Food

Kosher in the Capital? Ivanka and Jared Face Limited Options

The Kushers at home celebrating Hanukkah. Image by Instagram/IvankaTrump

By Liza Schoenfein January 16, 2017

As they settle into their new Washington, D.C. digs, Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner may be as unpleasantly surprised as I was to discover how very few kosher eateries exist in the nation’s Capital.

Of course it’s likely that the Kushners will employ a private kosher chef at their new mansion in the Kalorama neighborhood. But just in case they want to dine out (and the helicopter is in the shop), here’s a roundup of kosher options in and around D.C.

In Washington D.C.

Brooklyn Sandwich Company

The original Brooklyn Sandwich Company team. Image by Facebook

Brooklyn Sandwich Company is a glatt kosher food truck that boasts “authentic Brooklyn eats.” The menu offers pulled brisket sandwiches or platters, matzo-ball soup, a reuben sandwich and vegetarian cholent. Its location is posted daily on Facebook and Twitter.

Char Bar

The private dining room at Char Bar. Image by Courtesy of Char Bar

If the Kushners are going to become regulars anywhere, it might be Char Bar. This modern, high-ceilinged spot in the Foggy Bottom neighborhood (not far from the White House and the National Mall), boasts a wide variety of burgers — all served on egg buns with hand-cut fries — big salads and deli sandwiches and hearty meat dishes including slow-cooked barbecue beef ribs, prime rib, and glazed duck. There’s also a private dining room for those who might for any reason be seeking a little seclusion.

Soupergirl

Soupergirl Sara Polan (left) and Soupermom Marilyn Polan. Image by Courtesy of The Soupergirl

I met this mother-daughter team (Soupergirl Sara Polon and Soupermom Marilyn Polan) at Kosherfest, where I had the pleasure of tasting a couple of their delicious vegan soups. They serve and sell them (along with salads and sandwiches) at two Soupergirl locations: one in Tacoma, on Carroll Street and the other on M Street. The kosher, vegan soups change regularly — a recent menu featured, among others, Indian-style mulligatawny, Morrocan-style harira, gingered sweet potato and barley-pumpkin-kale.

Additionally…

There is a kosher café in the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.

In Rockville, Maryland

Al Ha’Esh

Al Ha’Esh is an Israeli-style grill in Rockland, Maryland. Image by Facebook

Al Ha’Esh is an Israeli-style grill that’s connected to Moti’s Market in Rockville, Maryland. It serves traditional meze salads, falafel, shwarma, shnitzel and a wide variety of grilled meat, fish and vegetables.

Siena’s Restaurant

Siena’s is a kosher vegetarian pizza place in Rockville, Maryland. Image by Courtesy of Siena's Restaurant

Siena’s Restaurant in Rockville, Maryland, is an Italian-Mexican hybrid offering vegetarian pizza and pasta alongside quesadillas, burritos and tacos. Soy meat products are used as a substitute for meat, and Siena’s offers low fat and rennet free dairy choices, according to the website.

In Silver Spring, Maryland

Ben Yehuda Café and Pizzeria

Ben Yehuda Café and Pizzeria boasts a family-friendly environment. Image by Courtesy of Ben Yehuda

Among the best options if the Kushner kids are in tow, Ben Yehuda boasts kosher pizza, salads, calzones and stromboli in a family-friendly environment. In addition to all manner of vegetable and cheese pizza toppings, there is the option of adding vegan chicken of falafel to the mix.

Max’s Café

The Max’s menu includes hamburgers and hotdogs in addition to classic deli sandwiches. Image by Courtesy of Max's Café

Max’s Café is connected to the Shalom Kosher supermarket. On offer: burgers and hotdogs, deli sandwiches and Mediterranean/Israeli specials such as falafel, shwarma and salads. There are Max’s food carts at both the Nationals baseball stadium and Fedex Field if the family happens to be catching a game.

The Kosher Pastry Oven

A kosher bakery and café in Silver Spring, Maryland. Image by Courtesy of The Kosher Pastry Oven

Also in Silver Spring there is The Kosher Pastry Oven, a bakery, café and restaurant providing pareve desserts and pastries made in-house along with soups, salad and dinner fare such as a daily fish special, Moroccan dishes and homemade pastas.

Liza Schoenfein is the food editor of the Forward. Contact her at schoenfein@forward.com or on Twitter, @LifeDeathDinner

Liza Schoenfein is a former food editor of the Forward and author of the blog Life, Death & Dinner. Follow her on Instagram @LifeDeathDinner.

A message from our CEO & publisher Rachel Fishman Feddersen

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.

The coming year promises to be filled with more complex and historic developments. We are entering an era where independent, fact-based Jewish journalism will be more important than ever. We need to be ready for whatever 2025 will bring, and with your help, we can be.

We’ve set a goal to raise $260,000 by December 31. That’s an ambitious goal, but one that will give us the resources we need to invest in the high quality news, opinion, analysis and cultural coverage that isn’t available anywhere else.

If you feel inspired to make an impact, now is the time to give something back. Join us as a member at your most generous level.

— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO