Portrait of Crystal Fernanders, City Paper's Carry-out critic
Carry-out critic Crystal Fernanders Credit: Courtesy of Crystal Fernanders

The Carry-out critic is City Paper‘s recurring restaurant review column focusing on D.C.’s rich carry-out culture. While the featured restaurants can have a couple of seats for eating meals while they’re piping hot, we’re celebrating businesses that focus exclusively on takeout. DMV native Crystal Fernanders will guide you to the carry-outs most worth seeking out, helping you find the best takeout and best carry-out in and around D.C.

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The Carry-out Critic Finds a Healthier Form of Funnel Cake at Bubbie’s Plant Burgers

Don’t write it off because it’s a plant-based burger spot—it’s damn good.

Bubbie’s Plant Burgers, a plant-based, kosher-certified concept, serves burgers, fries, and other Americana-influenced dishes near Dupont Circle. Its founders, chef Margaux Riccio and general manager Shaun Sharkey, came up with the concept after successfully running Pow Pow, another plant-based fast casual eatery with Asian influences. Bubbie’s operated as a pop-up for a year inside Rock…

The Carry-out Critic Finds Beautiful Wings and Juicy Sandwiches at Soul Wingz

Soul Wingz, a Black-owned takeout spot, has been serving soul food for more than a decade.

Black-owned soul food takeout spot Soul Wingz has operated near Howard University since April 2022, but owners Anthony Holmon and Menyana Williams started the concept in 2008, operating as a pop-up restaurant throughout the area before purchasing a food truck in 2016. The D.C. natives gained a lot of business after regularly visiting the Howard…

The Carry-Out Critic Enjoys Many Momos and a Surprising Curry at Moh Moh Licious

The Shepherd Park restaurant that began as a food truck serves Nepalese cuisine with influences from Indonesia and China.

Moh Moh Licious, a small restaurant in Shepherd Park, serves Nepalese cuisine with an  Indo-Chinese twist. Restaurant partners Sujil Dangol and Farooq Munir joined forces in 2015 while running separate businesses (the former Himalayan Heritage in Bethesda for Dangol, Jolt ’N Bolt Coffee in Adams Morgan for Munir). It started as a food truck before…

The Carry-Out Critic Gets a Taste of the Aegean Islands at a D.C. Classic Greek Deli

Featuring a melt-in-your-mouf moussaka, green beans that could be eaten daily, and gigantic beef meatballs

Greek Deli & Catering is a family-owned takeout spot in Northwest D.C. that serves authentic and homemade Greek dishes. Chef Kostas Fostieris lived in Andros, in the Aegean Islands, before moving to the states in the 1970s. He eventually opened his own restaurant, which has been operating for more than 30 years.  The walls in…

The Carry-out Critic Finds Tender Ribs and Savory Sides at Supreme Barbeque

The barbecue joint from Juan and Jeremy Canlas opened in the former New York Pizza spot on New York Avenue NE in April 2021.

Supreme Barbeque serves Texas-style barbecue at its restaurant located on the edge of Eckington in Northeast. Filipino-American father and son Juan and Jeremy Canlas opened their first location ten years ago in Lanham, with the D.C. store being their second. They took over the former New York Pizza spot at the busy intersection of North…

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