We all have one in our lives. Maybe it’s a friend, a small child, or an estranged Midwestern aunt—whoever it is, he or she has very strong aversions when it comes to food. Not dietary restrictions or allergies, just things that absolutely will not be going anywhere near their mouths. Maybe they’ve been wronged in the past by some otherwise innocent food, or maybe they just think broccoli looks weird. Whatever the cause, these folks have an extensive list of items that they don’t eat. And while picky eaters are the bane of every foodie’s existence, we still have to go out to dinner with them sometimes. So when the next occasion arises, pull out this list. Below are our go-to spots when we’ve got a finicky eater in town but still want to eat well ourselves.
Photo by Paige.
BOSS SHEPHERD’S: The next time you want a white tablecloth dinner but don’t want to scare away your dining companion with unfamiliar terms like “tartare,” “mostarda,” or “gastrique,” consider booking a table at Boss Shepherd’s. The menu leans heavily on retro classics like meatloaf, spaghetti and meatballs, and Cobb salad. It may sound a little boring, but the kitchen puts a chef-y spin on things, like hand-grinding their own blend of chuck, rib, and brisket for the burgers, and topping their famous fried chicken with a smoked egg yolk. —Alicia Mazzara
Boss Shepherd’s is located at 513 13th St NW.
BUSBOYS AND POETS:Busboys and Poets, the local chain of social justice-inspired restaurants, now has six locations. Each one is a little different, but they all host events, including book talks and live-screenings of the presidential election debates. More importantly, they have food that’s comfortable for those less familiar with “big city” eats. The menu is wide-ranging, not too expensive, pretty tasty, and straight forward. They have many vegan, vegetarian, and gluten free items, all labeled. But maybe the best virtue of Busboys is that it is a pleasant and inoffensive place to kill time. Sit in a big, comfy chair with an oversized mug, and skim some Howard Zinn. —Josh Kramer
Busboys and Poets has locations in D.C., Maryland, and Virginia.
CAFE DELUXE: Despite the name, there’s nothing overly fancy about this local casual bistro chain. For one, the menu hardly ever changes, making it a familiar experience and a good bet for finicky diners. Cafe Deluxe serves up a variety of recognizable and comforting soups, salads, and entrees. There aren’t any crazy ingredients or preparations going on here. Dishes like meatloaf and mashed potatoes, Cobb salad, and tomato soup are all tasty and should appease even the most cautious palate. More adventurous eaters may gravitate toward Thai curry or Fra Diavolo mussels, seafood linguine pasta or braised short ribs with vegetable risotto. Cafe Deluxe is also a great spot for a quick and simple weekend breakfast or brunch. —Travis Mitchell
Cafe Deluxe has locations in D.C., Maryland, and Virginia.
Photo by Josh.
CAROLINA KITCHEN: The Hyattsville branch of this “southern cuisine restaurant group” was a hard sell for me on one recent family dinner. Why go here when Bon Chon is two doors down? But they had me at the complimentary cinnamon cornbread, which was sweet, moist, and piping hot. From there, the less adventurous the item, the better the food got. Jerk chicken was fine, but Carolina food is apparently best served smothered: chicken or pork chops slathered in rich gravy on a direct line to your arteries. —Pat Padua
Carolina Kitchen is located at 2350 Washington PL, NE, 6501 America Blvd in Hyattsville, Md. and 800 Shoppers Way in Largo, Md.
CLYDE’S: I once heard a friend say that if you took someone on a date to Clyde’s and they couldn’t find anything they wanted to eat, that you should run, not walk, out of the date. The menu is expansive and the restaurant is open almost all day—check brunch, lunch, dinner, late night, happy hour and a raw bar off your list without ever leaving its walls. While it may not be all organic, local fare, or the locale of choice for small plates aficionados, the food Clyde’s serves up is rarely of poor quality. Someone doesn’t eat seafood? Direct them to the burger. No meat? Salad and pasta dishes here rarely feel like an afterthought—the seasonal pumpkin ravioli is always a popular choice. And for the pickiest of eaters, have no fear—Clyde’s has, of course, an expansive dessert menu.—Elizabeth Traynor
Clyde’s has several locations across the District, Virginia and Maryland.
Clyde’s has locations in D.C., Maryland, and Virginia.
COMMISSARY: Anyone looking for a laid back meal can take their fussy family and friends to this P Street eatery at just about any time of day. The menu ranges from inoffensive items like herbed chicken and grilled salmon to the slightly more adventurous flash-fried kung pao brussels sprouts and coconut curry stir fry. The wide-ranging options include plenty of vegetarian and vegan choices, smoothies for your friend doing a juice cleanse, pizza for your sibling that only eats pizza, salads for the uncle who gave up everything else. If you bring a pet and eat on the patio, there are even treats you can order for Fido. — Rachel Sadon
Commissary is located at 1443 P Street NW.
DINO’S GROTTO: Dino’s Grotto offers diners a lot of choices, which is key when trying to please a diverse range of palates. More importantly, Dino’s also offers lots and lots of homemade pasta. As the daughter of two very noodle-y culinary traditions, I firmly believe in pasta as the great uniter. It’s also the one dish that my hopelessly picky niece and nephew will devour with gusto. Think of the pastas at Dino’s as a form of culinary diplomacy, bringing together those desiring exotic preparations (like wild boar paparadelle with cocoa) and those who prefer the utterly pedestrian (spaghetti with tomato sauce). —Alicia Mazzara
Dino’s Grotto is located at 1914 9th Street NW.
FOUNDING FARMERS: Full disclosure here: Founding Farmers is most definitely my go to “picky eater” restaurant of choice, but that’s partly because I remain convinced that their dark n’ stormy cocktails are among the best I’ve had. (So much so that I don’t remember even trying any of their other artisan cocktails, even the fancy ones made with Founding Farmers’ own locally distilled spirits.) It’s also just really hard to argue with fried green tomatoes and corn bread served in a skillet. And they have some relatively inventive vegetarian options and yummy side offerings. —Bridget Dicosmo
Founding Farmers has locations in D.C., Maryland, and Virginia. They also have a picky eater-approved sister restaurant, Farmers Fishers Bakers, at 3000 K Street NW.
FROGGY BOTTOM PUB: A Vietnamese restaurant is probably the last place you’d take picky eaters. Just tell your finicky friends you’ll be going to Froggy Bottom Pub for standard bar fare. Since Froggy Bottom relocated to K Street, Vietnamese immigrant owners Hien and Hoang Bui have added a selection of pho to the menu. None of these mildly flavored noodle soup dishes are particularly challenging: protein options include shredded chicken, meatballs, brisket, and strip steak. The remainder of the menu is chiefly within the realm of comfort food. Buffalo wings, onion rings, and chicken tenders top the appetizer list, but go a little deeper and you’ll find burgers, wraps, pizza and salad. You can even get a strip steak, rib-eye or a crab cake to go with a number of local beers on draft. it’s this kind of variety that ensures that everyone is happy. —Nathan Wilkinson
Froggy Bottom Pub is located at 2021 K Street NW.
Photo by Kim.
KANGAROO BOXING CLUB:Are your friends or relatives meat ‘n potatoes kind of people? Do they like getting a whole plate to themselves rather than sharing seven different tiny food sculptures with their dining companions? Do they balk at steakhouse prices? Kangaroo Boxing Club is the place to take them. Granted, there’s not a lot of space and it’s not the best choice for the hard of hearing. However, you can get pulled pork, peppered ham, and bacon all on the same bun, so conversation might come to a standstill regardless. —Jenny Holm
Kangaroo Boxing Club is located at 3410 11th St NW.
MATCHBOX:Matchbox is the kind of restaurant where thrills are present, but dialed down. Expect generally well-prepared but safe entrees such as a crispy half-chicken, pan-seared salmon, and Italian sausage rigatoni. This same principle also goes for their pizza menu, where pies are thin crust, tasty, but not all that exciting. If you’re struggling to find a place where you can take your friend who doesn’t eat vegetables, or a grandparent concerned about whether their food is going to be overly spicy, Matchbox is going to be a good fit.—Jacob Dean
Matchbox has locations in D.C., Maryland, and Virginia.
MEDIUM RARE: If you’re dining with the steak and potatoes crowd, it literally could not get simpler than taking them to Medium Rare. The restaurant is the ultimate in specialization, offering a single set menu of bread, a green salad, and steak frites for $20.95. That’s it—seriously, that’s the entire menu. It’s rather refreshing when most restaurants leave you to decipher a mishmash like this. If you like steak, there’s something to be said about doing one thing and doing it well. The only time you might get decision fatigue is when it comes time to pick dessert. —Alicia Mazzara
Medium Rare has locations at 3500 Connecticut Ave NW and 515 8th St SE.
OPEN CITY: Open City seems to have the uncanny ability to offer up the perfect comfort food at the time you feel like you need it most. That could mean the chicken and waffles, which come with bacon bourbon syrup (four foods that need to get together more often), to a buttery gnocchi special that I’d be psyched to see on the menu again. There is also a tasty veggie burger and an all-day breakfast menu. The fact that Open City feels like either a coffee shop or a neighborhood bar depending on your particular mood is just a bonus. —Bridget Dicosmo
Open City is located at 2331 Calvert Street. NW.
Photo by Clif Burns
TED’S BULLETIN: Ted’s offers what I consider an “ace up the sleeve” for picky eaters: breakfast all day. Between french toast, chicken ‘n biscuits, and a variety of egg dishes, even the most particular diner is bound to find something. Lunch and dinner offerings run the gamut with all-American classics including burgers, fish and one of my personal favorites, grilled cheese and tomato soup. They’ve also got killer milkshakes—boozy ones, to boot. A unifying comfort food. —Victoria Finkle
Ted’s Bulletin has multiple locations in D.C., Maryland, and Virginia.
