Got family visiting for the holidays? Chances are you’re not going to want to spend the whole weekend cooking. Here are five great brunch options sure to satisfy your out-of-town visitors.
Garrison
524 Eighth St., SE
Rob Weland’s locally minded American restaurant always showcases the best ingredients of the season. Plus, the warm, wood-paneled dining room isn’t so loud that you won’t be able to hear your mom’s long-winded story about her friend Judy (for better or worse). Poppyseed gougeres or warm ebelskiver, Danish doughnuts with seasonal jam, are a good way to start. From there, sample some lovely vegetable plates, breakfast sandwiches, or soft-scrambled eggs with smoked trout and caviar. Saturday and Sunday, 11 AM to 2:30 PM.
Iron Gate
1734 N St., NW
Cozy up by the fireplace in the former carriage house or dine under the wisteria in the courtyard (with heat lamps, of course). Chef Tony Chittum serves a Greek-inspired brunch that includes lemon-ricotta pancakes as well as olive-oil-fried eggs with crispy potatoes and salsa verde. Sweeter treats like baklava cinnamon rolls and crispy yeast doughnuts with orange blossom syrup seem like an easy way to please even your pickiest siblings. Saturday and Sunday, 11 AM to 2 PM.
Le Diplomate
1601 14th St., NW
This buzzy French restaurant is sure to impress the full range of palates in your family. The complimentary bread basket is one of our favorites around town, but the $12 pastry selection is a worthwhile upgrade. Have your oeufs baked with smoked salmon or scrambled with chanterelle mushrooms, or stick to staples like French toast (with brandied Gala apples). For those craving lunch-leaning French fare, the menu includes moules frites and trout amandine. We also can’t recommend the foie gras parfait enough. Saturday and Sunday, 9:30 AM to 3 PM.
Hank’s Pasta Bar
600 Montgomery St., Alexandria
Don’t knock spaghetti for breakfast until you’ve tried it. This family-friendly pasta offshoot of Hank’s Oyster Bar serves a full range of bucatini and fettuccine (plus whole wheat spaghetti and gluten-free fusilli) for brunch. But you can also opt for prosciutto eggs benedict, Nutella-stuffed focaccia toast, and creamy polenta with poached eggs and tomato ragu. Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, 11 AM to 3 PM.
Hazel
808 V St., NW
If your family gets along well enough for share plates, bring them to this fun dim-sum style brunch (Sundays only). Chef Rob Rubba offers a checklist menu with quirky mash-ups like fried egg with Szechuan-style mapo chicken or zucchini bread with foie gras mousse. The crispy tater tots with “fire panda” sauce (the restaurant’s version of sweet-savory Korean gochujang) is another favorite. Can’t decide? Go big and order all 10 dishes on the menu for $99. Sunday, 11 AM to 2 PM.
Jessica Sidman covers the people and trends behind D.C.’s food and drink scene. Before joining Washingtonian in July 2016, she was Food Editor and Young & Hungry columnist at Washington City Paper. She is a Colorado native and University of Pennsylvania grad.
