Is there anything more wonderful than discovering that the attraction you are currently visiting also offers an excellent repast? Most tourist sites provide sustenance of some sort, generally humdrum in taste and high in price. Very few establishments proffer a delightful setting and food that's a real pleasure to eat. At the pinnacle of my list in Washington, D.C., are the National Gallery of Art's restaurants, and in particular the Sculpture Garden Pavilion Café (tel. 202/289-3360). You can sip a glass of wine and savor Cuban panini (roasted pork with crinkle-cut pickles, mustard, ham, cheese, and onions on Cuban bread), sitting inside in the glass pavilion in winter or on the terrace in warm weather, in view of sculpture, the landscaped garden, and grand sights of Washington, D.C. The gallery's Cascades and the Garden Café (tel. 202/712-7460) are worthy second choices, offering a wide range of appetite-pleasers and really lovely surroundings.
Four other eateries are worth special mention: The National Museum of the American Indian's Mitsitam Café (tel. 202/633-1000) seeks to educate as well as please the palate, since its menu represents traditional dishes from various Native American regions. Examples include cedar-planked juniper salmon from the Pacific Northwest, buffalo burgers from the Great Plains, and, a favorite, fry bread from all over. The International Spy Museum's Spy City Café (tel. 202/654-0995) is one of the rare museum eateries to open early -- 8am weekdays and 9am weekends -- and is rightly famous for its cleverly named hot dogs, like the Red Square Dog. The petite Café (tel. 202/387-2151, ext. 351), in the Phillips Collection, is operated by a local bakery chain, Firehook Bakery, which Washingtonians love for its sandwiches on thick breads and for its selection of delicious desserts. (Firehook also operates the cafe at the National Building Museum.) The Newseum's separately owned, but in-house restaurant is the exceptional the Source (tel. 202/637-6100), Wolfgang Puck's three-level, glass-fronted, crowd-attracting eatery serving Asian-influenced cuisine.
Finally, you just can't beat the atmosphere (political) and value (cheap) of the all-American food served in certain dining rooms on Capitol Hill. Keep these places in mind while touring the Hill; but always call ahead, since these restaurants sometimes close to the public.
For a most exclusive experience, try to dine in the House of Representatives Restaurant (also called the "Members' Dining Room") in Room H118, at the south end of the Capitol (tel. 202/225-6300). You are always welcome (after you've gone through security, of course) in the eateries located in the Capitol office buildings across the street from the Capitol. These are quite affordable -- your meal isn't taxed, for one thing. You'll be surrounded by Hill staffers, who head to places like the immense, full-service Rayburn House Office Building Cafeteria (tel. 202/225-7109), which is in Room B357, in the basement of the building, at 1st Street and Independence Avenue SW. Adjoining the cafeteria is a carryout that sells pizza and sandwiches. In the basement-level Longworth Building Cafeteria, Independence Avenue and South Capitol Street SE (tel. 202/225-0878), you can grab a bite from a fairly nice food court. Other options include the Russell Carryout and the Cannon Carryout, both in the basement of the Cannon Building. All of these eateries are open weekdays only. The carryouts stay open until late afternoon, while the other dining rooms close at 2:30pm.
The opening of the Capitol Visitors Center in late 2008 introduced another option: a large dining hall accommodating 600 people. At this writing, the center hadn't opened, so that's all I can tell you. Check it out if you're planning to tour the Capitol in 2009.
Right across the street from the Capitol are two other institutions offering inexpensive dining and fair views (of famous sights or people) at weekday breakfast and lunch: the Library of Congress's Cafeteria and its more formal Montpelier Room (tel. 202/707-5000), where the options usually cost under $10 per person and the views are of Capitol Hill; and the Supreme Court's Cafeteria (tel. 202/479-3246), where you may spy a famous lawyer or member of the press, but not any of the justices, who have their own dining room.
