For D.C. natives and tourists alike, cherry blossom season marks the debut of springtime with the annual blossoming of cherry blossom trees along the Potomac River. The city welcomes the blooms and the tourists who love them with a nearly month-long festival of performances, workshops, and a parade, and restaurants get in on the fun with an abundance of local specials. Peak bloom is set to hit on Monday, which means the best time to completely surround yourself with cherries—both blossoms and flavors—is upon us. Here are the best ways to eat and drink all things cherry.
Ambar
523 8th St. SE
The District’s first Balkan restaurant will be pouring a special cocktail in honor of the festival. The Visnja Sour includes cherry-infused rakia (a Balkan fruit brandy), lime juice, and cherry infused simple syrup, topped with a cherry garnish. For those who live across the Potomac but still want to get in on the fun, Ambar Clarendon will also be featuring a similar cocktail.
American Son
1201 K St. NW
Located inside hotel Eaton DC, American Son is making its cherry dishes available during lunch, dinner, and brunch. For seafood lovers, their madai crudo is served with cherry blossom shoyu along with a mountain rose apple consommé. For dessert there’s a dark chocolate cherry ganache, topped with pistachio and cherries three ways.
Bibiana Osteria Enoteca
1100 New York Ave. NW
This Italian restaurant will be serving three special dishes along with a featured dessert during this year’s festival. Highlights include a scallop carpaccio with cherry dressing, cherry risotto topped with uni butter and foie gras, and a cherry panna cotta. Pair the dishes with their featured cocktail Cherry Cola, made with cherry brandy and served in a smoking port pipe.
Cherry Blossom Pub
1841 7th St. NW
The city’s most Instagrammable-pop-up bar is back for a third year. Created by the Drink Company, the Cherry Blossom PUB menu includes Japanese-inspired cocktails such as the Honey See, Honeydew made with sake, cucumber, honeydew, and absinthe. The bar is a good spot to get a standout flower photo, minus the allergies: Half of it is decorated to look like a fairytale garden with wooden trellises covered in abundant flowers. If you’re hungry, the bar also features ramen—served in a ramen-themed room, of course—courtesy of the chef behind Union Market’s Ramen by UZU. The pop-up will be open until the end of the season on April 21. If your outfit looks better on a green backdrop, the pop-up bar’s Irish-themed neighbor is right next door.
Dyllan’s Raw Bar Grill
1054 34th St. NW
If your post-blossom-admiring stroll takes you to Georgetown, Dyllan’s Raw Bar Grill is featuring a three-course prix fixe menu priced at $35 per person. The menu includes a goat cheese wild cherry and walnut tart, followed by a grilled Arctic char topped with a spiced cherry sauce, and a vanilla cheesecake for dessert with cherry jubilee jam.
The Lafayette
800 16th St. NW
The city’s cherry blossoms were a 1912 gift from Japan, so The Lafayette is honoring the occasion with a Japanese-inspired menu. For $75, dine on a three-course, prix fixe dinner that includes ahi tuna with smoked eggplant puree, miso soba noodles, and marinated roasted duck.
Luke’s Lobster
Various locations
The Baltimore-based Oliver Brewing Co. is partnering with Luke’s for the debut of their Cherry Blossom Ale, a wheat ale brewed with 588 pounds of pureed dark sweet cherries. For the duration of the Cherry Blossom Festival, which lasts through April 14, enjoy a lobster roll with a can of Oliver Cherry Blossom Ale for $20.
The Watergate Hotel
2650 Virginia Ave. NW
Celebrate the season with a luxurious afternoon tea at Kingbird, the restaurant located inside The Watergate Hotel. For $55, dine on a variety of finger sandwiches such as Atlantic smoked salmon and smoked duck. For dessert, there are cherry blossom macarons and scones served with cherry jam. In addition, the hotel’s Next Whisky Bar will be featuring a cherry blossom cocktail made with gin, lemon, cranberry, orange, and allspice, topped with floral decor.
