Best Family Restaurants in Washington DC

"4 out of 5 stars Restaurants Capitol Hill. The team behind Matchbox and Ted’s Bulletin have another crowd-pleaser in DC-3, their hot dog joint on Capitol Hill. Named for the Douglas DC-3 air plane from the 1930s—which explains the giant vintage propeller on one wall—the counter-service restaurant dishes up a roster of regional hot dogs from around the US, from the famous DC half smoke to the New Jersey bacon-wrapped ripper, the Chicago 7 with pickles and tomatoes, and even a version of the standard New York dirty water dog."

"With affordable prices and mouth watering dishes, this U Street favorite has been serving celebrities, politicians and every day folks since 1958. Ben's famous all meat chili dog, chili con carne and jumbo beef dog are menu specialties. Healthier, yet still tasty, options include a tuna sandwich, veggie burger and rice bowl."

"The half smoke originated in Washington, D.C.|© T.Tseng / Flickr. Ben’s Chili Bowl is housed in a historic building dating back to 1910 that used to be a silent movie theater and a pool hall. In 1958, it was converted into a restaurant."

"District Taco began as a popular food truck downtown, and luckily has spread throughout the area. Skip the traffic to the nation’s capital and grab some of the best tacos in the city at this fast casual style restaurant. Your stomach (and wallet) will thank you as you chow down on these must-try tacos."

"If you're seeing a show or catching a game at the Verizon Center, Carmine's Italian Restaurant offers one of the largest dining rooms in D.C. and family-style menus. Each order serves six, so order a meaty lasagna and a Titanic (a banana split with five scoops of ice cream, roasted pineapple, strawberries, hazelnuts and enough whipped cream to keep the kids wired all afternoon)."

"Southern Italian is on the menu at Carmine's in Washington, D.C. Located in the Penn Quarter, a night at this family-friendly restaurant is accessible from every area of the city."

"This is the best meal I had in a very long time, everyone was quite friendly and the tea is amazing.I didn't catch..."

"Tucked away in a 38-acre wooded area of footpaths, streams formed by the nearby Potomac and lush greenery, is this little oasis perfect for some outdoor communing with friends or family. There’s a lot to take in here with the surrounding log cabins, the winding Potomac River Trail, and there’s even a blacksmith shop with a working forge. The park provides interpretive environmental education programs for all ages and for a wide variety of audiences including small groups."

"Military RoadLength: 1.4 milesDifficulty: Moderate to difficultBikeable: NoTrail Map:ViewDescription: To the east of Military road, this trail features a forested area and rocky stream that runs down to the Potomac River and Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail. There are several areas where you will have to cross the stream. On the west side of Military road, you will find hilly, wooded trails around Gulf Branch Nature Center."

"Nature Centers provide kids with lots of hands-on opportunities to explore our environment. From Rock Creek Park to Montgomery County, MD, to Arlington, VA, year-round naturalist guided programs will give you insight into the natural habitat of the Washington, D.C."

"A living exhibition just a short 2-mile hop from the Capitol, the US National Arboretum houses astonishing gardens in the heart of DC, a bonsai museum, and blossoming cherry trees, among other gems. During the summer, you can follow the Azalea Blossom Watching and, if you’re lucky, get a chance to see the July daylilies bloom. When: Year-round, 8am-4:30pm"

"It was established in 1927 and it functions as a major center for botanical research. *It’s free to the public and the arboretum boasts of trees, shrubs, & plants plus a picnic area!"

"The Nature Center is the first stop for visitors to Rock Creek Park, a natural area in northwest D.C. Ranger-led programs and some of the park's shorter trails begin at the center, where visitors can find trail maps, a planetarium, and a children's discovery room."

"Italophiles the city over might just change the name of Palmer Alley in CityCenterDC to “Amy’s Alley” after the opening of Amy Brandwein’s Piccolina da Centrolina across from her highly regarded Centrolina. The James Beard Award nominee and former RAMMY Chef of the Year’s latest project, which means “little one” in Italian, offers an all-day menu flush with wood-fired fare that complements the regional cuisine served at the upscale companion across the street. Stop by in the morning for the wood-roasted grapefruit and locally roasted Vigilante coffee and make a return trip in the evening for porchetta on fresh baked bread paired with an Aperol spritz."

"A wood-burning oven imported from France is the workhorse inside Amy Brandwein’s Italian cafe in CityCenter, an everyday alternative to Centrolina, her dressier osteria across the street. The chef and her crew pull ratatouille omelets out of long-handled frying pans that sizzle next to glowing red logs. There’s phenomenal focaccia here, and the 10-layer eggplant Parmesan is a showstopper, but eating light is painless, too, with choices like a charred chicken and escarole salad."

"Piccolina is offering pickup and delivery (specifically through Caviar), including both all-day breakfast and bottles of wine. They’re also offering a deal that includes a bottle of wine, two pizzas, a large salad, and two cookies for $48."

"If you’re headed to the Greek Deli at lunchtime, be ready to stand in line. Washingtonians have loved this little downtown lunch destination since it opened in 1990 and the line often runs out the door. People especially love the avgolemono soup ($4.50) and other Greek specialties like baked moussaka, gyros, lamb souvlaki, dolmades, and spanakopita."