Crab and other local specialties are offered at the homey Johnny's Half Shell (2002 P St. NW, 202-296-2021, www.johnnyshalfshell.net).
Diner
Washington doesn't have a real, old-fashioned diner, a grease-stained dive where you can get breakfast almost any time. The Diner (2453 18th St. NW, 202-232-8800) stays open 24 hours, but it's really more upscale than the average diner. The American City Diner (5532 Connecticut Ave. NW, 202-244-1949, www.americancitydiner.com) has that old-style look and an old-fashioned atmosphere, but the menu includes un-diner-like brick oven pizzas. And it closes around 11 p.m. during the week.
Bread Line owner Mark Furstenberg does some early morning baking at his downtown store to prepare for the day. The restaurant features great sandwiches on its flavorful bread.
(Michael Williamson -- The Washington Post)
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Denny's in Northeast (4445 Benning Rd. NE, 202-399-7526, www.dennys.com) also keeps company 24 hours a day. Although neither has a true diner menu, Bistro Francais in Georgetown (3128 M St. NW, 202-338-3830, www.bistrofrancaisdc.com) and Ben's Chili Bowl (1213 U St. NW, 202-667-0909, benschilibowl.com) are the late-night places for locals. Aficionados go to Ben's for the chili dogs, chili burgers or Bill Cosby's favorite, the chili half-smoke. It's open until almost 4 a.m. on weekends -- late enough for anyone to get heartburn. Ben's offers a real diner breakfast.
Carryout
Small, locally owned carryouts are institutions in the District. Few, however, rise to culinary heights. There are some exceptions.
A wood-fired smoker built of white glazed brick dominates the Rib Pit (3903 14th St. NW, 202-829-9747). The immediate neighborhood may look a bit rough to some, and a bulletproof partition separates employees from customers. These are perhaps the best ribs to be found in the District. The pulled pork (sold only as a sandwich) is chopped into chunks and moistened with the same tangy tomato-based sauce as the ribs, nicely complementing the sweetness of the meat.
Horace & Dickie's Seafood (809 12th St. NE, 202-397-6040) is in a tiny white brick building and serves fried fish and fried chicken from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. every day of the year. The chicken, sold as a light- or dark-meat quarter with two slices of bread and called a sandwich, has gained national acclaim. I think only the dark meat is worthy of accolades.
The Bread Line (1751 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, 202-822-8900, thebreadlinedc.blogspot.com) has a few places to sit, but basically it's a carryout, featuring great sandwiches on its wonderful bread. There are French-style pastries, too. It's definitely for the downtown crowd because it is open only on weekdays and closes at 3:30 p.m.
Pizza
To say that the pizza at 2 Amys is authentic is an understatement: It's certified as such by the international trade group Verace Pizza Napoletana -- one of only 13 such certifications in the United States. This is a Denominazione di Origine Controllata (DOC) just like those for specific Italian wines, meaning it meets certain standards.
The main things to know about 2 Amys (3715 Macomb St. NW, 202-885-5700, 2amys.tripod.com) is that the pizza is great, reservations are not accepted and there is almost always a wait. But don't be deterred. This pizza is so good, you don't need any cheese stuffing to make you want to eat even the edges. The restaurant is bright and has little decoration. There's a decent wine list and the various "little things" available as starters are just as authentic as the pizza.
The pizza at Pizzeria Paradisio (2029 P St. NW, 202-223-1245; 3282 M St. NW, 202-337-1245)might not be DOC, but it's very good.
Famous Luigi's (1132 19th St. NW, 202-331-7574) has been serving pizza here for nearly six decades. The crust is yeasty and chewy, and the toppings are abundant. The lunch crowd is from nearby offices; the dinner crowd includes them and residents of downtown apartment buildings who consider this their neighborhood place.
For deep-dish pizza, homegrown Armand's Chicago Pizzeria, which started in a house in Tenleytown, has spread throughout the region over the past 30 years. In addition to the original (4231 Wisconsin Ave. NW, 202-686-9450), there are locations in Friendship Heights (5000 Wisconsin Ave. NW, 202-363-5500), Capitol Hill (226 Massachusetts Ave. NE, 202-547-6600) and downtown (1140 19th St. NW, 202-331-9500).
Near the MCI Center, Ella's Wood-Fired Pizza (901 F St. NW, 202-638-3434, www.ellaspizza.com) and Matchbox (713 H St. NW, 202-289-4441, www.matchboxdc.com) are worth trying.
Steak
Steakhouses are the McDonald's of Washington lobbyists. There seems to be one on every corner downtown.
