Did somebody say crab fries? At Capitol Hill Crab Cakes, the loaded crab meat french fries are a must. Keep a look out for the door, which doubles as a chalk board menu featuring daily specials. The prices are reasonable, the crab meat is jumbo lump, and it's the only place in town with a Marion Barry fried chicken sandwich.

Brunch is best served alongside local works of art. On Sundays for just $20, the Artdrenaline Cafe, located inside the Anacostia Art Center, serves an unlimited brunch with an omelette station, hot bar, and fresh smoothies and juices.

Tony's Place is a reliable breakfast and lunch deli where the neighborhood meets in the morning. Breakfast specials include grits, French toast, and a ribeye steak and egg sandwich. At lunch look for the Salisbury steak special.

If a juice cleanse is needed, then Turning Natural is the place. Order the King Kong Kale, a gorilla-sized smoothie with apples, ginger, kale, celery, collards, cucumber, cilantro, parsley, pineapple, and lemon.

Mama's is the place to visit before the big game. It's dine-in or take-out with pizza and wings served either by the 10- or 20-count.

What's the sign of a good local bar? How about cocktails named for everyone from Chuck Brown to Martin Luther King, Jr.? And, even more refreshing, these are premium cocktails at a price point that's pretty reasonable for D.C.— $9.

At Caribbean Citations, diners can cash in on a motor vehicle misfortune by turning a traffic ticket into a meal ticket. The restaurant discounts dishes, like its oxtail, curry goat, and jerk chicken for those who present a valid D.C. parking ticket.