EAST COAST,  TRAVEL

Weekend in Dupont Circle, DC

Last weekend, I was in DC for a wedding. While there was a wedding-related activity each day of the weekend, we had to fill the rest of the weekend and I thought I would share what we did, where we went, and of course, what we ate! This was my first time spending lots of time in Dupont Circle, and I loved how the whole neighborhood is very walkable with lots of things to do and eat.

COFFEE & SWEETS

Three Fifty Bakery & Coffee Bar – This was one of the coffee shops in walking distance from our Airbnb. We didn’t try the baked goods since we had brunch plans later in the morning but they seemed like a popular coffee shop! They are closed for indoor seating right now but they have a covered area with benches out front.

Cafe & Mercado – We actually saw Cafe & Mercado on our way to Three Fifty so we decided to try them the next day. They do not have an online presence but their address is 1624 U Street, NW. Not sure where they source the pastries but the Nutella croissant was scrumptious! Ooey gooey goodness. They have one of those outdoor seating areas that is out on the road.

Rose Ave Bakery – Rose Ave Bakery was the one place that was on my list for this trip! A couple of my IG friends (@doughnut_days & @eatbadoven) had shared about Rose Ave Bakery, and I immediately shared with Alex for ~planning purposes~. If you are a planner, definitely look into their weekly preorders for Friday/Saturday pickup. They still have items available for walk-in but be mindful of their pretty limited hours. We went after brunch on Saturday and while they had several items left (like the black sesame donut), some of their more popular items were sold out already. I want to go back already to try the Strawberry Passion Amann and Spam Musubi Croissant!

BREAKFAST & BRUNCH

Brunch at Bar Charley – We met up with my college friend and her husband for brunch at Bar Charley! They have an outdoor patio out back that is still a bit enclosed. They have bottomless mimosas and bloodies, which we would’ve totally gone for if we were not spending the afternoon at a beer garden. I was craving fries (as always) and had the Catalan Fries, which was plenty enough food for a meal!

Bagel Sandwiches at Pearl’s Bagels – I wanted to get brunch sandwiches at least once while we were in town so I looked to Yelp for help, and I was sold on Pearl’s Bagels after seeing photos of the Frenchie! Of course, I got the Frenchie which was delightfully cheesy; I also liked the texture of the egg, which I do not and cannot say for all eggs. Alex had the Jack, which came with probably the best tuna spread I have ever tasted (sourced from NJ).

DRINKS

Hush Rooftop Bar at Viceroy – Drinks at Hush was the first thing on our DC itinerary! $17 cocktails were quite shocking but the two cocktails we had were delicious (one for each of us because we could not justify getting seconds). The rooftop views were stunning.

Dacha Beer Garden – We spent Saturday afternoon/evening at Dacha! It is an open space but it was pretty crowd so just be warned. There was a really long line for entry but thankfully we were able to go in since the bride and groom had reserved the area in the back. They have a very wide selection of drinks as well as a food menu. I might or might not have had cocktails all afternoon lol. Random but they have some amazing French fries.

THINGS TO DO

Check Out Weekend Markets – Since my solo adventure was early Sunday afternoon, I was able to catch the tail end of FRESHFARM Farmer’s Market as well as Little Flea Market. I didn’t buy anything but I had fun browsing! The Farmer’s Market was sizable and had a variety of vendors.

Visit Independent Bookstores – One of my favorite activities while traveling is checking out local bookstores. There were quite a few in Dupont Circle but I went to Kramers, which is also a bar/restaurant, and Second Story Books & Antiques, a second-hand/used bookstore. While I am mostly a library book reader, I love gifting myself books while I am on a trip so I bought a couple while in DC too!

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