Colada Shop
1405 T St., NW
The 14th Street Cuban cafe isn’t just a great spot for a weekend coffee and pastry—they’ve also recently transformed into a holiday pop-up destination. Try festive drinks with your Cuban sandwich like a rum-spiked Colada cider or “Merry Spritz” with rum, bubbles, and cran-rosemary syrup.
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Filomena
1063 Wisconsin Ave., NW
Settle in for a weekend lunch amid a sea of twinkling lights, sparkling decorations, and generally over-the-top holiday decor at this beloved Georgetown spot. Red sauce classics like crispy mozzarella and rigatoni alla vodka hit the spot.
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Le Diplomate
1601 14th St NW
Is there anything more festive than brunch over a shellfish plateau at Le Dip? Yes! The brasserie’s annual holiday decorations, which star a towering tree and bountiful garlands.
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Martin’s Tavern
1264 Wisconsin Ave., NW
Georgetown classic Martin’s does the holidays in style (yes, some staff wear full Christmas suits). We like tucking into the bar with a glass of something sparkling and a crab cake Benedict to get in the festive mood.
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Pamplona
3100 Clarendon Blvd., Arlington
The Spanish restaurant’s over-the-top holiday decor features glittering garlands and shiny orbs. Go for their “bottom-ish” (their word, not ours) brunch with all-you-can-eat tapas and free-flowing mimoas ($5 per pitcher after the first hour, hence the “ish”). There are also fun holiday drinks like spiked cocoa.
Tiki TNT
1130 Maine Ave., SW
Celebrate the holidays island-style at this tiki spot and rum distillery at the Wharf. Owner Todd Thrasher’s ““Once Upon a Tiki Christmas” takeover involves everything you need to get in the spirit: Christmas lights, snow machines, Santas sporting beachwear, and tabletop s’mores kits with a mini roasting grill. Mimosas are always an option, but why not try a special drink like rum-spiked coquito in a Santa mug. Thrasher’s holiday rum shop is open as well, so you can shop and brunch all at once.
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Old Ebbitt
675 15th St., NW
The Ebbitt is a favorite around the holidays for a reason—cue the giant nutcrackers outside the door and many twinkling lights within. After you’ve finished your mimosas and shrimp n’ grits you can take a stroll around the White House to see the National Christmas Tree.
Anna Spiegel covers the dining and drinking scene in her native DC. Prior to joining Washingtonian in 2010, she attended the French Culinary Institute and Columbia University’s MFA program in New York, and held various cooking and writing positions in NYC and in St. John, US Virgin Islands.
