Best Brunch in Washington, DC

This cute-as-a-button bistro fits in so seamlessly with the rest of Georgetown that you’d think it’s been here from time immemorial. With bottles of wine lining the shelves above, the dining room is a charming, date-night oasis, thanks to exposed brick, hardwood floors and a pressed-tin ceiling.
Not far behind the décor, the seasonal menu is tight-knit at dinner and brunch. Over a cup of La Colombe coffee or Palais des Thés teas slice into a French omelette with boursin and chives or smoked salmon with brioche, crème fraîche, and zingy horseradish. 

Chef José Andrés has opened locations of this tapas hangout from Las Vegas to Chicago to Dubai, but it all started here inside the Beltway. Unafraid of color and pattern, the expansive interior is a riot of glass, tile, hardwood, and art to ensure that the vibe is never dull or low energy. The brunch menu is tiny and the fare hearty. Sangria makes for wise starts before tucking into the four dishes on offer: smoked salmon on cristal bread (a Spanish-style ciabatta) with hardboiled egg, goat cheese, and capers; a tomato and Spanish omelette sandwich; huevos estrellados, a mountain of fried potatoes with fried eggs, and arroz a la Cubana, with tomato, bacon, and fried egg.

Lapis-colored columns set against whitewashed walls set the tone for a restaurant that gleams like its namesake jewel. From the stunning Afghan rugs warming the floor to the sepia-toned heirloom photos on the walls, this place exudes warmth and charm in a highly stylish manner. Husband-and-wife owners Zubair and Shamim Popal share the fragrant cuisine of their native Afghanistan. Light and fresh without the heavy-handed spicing of other regional cuisines, this food is a delicious discovery. Brunch starts at 10am at weekends; arrive when doors open and make a beeline for the rosewater-cardamom pancakes, with warm rose water syrup and pistachios or the bolani, a crispy flatbread with filling options—pumpkin, leek and cilantro, onion and potatoes, or beef—and paired with chutney and yogurt. 

Chef Kevin Tien's highly popular Moon Rabbit hopped across town to a bright and contemporary space on F Street. The crowd's all here for Chef Tien's creative cooking, a mash-up of his Cajun Louisiana and Vietnamese roots. There's a real flair seen in reimagined classics like crab rangoon, with layers of crab, sweet garlic robiola, and pepper jelly. Solid ingredients and the twists on tradition hit all the right notes, as in the fried quail filled with duck sausage served over crispy tomato rice with clementine mustard. Dessert is equally memorable, especially the vegan pandan panna cotta tucked with Okinawa seaweed and surrounded by chocolate cookie crumble. It's a surprising balance of sweet and savory.

Chef Fabio Trabocchi’s restaurant owns a stylish resort-chic vibe by way of coastal blues and whites, polished brass fixtures and large windows overlooking the channel. Luxury ingredients find equal footing alongside classic Spanish flavor profiles, and the result is a can’t-miss menu. Barely touched or simply prepared, the beautifully presented fish are a highlight, but make sure to also sample their highly sought-after seasonal tapas, as well as the curated selection of Spanish meats and cheeses. Seasonal dishes have featured asparagus blanco, a thick stalk of French asparagus, poached and served over ajo blanco. Andalusian gambas al ajillo, starring shrimp laced with garlic and chilies, are accompanied by tufts of bread for sopping.

With its white walls and seafoam-green booths, this “diner” may look like the classic American translation, but is in fact a far cry from your tuna-melt standby. Instead, this kitchen ramps up known classics by riffing on tradition. Look no further than the kale nachos or meatloaf elevated with a hint of sriracha and morel mushroom gravy. Roasted cauliflower tossed in tahini with fried chickpeas for crunch and pickled red onions for acidity is another win and goes to show that creating new traditions here is just as vital as jazzing up the old ones. Forget weekend queuing for brunch: it's served here every day before 4pm, so biscuits piled with sausage and hash browns and sweet potato shakshouka needn't be a weekend indulgence. 

A large greenery-donning patio out front greets diners to this "cafe," set within a black-painted row house. The space, spread over two levels, is thoroughly charming, thanks to a bar lined with mid-century modern stools, exposed brick, and plush seats. Edison bulbs and white hexagon floor tiles simply enhance the vintage vibe. The menu underscores an array of contemporary plates with Middle Eastern and European elements. Imagine Turkish eggs or salmon pastrami at brunch; smoked heirloom baby carrots with harissa and pistachio dukkah for lunch; and chicken schnitzel with a salad of Romaine hearts, charred corn, and tomatoes in a herb dressing at night. A classic and perfect Basque cake dusted with ras el hanout (at brunch, too) is matched only by a Caribbean coffee cocktail with aged rum.

“Sababa,” which means “cool” in Hebrew slang, is exactly as advertised. The fine-tuned menu features Israeli salads, dips and kebabs, but small plates are its heart and soul. Choose from dishes such as charred eggplant with herbed labneh, fried cauliflower with tahini and raisins or pomegranate-glazed chicken liver. The list goes on, but one thing to never skip is the hummus. It’s so much more than the usual that it’s even listed as a daily special. Brunch is Sundays only 11am-3pm.

When half your group wants brunch food and the other half is ready to dive into a bowl of pasta, come to this focused, consistent and lovely trattoria. The restaurant's name (Italian for “pasta master”) sets a very high bar but lives up to its moniker with a notable variety of hearty and elegant preparations listed as “classical” and “seasonal.” Highlights have included soft, almost whipped polenta folded with showers of cacio e pepe and piled with fresh green peas and shaved pecorino. On the compact brunch menu are toothsome standards like a caprese omelette and lemon ricotta pancakes.