The second most asked question I get, right after “Which Smithsonian should we visit first?” is all about family-friendly food options near the Smithsonian Museums and the National Mall. And I totally get it! A full day of exploring with kids means you’ll need some solid meal and snack plans. So today on the blog, I’m sharing my top restaurant recommendations for each of the 12 Smithsonian Museums in Washington, D.C., plus one for the National Zoo. These are our favorite spots for everything from quick bites to kid-friendly sit-down meals, all within easy walking distance.
Table of Contents Restaurants Near the Smithsonian Museums
Restaurants Near the Smithsonian Museums in DC
Restaurants Near the National Air and Space Museum:
A block and half from the Independence Ave. entrance (go down 6th St. SW and turn Right on Maryland Ave. SW) are a couple of great Family Friendly options:
- Cosmo Cafe: buffet style, reasonably priced with vegetarian options
- Rice Bar Capital Grill: Korean rice bowls, casual and fantastic reviews
- Vie De France Bakery and Cafe: Only open on WEEKDAYS, great selection of sweet and savory crepes and bakery items.
Restaurants Near Natural History Museum:
There is a brand new Cafe here which is nice but I just can't recommend based on the prices and quality!
Instead, I would recommend heading to the Ronald Reagan International Trade Center building which is 0.4 miles away (0.2 miles from American History if you visit there on the way) and has a ton of options in their Food Court including:
- California Tortilla — Fast‑casual Mexican: burritos, tacos, bowls. Located at 1300 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Reagan Building
📍 Google Maps: California Tortilla, Reagan Building - Subway — Classic quick‑service subs. Confirmed re‑opened in the food court
- Great Wraps — Wraps, bowls, gyro‑style options. Located in food court
- Kabuki Sushi & Teriyaki — Sushi rolls and teriyaki plates, rice bowls
- Smoothie King — Smoothies and blended fruit drinks
Additional Food Court Vendors
These are also available and family-friendly if you want more choices:
- Nook
- Flamer’s Charbroiled Hamburgers & Chicken
- Forever Young Café
- 14th Street Deli
- Sbarro
- Panera Bread
- Larry’s Cookies & Ice Cream
- Others listed here
Restaurants Near Smithsonian American History Museum:
Highly recommend the Ronald Reagan International Trade Center Food Court which is 0.2 miles away from the Museum taking the Constitution Ave. Exit. See Natural History Museum above for some great options there!
National Museum of African American History and Culture:
Again, highly recommend the Ronald Reagan International Trade Center Food Court which is 0.2 miles away from the Museum taking the Constitution Ave. Exit. See Natural History Museum above for some great options there!
Also, the museum itself has a cool (but overpriced, I believe fried chicken was around $25!) Sweet Home Cafe is an extension of the exhibits with different African American foods from 4 areas:
- The Agricultural South
- The Creole Coast
- The North States
- The Western Range
Restaurant Recs near Smithsonian Castle, Freer Gallery, and African Art Museum (all in the same area):
These museums are probably the most removed from good dining options so I recommend combining with another museum on this list that has better options. The Hirshhorn Museum is the closes with their delicious Dolcezza Cafe with coffee and gelato. For other options check out the Food Trucks on 14th Street or the list of restaurants near Air and Space Museum like Cosmo Cafe (0.4 mile walk down Independence Ave.)
More info from our family's trips to these museums below!
American Indian Museum:
This is one of the only museums where I recommend checking out the food court! It's really an extension of the exhibits upstairs. The Mitsitam Food Court(which means “Let's eat!” in the Native language of the Delaware and Piscataway peoples) has food stations for different regions including Great Plains, Mesoamerican, Northern Woodlands, Northwest Coast, and South America. (Open everyday 11AM-3PM) More about our visit to the American Indian Museum here!
Restaurants near American Art Museum/ National Portrait Gallery:
Chinatown has endless options for food! Some of our family's favorites:
- Shake Shack at 800 F St. NW
- CAVA at 707 H St. NW
- Chopt Creative Salads at 730 7th St. NW
- Daikaya Ramen Shop at 705 6th St. NW (Pro Tip! This place can have 1-2 hour waits so put your name and cell phone on the list first then walk across the street to the Gallery for an hour or two until they call you! We've had some great Saturday afternoons spent like this!)
Also the Portrait Gallery has a beautiful atrium with a small (overpriced) cafe with an awesome trail mix bar! More about our visit to the National Portrait Gallery here.
Hirshhorn Gallery and Sculpture Garden Food Options:
This is the other exception to my "not recommending museum food!" I love the new Dolcezza Cafe in the lobby area of the Hirshhorn. Also during the summer, they have a seasonal pop-up cafe on the outdoor Plaza. Dolcezza was voted best coffee and the best gelato in The Washington Post and is a great treat for kids and adults alike.
For more substantial food, check out the Air and Space recommendations as they are close too and more about theHirshhorn here!
Restaurants Near Smithsonians Off of the National Mall
Smithsonian's National Zoo Restaurants Nearby
One alternative to the overpriced food sold inside the Zoo is to go to the main entrance on Connecticut Ave and check out the many including
- Starbucks
- Frozenyo
- Duke's Counter a gastropub with burgers and high reviews!
Full Family Trip Guide to the National Zoo here!
National Postal Museum:
Dozens of food options (and shopping!) at Union Station steps away from the museum!
Some of our favorites with kids on the Main Level including
- Shake Shack
- Chipotle
- Roti
- Chop't
- Cava
Lower Level Food Court:
- Chick-fil-A
- Bojangles
- Dunkin Donuts
- McDonald's
And check out my full guide to the National Postal Museum here!
And check out my Museums in the DMV for more!
Restaurant near Smithsonian Renwick Gallery (near the White House:
Cosi is a great casual and family-friendly spot located at 1700 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, just across the street from the White House and only a block away from the Renwick Gallery. It’s an easy and convenient choice if you’re looking for a quick bite before or after your museum visit. Their menu includes flatbread sandwiches, soups, salads, and pizzas—plenty of options even for picky eaters. The atmosphere is relaxed and welcoming, making it a comfortable spot to take a break with kids or refuel before continuing your National Mall adventures.
