Mass Ave | Washington, DC

Founding Farmers & Distillers DC

Conveniently located on Massachusetts Avenue in Chinatown within easy walking distance to many of DC’s historic landmarks and the Washington Convention Center, Founding Farmers & Distillers is a full-service restaurant and bar with an on-site distillery, Founding Spirits. Join us 365 days a year for breakfast, lunch, dinner, weekday happy hour, and our decadent weekend Farmers Market Buffet Brunch. We also offer grab & go house-roasted coffee and breakfast fare from our First Bake Cafe.

3 Ways to Celebrate

Join Us For Thanksgiving

We’re serving up a special Thanksgiving feast with all your holiday favorites. Dine with us on Thanksgiving Day or enjoy the convenience of our Thanksgiving at Home options. Reservations and pre-ordering are now open! 

First Bake
Monday – Friday 7am – 10:30am
Breakfast
Monday – Friday 7am – 11am
Saturday, Sunday & Most Weekday Holidays 7am - 2pm
Lunch & Dinner
Sunday & Monday 11am - 9pm
Tuesday - Thursday 11am - 10pm
Friday & Saturday 11am - 11pm
Weekend Farmers Market Buffet Brunch
Saturday, Sunday & Most Weekday Holidays 9am - 2pm
Dessert
Available for lunch & dinner
Weekday Happy Hour at the Bar
Monday - Friday 3:30pm - 6pm

Majority owned by American family farmers, including the more than 50,000 farmers of the North Dakota Farmers Union, Founding Farmers & Distillers is guided by a very simple principle: we see and share everything Through The Eyes Of The Farmer.™ We actively care about our communities, the planet, our people, and the next generation. Our LEED Silver and 3 Star Green Restaurant® certifications are examples of the extra steps we take to ensure earth-friendly practices in our building and operations. At the heart of the restaurant is a fully functioning distillery: Founding Spirits. As distillers, we are excited to craft our own spirits in-house, using age-old techniques mixed with modern-day expertise. Our menu has a wide range of handcrafted cocktails featuring our vodka, dry gin, bourbon, and rye. We also invite you to take a peek into the Founding Spirits distillery at some point during your meal.

Open 365 days a year, join us for our beloved signature dishes & drinks made from scratch with high-quality ingredients from farmers and suppliers we know and trust. We draw inspiration from our rich and diverse community, including nearby Chinatown with our Hand-Pulled Noodles and Handmade Dumplings. We also offer our signature guest favorites, including our Southern Fried Chicken & Waffles, delicious salads, fresh seafood, and more. As you dine, you’ll notice different pieces of original artwork, including Noella Cotnam’s hand-carved animals throughout parts of the restaurant.

Founding Farmers & Distillers is situated within the heart of Mt Vernon Square within walking distance to the Washington Convention Center and many of DC’s historic landmarks, including the U.S. Capitol, the National Mall, the Supreme Court, the White House, Ford’s Theatre, the Library of Congress, and the beautifully restored Apple Carnegie Library.

Founding Spirits

The Spirit of Our Drinks

Not only was our first president a farmer, George Washington started the largest distillery in America at the turn of the 18th century. Founding Farmers & Distillers celebrates this legacy with the opening of its own distillery, Founding Spirits, led by Beverage Director Jon Arroyo. As “distillers,” we are excited to craft our own spirits, in-house, using age-old techniques mixed with modern-day expertise. Founding Farmers & Distillers features signature cocktails with house-made mixers and syrups, using the freshest ingredients, and a wide variety of non-alcoholic beverages made from scratch. Founding Farmers & Distillers serves all of our spirits, from Founding Spirits Rye Whiskey to Founding Spirits Dry Gin. And of course, our unique beer program is on tap every day for all to enjoy. 

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Amenities

How well can you accommodate someone with a disability?

All of our restaurants are well equipped to provide excellent hospitality for all of our guests. Please let us know if you have any access concerns or needs in dining with us. You can make note when making your online reservation, contact us in advance of your reservation, or let us know when you arrive. To learn more about each location’s accommodations, please visit the location page: Founding Farmers DC, MoCo’s Founding Farmers, Founding Farmers Reston Station, Founding Farmers Tysons, Founding Farmers King of Prussia.

Do you have WiFi?

Yes, we offer complimentary WiFi. Please check with your server or the host for the password.

Are there other Founding Farmers locations?

Yes, we hope you will visit all of the restaurants in our growing family. In making your plans, please note that each restaurant has different offerings, amenities, and operating times:

Are you currently hiring?

Yes, we are hiring for all of our locations. Check out all available positions here.

Do you have highchairs and/or booster seats?

Yes, we do have highchairs and booster seats available for your convenience.

Are there TVs in the bar area?

We have small televisions located in our bar area. However, they are not easily viewed from all parts of the bar and are not advisable for viewing sporting events.

How may I purchase gift cards?

Founding Farmers gift cards go beyond enjoying a great meal. Our gift cards make the perfect gift for anyone in your life who loves getting together with friends and family over a delicious food & drink.

Purchase a Founding Farmers gift card for your loved ones today.

Our gift cards CAN be used for:

  • Dining in all of our restaurants
  • Purchasing our merchandise in person, such as The Founding Farmers Cookbook, our Founding Farmers Coffee, and our Founding Farmers Chocolate. You can also use our gift cards in person to purchase Founding Spirits from our DC distillery.

Our gift cards CANNOT be used for:

  • Online ordering from order.farmersrestaurantgroup.com
  • Ordering from third party platforms, such as UberEats, DoorDash, and GrubHub.
  • Purchasing our merchandise online to ship, including The Founding Farmers Cookbook or Founding Spirits.
  • Our special holidays at home programs (meals that can pre-ordered for reheating at home), such as: Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s Eve, Valentine’s Day, Passover, Easter, and Mother’s Day.

Is there a dress code?

We like to think of ourselves as smart casual. We are what you want to make us… casual, sporty for those who visit or live in Reston Station, or business casual for those who work here and are seeking a great, local food and drink destination with co-workers or clients – we love it all!

Do you cater?

Yes. Founding Farmers Co. Catering & Events can provide full service catering, delivery and pick up catering that can be ordered directly online, private chef diners, and event planning. With years of experience rooted in restaurant hospitality, we have the expertise and bandwidth to help you create events that are easy, frictionless, and fun to plan from start to finish. Our catering menus are not limited to our restaurant food & drink but can be tailored to your event and your budget. As with our restaurants, everything  is made from scratch with ingredients thoughtfully sourced from farmers and suppliers we know and trust.

Complete details on our catering services and how to collaborate with us for your next event can be found at Founding Farmers Co. Catering & Events.

Bar & Beverage

Are there TVs in the bar area?

We have small televisions located in our bar area. However, they are not easily viewed from all parts of the bar and are not advisable for viewing sporting events.

Do you have happy hour?

All of our DC-area restaurants will now be serving Happy Hour.

Every Monday through Friday, join us for Happy Hour from at any of our DMV locations.

Happy Hour is available during the following times:

Founding Farmers DC: 3:30pm-5:30pm (bar area only)
Founding Farmers Tysons: 3:30pm-6pm
MoCo’s Founding Farmers: 3:30pm-6pm
Founding Farmers Reston Station: 3:30pm-6pm (bar area only)
Founding Farmers Fishers & Bakers: 3:30pm-5:30pm
Founding Farmers & Distillers: 3:30pm-6pm (bar area only)

Our Happy Hour menus vary slightly by location, but include craft cocktails, Highballs, beer, and wine, plus a generous range of our guest favorite snacks. For more details, check out our happy hour menus.

Do you have bar seating?

Yes, we do.

What is your corkage fee?

Guests may bring in one bottle of wine per party without a corkage fee. A $25 fee for each additional bottle applies after that and any wines brought into the restaurant may not be included on our current wine list.

Brunch

Do you have bottomless brunch drinks?

We do not offer bottomless drinks for brunch, but we have amazing pre-prohibition style eye-opener libations that are sure to please!

For your weekend brunch, do you have a buffet or a la carte menu service?

Please check our locations pages for each restaurant for the most up-to-date information on when and where we are providing our a la carte menus or our buffet brunch service, as well as where we are currently able to serve you — on our patios or in our dining rooms.

MoCo’s Founding Farmers – A la Carte Breakfast/Brunch Menu with full service.

Founding Farmers DC – A la Carte Breakfast/Brunch Menu with full service.

Founding Farmers & Distillers — Our Farmers Market Buffet Brunch Menu is available, as well as A la Carte Breakfast/Brunch Menu with full service.

Founding Farmers Tysons –   Farmers Market BUFFET Brunch Menu.

Founding Farmers Reston Station – Our Farmers Market BUFFET Brunch Menu with our A la Carte Breakfast/Brunch Menu available in our bar area on Saturdays and most weekday holidays.

Founding Farmers King of Prussia – Our Farmers Market BUFFET Brunch Menu is available for our indoor diners seated upstairs. We have an a la carte weekend breakfast/brunch menu for our street-level cafe tables, reservable through “experiences” on OpenTable.

Founding Farmers Fishers & Bakers — Our Farmers Market Brunch Menu is available indoors.

Desserts & Celebrations

Can I bring in my own cake?

Yes, we love celebrations! Cakes, cupcakes, or pies may be brought into the restaurant, however there is a $2 per person dessert fee for every person in your party when doing so, regardless of who is having or not having dessert.

Can I order a whole cake?

We wish you would! Yes, you can order one of our original recipe, made-from-scratch, whole cakes & pies online here. When ordering whole pies, cakes, and cheesecakes, please allow 36 hour advance notice. If you’re within that window, call us to see if we can accommodate. Whole desserts are not available through third party online platforms.

Do you offer a free dessert for a birthday or some other type of celebration?

We are not able to provide a free dessert for celebrations but when making a reservation, you can pre-order a special dessert from the menu for the guest of honor and we can provide an acknowledgement of the celebration.

How may I purchase gift cards?

Founding Farmers gift cards go beyond enjoying a great meal. Our gift cards make the perfect gift for anyone in your life who loves getting together with friends and family over a delicious food & drink.

Purchase a Founding Farmers gift card for your loved ones today.

Our gift cards CAN be used for:

  • Dining in all of our restaurants
  • Purchasing our merchandise in person, such as The Founding Farmers Cookbook, our Founding Farmers Coffee, and our Founding Farmers Chocolate. You can also use our gift cards in person to purchase Founding Spirits from our DC distillery.

Our gift cards CANNOT be used for:

  • Online ordering from order.farmersrestaurantgroup.com
  • Ordering from third party platforms, such as UberEats, DoorDash, and GrubHub.
  • Purchasing our merchandise online to ship, including The Founding Farmers Cookbook or Founding Spirits.
  • Our special holidays at home programs (meals that can pre-ordered for reheating at home), such as: Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s Eve, Valentine’s Day, Passover, Easter, and Mother’s Day.

Do you cater?

Yes. Founding Farmers Co. Catering & Events can provide full service catering, delivery and pick up catering that can be ordered directly online, private chef diners, and event planning. With years of experience rooted in restaurant hospitality, we have the expertise and bandwidth to help you create events that are easy, frictionless, and fun to plan from start to finish. Our catering menus are not limited to our restaurant food & drink but can be tailored to your event and your budget. As with our restaurants, everything  is made from scratch with ingredients thoughtfully sourced from farmers and suppliers we know and trust.

Complete details on our catering services and how to collaborate with us for your next event can be found at Founding Farmers Co. Catering & Events.

Where do I find reheating & cooking instructions for my holiday meal?

Reheating and cooking instructions for our holiday meals can be found on most of our packaging, as well as here: https://www.wearefoundingfarmers.com/reheat/. This page will be updated as we get close to each holiday.

Do you have holiday meals?

Yes, we are open 365 days a year, and we have multiple ways to spend your holidays with us. We’d love to host you around our tables and help make your holiday special. You can easily make a reservation through our website and, depending on the holiday, we often have special menus to enjoy in our restaurants and at home, including heat & eat holiday meals, hot, ready-to-eat holiday meals, and prix fixe menus. Check our menus pages for detailed offerings. 

Food

Can you accommodate specific food allergies (nuts, dairy, gluten, seafood, etc.)?

Yes, in most cases. Our servers and chefs are trained to address food allergies and can offer menu variations. However, if you have a life-threatening food allergy which can be triggered by cross-contact, our restaurant may not be right for you—we cook almost everything from scratch and therefore the avoidance of cross-contact is not something we can guarantee with 100% certainty. If you have an allergy of this severity, please call ahead to discuss with us, as we may determine it is safest you dine elsewhere. For non-cross contact allergies, we kindly request that you provide your server with any allergy or dietary concerns before you order, and your server will help you select an item that does not contain your allergen; we will not remove an allergen from dish as that can lead to errors, but we will absolutely help you select the best dish for you.

Do you have a kids menu?

One of the best things about our menu is that we try to offer a little something for every taste bud out there. We have many “kid-approved” items on our regular menus, and our service team is happy to help you choose the best item for the children in your party.

Do you offer vegan and vegetarian options?

Our menus feature many vegetarian options, and our servers can recommend options for our vegan guests, making modifications whenever possible. Please note: modifications are not as available for our Farmers Market Buffet Brunch. You can see all of our most current menus here: https://www.wearefoundingfarmers.com/menus/

Please be sure to mention any dietary concerns to your server.

For your weekend brunch, do you have a buffet or a la carte menu service?

Please check our locations pages for each restaurant for the most up-to-date information on when and where we are providing our a la carte menus or our buffet brunch service, as well as where we are currently able to serve you — on our patios or in our dining rooms.

MoCo’s Founding Farmers – A la Carte Breakfast/Brunch Menu with full service.

Founding Farmers DC – A la Carte Breakfast/Brunch Menu with full service.

Founding Farmers & Distillers — Our Farmers Market Buffet Brunch Menu is available, as well as A la Carte Breakfast/Brunch Menu with full service.

Founding Farmers Tysons –   Farmers Market BUFFET Brunch Menu.

Founding Farmers Reston Station – Our Farmers Market BUFFET Brunch Menu with our A la Carte Breakfast/Brunch Menu available in our bar area on Saturdays and most weekday holidays.

Founding Farmers King of Prussia – Our Farmers Market BUFFET Brunch Menu is available for our indoor diners seated upstairs. We have an a la carte weekend breakfast/brunch menu for our street-level cafe tables, reservable through “experiences” on OpenTable.

Founding Farmers Fishers & Bakers — Our Farmers Market Brunch Menu is available indoors.

What kind of food do you serve?

Founding Farmers is owned by more than 50,000 American family farmers of the North Dakota Farmers Union and is supplied daily by hundreds of family farms everywhere. We offer our versions of all-American and farmhouse classics with modern interpretations and preparations. Our focus is to provide our guests with the freshest, highest quality ingredients that have been grown and harvested, and then expertly prepared by our talented chefs from scratch every day. View our menus.

Do you cater?

Yes. Founding Farmers Co. Catering & Events can provide full service catering, delivery and pick up catering that can be ordered directly online, private chef diners, and event planning. With years of experience rooted in restaurant hospitality, we have the expertise and bandwidth to help you create events that are easy, frictionless, and fun to plan from start to finish. Our catering menus are not limited to our restaurant food & drink but can be tailored to your event and your budget. As with our restaurants, everything  is made from scratch with ingredients thoughtfully sourced from farmers and suppliers we know and trust.

Complete details on our catering services and how to collaborate with us for your next event can be found at Founding Farmers Co. Catering & Events.

Do you have holiday meals?

Yes, we are open 365 days a year, and we have multiple ways to spend your holidays with us. We’d love to host you around our tables and help make your holiday special. You can easily make a reservation through our website and, depending on the holiday, we often have special menus to enjoy in our restaurants and at home, including heat & eat holiday meals, hot, ready-to-eat holiday meals, and prix fixe menus. Check our menus pages for detailed offerings. 

Where do I find reheating & cooking instructions for my holiday meal?

Reheating and cooking instructions for our holiday meals can be found on most of our packaging, as well as here: https://www.wearefoundingfarmers.com/reheat/. This page will be updated as we get close to each holiday.

Getting Here

Are there other Founding Farmers locations?

Yes, we hope you will visit all of the restaurants in our growing family. In making your plans, please note that each restaurant has different offerings, amenities, and operating times:

Is there a dress code?

We like to think of ourselves as smart casual. We are what you want to make us… casual, sporty for those who visit or live in Reston Station, or business casual for those who work here and are seeking a great, local food and drink destination with co-workers or clients – we love it all!

Large Parties

Do you cater?

Yes. Founding Farmers Co. Catering & Events can provide full service catering, delivery and pick up catering that can be ordered directly online, private chef diners, and event planning. With years of experience rooted in restaurant hospitality, we have the expertise and bandwidth to help you create events that are easy, frictionless, and fun to plan from start to finish. Our catering menus are not limited to our restaurant food & drink but can be tailored to your event and your budget. As with our restaurants, everything  is made from scratch with ingredients thoughtfully sourced from farmers and suppliers we know and trust.

Complete details on our catering services and how to collaborate with us for your next event can be found at Founding Farmers Co. Catering & Events.

How do I make a reservation for a large party at Founding Farmers & Distillers?

Our team is happy to assist you with parties of 8 or more guests. Kindly fill out this form.

Reservations

Can I just arrive for a meal or do I need to make a reservation?

Reserve your table or come on in. Our full menus are available for weekday breakfast, lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch.

Are there other Founding Farmers locations?

Yes, we hope you will visit all of the restaurants in our growing family. In making your plans, please note that each restaurant has different offerings, amenities, and operating times:

Can I add my name to the wait list over the phone?

Unfortunately, we cannot take names over the phone for the wait list. To be fair to all guests, if you are unable to make a reservation, then you must arrive in person to put your name on the wait list.

Do you have a cancellation policy?

No, we do not have a cancellation policy. We take all reservations in good faith, that our guests will inform us at the earliest possible convenience if a cancellation or change in party size is necessary. So, if you have a change, please let us know!

How can I make a reservation?

We love reservations! Reserve a table here anytime. This tool reflects the availability of tables and seating times with 100% accuracy. It is the fastest and easiest way to book with us. You may also call us at 703-988-7333.

How long is the grace period if I’m running late for my reservation?

We get it, stuff happens. We offer a grace period of 15 minutes. If you arrive after the 15-minute grace period, even with a phone call, you may be subjected to the wait list simply to be fair to all of our guests.

Is there a dress code?

We like to think of ourselves as smart casual. We are what you want to make us… casual, sporty, pre-Kennedy Center show – we love it all!

Who do I contact if I want to make a reservation for a large party (more than 12 guests)?

For parties over the size of 12, simply fill out this form with information on exact party size, date, and time of your request.

What guests should know prior to dining with us regarding COVID-19 operations?

Your health and well-being are the utmost important to us. We are following local government regulations and CDC guidelines. We appreciate your support in helping to keep everyone as safe as possible.

Masks are currently optional for our guests and our team members at all of our locations.

We will continue encourage vaccination, educate our team members, and track COVID cases.

Will I be required to wear a mask?

Masks are currently optional for our guests, as well as our team members, at all of our locations. We are continuing to follow local government regulations and CDC guidelines.

 

Reserve a Table

Join Us For A Meal

Reserve your table or come on in. Our full menus are available for weekday breakfast, lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch.

Directions & Parking

ACCESSIBILITY

All of our restaurants are well equipped to provide excellent hospitality for all of our guests. Please let us know if you have any access concerns or needs in dining with us. You can make note when making your online reservation, contact us in advance of your reservation using the form above, or let us know when you arrive.

Located in the heart of Mt Vernon Square, Farmers & Distillers is located on one floor, including a full bar, dining room, and restrooms. Looking at the front of the restaurant from the outside, we are up several stairs from the sidewalk. However, to the right there are no stairs, but a gradual incline from the sidewalk level. There is metered street parking all around the restaurant and the closest parking garage is located beneath our 600 Massachusetts Avenue building, with access through the adjacent office building lobby to the street. Farmers & Distillers is located on the right. We are accessible via multiple Metro buses and located three blocks away from two metro stops: Gallery Place-Chinatown and Mt Vernon Square.


As you can see from the map below, Farmers & Distillers sits right in the heart of downtown Washington, D.C. Located in the Mt Vernon Square neighborhood, nearby Chinatown, our prime downtown DC location is within walking distance to many of our nation’s most popular and historic landmarks. Farmers & Distillers is less than five blocks from DC’s flagship Apple store, Apple Carnegie Library. And we are just three blocks from the Capital One Arena, four blocks from the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, and within easy walking distance to all of DC’s famed downtown theaters, such as Shakespeare Theatre Company, Ford’s Theatre, the National Theatre, and the Warner Theatre. Farmers & Distillers is conveniently located less than a mile (and one metro stop) to the National Mall, with all of its free museums and tourist attractions, including the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum and the Washington Monument. We are also just about a mile to the White House, and just over a mile to the U.S. Capitol.

Farmers & Distillers is the perfect gathering place for food and drink before or after attending one of DC’s great local events, to rest after a day touring the city, to enjoy a meal before a concert or show, to grab a bite with colleagues who are in town for a conference, or to celebrate after a Caps, Wizards, or even at Nationals game.

We serve award-winning fried chicken and donuts.

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Join us for a meal

Reserve a Table

Reserve your table or come on in. Our full menus are available for weekday breakfast, lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch.