Everywhere I go, I like to take a food tour. If you’ve been following me for a while, you definitely know this! I’ve sampled food in New York, San Francisco, and everywhere else. Tasting food is a great way to get to know a place and a culture. So of course I had to take a food tour while I was in Washington, DC, the capital of the United States of America.
Mangia DC tours is named after the word Mangia, which means “to eat and enjoy” in Italian. The Italian food tour was delicious! We went to four different Italian restaurants ( all walking distance from DuPont Circle ) , which were all family-owned and authentic.
1.Darlington House
Darlington House was built as a residential home in the 1890s for JJ Darlington. Later, it became a club for blues and jazz. In fact, Bruce Springsteen used to sing there. Now, of course, it’s a yummy restaurant. When my tour group went, we tried the mushroom risotto. We were told to eat in a circular fashion, outside to inside, so that our food would stay hot. I didn’t know that eating was a strategic sport. To be honest, though, it does make the food better!
2.Urbana
Urbana is in the basement of the Palomar Boutique Hotel. On the rooftop, the restaurant has a garden where they grow their own organic veggies! It’s pretty cool to know that we were eating so close to the very source of the food. Not only is Urbana pretty organic, but they are environmentally friendly and recycle. When we went, we ate the margarita pizza. I always like pizza, but this one takes the cake… I mean, the pie.
3. Floriana
is the longest continuously owned Italian restaurant in Washington, DC. That goes to show how good it is. Anything that can last that long has to be spectacular—and it is. They actually make their very own pasta fresh from scratch every day! Their lasagna is famous in the DC area. We got to try it. WOW. It was amazing.
Pasha means “high-ranking official worthy of respect.” So I guess the point is that you feel like royalty when you go to Pasha. Well, you’re certainly eating food fit for kings or at least senators and maybe even presidents! The menu at Pasha is incredibly long, but we just tried one thing: the handmade cannoli. Yum!
There you have it: if you’re hungry in Washington, DC, just hop aboard a Mangia DC food tour. There’s a lot of good stuff to try; after all, all those government officials in DC need to be kept fed and happy while running the United States. You can benefit from the deliciousness, too! Mangia DC Food Tours is the way to go if you want to taste the Italian side of the city.
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I love Italian food so this post was definitely a treat. 🙂 I also love how you said that tasting food is a great way to learn about culture- never really saw it that way. Whenever we travel, food is the last thing on my mind so we always end up in some meh restaurant just because it’s convenient. This definitely inspires me to take gastronomic adventures. Thank you!
I just pinned this. It is so nice to be able to eat when you travel. I love pasta. Did you get a recommendation to eat at these restaurants?
Ahhh! Kakagutom! Haha. I’m not in a position to travel any time soon, but these selected food stops will make it to my list for “to-eat-at” if I ever happen to be in WDC. Which one in particular did you most like? BTW, a food tour sounds like such an amazing stress reliever.
You have tried a lot of yummy Italian dishes during this Washington food tour. I love Italian food too and I try taking cooking classes or food tours when I travel to different places. I had no idea that you have to eat risotto from the outside to the inside. It does make sense though, as the middle will always stay warm longer than the outside.
Wow! Everything looks good. Im drooling over that pasta. However i find the serving small? Or maybe it was just the picture. I hope they offer it in bigger servings like good for sharing. Food tour seems to be very interesting! I vow for good food!
Mouth watering foods. Brrr. Do you have prices for this foods? This italian pasta with cheese and pizza. Urgh! :S
That truly looks wonderful. I’ve been to Washington DC, but we didn’t stay too long since I think during that time we spent most of our time in New York. I’m sure my partner will enjoy that food tour so when I return to the US, hopefully, he is with me. I want to try the mushroom risotto at Darlington House because I love risotto.
Everything looks delicious… especially that lasagna! 🙂 Yum! I love food tours too! I should probably go on one again.
I also like going on food tours when I travel. I like to try the local food as part of experiencing the culture. These are wonderful recommendations. People who love lasagna like me would flock to Floriana. 😉
I never thought about a food tour. I would enjoy it so much. The best italian food I’ve tasted was homemade from a small italian village. I will forever remember those meals. But the day we’ll travel across the US with my girlfriend, I’ll definitely try those places
Completely agree with you, food tours are are a great way to discover the local area. That’s interesting to read about the many Italian restaurants in the Dupont Circle area. I know that area well, but have not eaten at any of the places you visited. They do look great, especially Pasha Kitchen. Yummy!!!!
That lasagne looks excellent. I do food tours in London sometimes and quite often when I am travelling – I agree a great way to get an overview of a city
I’ve spent quite a bit of time in DC as I have family there but I’ve never thought to do a food tour! I’ll have to check this out next time I’m in town.
This is a good option if you ever go.
Food tours seem like a great way to travel and to experience a place from a local’s perspective, and to enjoy fab food. This food all looks amazing!
I do like food tours, my fave was in Chicago! I would be very happy nibbling away in DC on this tour too 🙂
That lasagna makes me so hungry right now, it’s one my my favorites 🙂 Just looking at it makes me drool, and by the way do they have like an open(see through) kitchen? I’m curious how they make those perfect pasta from scratch.
I rarely eat Italian food, except thin crust pizzas and spaghetti. But of course, when you’re just visiting a place, a once in a blue moon trip to a highly recommended local dining place is an exception. Anyway, my tummy is not hard to please 🙂
Oh in the US, you will love Pizza and in the restaurants they took us to in this tour, everything felt authentic, I loved it.