While DC Mayor Muriel Bowser has urged the public to stay home for Inauguration, that doesn’t mean you can’t still celebrate. Mark the occasion of the swearing in of our 46th President with special menus, packs for at-home viewing parties and toast-worthy cocktails that pay homage to Joe Biden and Kamala Harris.
In NoVA
Astro Doughnuts & Fried Chicken
The Biden doughnut ($3.95) will be available Jan. 18-20 at both the Falls Church and downtown DC locations. The treat is a vanilla chocolate chip doughnut with vanilla glaze, mini chocolate chip sprinkles and vanilla chocolate chip buttercream topped with a mini ice cream sugar cone inspired by the President-Elect’s love of ice cream. // Multiple locations, astrodoughnuts.com
The Alexandria restaurant and Rustico’s Arlington and Alexandria locations are offering inauguration-themed specials starting on Jan. 18 that can be ordered through their websites. The Biden Burger ($18) is a ground turkey burger topped with muenster cheese, pickled cranberry relish, arugula and smoked Duke’s Mayonnaise on a challah bun served with French fries. Inspired by the VP-Elect’s effort to teach Sen. Mark Warner the proper technique following his viral tuna melt video, the Kamala Melt ($16) serves tuna, celery, onion, roasted red peppers, sharp cheddar and herb aioli on sourdough bread, served with French fries. Wash it down with a Statehood Negroni ($15) with all District-made ingredients (Ivy City Gin, Capitoline Tiber and Capitoline White Vermouth), an NA Statehood Negroni ($13) with Seedlip Spice 94, Lyre’s Aperitif Ross and Lyre’s Blood Orange or Ridin’ with Biden ($13) with Civic Vodka, Aperol, cucumber, lemon and salt. // Evening Star Cafe: 2000 Mt. Vernon Avenue, Alexandri; Rustico: multiple locations
The grocer, wine, beer, cocktail and gourmet shop and food delivery service has lots of options for inauguration, including an Inauguration Party Box ($75) with two servings of the Ridin’ with Biden Bottled Cocktail (Civic Vodka, Aperol, cucumber, lemon and salt), a Red Apron Slider Kit with six sliders topped with caramelized onions, pickled cucumbers, sauteed mushrooms and pimento cheese, two Patriotic Yo-Yos and your choice of either Biden Shades and Harris Chucks Scout and Indiana Mask or a Kamala Harris Acrylic “I’m Speaking” Pin. There is also a selection of canapes, cocktails, sparkling wines and more available for home watch parties. Orders can be placed now through Jan. 18 at 9 p.m. for pickup or delivery. // Multiple locations for pickup
The Inaugural Parade menu available from Jan. 19-21 features a selection of ice cream and soda floats for both kids and adults featuring scoops by Ice Cream Jubilee. Options include Biden’s Back to Basics Root Beer Float ($7), with a scoop of vanilla ice cream floated in Boylan’s Root Beer; Harris’ Spicing It Up Ginger Ale Float ($7), with tops the same ice cream with Boylan’s Ginger Ale; Cuppa Joe Beer Float ($10), a scoop of the special Cuppa Joe Inauguration flavor ice cream floated in Port City Porter; and Banana Bourbon Ka(ra)mala Beer Float ($10), which floats Banana Bourbon Caramel ice cream in RaR Groove City Hefeweizen. On Jan. 20, all guests will receive a complimentary serving of Ice Cream Jubilee’s Vanilla Chocolate Chip with every pizza purchased; the offer is available with each carry out, pick up and outdoor dining pizza served. // Multiple locations
On Jan. 20, the Clifton eatery will offer an all-day happy hour with signature drinks for $8 and a special food menu of discounted snacks available for dine-in as well as takeout; for the latter, food must be purchased with alcohol. // 7134 Main St., Clifton
In DC
Ahead of inauguration, the solar-powered DC brewing is rolling out Amtrak Joe Pilsner, a crisp, light and refreshing 4.7% ABV craft lager brewed with Saaz and Mt. Hood hops, and Madam Veep’s IPA, a 5.7% ABV juicy pale ale brewed with Mosaic and Citra hops and packed with citrus flavor. Made in collaboration with OccasionAles.com, both beers are available for order online and for pickup at Atlas Half Street Brewery & Tap Room starting January 16. // 2052 West Virginia Ave., Suite 102, Washington, DC
Available starting Jan. 14, the new Madame VP’s Heritage Bowl ($15) honors Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris’s Jamaican and Indian heritage. Chef Enrique Limardo’s dish mixes coconut milk-curried chicken with chickpeas, potatoes, pineapples, plantains and a hint of spicy peppers, served over turmeric rice and baby spinach. // 1701 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC
The DC whiskey mecca and cocktail bar is selling an Inaugural cocktail kit to-go for two ($75), pictured above, for those safely celebrating the 2021 presidential inauguration at home. The “progressive” four-course cocktail tasting includes the makings for an Ameri-tivo (Chandon sparkling wine, Don Ciccio & Figli Cinque, mead and creme de cassis), Mint Julep (Bourbon, nitro-muddled mint and gomme syrup), Cozy by the Fire (Bourbon, mulled wine syrup, baked apple bitters and Green Chartreuse) and Brandy Alexander (apple and American brandy blend, creme de cacao and heavy cream). The kit includes 8 total servings (2 full-size portions of each cocktail) and is available via Tock now through Jan. 20. // 2007 18th St. NW, Washington, DC
The Dupont Circle cocktail bar is offering an All Day Inauguration Kit ($46) meant to quench your thirst throughout the entire day’s festivities. Included is a full-sized bottle of Meiomi Sparkling Wine and 6-ounce bottle of orange juice for morning Mimosas, two bottles of Miller High Life (“The Champagne of Beers”) for the afternoon and two High West Double Rye Old Fashioneds for the evening. Kits must be pre-ordered by 2 p.m. on Jan. 19 and picked up that same day by 8 p.m., as the bar is closed on Jan. 20. To order, email info@mcclellansretreat.com. // 2031 Florida Ave. NW, Washington, DC
The gin-based Ground Control cocktail ($12) will be available on Jan. 20, with ingredients selected to honor the historic day. The purplish hue of the gin stands for unity, peanuts are a Democratic symbol and the strawberry bitters is a nod to Delaware’s state fruit. Order it online for pickup or to-go, or enjoy it on the heated outdoor patio along with executive chef Harper McClure’s signature dishes like wild mushroom soup or grilled bavette steak frites. // 1813 Columbia Road NW, Washington, DC
In honor of the incoming President and Vice-President, the DC Italian resto is offering dinners based on the food they enjoy the most. Priced at $65 for two servings, the options include The Joe, with a green salad, rigatoni with Sunday gravy, chicken parmesan and pistachio and chocolate gelato, and The Kamala, with chickpea grilled pizza, a whole chicken, whipped mashed potatoes and broccoli. // 650 K St. NW, Washington, DC
Curated by a collection of women-owned businesses, The Inaugural Swag Bag ($140) contains items inspired by the incoming President and VP as well as some of their favorites. The bag includes Biden’s Brownies by Micheline Mendelsohn of We, the Pizza; The Ultraviolet Rose NV curated by Diane Gross of Cork Wine Bar & Market (in honor of Harris’s home state); guava bbq sauce and plantain chips by Daniella Senior of Colada Shop; marinated olives and walnut biscotti by Ruth Gresser of Pizza Paradiso, infused organic olive oil and awaze dip by Yamrot Ezineh of Letena Ethiopian Restaurant; Congratulatory Cocktail by Gina Chersevani of Buffalo & Bergen; handmade pasta by Jamie Leeds of Hank and Mitzi’s Italian Kitchen; vegetarian pasta sauce by Ris Lacoste of RIS; cookie pack by Doron Peterson of Sticky Fingers Sweets & Eats; oatmeal cream pie by Shannan Troncoso of Brookland’s Finest; Red & White & Blue Fish Salts by Fiola Lewis of DC Fishwife; and hot sauce by Maya Fiellin of F*ck The System Hot Sauce. Orders must be received by Jan. 15 for pickup on Jan. 19 or 20. // womensfoodfest.com
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