Elephant & Castle

The headquarters of Elephant & Castle Pub and Restaurants is in Boston, but there are locations scattered around the U.S. and in Canada.  One of the D.C. locations is on Pennsylvania Avenue, close to the Old Post Office Pavilion where our bicycle tour began and ended.  Proximity wasn’t what drew me to the place, though.  I collect elephants so this was a chance to add to my collection without taking up space in the RV.

Elephant & Castle is a British-style pub and eatery filled with dark woods and reproduction fabric-covered books with gilt edges.  Stained glass panels separate sections of seating and provide some privacy between parties.

Tucked into a cozy booth, we started with fried pickles.  The tangy, crunchy planks were served with a chipotle dipping sauce.  My mac-n-cheese had a kick from chopped jalapenos.  The panko crust on top was a nice contrast to the creamy cheese sauce and al dente elbows.  We were surprised when Mike’s meatloaf came in slices.  He liked it, especially because the gravy didn’t have mushrooms.  I ended up bringing his asparagus home along with the remaining half of my pasta.

Elephant & Castle has good, reasonably priced food in a comfortable atmosphere.  A pleasant place for a nosh if you’re down on the Mall in D.C.