker, the rooftop bar inside The Pendry Hotel.
- Latte from Grace Street Coffee inside the Rubell Museum. It’s open even when the museum is not.
Do:
- Attend a birds of prey class at the Matthew Henson Earth Conservation Center.
- Cheer on the Washington Spirit, the city’s women’s soccer team,w from Audi Field.
- Find peace at the Southwest Duck Pond, a small park with a four‑story Little Free Library, chairs, public art and a pond.
- Pass by Wheat Row, among the oldest homes in the city built at the end of the 18th century, along 4th Street SW near N Street SW.
- Play volleyball on the sand court inside the James Creek Marina, a marina with grills and picnic tables.
- Read a book at the Southwest Neighborhood Library, a recently-renovated, design-forward public library open daily.
- Shop at the Municipal Fish Market, the country’s oldest continuously operating fish market.
- Take your kids to the large playground at the King Greenleaf Recreation Center. Find the MLK mural behind the playground.
- Visit the farmers market near the Waterfront Metro Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
- Volunteer at the community garden at Lansburgh Park, a park with a dog park, a community garden and murals.
See:
- 1931 Titanic Memorial that inspired the famous scene in the 1997 movie Titanic.
- City views from Benjamin Banneker Park, an urban park with tables in honor of the African American astronomer.
- Concert at The Anthem, one of the city’s largest music venues at The Wharf.
- Contemporary art at the Rubell Museum, a museum free for D.C. residents inside a historic school.
- Local art inside Culture House DC, an art gallery/event space inside a technicolor church.
- “Love Supreme’ mural by Eric Brometheus on Friendly Market.
- Old murals and the view of the U.S. Capitol from the ocean‑themed playground at the Randall Recreation Center.
- Peace garden honoring the lives lost to gun violence along the 1500 block of 2nd Street SW near Rose Jaffe‘s mural honoring NASA astronaut Jeanette Epps.
Sursum Corda
Next to the U.S. National Arboretum is a small 1930s neighborhood with a newly‑renovated recreation center.
Eat:
- Bread from nearby Catania Bakery, a 1932 Italian bakery that sells pastries and bread Friday and Saturday mornings until they run out.
- Breakfast tacos at nearby Republic Cantina, a Tex‑Mex restaurant that’s popular among Texans living in D.C.
- Pizza from nearby Andy’s Pizza, a popular pizzeria inside Streets Market.
Drink:
- Beer from nearby Wunder Garten, a spacious beer garden with a large drink menu.
- Latte from nearby Simona Cafe, a craft coffee shop that does pour overs.
Do:
- Attend bi‑weekly Video Game Night at Northwest One Neighborhood Library, which replaced a library kiosk.
- Honor women’s suffrage and civil rights activist Nannie Helen Burroughs at the Perry School, where she graduated when it was M Street High School.
- Read news headlines on the nearby NPR HQ building.
- Respect Black History at Mount Airy Baptist Church, a congregation formed in 1893.
- Take your kids to the nearby New York Avenue NW Playground.
See:
- Dinosaur murals behind the Perry School building at 128 M Street NW.
- View of the U.S. Capitol from New Jersey Ave NW.
Swampoodle
Now mostly incorporated within NoMa, Swampoodle is a small neighborhood that housed mainly Irish immigrants who helped build the U.S. Capitol and the White House.
Eat:
- Breakfast burritos for $2.50 from the Mission Muffins food stand in front of Central Union Mission, one of the oldest non‑profits in the city that runs the workforce development program.
- Butter chicken from nearby Indigo, a popular family‑owned Indian restaurant with outdoor seating.
- Chicken at District Rico, a fast‑casual Peruvian restaurant.
Drink:
- Chai latte from nearby Ebenezers Coffeehouse, a 17‑year‑old cafe opened by National Community Church.
- Sangria from nearby Cafe Fili, a Baltimore‑born Mediterranean restaurant.
Do:
- Collect old stamps at the National Postal Museum, a Smithsonian open daily from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. with free admission.
- Honor the National Guard at the nearby National Guard Memorial Museum open Monday‑Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. with free admission.
- Support the Father McKenna Center, a day program for men experiencing homelessness.
- Take your kids to the nearby Swampoodle Playground, an enclosed, vertical playground.
- Visit the Holodomor Genocide Memorial, a 2015 memorial to the victims of the Ukrainian Famine‑Genocide of 1932–33.
- Walk the city’s only rooftop labyrinth at the office building at 10 G Street NW. The public can access it during work hours Monday-Friday.
- Watch the trains pass while sitting at one of the tables in the back of 900 2nd St NE.
See:
- 1861 architecture at the U.S. Government Publishing Office.
- Digital art at the underpass along K Street NE in between 1st and 2nd Streets NE.
- “Hopscotch” mosaic art along H Street NE near Union Station by artist Deirdre Saunder.
- Murals by Martin Swift and Hanna Söderholm at 25 K Street NE.
- Renaissance architecture at St. Aloysius Church, an 1859 church that once catered to local Irish Catholics.
- Student‑led play twice a year at Gonzaga’s Sheehy Theater, the oldest continuously‑operating theater in D.C.
- “Trigadilly” sculpture by Chas Colburn outside of the CNN building.
- U.S. Capitol building from the front of Union Station, a 1907 train station that’s one of the country’s busiest.
Lincoln Park on Capitol Hill was not the location of the largest hospital in DC — that’s Providence Park, where Providence Hospital was located. https://www.popville.com/2017/07/streets-of-washington-presents-providence-hospital-washingtons-oldest-in-pictures/
Thanks, Paul. You’re right. Providence Hospital was the largest. Apparently, the one where Lincoln Park is now was the largest in the area built by the Army. Good catch. I just updated that entry. Thanks for noting that!
Really great lists. While you can’t include everything, omitting an institution like Labyrinth Games and Puzzles for Cap Hill seems like an omission.
Thanks for calling that out. I’m a big fan of Labyrinth and go almost weekly with my daughter after her class at nearby Little Gym. I don’t know how I forgot to add it. I just included it! Thanks again for calling that out.