This man-made island in the Anacostia River is 40 acres of nature trails over wooden bridges and under mural-covered overpasses. You won’t find many tourists there, but you’ll see locals picnicking, kayaking, hiking and birdwatching; the island has more than 100 species of resident and migratory birds. Every spring, the island hosts the Kingman Island Bluegrass and Folk Festival, attracting D.C.’s more eclectic crowd for a day of live music, craft beer and people-watching.

This quirky museum in Dupont Circle is five interconnected townhouses with over 100 rooms. Most people pay $25 to explore the building trying to find all 70 of its secret doors, but the average visitor uncovers only 10 (just to set your expectations). Each themed room is cluttered with knickknacks, from poetry books to signed guitars, all of which are for sale. The mansion doubles as a hotel, offering visitors the chance to rent any room they find fascinating.

The longest continuously operating market in the city, Eastern Market is considered the town center of the historic Capitol Hill neighborhood. Inside the large brick building are stands selling fresh produce, cakes, dumplings, flowers and fish. The very last stall is Market Lunch — ironically, a popular breakfast spot. People stand in line for over an hour to pay cash for blueberry buckwheat pancakes. On the weekend, the outside turns into a large flea and farmers market.

The people waiting outside Call Your Mother will probably tell you they’re waiting for the best bagel in the city. This “Jew-ish” deli in the Park View neighborhood combines New York and Montreal styles into one bagel. Pro tip: Ask for half plain cream cheese, half seasonal jam; it works best on the sesame bagel. Remember to snap a photo outside in front of the pastel mural by local artist Marcella Kriebel.

Originally located in Woodley Park, a neighborhood stuck in the 1960s in all the best ways, Open City is an upscale diner that puts a spin on American breakfast classics. Love hash browns? Order an entire bowl of them with two sunny-side-up eggs on top. If French toast is your thing, you can have it with hazelnuts. They have 18 breakfast entrees on the menu all day, every day. They also serve their own blend of Common Grounds coffee, made specially for their sister shop, Tryst.

Across from Union Market, the city’s largest food hall, you’ll notice an Italian flag painted on a doorway in a row of industrial buildings. Inside are tight aisles crammed with gnocchi, spaghetti and pappardelle. In the back, you’ll find an unassuming deli selling subs (or hoagies, or grinders, but let’s not get political). If you don’t want to build your own, stick with the classic Italian. In a city where food prices can be steep, a quality whole sub for $9.95 is a steal.

This cash-only deli makes a sizable pastrami on rye bread using the same recipe the owner’s father and great uncle did in the 1950s. It’s now a sit-down and takeout place in a still very industrial part of town. (There’s not much for pedestrians here; driving is your best bet.) Adding to its charm, the decor inside is stuck in 1979, the year the place opened at this location. In an expensive city like Washington, the classic sandwiches here cost only $8.50.

So you can’t name a single country in the Balkans? The quality of Ambar’s food may change that. The tapas-style menu includes leek croquettes, stuffed sour cabbage and drunken mussels. While most restaurants in the city sell cocktails for more than $10, Ambar prices them at $5, no matter what you order during their weekday happy hour. (Beer and wine are $6.) If you’re going in a group, plan to order three plates per person.

Don’t let Gravitas’s prices scare you. Yes, chef Matt Baker offers only a tasting menu that starts at $78 for four courses, but broken down, that comes out to under $20 a dish for some of the most inventive food in the city. The restaurant is housed in an old tomato-packing factory in industrial Ivy City. Vegetarians are in luck because half the menu is for them. Gravitas’s wine menu is impressive, but opt for the cocktails instead. Each glass comes with a fancy garnish.

Even if you’re not on your way back from the bars, Amsterdam is worth a late-night stop. The original location, in Adams Morgan on 18th Street, is small, but it’s a quick eat. Pick a falafel pita or bowl, then go crazy with the 22 topping options, from pickled cabbage to hummus. If you happen to be on 14th Street NW, you’ll find a location there, too.