WASHINGTON (Map, News) - For years common knowledge was, you don’t dine where you disco.  Leave the grilling to the chefs and the grooving to the clubs, so to speak. Lately, however, many area concert venues have stepped up their culinary offerings to accommodate hungry (and often healthy) music lovers. So whether you’re an early bird trying to score a spot by the stage, or you just didn’t have time for a restaurant pit stop, don’t hesitate to give these concert kitchens a try.

9:30 Club

The nationally renowned 9:30 Club in Shaw recently renovated its menu, which the staff hawks out of a small window to the left of the stage that’s delightfully labeled “Food Food.” A surprisingly rich vegan chili, hummus and veggies, and small pita pizzas lead off an impressive lineup of about 25 items. From there, fix your gaze on the six new paninis. The picks here are a tangy “pizzanini” and the “weinernini,” a beef hot dog with onions, mustard, sauerkraut and mustard in a grilled potato bun. The beer selection is admirable, too: Old favorites such as Dos Equis and Stella Artois compete for your affection with harder-to-find gems including Brooklyn Lager and Skullsplitter from the Orkney Islands.

Info: 915 V St. NW; 202-265-0930, 930.com

Birchmere

The Birchmere’s open-seating policy necessitates an early arrival time, which gives patrons the chance to sample the largely southern-fried menu. Among the options are “Beef Prison” chili, red beans and rice, Cajun gumbo and BBQ brisket, and that’s just the first page. On the other side, find ribs and two kinds of po’boys. Dinner salads and pizzas round out one of the largest musical menus around town. To wash them down, choose from two dozen well-selected beers — Virginia Native, New River Pale Ale and Widmer Hefeweizen among them.

Info: 3701 Mt. Vernon Ave.. Alexandria; 703-549-7500, birchmere.com

Black Cat

Vegan and vegetarian options are the order of the day (er, night) at the Black Cat, the indie/punk haven that brought cool to 14th Street long before the condos came. Meat-free items at the Food for Thought cafe outnumber carnivorous options by 2-to-1. Think vegan chili, falafel with pita bread, a veggie burger and two varieties of lasagna (vegetarian with three cheeses or vegan with tofu and something called “nutritional yeast”). Meat eaters get the usual burgers and dogs, as well as BBQ chicken. The prices are right, too — as low as $3 for a plate of hummus or a hot dog.

Info: 1811 14th St. NW; 202-667-7960, blackcatdc.com

Rock and Roll Hotel

At the Rock and Roll Hotel, the music scene’s new kid on the block, the proprietors crafted a small bar menu with their indie audience in mind. The hummus, chips and salsa, and fries (choice of plain, truffled or garlic mayo) all note their somewhat obvious vegan origins, while cheeseburger sliders and a whimsical fluffernutter panini keep the young at heart happy. The 20 or so beer selections largely keep it simple, with names such as Miller High Life and PBR anchoring the lineup for hop-head favorites Pilsner Urquell and Red Hook ESB.

Info: 1353 H St. NE; 202-388-ROCK, rockandrollhoteldc.com

Strathmore

Yes, even at the classically minded Strathmore Music Hall, they rock on occasion (Jethro Tull played there last fall). Here it’s all about options. The all-season Prelude Cafe serves a changing menu of about three entrees per day, plus salads, snacks and coffee. But in nicer weather, the “Party on the Patio” adds a tiki-bar vibe outdoors, slinging tapas-size quesadillas, lamb kebabs, miniburgers and flatbreads. To round things off, the wine bar serves a rotating selection of themed wines that change monthly.

Info: 5301 Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda; 301-581-5100, strathmore.org

Wolf Trap

Concessions at Wolf Trap benefited in part from a recent $3.4 million sprucing-up project. Not that you need them. Alone among outdoor venues, this National Park Service performance center wins major points by letting you bring in as much food or drink as you’d like, short of a cooler. But I digress. Here, you can take a seat at Ovations Restaurant, managed by local restaurant group Capital Restaurant Concepts, for a la carte choices like roasted salmon and beef tournedos, or a prix fixe hot buffet. Or order ahead and have them prepare a picnic for you. You can even burnish your green credentials: As part of a major enviro-initiative, Wolf Trap’s packaging, straws, etc., are now biodegradable.

Info: 1645 Trap Road, Vienna; 703-255-1900, wolftrap.org

jdufour@dcexaminer.com