Now that you have your shows lined up for the Capital Fringe Festival, the question is: where are you eating and drinking between shows? This year, Capital Fringe has made purchasing their Fringe button a non-requirement for seeing the shows. However, the price of the button (just $5) opens up a series of discounts at some excellent locations on the Wharf.
So grab a button, show off with your fellow Fringe-goers, and check out these Fringe recommended (and discounted) restaurants this summer. Hang on to that button. The deals are good until next July.
The Capital Fringe Festival has been performing at the still developing Southwest Waterfront neighborhood since last year. If you’ve been to the Wharf since its grand reopening in 2017, you know that the Wharf is growing at a breakneck pace, so you can expect there are new restaurants and hang out spots with (what feels like) every visit.
So, this year, while you are catching shows by the Waterfront, we’ve updated DC Theater Scene’s 2018 list of where to grab a discounted bite or drink before and/or after catching a show.
Of course, check the website at https://capitalfringe.org/button/ for any updates.
Restaurants
10% off food items
Station 4 is located right as you step out of the Waterfront metro, across the street from the Market SW, and a block away from the Arena Stage. It’s casual American fare with little to no surprises on their menu. They cater to as wide an audience as possible: sandwiches and salads share their menu with a personal pizza section. The Crab Cake sandwich I tried met my expectations. I found myself wishing I’d gone the Kobe-Style Burger route instead, but the dining experience overall was welcoming and friendly.
They have a limited-menu three course pre-theater option for $39, and bottomless mimosas for brunch. These are nice deals for the Fringe-goer traveling with friends.
Pros: Their entrees are tasty, and the restaurant is consistent in quality and service. Bar is a locals haven, so a great place to meet the crowd who’ve moved into the new apartments in the area.
Cons: You will be a ten minute walk away from the Fringe action at the Wharf, but if you’re going to the shows at Arena Stage, they’re your safe bet.
Reservations recommended.
751 Wharf Street SW
Washington, DC 20024
202 516 4739
Complimentary dessert with purchase of two entrees
Small shared plates in a delightfully decorated setting, inspired by Filipino, Thai, and Korean cuisines. The Heritage Pork Belly, the Korean Steak Tartare, and Soft Tofu dishes probably demonstrated the strong range of flavors that Chef Cathal Armstrong and Chef de Cuisine Paolo Dungca are able to command. They follow the same philosophy with their beverage program, making recognizable cocktails with national spirits to add a twist to the traditional mule or sangria.
Pros: Beautifully designed dishes that expose the casual diner to Southeast Asian flavors and fusions.
Cons: Probably the most expensive location in this article.
740 Water Street SW
Washington, DC 20024
877 987 6487
20% off the tab at Union Stage Tap Room Bar or Union Pie
Jersey-style thin crust pizza with a music venue to boot. Union Pie is a pop-up pizza shop located within Union Stage. You On Pearl Street, right off of Wharf St. They have your usual suspects of beer selection: from Port City Optimal Wit to Miller, and over a dozen drafts on tap. This is the place to go after the late night shows, with a hip and divey feel. They are generous with their button discount, and I expect this to be a favorite for Fringe goers. Their kitchen is normally open till 9 p.m. and stay open late for special Anthem events.
Pros: If the discount isn’t cutting it, their happy hour is a steal: 1/2 pizza and beer for $10.
Cons: Not a lot of seating available, but isn’t that endemic to the Wharf?
Fast Casual Dining
764 Maine Ave SW
Washington, DC 20024
202 484 5200
10% off the menu
Expertly prepared plates, with fresh juices, smoothies and a health-focused vision for your breakfast or lunch dining. The smoothies are refreshing, with a focus on quirky ingredient combinations to build power-food style beverages. This is owner Brianna Keefe’s first restaurant venture, and Toastique can only currently be found on the Wharf, with an Old Town location coming later this year. This is a lunch place you don’t want to miss.
Pros: Healthy, fresh and quality plates that can give you the endurance you need to catch multiple Fringe shows.
Cons: Do you hate millennials and their love for avocado toast? Maybe avoid this place.
1142 Maine Ave SW
Washington, DC 20024
202 981 6999
Hot dog meal for $10 plus tax (includes hot dog, small drink, chips, small soft serve ice cream)
Local, family-owned ice cream and classic pop shop. Multiple flavors of soft serve (rainbow sprinkles being a hit) and a classic root beer floats. The location is tiny and unassuming, focusing on its nostalgia-centric treats and delivering on treats that can bring a dose of childhood and comfort food. Their cake explosion, a combination of cake, ice cream, cookies and whipped cream, is a bucket-list worthy item for diners looking to explore all of D.C.’s local dessert offerings.
Pros: Wonderful soft-serve selections, hot dogs that go well with summers outside. Also, you’re supporting local.
Cons: None.
975 Wharf Street SW
Washington, D.C. 20024
202-869-8345
Free fries with purchase
I will own up to my guilty pleasure for their cheese fries and milkshakes.
Pros: It’s right on one corner of the Wharf.
Cons: You can expect long lines, limited seating, and ALL of the tour groups.
Bakeries and Dessert
965 7th Street SW
Washington D.C. 20024
202.484.0500
10% Off the menu
This popular Bethesda shop only recently opened in March. They have a wide selection of cookies and pastries as well as special occasion cakes for the premium price. If you’re looking for a snack or a quick, ready-made sandwich, this is a safe bet. Clean, intimate, and right on the southern entrance to the currently constructed portion of the Wharf with seating inside and on the patio. It’s a great place to pop in for a dessert or bite on your way to a show.
Pros: Fresh baked goods, and the slice of the chocolate pistachio cake that felt almost like a tiramisu in texture.
Cons: Coffee comes in pre-packed pods. Better coffee options elsewhere.
49 District Square SW
Washington, DC 20024
202.849.8710
10% off a 6” Birthday Cake
Excellent ice cream and products baked daily. Since the arrival of this New York bakery in DC last year, their expansion has been met with a resounding…. “Okay.” You can still get a really good ice cream cup and their Compost Cookie is indeed, a wonderful baked amalgam of flavors. This is the place for a quick bite when the heat and humidity begin to spike during the festival. With Counter Culture Coffee for the pick me up, you have a good place to grab and go between shows.
Pros: Cookies and ice cream. They manage their crowds and the lines well for how busy they can get.
Cons: There’s really not much you can do with your discount here.
Like the structured writing besides the clarity in the writing.