Visiting the U Street Corridor, or just looking to better appreciate what it has to offer? Get to know this Washington neighborhood by browsing its most popular local businesses, from a pizzeria to a Persian eatery and more.
Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the top places to visit in the U Street Corridor, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list of neighborhood businesses. Read on for the results.
1. Busboys and Poets
Topping the list is breakfast and brunch and traditional American spot Busboys and Poets. Located at 2021 14th St. NW (between North V and North U streets.), it's the most popular business in the neighborhood, boasting four stars out of 2,053 reviews on Yelp.
Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, the menu at Busboys and Poets is infused with vegan, gluten-free and vegetarian dishes, which are color-coded. The lunch/dinner menu includes a blend of Mediterranean, Mexican and American food. There are salad selections, sandwiches, burgers and pizza, plus entrees such as catfish, shrimp & grits and fried chicken.
It holds open mic nights every Tuesday for poetry reading and has other special events.
Kim M., who reviewed it on Nov. 9, wrote, "Hands down my go-to spot for good comfort food. I always bring my out-of-towners here for a good time. Their turkey burger and sweet potato fries are amazing. Some of the vegan options are on point too."
2. &Pizza
Next up is &pizza, a spot to score pizza, situated at 1250 U St. NW (between North 13th and North 12th streets). With 4.5 stars out of 591 reviews on Yelp, it's proven to be a local favorite.
With locations in seven cities in the country, it makes french bread-style pizza with unique toppings. Customers can try the Extra Helping with short ribs, mac & cheese, red onions and croutons; the American Honey with spicy sauce, pepperoni, arugula, red pepper flakes, goat cheese and hot honey; or simply build their own by picking from one of the 20 toppings, including roasted peppers, shrimp and eggs. (To view the full menu, click here.)
Deige A. said, "If you feel like showing off your mastery pizza skills, &pizza is the spot for you. With a counter setup similar to Chipotle, your mind runs wild with different topping combinations if you'd like to create your own pizza."
3. Ted's Bulletin
Traditional American spot Ted's Bulletin is another top choice. Yelpers give the business, located at 1818 14th St. NW (between North South and North Swann streets), four stars out of 1,383 reviews.
It has five locations, with other outposts in Maryland and Virginia, and serves comfort food. On the Classics section of the lunch/supper menu, there's fried chicken, short rib pot roast and homestyle meatloaf, while the Specialties section includes chicken Parmesan, baby back ribs and gumbo. There are also burgers, sandwiches and salads. For breakfast, expect eggs, chicken and biscuits, ham Benedict and pancakes and french toast.
Yelper Jordan R., who reviewed it on Dec. 10, said, "A very comfortable atmosphere. I loved the idea they had going with the old movies playing and the decor. The food was excellent as well. The waiter was always on top of what we needed, making it a very nice experience for our breakfast in D.C."
4. Maydan
Maydan, a Persian/Iranian, Moroccan and Lebanese spot, is another much-loved neighborhood go-to, with 4.5 stars out of 417 Yelp reviews. Head over to 1346 Florida Ave. NW (between North 13th and North 14th streets.) to see for yourself.
Maydan, which means "come together," takes guests to Tangier, Tehran, Batumi and Beirut through their diverse cuisine. A plate of bread, baked fresh on-site, is placed on every table and used to sample different spreads (Beirut hummus, labneh and zaalouk) and to scoop up other parts of the meal.
For the main course, guests can order seafood (squid or barramundi) or kebabs like the Aleppo, which is ground lamb and pistachio, or the tenderloin with omani spice, chile and lime. (Click here to read the entire menu.)
Rachel Z. wrote, "Amazing atmosphere, even more amazing food. ... The restaurant itself is located in an alley and is a little hard to find (literally a hidden gem). Once you go inside the very nondescript door, you're greeted by a blast of hot air as you come upon their open fire. The restaurant itself is very beautiful, like walking into wonderland."
5. Amsterdam Falafelshop
Finally, check out Amsterdam Falafelshop, which has earned 4.5 stars out of 351 reviews on Yelp. You can find the vegetarian spot, which offers falafel and sandwiches, at 1830 14th St. NW (between North T and North Swann streets).
The Middle Eastern fast food chain has locations in Maryland, Virginia, Boston and Miami. The menu features falafel sandwiches and bowls and frieten, which are french fries double-fried that come with either curried ketchup, fritesaus or peanutsaus. There are 22 toppings available from the toppings bar to infuse extra flavor on the sandwich or bowl.
Margaret B. said, "Fantastic! Who knew falafel could be so fun? You pick up your falafel and get to add awesome toppings—the eggplant garlic was so tasty. Will definitely be returning."
