DC Metro Dining (aka The Weekly Dinner)

Union Market Urban Exploration & Sunday Brunching at St. Anslem

Sun, Oct 25 · 12:50 PM EDT

St Anselm, 1250 5th St NE, Washington, DC, US

NEW MEMBERS or 1st TIME EVENT GO-ERS
Welcome! If this is your first event with us, please take a moment to review the About Us section. It explains how the group works, including RSVP commitments, cancellations, waitlists, and attendance expectations.
→ Learn how DC Metro Dining works

RSVP CUTOFF
The final opportunity to change your RSVP from Yes to No is Saturday, October 24 at 8 p.m. (yes the night before)

After the cutoff, please contact the organizer if an unexpected situation prevents you from attending (Late Cancel applies after this, repeat occurrences can impact membership)

INTRO:
This month, we're doing something a little different.

Rather than our usual dinner meetup, we're heading back to St. Anselm in Union Market this time for their Sunday brunch. St. Anselm is an American tavern built around live-fire cooking, quality ingredients and a relaxed, slightly unconventional atmosphere. It is particularly known for its grilled meats, but its weekend brunch menu gives us plenty of options beyond the traditional steakhouse experience. We had a fantastic dinner earlier this year, their brunch is well-regarded too.

The location also gives us an opportunity to make the event about a little more than just the meal. Union Market and the surrounding 4th and 5th Street corridor have a fascinating history as a longtime wholesale and food-distribution center, while today's neighborhood has evolved into an eclectic mix of independent shops, vintage stores, boutiques, galleries and specialty businesses. So if you want to make a Sunday afternoon of it, come into the neighborhood a little early and do some urban exploring before brunch.

ARRIVE EARLY: EXPLORE UNION MARKET
If you arrive 30–60 minutes early, there is plenty to explore around Union Market and along 4th and 5th Streets NE. Several of the independent shops are open Sunday mornings, making this an easy opportunity to wander around and see what you find. Learn more: https://unionmarketdc.com/

There are also pastry and coffee spots in the neighborhood if you arrive especially early. Just remember that we're having brunch at 12:50 p.m., so pace yourself. On Sundays, there's a Farmers Market: https://unionmarketdc.com/event/freshfarm-farmers-market/2026-10-25/

→ There's a special ticketed "Pumpkin Boulevard" Market event with a curated lineup of local favorite local and independent vendors for a market filled with pumpkins, seasonal treats, handmade crafts (small $5 fee with tax, timed, best to order online): https://unionmarketdc.com/event/pumpkin-boulevard-by-cookbook-courtyard/

There is no organized walking component to this. It is simply an optional way to take advantage of the neighborhood while you're there.

FOOD: A sister to the Brooklyn original, St. Anselm DC centers on wood-fired cooking with a steakhouse backbone that elevates simple ingredients through open flame.

St. Anselm's brunch menu is considerably broader than you might expect from a restaurant best known for steaks and live-fire cooking. There are traditional breakfast dishes, sandwiches, salads, sweets and a substantial selection from the grill. Buttermilk Biscuits with Pimento Cheese, $16, are the dish that stands out most consistently in recent feedback. A September 2026 Resy review specifically singled them out for being warm, crispy, flaky and buttery, while other recent diners have similarly praised them.

For something more substantial, options include Huevos Rancheros, Bodega Breakfast Sandwich, Crispy Chicken Sandwich,, Smoked Salmon, and Cheeseburger. The brunch menu also includes French Toast Chocolate Chip Pancakes, and Dutch Baby for those looking for something sweeter.

And because this is St. Anselm, you can absolutely take brunch in a more steakhouse direction. The grill includes Salmon Collar, Butcher's Steak, NY Strip, and a 16-ounce Ribeye, with an Ax Handle Ribeye at $3.85 per ounce (those will be well over $150+).

Recent diners have also commented on the generous size of the main courses and sides, so there is a good argument for sharing a few things rather than over-ordering. That should give us a chance to sample more of the menu without turning brunch into an all-day food coma.

→ Explore St Anselm's menu: https://stanselmdc.com/#menu-section.

Brunch cocktails include a Bloody Mary for $15, Spaghett for $13, Sherry Cobbler for $14, and a (table opt in only) Mimosa Service for $65, which includes a bottle of sparkling wine and a carafe of orange juice for the table.

Spending expectation: Approximately $25–$45 per person before tax, gratuity and alcoholic beverages for a typical brunch, depending on what you order. Those choosing one of the larger grill selections should expect to spend $50–$75+ before tax and gratuity.

SPACE: St. Anselm is intentionally more relaxed than a traditional upscale steakhouse. It has an American tavern feel, an open live-fire cooking component, eclectic décor and a lively dining room. The restaurant describes the atmosphere as welcoming, spirited and unpretentious, while recent diners have also commented positively on the space and its individual dining areas.

This should be a comfortable setting for a Sunday afternoon rather than a formal brunch experience.

→ Visit the restaurant site: https://stanselmdc.com

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==> Tax/Tip combo is our required 30% tax/tip policy (see the FAQs for more details)
==> Limited to 10 slots
See you there
Joe

CLOSEST METRO

• NoMa-Gallaudet U (Red Line) is the closest major stop. Exit toward Morse Street NE, walk northeast on Morse Street NE to 550 Morse St NE, just inside Union Market. The walk is about 6–8 minutes
• For directions using the Metro, try using the Plan a Trip feature at the WMATA website (click on your preferred Metro station then at the Station page level click "Plan a Trip"

PARKING: Parking is one of the advantages of the Union Market location.

The Union Market District says that most of its public garages and lots offer the first three hours free, followed by $10 per hour*.*

Useful options include:

• Surface lot in front of Union Market, with the entrance on 6th Street between Morse Street and Neal Place
• The Batley / La Cosecha, accessed from Morse Street and 4th Street
• The MO, accessed from 4th Street and Penn Street
• Gables Union Market, with access from the 6th Street side

Street parking is also available in the surrounding neighborhood, although availability varies considerably on weekends.

Important for this Sunday brunch: Union Market's Saturday valet service begins at 1:00 p.m., but that does not apply to our Sunday event. The public garages and lots are therefore the better parking options for this event.

*** ATTENDANCE NOTES ***

• If you RSVP “YES,” please commit to showing up. With 5,400+ members and limited seating, we can’t afford no-shows. It’s not fair to other members or to our relationship with the restaurant
• No-Show / Late Cancel rules apply (see links below) Can’t get a slot? Join the Waitlist and check back frequently—spots often open up before Noon on the day of the event. You may also receive midweek confirmation emails to reconfirm your RSVP, so please check your inbox
• Billing Reminder: Add 30% for tax and tip to your food and drink total. This is part of our group’s expectations and helps smooth out service with the restaurant
• New Members / 1st Timers: Visit our FAQs and No-Show Policy if you're unfamiliar with how we run things

Looking forward to dining with you

– Joe

Mezze Plates at Zaytinya (Penn Quarter / Chinatown)

Sun, Nov 8 · 6:05 PM EST

Afghania, 2811 M St NW, Washington, DC 20007, USA, Washington, DC, US

NEW MEMBERS or 1st TIME EVENT GO-ERS
Before attending your first event, please take a moment to understand how our dinners work and what we ask of members.
→ Learn how DC Metro Dining works
→ Ensure Group Notifications are Setup (Announcements + In on Waitlist/Attending List)

RSVP CUTOFF
The final opportunity to change your RSVP from Yes to No is Sunday, November 8, at 10:00 a.m.

After that point, please do not change your RSVP without contacting the organizer. Last-minute cancellations, no-shows, and failure to communicate may affect future participation.

INTRO: We're heading back to Zaytinya, José Andrés's Mediterranean restaurant in Penn Quarter, for a dinner inspired by the cuisines of Greece, Turkey, and Lebanon.

Zaytinya is built around mezze, the Mediterranean tradition of ordering a variety of smaller dishes to share. Rather than choosing one entrée each, we'll have the opportunity to explore a broader range of flavors, from dips and vegetable preparations to seafood, grilled meats, and Turkish-style flatbreads. The format makes this a particularly good fit for our group, with plenty of ways to mix and match dishes according to individual tastes and budgets.

FOOD: We'll be ordering à la carte, giving everyone the flexibility to choose their own dishes while sharing a variety of flavors across the table.

Recent diners have highlighted several favorites, including hummus, grilled octopus, crispy Brussels sprouts, lamb, giant beans and dolmades (stuffed grape leaves). These offer a good introduction to Zaytinya's Greek, Turkish and Lebanese influences, with a mix of dips, vegetables, seafood and meat.

The menu makes it easy to mix and match smaller plates, adding seafood or grilled meats according to individual tastes. We'll be ordering from the regular dinner menu rather than a fixed-price tasting menu.

→ Explore Zaytinya's Dinner Menu: https://www.zaytinya.com/menu/dinner-1/

-= SPENDING EXPECTATIONS =-
Spending expectation: Approximately 45–70 per person before tax and the restaurant's service charge, depending on selections and beverages. Given the generous portions, sharing several appetizers or larger dishes can be a good way to explore the menu without everyone ordering a full entrée.

SPACE: Zaytinya has a sleek, contemporary interior with Mediterranean-inspired design, a large dining room and a lively atmosphere. The restaurant is popular, and recent diners have praised both the food and the service. The trade-off is that the dining room can become quite noisy when busy, so expect a spirited restaurant environment rather than a quiet, intimate dinner.

→ Visit the restaurant website:
https://www.zaytinya.com

• Tax/Tip combo is our required 30% tax/tip policy (see the FAQs for more details)

• Limited to 8 slots

See you there,
JoeN

CLOSEST METRO

Gallery Place–Chinatown (Red, Yellow, Green Lines) is the most convenient Metro station. From the station, use Exit B aka the 7th Street exit and walk west toward 9th Street NW, then continue to G Street NW. Zaytinya is at 701 9th Street NW, near the corner of 9th and G. Allow approximately 5–8 minutes on foot, depending on the exit and walking pace.

PARKING
Zaytinya is in downtown Penn Quarter, where several commercial garages are within walking distance. Street parking is available in the surrounding area, but spaces can be limited, especially when nearby venues have events. Is a Sunday though, street parking should be doable but watch the signs even on a Sunday!

For directions using the Metro, try using the Trip Planner | WMATA Rider Tools https://share.google/V5iOWbEbTGTvrqF8T

There are commercial garages throughout Chinatown, Metro Center and the surrounding area. For advance parking reservations, check SpotHero or Parking Panda.

Attendance Notes

• If you RSVP “YES,” please commit to showing up & timely responses to Event Lead DMs*. With 5,400+ members and limited seating, we can’t afford no-shows. It’s not fair to other members or to our relationship with the restaurant.*
• New Members / 1st Timers: Trying to get a slot? Join the Waitlist and check back frequently: spots often open up on the morning of the event. You may also receive midweek confirmation emails to reconfirm your RSVP, so please check your Meetup DMs and please respond timely to Event Lead communications.
• Billing Reminder - Add 30% for tax and tip to your food and drink total. This is part of our group’s expectations and helps smooth out service with the restaurant.

Looking forward to dining with you!

JoeN