H Street - Washington, DC Area Guide

Though included in the original 1791 city plan for D.C., the neighborhood known today as NoMa didn't really start to grow until after the Civil War. Just south of H Street, many poor Irish immigrants lived in the swampy patch of land then known as Swampoodle, and the shantytown frequently suffered outbreaks of typhoid and malaria. During the Civil War, General George B. McClellan made his Washington headquarters at the corner of H Street and Madison Place, where President Lincoln frequently visited. Ironically, Lincoln's assassination was planned just a little way down the road in a boarding house at 604 H Street owned by Mary Surratt, who was later convicted as an accomplice to the murder.

It wasn't until the opening of Union Station in 1907 that business began to flock to the H-street corridor. A busy commerce district sprouted along the railroad tracks, and factories and warehouses rose to accommodate the demand. Perhaps the most noteworthy neighborhood event happened in 1964, when the Beatles played their very first American concert at the Washington Coliseum just two days after their appearance on the Ed Sullivan show.

Since the early 2000s, the neighborhood has undergone a dramatic revitalization. Fueled by a mix of government aid and private landowner initiatives, large areas were rezoned and luxury high rises built over the remains of derelict factories. In 2004, the NoMa-Gallaudet U subway station opened on the Red Line, further spurring on growth and attracting newcomers.

Since then, NoMa has steadily fostered an up-and-coming cultural scene. One of several neighborhood theaters, the Atlas Performing Arts Center entertains guests with new plays, comedy shows and live music. Housed in a charming old movie house, the preserved theater also hosts film screenings in the summer and participates in the D.C. Shorts film festival. At the National Postal Museum, stamp collectors can spend an engrossing afternoon learning about the evolution of mail boxes and how mail gets sorted. In September, this neighborhood transforms for one day into the giant H Street Festival, when over 100,000 revelers drink Oktoberfest lagers, listen to live music and feast on street food.

The busy H Street corridor houses many of NoMa's best eats from spicy Indian and Vietnamese fare to Cajun and French favorites. Upscale American menus and vegetarian options round out the options for a full-flavor dining experience.

At neighborhood favorite H &pizza, chefs toss artisan pizzas and fresh salads for hungry patrons into the wee hours on weekends. Try one of several signature pies dressed with distinctive toppings such as the Moonstruck, which combines mushroom truffles with goat cheese and fig masala. For vegans, the Redvine partners nondairy Daiya mozzarella alongside sun-dried tomato pesto. Add a garden of veggies for a nutritional indulgence that has abundant options for crusts, cheeses and toppings.

Across the street, the Atlas Room updates the classic American bistro menu in a relaxed yet upscale atmosphere. Named one of D.C.'s best 100 restaurants by the Washington Post in 2013, the restaurant's chef and owner Matt Cordes plates creative versions of old favorites as modern dishes, including lamb bolognese and salmon with bacon butter. Succulent pork shoulder and duck with foie gras represent two of the most notable dishes. The establishment's diverse menu extends to the bar with mixology-style cocktails and international wines that complement your meal.

Indigo warms up locals with spicy Indian food and a cozy, welcoming atmosphere. Check the chalkboard menu near the counter for the latest offerings, which include a generous selection of vegetarian dishes. Top of the list of things to try range from the saag chicken to the crispy, oversized samosas. Customers happily wait in lines that stretch to the door at peak mealtimes.

At night, local heads out to H Street for brews, tunes and dancing. Little Miss Whiskey’s Golden Dollar combines all three aspects as bartenders on the first floor serve liquor slushies, while a DJ upstairs spins music. The bar only accepts cash, so get your George Washingtons ready in advance to avoid ATM fees.

If DJs aren't your scene, catch live jazz and blues acts at the Tree House Lounge on Florida Avenue at least four nights per week. Four or five acts play one-hour sets back to back on any given evening, allowing you to enjoy multiple artists in one relaxing night of soothing sounds.

For a quieter atmosphere, barkeeps at Granville Moore's pour Belgian brews, stouts, lagers and ciders from an extensive beer selection to supplement a full bar and diverse wine list. The gastropub serves refined versions of classic bar food, including addictive frites that come with a choice of two sauces.

While residents don't have an abundance of public transit options, NoMa has several subway and bus stops, and the busy storefronts on H Street make the area fun to walk. The Metro's Red Line stops on Florida Avenue at the NoMa-Gallaudet U subway station and continues south to Union Station, where you can also catch a MARC or VRE commuter train out of the city, along with Amtrak national rail service. Local bus service helps bridge the gap, with the X3 running along H Street and the 90/92 stopping at 8th Street.

Walking alone late at night gets a bit iffy after the bars and clubs let out, so stay on the safe side and call a car service or use Uber. Cabs don't pass by frequently, so it's difficult to hail one. Behind the wheel of your own ride, getting out of town is pretty easy, with major thoroughfares running just north and east of the area. Plenty of parking garages make paying to park quickly, though public parking gets scarce during busy hours.

Cyclists can bike all the way to Silver Spring on the eight-mile Metropolitan Branch Trail that passes through the neighborhood, and Bikestation at Union Square has secure parking and lockers, along with Bike and Roll rentals.

This former warehouse district lacks green spaces, and only a few small parks give you respite from the city, including Cobbs Park and Millian Park. Unfortunately, residents complain that both spaces suffer from neglect, with garbage and even open drug use, making the area unsuitable for a family outing. Support continues to grow among city officials to fund a park where dogs can roam and children can play, and the NoMa Parks Foundation continues to push for more green spaces.

The cost of living in NoMa reflects the overall high prices in the D.C. area, among the highest in the nation, but if living in the center of it all is important to you, NoMa gives you a great location at lower rents than other neighborhoods equally well situated to downtown. The median home sales price hovers at just over $560,000 — slightly higher than the city average, but considerably lower than nearby Stanton Park or Eckington, which fall around $685,000 and $590,000 respectively. The average one bedroom in NoMa rents for $2,325, though much of the newer housing stock caters to upscale renters, driving up rent averages. The upscale eateries on H Street can set you back, but there are plenty of affordable restaurants and entertainment options to help you stay on your budget.

Though NoMa's nightlife scene attracts the most visitors, a growing number of boutiques on H Street make for fun shopping. The Chic Shack specializes in carefully selected vintage and designer resale at affordable prices, while a few blocks away at American Rescue Workers Thrift, treasure hunters find bargains that are cheap even for a thrift store. Stylish shoppers looking for fresh ideas by new designers should drop by the C.A.T.WALK Boutique for trend-setting pieces at prices that won't destroy your bank account, or spend the afternoon browsing the bustling shops at Union Station, which houses dozens of stores across a range of prices, from cute and affordable outfits at H&M to decadent chocolate-based creations at Neuhaus.

Despite the evolution of the neighborhood, residents still wish for a wider selection of grocery options, but a Giant grocer on H Street stocks everything you need and H Street Organic Market gets good reviews for healthy options. Farmer's markets help make up the deficit, with Freshfarm market on H Street selling the freshest fruits in vegetables in the neighborhood. Further north, artisanal food vendors at Union Market fill an old warehouse with their wares, from Korean tacos to pickles and coffee, along with local dairy and produce.