Maybe you’ve heard—there’s a new Cheesecake Factory (1426 H St., NW) near the White House. Whether you hate the place (“The chains are taking over!”) or love it (“More Tex-Mex egg rolls!”), one thing’s for sure: The menu is a beast to navigate. I tried as many of the 250-plus items as I could, gorging on “Glamburgers” and Cinnabon cheesecake. My advice: Step away from bestsellers like chicken Madeira and look to this ranking of the ten best things on the menu.
1. Avocado egg rolls with tamarind-cashew dipping sauce
2. Cheeseburger French-dip sandwich
3. Fried mac and cheese with creamy tomato sauce
4. Linda’s Fudge Cake with vanilla ice cream
5. Four-cheese penne with marinara
6. Cajun Chicken Littles with mashed potatoes
7. Thai lettuce wraps with chicken
8. Roadside Sliders with pickles and ketchup
9. Factory Nachos
10. Piña colada
This article appears in the June 2021 issue of Washingtonian.
Ann Limpert joined Washingtonian in late 2003. She was previously an editorial assistant at Entertainment Weekly and a cook in New York restaurant kitchens, and she is a graduate of the Institute of Culinary Education. She lives in Petworth.
