Mouthwatering Meals at The Barns

Feb 21, 2025

There are few things better than enjoying a night of music with a full belly and a refreshing beverage. When you attend a performance at The Barns at Wolf Trap, there’s no need to deliberate your pre-show meal. You can find outstanding gourmet food and drink options right here!

With a menu curated and prepared by Wolf Trap’s talented culinary team, there’s something delicious to suit every tastebud. With The Barns’ season in full swing, Sous Chef Jason Pierce shares some of the dishes to look out for this year.

Meet Sous Chef Jason Pierce

Education: Le Cordon Bleu ’01

First job: Server at Wolf Trap’s Ovations

Culinary background: Started out with golf courses and country clubs before working in restaurants. Joined Wolf Trap’s Food and Beverage team as a bartender in 2021 before becoming a sous chef the following year.

Favorite past performance:
The Roots at the Filene Center in Summer 2024 (“Arrested Development stole the show!”)

Cool & Classy Gastropub

As soon as you step into The Barns, you’re greeted by friendly ushers and tempting aromas wafting from the dining area. Follow your nose to the bar, choose your items, and take a seat. You may be eating in a restored 18^th-century barn, but the soft glow of the chandeliers and sleek snapshots of past Wolf Trap performances elevate the experience.

This cozy yet modern ambience is reflected in The Barns’ food selections, which Pierce describes as having a “cool and classy gastropub” feel.

Start off your meal with the perfectly poppable Buffalo Cauliflower Bites or brand-new Duck Confit Nachos on crisp wontons, a daring and delectable mashup of East meets West. Then follow it up with tried-and-true favorites like the Smash Burger, Fish Tacos, or Margherita Flatbread. Plus, there’s way more than just pub fare on offer.

“What’s exciting for me as a chef and my crew is that patrons can see how we’re progressing the menu, and the feedback is that people actually like the new stuff we’re doing. We’re trying to push the boundaries a bit more every year,” says Pierce.

In-House Specialties

What are some of these new, boundary-pushing items?

One dish making its debut is the Pulled Short Rib Ragu with sweet potato gnocchi. Pierce explains the mouth-watering meat is braised in-house and overnight for ultimate flavor. For a meatless option, look to the creamy Cremini Mushroom Ravioli served with a fresh Caesar Salad.

If you want to end on a sweet note, look no further than the decadent Flourless Chocolate Torte, Warm Apple Pie Ala Mode, or an updated treat.

“Last year we did a Crème Brûlée with rosewater and pink peppercorns—that was more fall/winter. For spring/summer, we’re refreshing it with cardamom and saffron. Sous Chef Darya Goudarznia is going to take the lead. He’s from Greece, so it’s going to have a Greek profile to it. Still sweet, and it’s going to be lovely,” says Pierce.

Creating Wolf Trap Signatures

Pierce says the Food & Beverage team always keeps patrons’ diverse tastes and preferences in mind, making sure to incorporate multiple vegetarian and gluten-free options. They also use locally sourced ingredients whenever possible and ensure the foods served have a throughline across venues.

“If we see something working in one venue, we do try to implement it somewhere else just to see how it works. I like that familiarity,” says Pierce.

Some fan favorite items you may recognize from the Filene Center include the Maryland Jumbo Lump Crab Cake Sandwich, Mediterranean Falafel Bowl, and Pepperoni Flat Bread with hot honey—which, for the record, Pierce claims their team came up with years before it became trendy!

The team updates The Barns’ dishes seasonally. The Mambo sauce, which made its debut last summer at the Filene Center, gets an upgrade as Mambo aioli on succulent Meatloaf Sliders—a comfort food classic with a DC twist.

Ask Your Server

Wondering about drink pairings? Pierce attests you don’t have to stick to the old ‘red wines with red meat’ or ‘white wines with fish and veggies’. His advice is to choose a wine, beer, or cocktail based off the notes and flavors you prefer and ask your server for recommendations.

At the start of the season, Wolf Trap’s Food and Beverage staff gather to taste all the new dishes and drinks. Pierce walks the staff through every step of the recipe so the servers are well-equipped to answer questions.

“Our staff here is very passionate about the food, so we all care. We put our all on the line for it.”

Be Our Guest!

Food service at The Barns begins 90 minutes before each performance. Don’t have your tickets yet? Buy tickets for shows and check out The Barns’ full menu!