How To Spend a Day In Takoma Park

Despite constant development and new restaurants popping up every week, Takoma Park’s reputation as the hippie enclave of the DMV still holds some merit. Here’s how to spend a day in Azalea City.

First, Coffee:

Start your day at Lost Sock, a small-batch specialty coffee roaster located in the old Takoma Theatre. Their London Eye Latte is absolutely mental, innit. For a more sit-down vibe, head to Takoma Bevco and run into everybody I went to high school with. Or, head to the burbs and try Dire Coffee for Ethiopian brew and homemade sambusas.

What To Eat:

For lunch, get a big-ass sandwich at Soko Butcher; their reuben is a pastrami mountain. For dinner, the new Vietnamese spot Muoi Tieu has all your banh mi and pho needs covered, and Cielo Rojo’s mushroom enchiladas have made me consider veganism. If you’re feeling thrifty, head down to Peter’s Sub Shop and grab 10-piece chicken nuggets with fries and mumbo sauce for $10.

What To Do:

Sunday is a great day to be a Takoma Parkian. First, pay homage to the statue of Roscoe, the late great rooster who roamed Takoma Park for 10 years until he was hit by a car in 1999. After you’ve sacrificed your firstborn to Roscoe, head to the farmers market in Old Town or take a stroll down Sligo Creek Parkway, which is closed to vehicles on the weekends. If you’re feeling freaky, check out some experimental music or an art workshop at Rhizome, a house-turned-community arts space.

What To Drink:

Shoot pool and catch some live jazz at Takoma Station Tavern. After hours, Motorkat is the spot with half-off oysters during their late-night happy hour. When the weather’s warm, toss back some pitchers of beer on the patio at Olive Lounge and crush some Middle Eastern snacks.