Thanksgiving Dinner (and Drink) Options on the Hill

Photo by María Helena Carey

Call me crazy, but the thought of traveling hundreds or thousands of miles for dinner is just plain, well, crazy! I can barely stand the wait at Matchbox on a Thursday night, let alone fight the traffic on I-95 for some (over-cooked) turkey and (lumpy) mashed potatoes! “Surely you want to spend time with the family that you love,” you say.  But my thoughts on visiting family on a holiday are a lot like my thoughts on attending Mass on Christmas Eve—I wouldn’t go any other time of year, so why take someone else’s seat just because it’s a holiday?

If you are anything like me, tired of traveling and hungry for dinner, here are few options for Thanksgiving Day dinner on the Hill.

Dinner at Home on the Hill
If you’ve made the last minute decision to stay home this Thanksgiving, you still have time to grab a turkey and all the fixings at your favorite Trader Joe’s (I got my bird for a steal last week), but if a trip to the market this time of year isn’t your thing (it’s got to be crazier than Best Buy on Black Friday) you can have your dinner supplies delivered to your door courtesy of Whole Foods. If you live on the orange/blue line from Foggy Bottom to Eastern Market, Whole Foods Market Foggy Bottom offers delivery. Delivery is a $10 flat rate, available between 4-7pm or 7-9pm on Tuesday (11/22) or Wednesday (11/23). Of course Safeway and Giant also offer delivery services as well, but that’s all I’ll say about those two chains.

Dining Out
You might be thinking, “But I can never get a reservation at my favorite restaurant with only two days notice,” well that’s because you have never spent a holiday weekend in the District. Whether you are a party of two or more, some great restaurants on the Hill will be open, and many are still taking reservations!

Bistro Cacao (320 Mass Ave NE) and Café Berlin (322 Mass Ave NE) both have reservations for parties of two or more available on Open Table. If you are willing to stretch the boundaries of Capitol Hill, Bistro Bis (15 E Street NW) also has reservations available for parties of two or more.

Art and Soul (415 NJ Ave NW) and Smith Commons (1245 H Street NE) are no longer taking reservations online, however, walk-ins are welcome.

Post-Dinner Cocktails
Sadly, many places are not open on Thanksgiving, including the Matchbox family of restaurants (yes, that was the first call I made), Acqua Al 2, Liberty Tree, Ethiopic and more. However, the Argonaut’s bar (sorry, the kitchen will be closed) will be open at 7pm on Thanksgiving night and will remain open as long as the football game is on and patrons stop in for a drink! Sticky Rice will also offer beleaguered patrons the chance to escape awkward-family-fun-time beginning at 7:30 with $2 PBRs and $5 Jameson shots.