What should I do in DC for the afternoon tomorrow?

November 8, 2010 6:13 PM

I'm in dc tomorrow and have a free afternoon. I'm staying at a holiday Inn on rhode island avenue. Where are some good places nearby to eat and browse a great bookstore or two?
posted by captainscared to Travel & Transportation around Washington, DC (10 answers total)

For books, everyone is going to tell you to hit Kramerbooks (5 blocks away).
posted by windbox at 6:23 PM on November 8, 2010 [4 favorites]

...which is also a pretty good place to eat and drink.
posted by game warden to the events rhino at 6:31 PM on November 8, 2010

I'll dissent from Kramerbooks (it smells weird in there) and suggest Books for America, cheap used books for a good cause! On 22nd and P St NW. After that, the Tabard Inn lobby is a nice place to sit with a glass of wine and a book, if you can grab a seat with a chair. If you want a little more excitement, head up to Tryst. For food, Amsterdam Falafel is the best I've ever had, and it's near Tryst on 18th St.

Another nice place to sit with a book and a beer at the bar is the Saloon on U St. After that, you could have some delicious roast chicken at Chix. (Get the noodles and cheese side! It's probably better than the chicken, actually.) Another good place to go solo in that area is Busboys and Poets, which has a bookstore attached and some cafe-like seating to your left as you walk in; food isn't all that, but the atmosphere is nice. For something fancier to eat around there, you could go to Marvin and sit at the bar (early, before the crowd.) The frisee lardon is yumm-ay.

Finally, there are a bunch of new gourmet burger places if that's your thing. BGR is on Connecticut Ave really close to Kramersbooks and close enough to Books for America.
posted by yarly at 6:40 PM on November 8, 2010 [1 favorite]

(I mean a seat with a lamp at Tabard Inn; hopefully the seat would come with a chair.)
posted by yarly at 6:41 PM on November 8, 2010

Kramerbooks has an OK, but small, collection of new books - also nearby and more interesting is Books for America at 22nd & P Sts., NW, which has a consistently interesting selection of cheap (mostly $1-6) used books. Bridge Street Books, a 15 minute walk away from BFA in Georgetown, is the best new bookshop in D.C.

The food Kramerbooks is OK, but overpriced - I recommend taking in one of our few local culinary specialties and having an Ethiopian lunch at Lalibela. Also close: good, greasy bar food at Stoney's, and fresh-ground coffee, huge falafel platters, and genuine hospitality at 24-7. If you end up in Georgetown after going to Bridge Street, have lunch (and a Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA from the tap) at Martin's Tavern.
posted by ryanshepard at 7:04 PM on November 8, 2010

Kramerbooks does have a smallish but pretty good selection of (popular, as in lay) science books, esp. in biology.
posted by orthogonality at 7:35 PM on November 8, 2010

You'll be pretty close to Second Story Books on Dupont Circle, which is great for used stuff. And if used IS your bag, and you're up for a trip on the Metro, check out Capitol Hill Books, off of the Eastern Market stop on the blue/orange line. For food, Pizzeria Paradiso is pretty solid. And even though it's a (local-ish) chain, don't sleep on Five Guys Burgers & Fries! (If you do end up by Eastern Market, there are several good fooderies over there too.)
posted by D.Billy at 8:33 PM on November 8, 2010

Also dissenting on Kramer - I think the food is overpriced and not very good. Seconding Busboys & Poets, though.
posted by Conrad Cornelius o'Donald o'Dell at 9:05 PM on November 8, 2010

Eatonville, next to Busboys and Poets on 14th, is super delicious. I dream about their mac and cheese.
posted by emkelley at 4:09 AM on November 9, 2010

Thirding Busboys & Poets! ...and I like the crab cakes at Kramerbooks. Also, the crab cakes at Eastern Market are amazing.
posted by BusyBusyBusy at 6:31 AM on November 9, 2010