in

The Top Food Instagram Accounts in the Washington DC Area

Have you ever found yourself going down a rabbit hole on Instagram, searching for the best food recommendations and the food bloggers who post the most enticing food? 

The Washington, D.C. area has a large subculture of food bloggers and Instagram influencers. If you have ever wondered who you should be following for the best recommendations in the Washington, D.C., area, we’ve got you covered! 

We have rounded up the Instagram accounts you should be following now. These content creators are not on our list because they have the most followers – they are on the list because we have deemed them as highly engaged, committed to the success of local restaurants, and are authentic in their food reviews. We have spoken to each of these influencers and have obtained permission to feature them in this article. 


HypeFoodies 

If you are looking for an account to follow that is authentic and fun, look no further than Hypefoodies! Respected by their followers and foodie peers alike, Diana and C.K., the masterminds behind Hypefoodies are a must follow for the Washington, D.C. area. Not only is Hypefoodies an Instagram account, they are an LLC as well! They have used their immense talent to help out local businesses, especially restaurants. They have given back in a big way, especially while restaurant owners were struggling during the pandemic. 

Hypefoodies was born in 2017 after Diana and C.K. took a trip to Southeast Asia. They discovered their love for videography and photography. Anyone who follows them knows they are supremely talented in both. Their aesthetically pleasing page focuses on food and keeps the community of Washington, D.C. informed.

Having cited Anthony Bourdain as a big influence, Hypefoodies continue to prioritize traveling as a hobby, highlighting culture and food as they go. They also love attending music festivals together. Their top restaurant recommendations in the D.C. area? District Chicken & Gyro, Roaming Rooster, and Pogi Boy. 


DanaStarGazerTruitt

If you are looking to follow one of the kindest and most engaging food influencers, Danastargazertruitt is where you should start. Technically based in the Baltimore area, Dana, the powerhorse behind the account, is no stranger to visiting and featuring Washington, D.C. area restaurants. 

Dana’s page is a fun space that’s full of the most colorful fashion, food (lots of ice cream) and fur baby fun with a little bit of travel. Her fur baby, Piper, is also on Instagram, as @Piperthepin , a Miniature Pinscher. Piper has been an inspiration to Dana, and Dana has spoken about areas which Piper has helped her in, including anxiety. This has helped to normalize and destigmatize something many struggle with. Dana’s page went viral from a post featuring her previous fur baby, her page took off, and now she cannot imagine doing anything else. 

You only have to spend five minutes on Dana’s page to see how colorful and bright it is. It comes as no surprise that one of her hobbies is tending to her flower garden. She also loves cooking. Her favorite restaurants in Washington, D.C.? Magnolia/Sister’s Thai, Rasika, and Mastro’s Steakhouse. 


FoodsInMyHeart 

Helen and Vince are just about the most authentic and warm foodie couple you will find. On Foodsinmyheart, they operate as a true team in front of, and behind the camera. Sharing their passion for food and photography, these two work hard at capturing the best photos of delicious food! Their desire to connect with people and help businesses comes across in a big way! 

Their goals have always been to try new things, meet new people, discover new places, and continue improving their creativity. They have always been inspired by the @dmvfoodiecrew community, also on instagram. They say the community inspired them to get out of their comfort zone and taught them that the idea of community is greater than the competition. They love the social gatherings and community service the DMVFoodieCrew offers. They love being a part of a  community of people who are passionate about food and want to support the local community.When they are not trying new restaurants, they enjoy spending time outside in nature, traveling, and taking pictures. 

Foodsinmyheart recommends restaurants in the Washington, D.C. area on their page, and say their current  favorites are Abunai, Soi 38, and Zaytinya. 


LifeIsFoodieFul


Visit Website

Arielle, the face behind LifeIsFoodieFul, is into health, sustainability, and social justice, and tries to intentionally incorporate them on her page, since they’re all deeply entwined with food. She keeps a pescatarian diet for health and sustainability reasons, only features food that she has personally eaten on her Instagram page. She highlights businesses that are owned by BIPOC folks or members of other underrepresented communities. In addition to her Instagram page, she has a website which highlights her foodie journey and passions. 

When Arielle is not working, blogging, or eating, you can find her riding her bike, and she says she has ridden 100 miles a week since the Covid pandemic began. She loves reading thrillers, and loves when her followers send her recommendations! She also enjoys binging on television shows with her husband. She is currently watching Couples Therapy on Showtime. She also loves traveling and spending time with family, who are spread all over the country.

Arielle loves the DC foodie community and says it is full of incredible, smart, and passionate people with similar values, and has enjoyed building relationships with these foodies. Arielle’s favorite restaurants in the Washington, D.C., area are Shouk, City Lights of China, and Nina May.


DCCarnivores 

DCCarnivores is run by James, and he features the best restaurants to find meat options in the Washington, D.C., area. 

James began his instagram after going out to eat with a friend each month in search for the best steak. He realized there was no guidance for finding the best meat focused restaurants, so he decided to create his own. His instagram initially began as a place to remember the best steakhouses they would visit, and it has since grown into a community of meat lovers throughout the Washington, D.C area.

When James is not visiting the best steakhouses in Washington, D.C., he spends the bulk of his time in law school at Georgetown. He is also training to be a Krav Maga instructor, and loves basketball. He says his favorite restaurants in D.C. are Duke’s Grocery, George’s Chophouse, and Ottoman Taverna. 


XOXOJudie 

Judie, the talent behind XOXOJudie, is as full of love as you can imagine! Her page fun Instagram account where she shares all of her food, travel, and fashion adventures. She travels around the Washington, D.C.,  area, showcasing local businesses. 

When she is not keeping up with her popular Instagram account and trying new food, she enjoys hiking and being out in nature to admire the Creator and His creation. She says she also loves spending time with her two dogs, and engaging in community service. She enjoys dramas and movies, and crime shows. A lover of traveling, she also makes travel itineraries with the hopes of traveling there sometime in the future. As a CODA (child of deaf adults), Judie incorporates ASL (American Sign Language) or captions, so it is an all inclusive space, including her parents. She only shares restaurants she enjoys and recommends on her page. She also enjoys the community she has within the Instagram community. 

When asked what her favorite restaurants in the Washington, D.C., area are, she names Momo’s Cafe, Temari in Rockville, and Om Indian. She is also a frequent visitor to Meokja Meokja, and York Castle Ice Cream. Judie also welcomes followers to request a comprehensive list of recommendations that she has created. 


LunchAtTheBar

Lunch_At_The_Bar is such a unique page, as it began as an Instagram account to focus on meals eaten at local bars in the Washington, D.C., area. When they began the Instagram account, they realized how having meals at the bar was a great way to meet people, getting to  know servers and bartenders. Lunch_At_The_Bar says they have not done any collaborations with any restaurants in exchange for a post. This makes their account stand apart from many other content creators in industry. While they will try to dine at restaurants who invite them in, they do not tell them when they are going, and they say they always pay their own way. 

Lunch_At_The_Bar originally began as a sort of a food diary, and they found many friends and family would also send them photos to post. They enjoyed this, as these guest posts contributed to reaching a broader reach.During the pandemic, their emphasis shifted a bit to highlight local small business and restaurants. 

When they are not eating, Lunch_At_The_Bar enjoys  traveling, live theater, sporting events, and concerts. They say they are looking forward to beginning those activities again.  Lunch_At_The_Bar names Estadia, Liberty Tavern, Clarity in Vienna, and Martin’s Tavern in Georgetown as their go to restaurants. They also frequent restaurants by Humanitarian Chef José Andrés quite often. 


ThePickyRamenLover

Dubbed The Ramen Queen by the foodie community, Monet runs the Instagram account, ThePickyRamenLover. Her account is a Ramen guide for the Washington, D.C., area. Primarily dedicated to ramen and other Asian food, her goal is to feature the shops she recommends, including the lesser known restaurants. She states Instagram has been a safe and supportive space for her to share her favorite Ramen restaurants. 

When Monet is not trying out all of the Ramen in the District, she enjoys reading, watching movies,and painting. She teaches Paint and Sip parties, and loves how many different people she meets while teaching. She says she has been influenced by many Ramen chefs she follows on Instagram, and is inspired by innovative recipes.  

Monet says one of her favorite things about running her Instagram account has been how many people she has been able to meet through foodie meetups, as well as conversations through Instagram messaging. Want to know Monet’s favorite Ramen shops? She recommends Sakuramen in Adam’s Morgan, Toki Underground in the H Street Corridor, and Menya Hosaki in the Petworth neighborhood.


Carpe_DMV

You will be hard pressed to find someone more approachable on Instagram than Emi, the face behind Carpe_DMV. A food Instagram focused around Washington, D.C., area eats, Emi features homemade treats, and local resources related to food and social justice. Emi is a hobby food photographer shooting on a Canon Rebel T.7 and eating their way through a huge list of restaurants to experience as much of the area as possible. 

Emi moved to Washington, D.C. in 2018, after dreaming about living in D.C. for years. Food felt like a natural way for Emi to explore different neighborhoods, and also to try new and interesting things. It is exciting for the followers of Carpe_DMV to follow such an authentic and honest page. Emi’s photos are also fantastic!  

When Emi is not exploring new restaurants, you can find them walking around D.C. and finding new nooks and crannies, places where the sunlight hits just right, and other fun little things. Emi is also an avid reader, loves learning more about photography, poetry, and other subjects. Emi also loves baking, and followers of Carpe_DMV love to see their creations!  Emi’s top restaurant recommendations within the Washington, D.C. area are Reren Lamen, Maketto, and Teddy & the Bully Bar. 


UrNovaFoodie

Emily’s handle is UrNovaFoodie. Her page represents her passion for food, and it is her creative outlet! Though her page gives a nod to the Northern Virginia area, she travels all over the Washington, D.C., area, on the lookout for new restaurants. As an entrepreneur, she also enjoys collaborating with local businesses, helping them to succeed. 

Emily started her Instagram account as a Senior in High School, and initially kept it anonymous. She decided to make it more personable, and now shows her face often. Keeping her page bright and colorful is important to her, and it is so visually appealing to her followers! When she is not enjoying delicious food, she loves working out and playing tennis. 

Emily is so very down to earth, and is always willing to help other foodies on food photography tips. Because of her bright and approachable personality, she has made many meaningful relationships with other foodies. Emily says her favorite restaurants in the Washington, D.C., area are Yume Sushi, Chicken & Whiskey, and Teddy & the Bully Bar.


TamaraTravels

Tamara, the face behind TamaraTravels, is also a Washington, D.C. writer for Restaurant Clicks. While she focuses on the Washington, D.C., area, she informs followers about food from other cultures through her traveling foodie journeys. She initially began TamaraTravels as a sort of personal food diary, and finally made her page public after being convinced by her friends to do so. Her favorite part of running TamaraTravels? Getting to know people from the foodie community. She says she has made invaluable connections through her page. 

Tamara has a passion for supporting locally owned restaurants. When she is not enjoying delicious food, her hobbies include reading, writing, traveling, and visiting all of the cultural activities the D.C. area has to offer. She loves spending time with friends, family, and her dog, Gizmo. 

Tamara says her top restaurant recommendations in the Washington, D.C., area are Thip Khao, Maydan, and Pineapple and Pearls. She is excited for other favorites to reopen. 

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Written by Brian Nagele

Brian attended West Virginia University, then started his career in the IT industry before following his passion for marketing and hospitality. He has over 20 years experience in the restaurant and bar industry.

As a former restaurant owner, he knows about running a food business and loves to eat and enjoy cocktails on a regular basis. He constantly travels to new cities tasting and reviewing the most popular spots.

Follow him on LinkedIn, Instagram, Quora, Google Guide and Facebook.