Matchbox Restaurant, Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C.’s burgeoning food scene means prime real estate is up for grabs and going fast at sky-high prices. One D.C. staple has been in place for more than a decade, and as new names come and go on the menu of foodie hot spots, it remains a constant amid a sea of revolving doors and continuously evolving hip neighborhoods.

Matchbox has locations in nearly all of D.C.’s most popular neighborhoods like Barracks Row on Capitol Hill, Chinatown and the recently rousing 14th Street Corridor near the center of U Street, a street that has seen the most rapid growth in recent years.

Matchbox’s mostly American menu is known for its pizza and brunch specialties, as well as a combination of both via their breakfast pizza topped with eggs and sausage.

A range of beers on tap runs the gamut from local DC Brau to imports. A rustic interior décor mimics an industrial warehouse but wooden accents provide a homey touch.

During a daily happy hour from 3–6 p.m., specialty cocktails are $7 and include watermelon lemonade with splashes of vodka, or a cucumber gin and tonic. Happy hour snacks feature lobster rolls, fried calamari with jalapeño jelly and miniature meatballs.

Matchbox also airs all major sporting events on its jumbo television screens, and opens its patio during the warmer months of the year. America is appropriately represented with a rotating, seasonal menu.