Metro Weekly

Dining for Dollars

Foodies get ready: Taste of Pride is a week of great meals and deals

Pride celebrations tickle the senses, from the vibrant colors of the parade to the celebratory music that flows from the festival stage. But this year’s Pride celebration comes with a chance to tickle your tongue as well.

Taste of Pride brings together a diverse array of restaurants that over the course of the Capital Pride celebration will offer patrons a chance to not only sample pride-ful fare, but help support Pride as well.

”It’s exciting to be more outside of the box this year and work more with the local businesses,” says Capital Pride volunteer and organizer Lee Granados of the food-focused events that run from June 6 through 12. The concept will be familiar to fans of Restaurant Week, the annual dining spree in D.C. that offers great specials to diners.

For Taste of Pride, participating restaurants are offering a range of special dishes, prix fixe meals and other options to not only support Capital Pride, but to help bring even more people into the celebration.

”We worked with [the restaurants] to give them ideas and they also came up with their own,” says Granados. ”We’ve really encouraged them to be creative, to have something that people feel is special just for Pride.”

Taste of Pride helps support Capital Pride through three different ways: direct donations from the participating restaurants, a percentage of sales from restaurants, and gift certificates that will be auctioned off at the Capital Pride Heroes Gala & Silent Auction on Tuesday, June 7 (see page 95 for more info). And, as the list on the following pages show, there really is something for everyone — even one of the city’s newest food trucks.

”It doesn’t have to be just restaurants,” says Granados. ”It’s more about food and getting involved.”

Taste of Pride also helps Capital Pride expand the reach of the annual celebration of the LGBT community, making sure that Pride season contains events and activities of interest to many different demographic groups within the community. For example, Granados notes that Taste of Pride is a great way to reach out more to LGBT families with children. Social media outreach and local blogs have also brought the interest of straight allies — people who want to be supportive and are eager for creative and locally focused opportunities to do so.

With such a tasty addition to the Capital Pride line-up, Granados predicts big things for Taste of Pride in the coming years. Noting that for some participants this has been a ”testing” year for their participation, she says the success they see will lead ”to double or triple the next year.”

So when it comes to Pride for 2010, don’t forget you can come hungry.

Taste of Pride Participating Restaurants

June 6 through 12

Washington, D.C.

Level One
1639 R Street NW
Washington, D.C.
(202) 745-0025
www.cobaltdc.com/levelone

Policy
1904 14th Street NW
Washington, D.C.
(202) 387-7654
www.policydc.com

Saint-Ex
847 14th Street NW
Washington, D.C.
(202) 265-7839
www.saint-ex.com

Hank’s Oyster Bar
1624 Q Street NW
Washington, D.C.
(202) 462-4265
www.hanksdc.com

Local 16
1602 U Street NW
Washington, D.C
(202) 265-2828
www.localsixteen.com

Tabaq
1336 U Street NW
Washington, D.C.
(202) 265-0965
www.tabaqdc.com

The Getaway
1400 Meridian Place NW
Washington, D.C.
www.thegetawaydc.com

Floriana
1602 17th Street NW
Washington DC, 20009
(202) 667-5937
www.florianarestaurant.com


BBQ Bus Foodtruck
www.bbqbusdc.com

Virginia

Cucina Vivace
509 23rd Street South
Arlington
(703) 979-7676
www.cucinavivace.com
25% of proceeds go to Capital Pride on Wednesday, June 8

Freddie’s Beach Bar
422 23rd Street South
Arlington
www.freddiesbeachbar.com

Kora Restaurant
2250 Crystal Drive #B
Arlington
(571) 431-7090
www.korarestaurant.com

Tagolio’s Pizzaria
549 S. 23rd Street
Arlington
(703) 553-2070
www.tagoliopizzeria.com
10% of proceeds go to Capital Pride on Tuesday, June 7

Tortoise & Hare
567 23rd Street South
Arlington
(703) 979-1872
www.tortoiseandharebar.com

WELCOME

From the President of the Board of Directors

Week in Pride Calendar

Parade – Sat, June 11
Map & Contingents

Festival – Sun June 12
Map, Booths & Vendors
Entertainment Lineup

Nightlife
Parties and Club Events

ENTERTAINMENT

Performers
Jennifer Holliday with Tony Moran
Lil’ Mo

Jonathan Bascope
Lost Bois
Mama’s Black Sheep
Venus D Lite
Bettina Shelker

Other Options
Taste of Pride: Dining Out

Interactive Film: Moulin Rouge

ABOUT PRIDE

Mind, Body & Soul of Capital Pride

Pride Committee

Community Partners

Pride Planning Committee

Behind the Pride Guide Covers

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