Home-cooking Restaurants

Nostalgic for restaurants of the 50s? That time before fusion when food was simple but wholesome and plentiful? There are still some diners, restaurants and lunch counters around, cooking food as mother made it. So don your hat and gloves and cross your ankles neatly under a seat at

Mrs K's Toll House, 9201 Colesville Rd, Silver Spring, 301 589 3500. Mrs K has been offering up pot roasts, chicken fries and comforting food, in a genteel setting with rolling gardens just outside the windows, for over half a century.
Florida Avenue Grill, 1100 Florida Ave NW 202 265 1586. A legendary 50 years-plus diner offering huge plates of home-style meatloaf, chitterlings and other goodies, all with a choice of two vegetables.
Reeves Restaurant & Bakery, 1306 G St NW, 202 628 6350. Famous for its fresh fruit pies, and good sandwiches on thick slices of homemade bread.
Ben's Chili Bowl, 1213 U St NW, 202 667 0909. A Washington institution, the lunch counter that time forgot. With scrapple, eggs, corned beef hash and some pretty good chili, too.
Parkway Delicatessen & Restaurant, 8317 Grubb Rd, Silver Spring, 301 587 1427. You don't have to be Jewish to appreciate the matzoh ball soup and quennelle-like gefilte fish in generous portions.
Bob & Edith's Diner, 2310 Columbia Pike, Arlington, 703 920 6103. A basic family diner.
Nick's Diner, 11199 Viers Mill Rd, Wheaton, 301 933 5459. A genuine diner popular with truckers, especially for breakfast.
Pete's Diner, 212 Second St, SE, 202 544 7335. Basic, cheap, fast, and personal.
29 Diner, 10536 Lee Hwy, Fairfax, 703 591 6720. Built in 1947, this is what all diners of the imagination look like. Open 24 hours.
Metro 29 Diner, 4711 Lee Hwy, Arlington, 703 528 2464. Not related to the above. Standard breakfast dishes and wide seafood, meat and Italian menu, too.
Tastee Diner, 7731 Woodmont Ave, Bethesda, 301 652 3970. Real 'nostalgia' replication, open 24 hours.
Woodside Deli, 9329 Georgia Ave, Silver Spring, 301 589 7055. Relaxed place for taking children.
Bob & Edith's Diner, 2310 Columbia Pike, Arlington, 703 920 6103. A classic old fashioned diner to go to when you don't care about a heart attack because the breakfast is really to die for. Plus you can have a thick milkshake with it. It does plenty of other diner standards too.
Hodges on New York Avenue between 6th and 7th Streets NW gets this commendation: "Only locals would want to go to a take-out place next to an auto repair shop...but they make great roast beef sandwiches." Obviously prized by aficianados, "you'd be amazed at how varied the customer base is."
Cap'n Carl's Crab Cabin on New Hampshire Ave in Takoma Park comes recommended for great fish sandwiches, crabs and tamales."

Related Ingredients...

Barbecue
Breakfasts - Irish, French, Vietnamese
Chili
Crab & clam shacks