Dining
Influenced by its Southern and Chesapeake traditions, and waves of immigrants making the city their home, Washington has evolved into a great international food city. Few other cities can boast such an array of ethnic restaurants, markets, foods, and cooking styles concentrated in one relatively small area.
Washingtonians love to dine out. No other U.S. city can boast spending more of their food dollars on dining out. Throw in roughly twenty million visitors each year, and you will find an impressive array of restaurants and cuisines guaranteed to please the pickiest of taste buds. Whether you are looking for innovative new dishes or tried-and-true favorites, chances are you will not walk away hungry!
A small sampling of just a few of Washington’s diverse restaurant offerings include The Federalist (American), McCormick & Schmick’s (Seafood), The Melting Pot (Fondue), Andale Restaurant (Mexican), Café Milano (Italian), Nirvana Vegetarian Indian Cuisine (Indian), Zaytina (Mediterranean), Bangkok Joe's (Thai), and La Paradou (French).
Fast Facts
- 2000 census population: 572,059
- Racial makeup: Black/African American – 60%; White – 30.8%; Hispanic/Latino – 7.9%, and Asian – 2.7%
- Population: Age 18 and over - 79.9%; 65 and over - 12.3%
- Language: residents age 5 and older speaking English in the home - 83.2%; Spanish - 9.2%
- 2000 median household income: $41,000
- Median age: 34.6