Renaissance Mayflower Hotel

Café Promenade has served politicians going back to Herbert Hoover, and the Secret Service is here every day, boasts general manager Satinder Palta. Just four blocks from the White House, the dining room is a frequent stop for many power brokers. Former United Nations ambassador John Bolton dines at Café Promenade about five times a week at a three-seat table in the corner, opting for international fare like Greek salads and Chilean sea bass. Senator Barack Obama stayed at the Mayflower the night before the Washington and Maryland primaries, ordering a room-service breakfast of eggs and bacon—no waffles—before playing basketball at the local Y.M.C.A. Senator John McCain wolfed down a Mediterranean burger—but only half the bun—minutes before giving a major fundraising speech. Rumsfeld goes for burgers and Cobb salad with lots of blue cheese for lunch at Café Promenade. And the hotel makes sure to have chocolate-covered doughnuts available for California Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi and cigars for former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani.

As for the Mayflower's recent infamous guest, Eliot Spitzer, Palta says he never made the special-request database. "He never ordered much," says Palta. "And he doesn't have any allergies."

Westend Bistro by Eric Ripert
Ripert's new Washington venture is the type of lively place where people go to celebrate a deal, not to make one, Evans says. Nevada Senator Harry Reid, who lives at the Ritz Residences above the restaurant, is a regular. The place has also played host to Today anchor Matt Lauer, who was in town during the Pope's visit in April. "Westend is becoming a very popular nightspot—not just for dinner, but cocktails," says Reiley. After Larry King threw a gala for his heart foundation there in May, partygoers lingered at the bar, she says.

Zola
This six-year-old contemporary restaurant has notched its fair share of accolades from national food and wine press. Those nods, combined with its proximity to the Verizon Center, the basketball and hockey arena, means it sees as many sports celebrities as political ones. "One day I remember watching Michael Jordan going up the steps and Delaware Senator Joe Biden coming down," says owner Dan Mesches.

The Source
Wolfgang Puck's first East Coast eatery and Sonoma, a five-year-old wine-themed restaurant, both play second home to California congresspeople, who are less likely to fly home on off weekends. Pelosi is a regular at the Source, often ordering Chinese lacquered duckling. Former presidential candidates Fred Thompson and Walter Mondale, as well as Senator Harry Reid, are also regulars, says chef Scott Drewno. Sonoma's location next to Capitol Hill also means it gets celebrities like Lance Armstrong and Bono, who have each grabbed bites there after Congressional hearings.

Bombay Club
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is known to mix it up at Washington's more elegant eateries, including this Indian restaurant near the White House. She has "sophisticated tastes," leaning toward healthy fare like seafood and vegetables, Bajaj says. Rice frequents many of his restaurants, including Bombay Club, Rasika, and the Oval Room. A resident of the Watergate Hotel, she's also a regular at places like Café Milano, a Georgetown hotspot for politicians, as well as the tasting room at BlackSalt, a sustainable seafood restaurant near the vice president's residence.

View a map of the different restaurants and the politicians who dine there.