Food Shopping near Dupont Circle

[ghostrider]

I'm just a tourist, with our annual trip to DC coming up next week, wondering where folks who live in the Dupont Circle area buy their groceries & specialty foods & whatnot.

My wife has an annual convention at the Reagan Hilton. I tagged along for the first time last year & thoroughly enjoyed the trip. However, apart from the Dupont Farmers' Market, I never found a grocer or a specialty food shop. I tromped around the area quite a bit but turned up nothing. Of course you always have the thought that if you'd just walked around one more corner, you'd have found that magical shop that sells truffle-stuffed tortellini to take away.

So this year I'm seeking advice in advance from anyone who may know the neighborhood. Thanks!

[Mark Slater]

I'm just a tourist, with our annual trip to DC coming up next week, wondering where folks who live in the Dupont Circle area buy their groceries & specialty foods & whatnot.

My wife has an annual convention at the Reagan Hilton. I tagged along for the first time last year & thoroughly enjoyed the trip. However, apart from the Dupont Farmers' Market, I never found a grocer or a specialty food shop. I tromped around the area quite a bit but turned up nothing. Of course you always have the thought that if you'd just walked around one more corner, you'd have found that magical shop that sells truffle-stuffed tortellini to take away.

So this year I'm seeking advice in advance from anyone who may know the neighborhood. Thanks!

Whole Foods at 15th + P St., Trader Joe's at 25th + L St.

[Mrs. B]

There's a Safeway Townhouse grocery store tucked in an office building on S & 19th or 20th right behind the Hilton. Not gourmet but convenient.

[squidsdc]

If you're up for a good walk, this place sounds like it's not too, too far.

Griffin Market

[ghostrider]

Thanks to everyone!

Don't know how I managed to miss that Safeway last year but I will certainly look for it. Convenience is big.

Griffin Market may be the answer to "Where can I get decent takeaway food for the train trip back to Jersey now that the food situation at Union Station sounds even worse than it was a year ago?" A great tip.

[zoramargolis]

There have also been some positive reviews of Aioli, on P Street just before the bridge (?23rd St.) It's where The Fractured Prune used to be, but of course you probably don't remember that short-lived donut place.

[Anna Phor]

I lived more or less across the street from that Hilton for about five years (I just moved). We shopped at the farmer's market for produce, and most of the rest of our groceries we had delivered, with the occasional trip to the secret Safeway at 20th & S for supplemental items.

If you're looking to wander around and run into magical truffle-stuffed whatsits, there's not a whole lot around that neighborhood. It's a pleasant 25 minute walk through the park into Georgetown, which has a Dean & DeLuca (head across the P street bridge then follow the dirt path through the park until you pop out at M street).

In the other direction, if you climb the hill on Connecticut and head past the zoo and across the bridge, you'll hit Cleveland Park, where you'll find Vace, which is an excellent Italian deli; Fresh Med, a Lebanese takeout; and Brookville supermarket, which is one of the few remaining independent supermarkets around.

[The Hersch]

Don't know how I managed to miss that Safeway last year but I will certainly look for it. Convenience is big.

It's not for nothing that it's known as the Secret Safeway. It's technically a "Town House", which means they don't have to honor Safeway's advertised specials. And while it may be convenient, it's a crappy little store. It's on 20th Street between S and Florida Avenue. There's also Marvelous Market, which is a whole lot less marvelous than it used to be, with a location on Connecticut Avenue between Dupont Circle and Q St., on the east side of the avenue.

[ghostrider]

I left my wonderful reference list, with the Griffin Market info & lots of other stuff, on my kitchen table. Never got over to Georgetown anyway.

I did find the secret Safeway. You're right, kinda crappy, but I was still glad to be able to get fresh apples & oranges. (Arrived too late for Dupont Circle mkt, alas alas.)

Coincidentally I did get up Cleveland Park way & looked into Vace. Lovely place, similar to the Italian deli in Montclair NJ where I work right now.

Wound up buying train food at Union Station again. The Greek place still isn't too bad - not the greatest Greek food by any means, but decent. They had better tomatoes than my deli! I had no complaints.

[squidsdc]

I left my wonderful reference list, with the Griffin Market info & lots of other stuff, on my kitchen table. Never got over to Georgetown anyway.

I did find the secret Safeway. You're right, kinda crappy, but I was still glad to be able to get fresh apples & oranges. (Arrived too late for Dupont Circle mkt, alas alas.)

Coincidentally I did get up Cleveland Park way & looked into Vace. Lovely place, similar to the Italian deli in Montclair NJ where I work right now.

Wound up buying train food at Union Station again. The Greek place still isn't too bad - not the greatest Greek food by any means, but decent. They had better tomatoes than my deli! I had no complaints.

Ah, the best laid plans...there's always next time. Have you been up to Greek City Restaurant in Ramsey? We ate there this summer right after they opened and had a great meal. The grilled octopus was outstanding. You're not too far from there if you're in Montclair.