David's & Marcia's Area Favorites
Our favorite local coffee shops
These days there is construction on Bonifant Street as a new light rail system is built, but Kefa's has been a popular downtown Silver Spring coffee shop for many years. The sisters who own it are wonderful.
12 locals recommend
Kefa Cafe
963 Bonifant StThese days there is construction on Bonifant Street as a new light rail system is built, but Kefa's has been a popular downtown Silver Spring coffee shop for many years. The sisters who own it are wonderful.
A nice downtown Silver Spring coffee shop, with terrific pastries.
30 locals recommend
Kaldi’s Social House
918 Silver Spring AveA nice downtown Silver Spring coffee shop, with terrific pastries.
Food scene
One of the many delicious and reasonably priced Thai restaurants in the area.
13 locals recommend
Kao Thai Restaurant
8650 Colesville RdOne of the many delicious and reasonably priced Thai restaurants in the area.
Great seafood and other dishes in downtown Silver Spring, with a relaxing off-street seating area and good bar.
13 locals recommend
Sunshine Bar & Lounge
7331 Georgia Ave NWGreat seafood and other dishes in downtown Silver Spring, with a relaxing off-street seating area and good bar.
Very good Indian & Nepali food in downtown Silver Spring, with a great lunch buffet. Many vegetarian dishes.
10 locals recommend
Ghar-E-Kabab | Indian & Nepali Restaurant | Indian & Nepali Food
944 Wayne AveVery good Indian & Nepali food in downtown Silver Spring, with a great lunch buffet. Many vegetarian dishes.
If you're in Silver Spring, like spicy food, and don't mind eating with your hands, you have to try one of the many fine Ethiopian restaurants in the downtown area. It's easy to eat vegetarian, but there are meat dishes too. Bete is one of the best in the area. In addition to very good food, it two outdoor seating areas.
8 locals recommend
Bete Ethiopian Cuisine & Cafe
811 Roeder RdIf you're in Silver Spring, like spicy food, and don't mind eating with your hands, you have to try one of the many fine Ethiopian restaurants in the downtown area. It's easy to eat vegetarian, but there are meat dishes too. Bete is one of the best in the area. In addition to very good food, it two outdoor seating areas.
This small restaurant with several outdoor tables offers wonderful traditional Mexican food.
24 locals recommend
Cielo Rojo Restaurant
7211 Carroll AveThis small restaurant with several outdoor tables offers wonderful traditional Mexican food.
Great for breakfast and lunch, with nice outdoor seating in downtown Takoma Park.
64 locals recommend
Takoma Beverage Company
6917 Laurel AveGreat for breakfast and lunch, with nice outdoor seating in downtown Takoma Park.
Excellent restaurant with homemade Italian food, in downtown Takoma Park. Vegetarian friendly.
20 locals recommend
Trattoria da Lina
7000 Carroll AveExcellent restaurant with homemade Italian food, in downtown Takoma Park. Vegetarian friendly.
This Takoma Park restaurant, bar, and small bookstore is one of the several branches of a favorite Washington-area chain. Terrific for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, with outdoor seating. Great happy hour specials.
250 locals recommend
Busboys and Poets
235 Carroll St NWThis Takoma Park restaurant, bar, and small bookstore is one of the several branches of a favorite Washington-area chain. Terrific for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, with outdoor seating. Great happy hour specials.
Some of our favorite area places of interest
Of course, the Washington, DC area has an incredible number of great museums, theaters, cinemas, music venues, etc., etc. And some, like the many museums (and zoo and botanical gardens) of the Smithsonian Institution, are free! Here are just a few of our favorites.
One of the best movie theaters in the country, and just over a mile from our house in downtown Silver Spring! Superb repertory offerings of U.S. and international films, as well as new films. The large main theater is a beautifully refurbished 1938 cinema. There are also two other theaters with stadium seating. Easy nearby public parking.
149 locals recommend
AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center
8633 Colesville RoadOne of the best movie theaters in the country, and just over a mile from our house in downtown Silver Spring! Superb repertory offerings of U.S. and international films, as well as new films. The large main theater is a beautifully refurbished 1938 cinema. There are also two other theaters with stadium seating. Easy nearby public parking.
Recognized as one of the best Shakespeare theatres in the country. The Company actually has two theaters. Among the other excellent theaters in the Washington, DC area are the Studio Theatre, the Arena Stage, and the Wooly Mammoth Theater Company.
56 locals recommend
Shakespeare Theatre Company: Lansburgh Theatre
450 7th St NWRecognized as one of the best Shakespeare theatres in the country. The Company actually has two theaters. Among the other excellent theaters in the Washington, DC area are the Studio Theatre, the Arena Stage, and the Wooly Mammoth Theater Company.
A variety of first-class performing arts groups, including the National Symphony Orchestra and the Washington National Opera. An addition to the Center, the REACH, opened not long ago. Millennium Stage events are free.
498 locals recommend
John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
2700 F St NWA variety of first-class performing arts groups, including the National Symphony Orchestra and the Washington National Opera. An addition to the Center, the REACH, opened not long ago. Millennium Stage events are free.
A wonderful modern art museum in the Dupont Circle neighborhood in Washington.
224 locals recommend
The Phillips Collection
1600 21st St NWA wonderful modern art museum in the Dupont Circle neighborhood in Washington.
Among the very best natural history museums.
647 locals recommend
Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History
10th St. & Constitution Ave. NWAmong the very best natural history museums.
The collections in both the West and East Buildings of the National Gallery are superb. The West Building's collection of Italian Renaissance and pre-Renaissance art is especially strong.
385 locals recommend
National Gallery of Art
Constitution Avenue NorthwestThe collections in both the West and East Buildings of the National Gallery are superb. The West Building's collection of Italian Renaissance and pre-Renaissance art is especially strong.
What is now called the National Museum of Asian Art is made up of the Freer and Sackler Galleries, which are next to each other.
32 locals recommend
Arthur M. Sackler Gallery
1050 Independence Ave SWWhat is now called the National Museum of Asian Art is made up of the Freer and Sackler Galleries, which are next to each other.
Close to the Capitol building, it is the oldest continuously operating botanic garden in the country. The orchid room in the Conservatory is marvelous, as is the rest of the Conservatory and the outdoor gardens.
253 locals recommend
United States Botanic Garden
100 Maryland Ave SWClose to the Capitol building, it is the oldest continuously operating botanic garden in the country. The orchid room in the Conservatory is marvelous, as is the rest of the Conservatory and the outdoor gardens.
The Hirschorn Museum and Sculpture Garden is the Smithsonian's museum of modern and contemporary art.
230 locals recommend
Hirshhorn Museum
7th Street SouthwestThe Hirschorn Museum and Sculpture Garden is the Smithsonian's museum of modern and contemporary art.
Parks nearby
A bicycling and walking trail in Sligo Creek Park. It runs along the creek for miles. To reach the park and trail, take a left on Melbourne Ave. from our street, and walk about 15 minutes.
Parts of Sligo Creek Parkway are closed to traffic during the weekend (and also on Fridays during the pandemic).
31 locals recommend
Sligo Creek Trail
Sligo Creek TrailA bicycling and walking trail in Sligo Creek Park. It runs along the creek for miles. To reach the park and trail, take a left on Melbourne Ave. from our street, and walk about 15 minutes.
Parts of Sligo Creek Parkway are closed to traffic during the weekend (and also on Fridays during the pandemic).
A large multi-purpose county park that is a 15-minute drive from our house. The Brookside Gardens area, including the greenhouse exhibits, the gardens, and the pond, and nearby hiking trails. A great way to spend a a couple of hours on a nice day.
54 locals recommend
Wheaton Regional Park
2000 Shorefield RdA large multi-purpose county park that is a 15-minute drive from our house. The Brookside Gardens area, including the greenhouse exhibits, the gardens, and the pond, and nearby hiking trails. A great way to spend a a couple of hours on a nice day.
A beautiful park with hiking trails, bicycling and picnic areas, etc. that runs from close to the Potomac River in Washington to well into Montgomery County. A nice bike trails runs much of the length of the park.
584 locals recommend
Rock Creek Park
3545 Williamsburg Ln NWA beautiful park with hiking trails, bicycling and picnic areas, etc. that runs from close to the Potomac River in Washington to well into Montgomery County. A nice bike trails runs much of the length of the park.
The Potomac River upstream of Washington is beautiful, perhaps no more so than at Great Falls National Park. There are parks on both the Maryland and Virginia sides of the river. Great views, wonderful hiking trails, lots of birds, and the historic C&O Canal. Plan to spend time here. The Carderock area, along the Maryland side of the Potomac a little downstream from Great Falls, is also wonderful.
182 locals recommend
Great Falls
11710 Macarthur BlvdThe Potomac River upstream of Washington is beautiful, perhaps no more so than at Great Falls National Park. There are parks on both the Maryland and Virginia sides of the river. Great views, wonderful hiking trails, lots of birds, and the historic C&O Canal. Plan to spend time here. The Carderock area, along the Maryland side of the Potomac a little downstream from Great Falls, is also wonderful.