Tucked away in an underserved D.C. community near the Maryland border is Bird’s Kitchen, named after one half of the aunt and nephew duo, Tomeaki and Donzell McEachin, who opened the made-to-order take-out spot in November 2022.

Aunt Bird, Tomeaki’s nickname given by a family member, has been the go-to for family and close friends when it came to eating good. Naturally, they called her home “Bird’s Kitchen,” and she made sure to have a plate of food for anyone who stopped by. 

During the pandemic, Tomeaki sold plates out of her home to make ends meet, eventually offering them at a family member’s local barbershop, Campbell & Co. Hair Studios. She sold out in minutes. Donzell made it his mission to turn his aunt’s side hustle into a business. The barbershop owners, John and Tybias Campbell, offered up their vacant space around the corner, selling it to the duo in May 2021.

You’ll feel a warm welcome stepping into the foyer of Bird’s Kitchen, as if you’re in Tomeaki’s home. A digital menu hangs above the ordering window, with beverages and desserts in nearby coolers. There’s an adorable colorful art piece, custom made from a close friend of the family.

“The goal of the menu was to keep things as simple as possible so that they do not cut any corners to affect food quality,” Donzell says. Think chicken wings, burgers, salads, and fries. And with simplicity comes reasonably priced food. The most expensive item is $18.

The Saucey Wings are the most popular. Six wings are lightly breaded and seasoned, then deep-fried until crispy. They’re tossed in Aunt Bird’s Signature Sweet and Peppery sauce, making for  sticky, finger-licking final product. The sauce tasted like a sweet barbecue sauce, minus the brown sugar and smokiness. They won’t reveal the recipe, but it is in competition with D.C.’s beloved mumbo sauce. The wings come with a side of ranch dressing, but I left it untouched.

I was shocked to learn that another popular item is their turkey burger, called “The Thanksgiving.” A six-ounce patty is seared on the flattop, topped with grilled onions, peppers, and pepper jack cheese. As the cheese melts, the cook adds a scoop of house-made cranberry sauce before it’s placed on a toasted brioche bun. I have not had the best experience with turkey burgers. They’re usually overcooked and underseasoned. But I gave this one a shot and was pleasantly surprised. Aunt Bird’s take on the turkey burger has made me a convert. The combo of the tart cranberry sauce, the juicy burger, and melty cheese made me moan a little bit.

If you’re looking for a burger that may demand a post-meal nap, go for “The 2/4 Burger.” Donzell says not many people order it simply because of its size. You’ll get two 6-ounce beef patties with a pile of grilled mushrooms and onions, Swiss cheese, and A1 Steak Sauce. Mushrooms and onions are my favorite burger topping, so I fell in love on the first bite. It’s definitely on the hefty size, but it’s hard to pass on this $13 double-decker. Personally, I could go for twice the amount of mushrooms and onions.

Bird’s Kitchen also has a six-ounce no-filler crab cake sandwich for the pescatarians. “The As-Is” jumbo lump crab cake is lightly breaded and deep-fried until it’s nice and crispy on the outside. The gag with this sandwich is there are no toppings. No lettuce, no tomatoes, no remoulade, no aioli. Now, I love sauce with my crab cakes, but I didn’t miss it this time around. The crab cake had a nice crust on the outside, and stayed moist in the middle.

If you’re in a hurry or want a cold meal, Bird’s Kitchen has 8-ounce servings of tuna macaroni salad and a curry chicken salad (I could eat a bowl full of the latter). They also offer a few desserts, such as banana pudding, strawberry shortcake, and cherry cheesecake—all made in their kitchen.

Tomeaki and Donzell understand that they opened a restaurant in a part of town that is out of the way. They admit they were skeptical at first, and considered looking for a spot in an area with more development. But they also wanted to grow with their community and be a part of the change. “It’s been a journey, one that I’m anticipating,” Tomeaki says. “The highs and the lows, but we’re here. We’re here to stay and looking forward to a bigger and brighter future.”

Bird’s Kitchen is located at 5013 H St. SE. It’s open Sundays 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Tuesday through Saturday 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Delivery is available through UberEats, Grubhub, and DoorDash. Prices range from $5–$18.

Take-out Ratings:

Packaging: Sandwiches are wrapped in insulated foil sheets. Remaining menu items are packaged in microwave- and dishwasher-safe containers.

Does it travel well? Food will stay warm for about 30 minutes before you need to re-heat.

Is the food good? Deep-fried items did not feel greasy. It’s a cheat meal without feeling too heavy.

Leftovers: Best if reheated in an air fryer or toaster oven.

Stachowski’s Market, a family-owned deli, grocery, and butcher shop in Georgetown, launched in 2008 as a charcuterie business. Three years later, owner Jamie Stachowski expanded the company to include the market.

You’ll find Stachowski’s at the corner of 28th and P street NW. There’s street parking in the neighborhood, or catch the G2 Metrobus that stops outside the store. Look for the red brick row house with the name above the white-trimmed bay window. Step into the market to find shelves full of canned goods, tables lined with fresh produce and hot soup, and refrigerators stocked with housemade sausages and bottled drinks. There is a large display case of cured meats, fresh seafood, and large cuts of steaks, all butchered and prepared in house.

While plenty of customers visit for the market aspect of Stachowski’s, the delicatessen is very popular. A pig-shaped chalkboard listing their sandwich menu is posted next to the meat counter. No customized sandwiches here—they’ve had the same menu since they’ve opened. “The sandwiches came as an afterthought, a few days before we opened. My son said it made sense to sell it, since we had the product to do it,” Stachowski says. These days, they often sell close to 300 sandwiches on a weekend.

They stick with 11 classics for their sandwich menu. The turkey club is made with smoked bacon, Swiss cheese, and sliced avocados. The hot Italian sausage sub is topped with sauteed peppers and onions. Get a meatball sub with marinara and melty provolone. 

Pastrami has always been a big thing for the Stachowski family, natives of Buffalo, New York, and it’s their market’s best-selling sandwich. To prepare it, chefs brine brisket with salt, sugar, and spices for several hours. It’s then coated in lots of black pepper, mustard seeds, and coriander, giving the pastrami a charred appearance. Once it’s smoked, thick slices of hot pastrami are placed between toasted pumpernickel with a schmear of deli mustard. The assembly is very simple, but the flavor was outstanding.

The pastrami wasn’t overly salty, and there wasn’t too much seasoning on the outside. You could see some marbling throughout the slices, as well as that juicy fat cap. There was just enough mustard and it didn’t overpower the meat. The sandwich includes three slices of bread, which are needed to support the pound of pastrami it’s holding together. You will need to stretch your mouth to get a good bite of this one. (Pro tip: pretend you’re yawning.)

The Braunschweiger, made of liverwurst, is the market’s most unique sandwich offering. Liverwurst, a sausage made of pork and beef liver, plus seasonings to enhance the flavor, is traditionally served cold. “You’ll either love it or you’ll hate it,” says Stachowski. The sausage is sliced into thick coins, layered with sweet pickles, mustard, and thinly sliced red onions, and sandwiched between rye bread. I did not know what to expect with this one, and had to remind myself that I’ve consumed some food that sounds much less appetizing than a cold liver sandwich. It’s definitely an acquired taste that I ended up enjoying. The liverwurst flavor was mild with a soft texture, so its toppings balanced it all out.

Stachowski’s offers one or two dinner specials daily, selling up to 50 each evening. Just like their deli sandwiches, the dinners are also kept simple, sticking to hearty and comforting meals. Norvin, the store manager, makes the special based on what proteins are aging, so nothing is being wasted. The daily dinners are meant to feed two, so you’re getting more value for what’s being spent.

Every Sunday, they have half or whole roasted chicken paired with mashed potatoes and gravy. There’s a Friday prime rib dinner, served with Yorkshire pudding, potatoes, and veggies. The rest of the week, they stick to two entrees that oppose each other, like a meat and a seafood, or a salad and a homemade pasta. Their most popular dinner is the baked salmon. It’s seasoned with lemon pepper, then paired with white rice, steamed broccoli, and hollandaise sauce. “We do really simple but well executed dishes,” says Stachowski.

Daily specials are posted on the market’s website, where customers can opt for an email blast to get menu updates. Phone orders get first priority, but walk-in orders are welcome. If there are meals left at the end of the day, they’re packaged and labeled “TV Dinners,” then sold in their market at a discounted price.

Aside from the grocery and butcher side, a hearty and comforting meal is what you’ll get from Stachowski’s. I do not recommend going during lunch, since the hefty sandwiches will make you unproductive for the rest of the day. For me, a long nap is necessary after grabbing food from here.

Stachowski’s Market is open 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays, and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sundays. Orders can be placed online, by phone, or in person. Sandwich and dinner special prices range from $9 to $27. 

1425 28th St. NW, stachowskimarket.com