Washington, D.C.'s 'Little Rome' Is An Underrated Artsy Neighborhood With Beautiful Gardens And Tasty Eateries

People often visit Washington, D.C., for its grandiosity and the things that set it apart as a powerful capital, like the Smithsonian, the largest natural history collection in the world, or the dazzling display of color that takes place every spring for the National Cherry Blossom Festival. But the marble monuments and National Mall are only the surface of D.C. If you want to experience another side of the city, head a few Metro stops from downtown to the neighborhood of Brookland. 

Brookland is equal parts historic and artsy. Often called "Little Rome" because of its gorgeous Catholic sites, it's also an art-forward enclave full of studios and performance venues. Unlike the bustling city center, Brookland is a more relaxed neighborhood in D.C. The imposing Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception — the country's largest Roman Catholic church — makes this a beautiful place to walk around. You can take in the monuments, smell flowers at the gardens of the Franciscan Monastery, and admire the 1920s feel of the houses on 12th Street. Then, check out craft stores and studios along the neighborhood's Arts Walk and try food at restaurants praised by a local friar.

The Brookland Arts Walk is a great place to start if you want to dive into the neighborhood's arts scene. It's made up of 27 studios along Monroe Street. You can often pop into one during the daytime, where some have little shops or host events like art markets and workshops. Bicycle Trash, for example, is a studio where everything is made from bicycle rubber, selling accessories like earrings, belts, and even toiletry bags. At ixöq, local artists work with women in Guatemala to make handwoven bags and planters.

Walk a couple of minutes down 8th Street (which intersects Monroe Street), and you'll get to Dance Place, one of the neighborhood's coolest performance spaces. It's an interesting building in itself, with a hard-to-miss, colorful, abstract exterior. The venue has been around since 1978, and it offers a broad spectrum of different shows, from cutting-edge, local acts to traditional West African dancers.

From here, you can walk 20 minutes north or take a short bus ride to the Franciscan Monastery Garden. The sprawling, serene monastery gives you a true taste of the Little Rome moniker, with its stone arcades and over 100-year-old garden. Throughout the garden are replicas of sacred shrines, Renaissance architecture, and over 1,000 roses. As a green space further out from the city center, visiting the garden is a simple and fun way to avoid the Washington D.C. crowds.

Foodies will love Brookland. In fact, one of the Franciscan Monastery's own friars, Jason Welle, shared a few recommendations with Washington.org: "I go to Busboys and Poets for the Southern fusion food ... It's about food, poetry, and art." Other reviewers agree with Welle's suggestion, as Busboys and Poets is highly rated on Tripadvisor. It's a restaurant-bookstore hybrid where you can dine or catch an evening poetry night. Welle also recommended Brookland Pint, a rustic, American fare restaurant with a broad beer selection.

Speaking of beers, another must-visit spot is the Right Proper Brewing Company. The brewpub's Brookland location offers a tasting room and a patio, plus a selection of pub food — the fish tacos and Brussels sprouts are fan favorites. For an eclectic food experience, try out Tastemakers, a food hall where you can find everything from hand-rolled bagels to ice cream sandwiches. It's just a 13-minute walk south of Dance Place and is a great option if you don't want to commit to one cuisine.

You can easily get to Brookland by taking D.C.'s Red Line to the Brookland-CUA station, which is right by Monroe Street. It's just over 20 minutes from the National Mall via the Red Line and a little over an hour from Dulles International Airport, whether you drive or take the Silver Line into downtown.