Glad to find this posting! We are headed to Sedona and GC in August 2016 and hoping to eat well and hike it all off. We'd love to try some of those taco trucks or other out of the way places. We'll have an 8 year old and 4 year old in tow, both good eaters, but leisurely dining takes its toll. Any recommendations for in town in Sedona or on the drive to/from GC? That pie sounds great!

It's over three years later and I am still thinking about my amazing meal at Aviary. Perfect. Thank you, CH!

I'm so glad it worked out for you! It's been a while since I've been there (so I was a bit hesitant to recommend it to you) so now I have got to back again! Hooray for chowhound!

I have had a good experience at Ceiba, near the white house. One of the issues with food downtown is bland food. At least the Ceiba options are flavorful.

I like Againn as a recommendation for a 17 y.o. old. There is also Brasserie Beck.

Also not in downtown, but I have become a huge fan of Pacci's in downtown Silver Spring. It is authentic Neopolitan and not soggy. I'm a little afraid to tell CH, because of the potential overrun of the place, but it is good and the spirit of this board is to share the knowledge. http://www.paccispizzeria.com/

Uh, that would be "Lambs quarters" salad!

I am trying to find your self guided Lower East Side Gustatory tour but can't find it on your profile. Can you share it with me, Please!?

Thank you for replying to my very broad question!

I know they're not local, but Whole Foods (aka Paycheck) in SIlver Spring had them on sale for $2.99. Tons of them - Black Mission, Brown and Calmyra. I bought some and am making them tomorrow. Hope they're good!

Viva Taqueria for decent, casual Mexican
Willow is great for a special dinner.
Joe's is just like The Olive Garden - skip it.
Moosewood for a nice lunch of soup, bread and salad.
Purity Ice Cream - get the bitterweet or Mocha Chip. mmmm
The Farner's Market on Sat or Sun mornings. Browse and enjoy the prepared foods, farm produce and the unique Ithaca style people watching.

Thanks all! As a Upstate New York Native (home to Wegman's) I am pleased to see that Wegman's has become as essential here as it was back home. I will just wait patiently...

I know you tied up this topic, but I thought it would be good to report that we just had a nice dining experience at Dino with our 5 month old this past Sunday evening. We sat upstairs and there was enough noise that no one noticed any peeps that our son made. Plus, I noticed that they had stacks of highchairs in storage. When we called for a reservation I asked to be seated upstaitrs.

BD's Mongolian in Bethesda will suit your needs.

These are great ideas! Thank you!

I used to live in the apartment building that Pesto is located in, and really wanted to like it. It was SO convenient. But I went once, and never went back. Best bet is to walk a few blocks up to Cleveland Park for your pick of good places.

Crossfire is perfect for the fast, inexpensive burger. Lots of topping options. And very good fries, especially if you get them with the garlic topping. And they serve beer and wine. However, you will smell like the restaurant for the rest of the day.

Jackie's is very good and a first choice for a chowhound recommendation. I second Mandalay if you are looking for good food, with little ambiance. We eat their ginger salad and sour mustard chicken on a regular basis. Cubano's for a bit more atmosphere and tasty cuban food. I have had mixed experiences with Ceviche, but I would recommend giving it a try.

I would agree with recommending Oya. We recently had a foodie friend in from out of town and his new girlfriend is on a raw food diet. We went to Oya thinking we would all be satisfied, and we were. I was not expecting much more than a scene, but the sushi was quite good, as were many of the small plates. And it certainly has much more ambiance than most of the sushi places in DC.
I've never actually eaten the sushi at Saki Club, but it is attractive.

Last night I went to Coppi's on U Street and they serve Illy. It's not too far from Logan Circle or Dupont.