Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in DC today for his first trip outside Ukraine since Russia invaded the country 300 days ago. Zelensky’s schedule is packed with official meetings, but if he has time to explore Washington for a meal, we have some recommendations.
For a morning pastry, Zelensky could stop by D Light Cafe & Bakery in Adams Morgan. The restaurant is owned by sisters Anastasiia and Vira Derun, who immigrated from Ukraine and still have family members in the country. They serve dishes such as Ukrainian borscht and lvivsky syrnyk, a type of cheesecake.
The Ukrainian president could also check out one of José Andrés’ spots as a nod to World Central Kitchen’s work. Zelensky awarded the chef the Ukrainian Order of Merit in November, recognizing the almost 180 million meals WCK had distributed across the country. While in town, Zelensky could sample tacos at Oyamel, share Mediterranean plates at Zaytinya, or pop by Jaleo for tapas.
There’s also a collection of bars and restaurants that have hosted fundraisers in support of Ukraine and Ukrainian Independence Day. Among them are Georgian restaurant Tabla, which serves a drink named after the political figure. Zelensky could order the Spicy Zelensky, a cocktail made with Ukrainian honey-pepper vodka and ginger beer. A portion of proceeds from the beverage provides aid to Ukrainian refugees.
