It’s that time of year again to pause and appreciate Mom for giving you life and making it a little easier. What’s not so easy: Finding a a place to feed the hand that fed you on one of the most crowded restaurant days of the year. This Mother’s Day (May 11), there are plenty of brunch options to please her palate, from French-countryside-inspired feasts to elaborate buffets.
1789
1226 36th St. NW; 202-965-1789; 1789restaurant.com
This Georgetown institution is offering a brunch that’s equally as elegant as its decor. After a first course of canapés, choose from roasted Vidalia-onion soup with cheddar and country ham; house-cured Arctic char with caperberries, pickled onions, and rye toast; and braised rhubarb and strawberries with Greek yogurt and Marcona almonds. Main courses include brioche French toast with glazed bananas and peanut- and maple- butters; lobster quiche with parmesan, potatoes, and caramelized onions; and a Chinese-style slow-roasted halibut with broccoli, toasted garlic, crispy noodles, and black vinegar. Desserts include pineapple clafoutis with rosemary ice cream; and a chocolate-coffee glass with sorbet, granita, and cocoa-nib biscotti.
•Brunch is served from 10 AM to 2 PM. Entrees range from $24 to $38, and include the first two courses; desserts are $9 each.
2941
2941 Fairview Park Dr., Falls Church; 703-270-1500; 2941.com
This glass-enclosed dining room overlooking a pond is prettiest in the daytime, and that’s when new chef Bertrand Chemel is offering a four- or six-course brunch menu.
For the four-course menu, choose from first course selections such as Peekytoe-crab salad; warm porcini-mushroom salad; chilled carrot soup; or shrimp-and-lobster ceviche. Next is handmade pasta with braised morsels. Main course options include halibut with peas and pommes boulangere; steamed sea-bass with asparagus and slow-cooked tomatoes; beef striploin with baby carrots and porcini sauce; or roasted rack of lamb with Romesco sauce. Dessert and mignardises follow.
The six-course option is a set tasting menu. It’s comprised of yellowfin tuna tartar with caviar; Alaskan King salmon with fennel confit; veal sweetbreads with porcini salad; roasted veal loin with spring risotto; dry-aged beef striploin with sauteed arugula; and a tasting of desserts.
•Brunch is served from 11:30 AM to 8:30 PM. Four-course menu, $85 per person; six-course menu, $125 per person (wine pairing is $65 extra); a four-course children’s menu is $25 per child.
Ardeo
3311 Connecticut Ave., NW; 202-244-6750; ardeorestaurant.com
In this arty Cleveland Park dining room, chef Trent Conry is offering a three-course brunch. Starters include heirloom beet salad with yuzu gelée and balsamic-pomegranate reduction; lump crab cakes with a celery-root slaw and leek puree; a seared diver scallop with avocado, blood orange, and chipotle syrup; and oyster-and-corn chowder with saffron aioli. For the main course, choose among banana-stuffed pumpkin French toast; corned-beef hash with sunny-side-up eggs; Alaskan halibut with morels, English peas, and scallop froth; and Kurobuta pork chop with kumquat marmalade and carrot risotto. For dessert, there’s pear upside-down cake with butter-pecan ice cream; a hazelnut-caramel bar with a chocolate milkshake; and banana-and-macadamia-nut cheesecake.
•Brunch is served from 11:30 AM to 3 PM. $40 per person.
Bastille
1201 N. Royal St., Alexandria; 202-776-0136; bastillerestaurant.com
Call mom “mere” and take her to this French-countryside inspired brunch at Bastille. First course options include asparagus salad with candied pecans and citrus vinaigrette; spring-pea-and-mint soup with lemon creme fraiche; and calamari-and-shrimp beignets. For the main course, choose between pan-roasted wild Alaskan salmon with basil-pesto cream, mushroom risotto, and mustard greens; or a free-range chicken breast baked in a pastry crust and stuffed with foie-gras-and-mushroom mousse. Desserts include carrot cake with vanilla-cream-cheese mousse and toasted pecans; Manjari-chocolate mousse with brandied cherries; and strawberry-rhubarb buckle cake with chantilly cream. A final cheese course is optional. A children’s menu includes soup or salad followed by macaroni and cheese and a choice of dessert.
•Brunch is served from 11:30 AM to 2:30 PM. $28 for three courses; $37 for four courses. Children’s menu is $16 per child under 12.
Blue Duck Tavern
1201 24th St., NW; 202-419-6625; blueducktavern.com
At this seasonally-driven restaurant in the Park Hyatt Hotel, chef Brian McBride is planning a three-course brunch filled with his own mother’s favorite recipes. For the first course, graze on a buffet spread that includes fresh oysters, poached shrimp, cheese and charcuterie, and a variety of salads. Entrees, served at the table, include Maine scallops with morels and crispy speck; braised lamb shank with garlic jus; and mushroom-crusted filet mignon with foie-gras sauce. Step up to the dessert buffet for chocolate-hazelnut mousse cake; apple pie; lemon- meringue tart; and coconut shortbread.
•Brunch is served from 10 AM to 3 PM. $80 per person; children ages six through 12, $40; children ages six and under, free.
The Colonnade at the Fairmont Hotel
2401 M St., NW; 202-457-5000; fairmont.com
The plush dining room at this West End hotel will honor mothers with a buffet brunch that includes charcuterie, smoked salmon, local artisan cheeses, chef-prepared crepes, an omelet station, and such entrees as lobster-and-green-pea risotto, and spring lamb chops. Champagne and mimosas are included.
•Brunch is served from 10:30 AM to 3 PM. $95 per person; children under 12, $47.50.
Hudson Restaurant
2300 M St., NW; 202-872-8700; hudson-dc.com
In addition to the regular brunch menu at this wildly decorated West End dining room, chef Ryan Arnold is adding a roster of New Orleans-inspired eats in honor of Ma: Eggs Sardou, with poached eggs, artichokes, crab, and hollandaise sauce; grilled polenta cakes with Andouille sausage, shrimp, and roasted red peppers; crepes Suzette; and bananas Foster. A jazz duo sets the mood.
•Brunch is served from 10 AM to 4 PM. Main courses range from $11 to $18.
Mie N Yu
3125 M St., NW; 202-333-6122; mienyu.com
A three-course, Asian-fusion menu is on offer at this colorful Georgetown spot. Choices include mussels with red curry; mango pancakes; and tempura-fried apples. A glass of Champagne is included.
•Brunch is served from 11 AM to 4 PM. $20 per person.
Mrs. K’s Tollhouse Restaurant
9201 Colesville Rd., Silver Spring; 301-589-3500; mrsks.com
A four-course brunch will be served in the new two-acre herb-and-butterfly garden at this historic restaurant. Appetizers include corn-and-crab chowder; smoked salmon with creme fraiche; and gazpacho. Next, choose between a Greek or pear-and-mesclun salad. Main courses include blackened rockfish with heirloom tomato-and-basil salsa; roast prime rib au jus; and vegetarian pasta with tomatoes, asparagus, and spinach. Choose from sweets such as bread pudding with whiskey sauce; butterscotch sundae; and four varieties of sorbets. All moms will be sent home with a potted herb plant.
•Brunch is served from 11 AM to 8 PM. $60 per person; children under 13, $20.
The Oval Room
800 Connecticut Ave., NW; 202-463-8700; ovalroom.com
This sunny, celadon-painted dining room near the White House is offering a three-course brunch menu. Start the meal with a choice of white asparagus soup with pickled shallots; foie gras dumplings with charred pineapple; shrimp salad with red-chili vinaigrette; goat -cheese custard with red beets and crystallized ginger; or pastrami-cured kona kampachi. Main course options include potato gnocchi with black-truffle sauce; wild striped bass with anise, sugar snap peas, and almonds; halibut with artichokes, Thai basil, and blood orange; sirloin with porcini marmalade; and pork belly with kumquat marmalade. For dessert, there’s a coconut cream tart; devil’s food cake; blood-orange pavlova with fennel ice cream; and white-chocolate-vanilla souffle cake.
•Brunch is served from 11:30 AM to 3:30 PM. $45 per person.
Seasons at the Four Seasons Hotel
2800 Pennsylvania Ave., NW; 202-442-0444; fourseasons.com
This Georgetown hotel is serving a typically opulent buffet, with omelet and carving stations, salads, Mediterranean and Asian stations, fresh seafood, and a cheese table. A children’s buffet, with chicken nuggets, fries, and mac and cheese, is also available.
•Brunch is served from 10:30 AM to 2:30 PM. $98 per person; children ages five through 12, $49; children under five, free.
Teatro Goldoni
1909 K Street NW, 202 955 9494; teatrogoldoni.com
Normally closed on Sundays, Teatro will be offering a five-course meal, including an appetizer, pasta, fish, meat, and dessert. Highlights include a summer braised lamb and a torrone zabaglione for dessert.
•Brunch is served between noon and 8 PM. $59 per person.
Need more Mother's Day ideas? Check out our Great Day Spas guide, great museum shops for gifts, and some of our favorite jewelry shops.
Want more on brunch? Check out our post on summer brunch trends. Also, on Thursday at 11 AM, we'll be hosting a chat with make three chefs who will discuss all things brunchy and breakfasty. Submit a question here!
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