Stores & Markets in Washington, D. C.

With all the charm of a country cabin, Gourmet Cottage lines its dark wood and whitewashed shelves with epicurian sundries, local crafts, and edible lagniappes. Fresh-jarred jams and jellies from Stonewall Kitchen strive against their handsome glass confines with loads of fresh wild Maine blueberries or orange and champagne in the mimosa blend. Backyard barbecues set themselves apart with a smattering of artisan sauces, including roasted-peach whiskey sauce and vidalia-onion fig. The staff, who has been tasting food their entire lives, helps customers pair snacks and wine into fetching gift baskets. They also leap into the holiday spirit, adorning the homey shop in seasonal décor, from evergreens and Santas during Yuletide, bunnies and eggs for Easter, and toddlers with bows and arrows for Valentine's Day.

Not a lot of kids grow up on farms anymore. So when families start flocking to working farms to get their yearly dose of fall activities, kids have a lot of questions. That’s why the Cox family decided to open up their Spider Hall Farm to kids and adults who want to know more about the day-to-day agricultural lifestyle, the importance of being a good steward of the land and water, and how to apply school lessons to real-life situations on the farm. Their education center features six lab-style classrooms where guests can learn through interactive lessons, followed by a tour of the farm’s 362 acres, which are filled with tobacco, corn, and grain.

Throughout the year, the farm sells seasonal produce, meat raised in southern Maryland, organic milk and ice cream, and seasonal plants, allowing guests to roam the farm and experience the full circle of where food comes from without moonlighting as a cafeteria lady. When the last of the crops are harvested, visitors are invited to celebrate with the Cox family at the corn maze and pumpkin patch or to come back when the weather gets chilly to pick out a Christmas tree and take a merry horse-drawn carriage ride.

The Barthelson family’s certified-organic farm has cultivated produce, raised chickens and cows, and shared its harvest with the surrounding communities for the last 7 years. Always looking to lower their carbon footprint and increase sustainability, the Barthelsons reuse glass bottles for their minimally processed milk, build their soil with organic compost, and graze Angus cows and bulls on grassy pastures and the now-overgrown stadiums used for pog tournaments. Through their CSA membership program, the farm distributes and delivers eggs, produce, herbs, and meat to residents in surrounding communities from early spring until the beginning of autumn.

Baltimore City Paper named Santoni's the Best Grocery Store in the metropolitan area for good reason. A local staple since the 1930s, Santoni's is proud of its old-school roots and personal service. The friendly staff acts as one big family, either because they are blood related or because they are brothers and sisters in ritual kiwi juggling. Open 24 hours a day, Santoni's is the perfect place to catch the sunrise over a neatly kept stack of navel oranges.