Best French fries photo
(Granville Moore's -- Jay Premack/For the Washington Post)

Best French fries

Catherine Barker  |  Updated 09/20/2011

Fries vary wildly in flavor, texture and temperature. Here are delicious spuds worth every crispy calorie.

 
 
 
 
 

BGR: The Burger Joint

Washington, DC

Of the local burger chains, BGR delivers the most exceptional fries. Pick Yukon Gold or Idaho Sweet, then decide whether you want them topped - with roasted garlic, fresh rosemary or Parmesan cheese. All three? Prepare to be sold on aroma alone. $2.89 before toppings.

 
 
 
 
 

Bourbon

Washington, DC

A word of caution: It is futile to resist the waffle fries at Bourbon, which remain impossibly crunchy bite after bite. Here the seasoning is Old Bay, the dip classic ketchup. One portion serves several diners, but don't be surprised if you don't want to share. $5.

 
 
 
 
 

Brasserie Beck

Washington, DC

The Belgian-style fries delivered to this casual restaurant hit all the right marks when prepared in grapeseed oil: hot, salty and crisp right to the bottom of the bowl. A shower of fresh chopped parsley enhances these thin-cut fries, which are fabulous with or without their house-made mayonnaise trio. $8.

 
 
 
 
 

Cafe Saint-Ex

Washington, DC

Sweet potato fries are so often flabby, but not at the aviation-themed Cafe Saint-Ex. Here, the orange-hued, skin-on spuds are firm and sport an almost crusty edge, thanks to their sprinkling of salt, cinnamon, sugar and paprika. Somewhere on the flavor scale between savory and sweet, they're a welcome change from "regular" fries. $5.

 
 
 
 
 

Eamonn's/A Dublin Chipper

Alexandria, VA

Don't call them fries at this proud Old Town eatery. These chunky "chips" come in little paper sacks and are best when doused with several splashes of malt vinegar. House-made dipping sauces (warm curry, Marie Rose and tartar, to name a few) take the flavor even further. $2.75, small; $3.75, large; 50 cents, extra sauce.

 
 
 
 
 

Et Voila!

Washington, DC

One hundred pounds of potatoes are peeled and cut daily at Et Voila. True to the restaurant's Belgian roots, they're blanched in the fryer once and then fried again to order. The result is an ultra-crisp exterior, that, when bitten, reveals a creamy texture within. The well-salted fries are great on their own, but a dip in house-made mayonnaise transports you directly to Europe. $5.75.

 
 
 
 
 

Granville Moore's

Washington, DC

Fries come in two sizes at this Belgian-themed gastropub: small and large. They're seasoned with a fragrant blend of fresh rosemary, tarragon, parsley, thyme and fleur de sel. A small comes with one dipping sauce; a large gets you two. The truffle aioli is rich and addictive, the horseradish cream just hot enough. $4, small; $7.50, large; 25 cents, extra sauce.

 
 
 
 
 

Palena Dining Room

Washington, DC

At Palena, one of Washington's top restaurants, potatoes are given the royal treatment. They appear on the dining room's prix-fixe menu as deep, brown, crisp shoestrings and as little golden puffs called pommes dauphines. The stellar "fry plate" on the cafe menu also includes fried lemon slices, crunchy onion rings and a tangy-hot harissa-mayo dipping sauce. Fry plate, $11.

 
 
 
 
 

The Brewer's Art

Baltimore, MD

Located in a historic townhouse in the Mount Vernon neighborhood, Brewer's Art is probably best known for its homemade beer. Look around, though, and you'll see nearly everyone is eating fries. Rosemary-garlic fries, to be specific, and they're wonderful. Thin and crispy, these hand-cut treats are worth the trip. $4.

 

Go Out Lists
A fun way to save and share your favorites

These are Post writers' picks, but what are yours? Make your own list to show others what you recommend. Here's how to get started.

 
Create a Go Out List
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Friends' activity

Talk to Us

Use this form to submit questions and comments about washingtonpost.com's Going Out Guide.
Submit
Submit a Listing
We welcome community submissions, but are not able to publish all listings we receive. Filing out this form will have your listing considered for both the Washington Post newspaper and for GoingOutGuide.com.
Event
(e.g., concert, exhibit, festival, theater performance, happy hour, author talk)
Business Location
(e.g., restaurant, bar, club, theater space, museum/gallery)
 
Submit
Thank you for submitting a listing for Going Out Guide. We will review your submission for consideration.
OK
Close

Thank You

Your e-mail has been sent to the following recipient(s) :

Close
 
 
 
 
 
Close

Thank You

 
Close
 
 
 
 
 
 

Get the App

GoingOutGuide

Get it on your phone
Whether you are heading out to eat or planning an afternoon with the family, the all-new Going Out Guide App for iPhone can give you the inside scoop on what's great.
Download the app
What You've Recently Viewed On Going Out Guide
Close

E-mail This List to a Friend

Best French fries

(Enter the e-mail address of the recipient(s), separated by commas. Please limit to 10 recipients. )

chars typed
 
Submit
 
 
 
 
Cancel
 
 
 
 
 
Close

Save to Go Out List

You must be signed in to complete this action. Sign In or Register