Luckies Who Lunch: Great Lunch Deals in DC

Photo courtesy of
‘Lamb burger’
courtesy of ‘dinemag’

So you’ve got a snow day off, but you’ve gone a raging case of cabin fever, right? Lunch, my friend. Lunch is the answer. I’ve got some suggestions for you if you’re looking to eat for a cause, if you’re looking to eat for $10, and if you’re looking to snag one of the best burgers in town. So read on, lunch muncher, let’s do this.

EAT FOR GOOD: On Monday, February 8th, (today, for those of you snowbombed wondering what day today is) Proof will donate 25% of every lunch and dinner check to Restaurants for Relief-Haiti, a program developed and administered by Share Our Strength. Share Our Strength will grant 100% of funds raised through Restaurants for Relief-Haiti to organizations such as the World Food Programme and Partners in Health, first-responders who are on the ground providing food, temporary shelter, medical care and other vital services. Proof is located at 775 G Street, NW, directly across from the National Portrait Gallery and one block from the Verizon Center and the Gallery Place/Chinatown Metro rail station.

EAT CREATIVE: Also in Chinatown, Zengo has great lunch service – $10 rice and noodle bowls and $13 to $19 bento boxes. The bento boxes include sushi rolls, miso soup and a tasty wakame-hijiki salad.

EAT FANCY: Saddle up to the bar at Bourbon Steak in Georgetown and grab a burger meal (including drink!) for $21. Grab the Oak-Fired Prime dry-aged steak burger, with house made pickles, Cabot clothbound cheddar and a secret sauce, or the Glazed Salmon, made Bahn Mi style, with garden cilantro, jalapenos and shredded carrots. Vegetarians will enjoy the Vegetarian Falafel Burger, with tahini, tomatoes and parsley – a recipe passed down from Michael Mina’s mother.The burger accompaniments include the Trio of Duck Fat Fries served with a choice of dipping sauces, the Beer Battered Red Onion Rings and the Market Greens. On your way out, grab one of Varley’s brownies for dessert.

EAT CHEAP: Grab a table at Zola in Penn quarter and land yourself lunch for $12. Choose from homemade soups or salads coupled with a sandwich or featured entrée. Or, if you like the special, you can grab whatever Executive Chef Bryan Moscatello has whipped up as the $10 lunch special. Recent $10 lunches have been shrimp a la plancha with chorizo and potato hash; barbecued veal brisket with coleslaw or barbecued roast pork loin.

Katie moved to DC in 2007, and has since embarked upon a love affair with the city. She’s an education reform advocate and communications professional during the day; at night and on the weekends, she’s an owner here at We Love DC. Katie has high goals to eat herself through the entire city, with only her running shoes to save her from herself. For up-to-the-minute news and reviews (among other musings), follow her on Twitter!