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A pleasing plate of pancakes at Unconventional Diner.

16 Essential Brunch Destinations in D.C.

D.C.’s must-try restaurants for next-level avocado toast, khachapuri, bottomless Aperol spritzes, and more

by Tierney Plumb and Eater Staff Updated Mar 9, 2023, 4:39pm EST

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A pleasing plate of pancakes at Unconventional Diner.

| Lia Manfredi/Unconventional Diner

by Tierney Plumb and Eater Staff Updated Mar 9, 2023, 4:39pm EST

Brunch is sacred in D.C. With so many restaurants offering some variation of it, choosing the right place to catch up with friends, family members, and significant others over a midday meal can be overwhelming. This top-notch list is full of restaurants that are worth the time and investment whether your tastes lean towards French toast and fried chicken biscuits or eggs served in homemade Malaysian sambal.

For the hottest newest brunches to try in town, go here. And for the best bottomless deals around, check out this list.

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Makan

The kaleidoscope of sour, funky, spicy, and sweet flavors at this Malaysian mainstay in Columbia Heights translate well to brunch. Eggs in chef James Wozniuk’s fiery homemade chile sambal are a natural morning dish. People with a sweet tooth might gravitate towards biscuits and kaya — sweet and mellow coconut pandan custard. Char kway teow, a stir-fried flat noodle dish with sweet Chinese sausage, is another crowd-pleaser. Complement everything with acar (pickles) brimming with key lime and prunes, pineapple and ginger, or mixed vegetables and shrimp paste.

3400 11th St NW, Washington, DC 20010

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Nasi campur, or “with rice,” dishes at Makan include beef rendang, center; pajeri nenas (pineapple currry), top; ayam goreng (fried chicken with salted duck yolk and curry leaf), right, and okra in sambal. — Nasi campur, or “with rice,” dishes at Makan include beef rendang, center; pajeri nenas (pineapple currry), top; ayam goreng (fried chicken with salted duck yolk and curry leaf), right, and okra in sambal.

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Primrose

The whimsical bistro in Brookland sends out weekend brunch plates of shakshuka, latkes, and croque-madame from executive chef Oliver Friendly to go along with French wines and flutes of French 75 (11 a.m. to 3 p.m.). Primrose opens for indoor or outdoor dining, with a patio makeover for spring currently under way.

3000 12th St NE, Washington, DC 20017

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Primrose’s stylish interior.

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Compass Rose

Sunday brunch (11 a.m. to 3 p.m.) at Rose Previte’s global plates place off 14th Street NW offers $40 food “tours,” cocktails that range from Mexican to Middle Eastern, and wines sourced from across the Mediterranean. The affordable prix fixe, which comes with a $38 vegetarian option, includes Georgian khachapuri, squash and e, and North African shakshuka, with beignets for dessert. Customers can also order Spanish patatas bravas or Irish spice bags full of fried chicken thighs from an a la carte section. Bottomless drinks like grapefruit-apricot mimosas are $30 more. For visitors who want to eat outside, the restaurant built covered patio on T Street NW with dining nooks dressed up like train cars.

1346 T St NW, Washington, DC 20009

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Khachapuri from Compass Rose — Boat-shaped khachapuri from Compass Rose.

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Le Diplomate

Diners can lounge at Stephen Starr’s ever-busy brasserie and sidewalk cafe for a long time; Le Diplomate serves brunch from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on weekends. Check out the raw bar selections, beef bourguignon, and the popular "Burger Americain.” Guests also come flocking for its “Les Oeufs” section of seven egg dishes. Go with the poached eggs basquaise, served with prosciutto and creamy polenta, or a lobster omelet. Brunch at St. Anselm, Starr’s American tavern in Union Market district, is also a good call.

1601 14th St NW, Washington, D.C. 20009

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Nina May

The weekend brunch (Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.) at this hyperlocal American restaurant in Logan Circle has plenty of outdoor seating. Opt for a “chef’s choice” ($35 per person) to sample a variety of dishes, or sample la carte items like an eggs Benedict with maple ham on toasted milk bread with red pepper hollandaise.

1337 11th St NW, Washington, DC 20001

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Ala

Formerly known as Turkish restaurant Ankara, Ala’s makeover reflects a Levantine approach that widens its scope to include cuisines from across the Eastern Mediterranean. A $44 brunch (10 a.m. to 4 p.m.) includes bottomless meze, mains, sweets, and drinks, including 10 mimosa flavors at the bar. Attentive servers send out a parade of plates like falafel patties with beet sauce, fried halloumi with pine honey and dukkah, Turkish sausage omelets, and man’oushe with za’atar. Pretty much any of the dips are a safe bet here. A unique wine list that pulls from Georgia, Armenia, and Palestine is worth checking out.

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1320 19th St NW, Washington, DC 20036

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Fried halloumi with dukka, pine honey, and chives from Ala — Fried halloumi with dukka, honey, and chives from Ala

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Unconventional Diner

Brunch is served until 4 p.m. every day at the award-winning modern diner full of pop art adjacent to the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. Chef David Deshaies serves sweet potato shakshuka, avocado toast topped with confit egg yolk, and a Caribbean twist on shrimp and grits with andouille sausage, plantains, and pineapple-habanero sauce. UD’s “glam Italian” sibling L’Ardente rolls out brunch for the first time this spring.

1207 9th St NW, Washington, DC 20001

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Not-your-average shrimp and grits at Unconventional Diner.

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Imperfecto

This buzzy Mediterranean-Latin fusion restaurant from Seven Reasons chef Enrique Limardo leans into fine dining with modernist flourishes. The chef’s detailed, spicy avocado toast is one of the most gorgeous — and, at $28, most expensive — versions in the city. Soft focaccia acts as the base for a medley of fresh avocado, grilled octopus, smoked jalapeno dressing, and harissa mayonnaise. Other hits off the a la carte menu includes a flower-shaped carpaccio of smoked Ora King salmon with arugula chili oil. Instead of waffles, fried chicken comes with a delicate corn pancake and a drizzle of guajillo chile sauce that begs to be bottled.

1124 23rd St NW, Washington, DC 20037

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The main dining room at Imperfecto

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Fiola Mare

See and be seen brunching at Fiola Mare's swanky Georgetown waterfront location. From 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on weekends, expect classics such as lemon ricotta pancakes, tagliatelle carbonara, and decadent seafood towers along with seasonal a la carte dishes. A baller three-course option ($95) includes an appetizer, brunch favorites, dessert, a warm pastry, and bottomless bubbly or brunch cocktails, with a 75-minute time limit.

3050 K St NW, Washington, D.C. 20007

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Boqueria (Multiple locations)

This boutique chain of Barcelona-style tapas bars sends out a stylish selection of tapas and egg-topped paella from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday across its handsome Penn Quarter dining room outfitted with sleek wooden tables, glowing banquettes, and oval lanterns. A la carte options include eggy paella, caramelized French toast with citrus honey, as well as the whole tapas menu. A “deluxe” bottomless drink deal features a stream of sangrías, bloody marys, and cava for $45 (90-minute limit). The same options are available at a Dupont Circle location with a front patio at the corner of M and 19th Streets NW.

777 9th St NW, Washington, DC 20001

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Paella de mariscos loads up on seafood (monkfish, sepia, squid, shrimp, clams, mussels) alongside bomba rice, saffron, and salsa verde — Paella de mariscos loads up on seafood (monkfish, sepia, squid, shrimp, clams, mussels) alongside bomba rice, saffron, and salsa verde

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Barrel

At this Southern staple on Capitol Hill, chef Walfer Hernandez (Union Pub, The Eastern) designs fried chicken and waffles topped with bourbon whipped cream, apple compote, and basil candy. Other popular orders include carbonara with homemade tagliatelle and 18-month cured prosciutto and shrimp and grits jazzed up with Calabrian sausage and piquillo peppers. Wash down brunch bites with clarified milk punch cocktails or bloody marys with a serrano pepper kick, plus a $23 (for 2023) bottomless bubbly deal to boot. Dine in 11 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. on Saturday and all the way until 9 p.m. on Sunday for the later brunch set.

613 Pennsylvania Ave. SE, Washington, DC 20003

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Barrel’s bottomless spread.

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Ambar Capitol Hill

Capitol Hill’s resident Balkan restaurant underwent a multi-million dollar renovation during the pandemic but didn’t change a thing about its beloved bottomless brunch ($34.99 per person, plus $12.99 for unlimited drinks). Popular orders that keep coming (for two hours) include potato hash, meze platters, beef prosciutto or salmon Benedict, beet tzatziki, and cinnamon sourdough,

all designed to be washed down with bottomless mango hibiscus mimosas and bloody marys. Opt for seating across its expanded patio, indoors, or on a retractable rooftop on the third floor. An additional outpost in Clarendon is joined by a brand new location in Shaw.

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523 8th St SE, Washington, DC 20003

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Decoupaged pottery, trinkets and books line the shelves one the second-floor perch.

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Boardwalk Bar & Arcade

Waterfront brunch with a side of arcade games and Skee-ball? Yes, please. The year-old entertainment venue with the biggest bar at the Wharf sends out a surprisingly solid weekend lineup of avocado or French toast, breakfast burritos, and tacos. Go bottomless with unlimited bottles of bubbly and choice of cranberry juice, pineapple juice, or orange juice for $39.99 (90-minute limit).

715 Wharf St SW, Washington, DC 20024

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Duke's Grocery Navy Yard

The quirky, East London-style pub offers brunch at all three D.C. locations (10 a.m. to 3 p.m.). There’s one of the best burgers in town — add a runny egg for $2.50 — along with a proper English breakfast and shakshuka. The decade-old Dupont original is currently closed for a facelift, and a brand new Navy Yard location joins its Woodley Park and Foggy Bottom outposts. All offer bottomless mimosas, bloodies, and select beer for $26.

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1201 Half St SE Suite 115, Washington, DC 20003

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A full English breakfast at Duke’s Grocery.

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Shilling Canning Company

Brunch at chef Reid Shilling’s Chesapeake restaurant in Navy Yard runs from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Rotating dishes on the a la carte menu include deviled eggs, buttermilk fried chicken with hot honey and hoe cakes, ham and cheddar biscuits, and croque-madame. The solid cocktail list includes mimosa carafes made with preserved local fruit.

360 Water St SE, Washington, DC 20003

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Shilling Canning Company dining room wide

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All-Purpose (Multiple locations)

This waterfront pizzeria in Navy Yard and Shaw draws large crowds for its egg-topped pies on weekends. Along with its full lineup of Jersey-style, deck-oven pizzas, popular orders include fiery wings with Calabrian chili honey; Sicilian “disco” fries with ‘nduja sausage, parm fonduta, and chives; and bottomless mimosas and Aperol spritzes for $23.

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79 Potomac Ave SE, Washington, DC 20003

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Pizza topped with greens and cheese. — A brunch pizza from All-Purpose Capitol Riverfront

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Makan

3400 11th St NW, Washington, DC 20010

The kaleidoscope of sour, funky, spicy, and sweet flavors at this Malaysian mainstay in Columbia Heights translate well to brunch. Eggs in chef James Wozniuk’s fiery homemade chile sambal are a natural morning dish. People with a sweet tooth might gravitate towards biscuits and kaya — sweet and mellow coconut pandan custard. Char kway teow, a stir-fried flat noodle dish with sweet Chinese sausage, is another crowd-pleaser. Complement everything with acar (pickles) brimming with key lime and prunes, pineapple and ginger, or mixed vegetables and shrimp paste.

3400 11th St NW, Washington, DC 20010

Visit Website

Nasi campur, or “with rice,” dishes at Makan include beef rendang, center; pajeri nenas (pineapple currry), top; ayam goreng (fried chicken with salted duck yolk and curry leaf), right, and okra in sambal. — Nasi campur, or “with rice,” dishes at Makan include beef rendang, center; pajeri nenas (pineapple currry), top; ayam goreng (fried chicken with salted duck yolk and curry leaf), right, and okra in sambal.

Primrose

3000 12th St NE, Washington, DC 20017

The whimsical bistro in Brookland sends out weekend brunch plates of shakshuka, latkes, and croque-madame from executive chef Oliver Friendly to go along with French wines and flutes of French 75 (11 a.m. to 3 p.m.). Primrose opens for indoor or outdoor dining, with a patio makeover for spring currently under way.

3000 12th St NE, Washington, DC 20017

Visit Website

Primrose’s stylish interior.

Compass Rose

1346 T St NW, Washington, DC 20009

Sunday brunch (11 a.m. to 3 p.m.) at Rose Previte’s global plates place off 14th Street NW offers $40 food “tours,” cocktails that range from Mexican to Middle Eastern, and wines sourced from across the Mediterranean. The affordable prix fixe, which comes with a $38 vegetarian option, includes Georgian khachapuri, squash and e, and North African shakshuka, with beignets for dessert. Customers can also order Spanish patatas bravas or Irish spice bags full of fried chicken thighs from an a la carte section. Bottomless drinks like grapefruit-apricot mimosas are $30 more. For visitors who want to eat outside, the restaurant built covered patio on T Street NW with dining nooks dressed up like train cars.

1346 T St NW, Washington, DC 20009

Visit Website

Khachapuri from Compass Rose — Boat-shaped khachapuri from Compass Rose.

Le Diplomate

1601 14th St NW, Washington, D.C. 20009

Diners can lounge at Stephen Starr’s ever-busy brasserie and sidewalk cafe for a long time; Le Diplomate serves brunch from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on weekends. Check out the raw bar selections, beef bourguignon, and the popular "Burger Americain.” Guests also come flocking for its “Les Oeufs” section of seven egg dishes. Go with the poached eggs basquaise, served with prosciutto and creamy polenta, or a lobster omelet. Brunch at St. Anselm, Starr’s American tavern in Union Market district, is also a good call.

1601 14th St NW, Washington, D.C. 20009

Visit Website

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Le Diplomate (@lediplomatedc)

Nina May

1337 11th St NW, Washington, DC 20001

The weekend brunch (Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.) at this hyperlocal American restaurant in Logan Circle has plenty of outdoor seating. Opt for a “chef’s choice” ($35 per person) to sample a variety of dishes, or sample la carte items like an eggs Benedict with maple ham on toasted milk bread with red pepper hollandaise.

1337 11th St NW, Washington, DC 20001

Visit Website

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Nina May DC (@ninamay_dc)

Ala

1320 19th St NW, Washington, DC 20036

Formerly known as Turkish restaurant Ankara, Ala’s makeover reflects a Levantine approach that widens its scope to include cuisines from across the Eastern Mediterranean. A $44 brunch (10 a.m. to 4 p.m.) includes bottomless meze, mains, sweets, and drinks, including 10 mimosa flavors at the bar. Attentive servers send out a parade of plates like falafel patties with beet sauce, fried halloumi with pine honey and dukkah, Turkish sausage omelets, and man’oushe with za’atar. Pretty much any of the dips are a safe bet here. A unique wine list that pulls from Georgia, Armenia, and Palestine is worth checking out.

Open in Google Maps

1320 19th St NW, Washington, DC 20036

Visit Website

Fried halloumi with dukka, pine honey, and chives from Ala — Fried halloumi with dukka, honey, and chives from Ala

Unconventional Diner

1207 9th St NW, Washington, DC 20001

Brunch is served until 4 p.m. every day at the award-winning modern diner full of pop art adjacent to the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. Chef David Deshaies serves sweet potato shakshuka, avocado toast topped with confit egg yolk, and a Caribbean twist on shrimp and grits with andouille sausage, plantains, and pineapple-habanero sauce. UD’s “glam Italian” sibling L’Ardente rolls out brunch for the first time this spring.

1207 9th St NW, Washington, DC 20001

Visit Website

Not-your-average shrimp and grits at Unconventional Diner.

Imperfecto

1124 23rd St NW, Washington, DC 20037

This buzzy Mediterranean-Latin fusion restaurant from Seven Reasons chef Enrique Limardo leans into fine dining with modernist flourishes. The chef’s detailed, spicy avocado toast is one of the most gorgeous — and, at $28, most expensive — versions in the city. Soft focaccia acts as the base for a medley of fresh avocado, grilled octopus, smoked jalapeno dressing, and harissa mayonnaise. Other hits off the a la carte menu includes a flower-shaped carpaccio of smoked Ora King salmon with arugula chili oil. Instead of waffles, fried chicken comes with a delicate corn pancake and a drizzle of guajillo chile sauce that begs to be bottled.

1124 23rd St NW, Washington, DC 20037

Visit Website

The main dining room at Imperfecto

Fiola Mare

3050 K St NW, Washington, D.C. 20007

See and be seen brunching at Fiola Mare's swanky Georgetown waterfront location. From 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on weekends, expect classics such as lemon ricotta pancakes, tagliatelle carbonara, and decadent seafood towers along with seasonal a la carte dishes. A baller three-course option ($95) includes an appetizer, brunch favorites, dessert, a warm pastry, and bottomless bubbly or brunch cocktails, with a 75-minute time limit.

3050 K St NW, Washington, D.C. 20007

Visit Website

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Fiola Mare (@fiolamaredc)

Boqueria (Multiple locations)

777 9th St NW, Washington, DC 20001

This boutique chain of Barcelona-style tapas bars sends out a stylish selection of tapas and egg-topped paella from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday across its handsome Penn Quarter dining room outfitted with sleek wooden tables, glowing banquettes, and oval lanterns. A la carte options include eggy paella, caramelized French toast with citrus honey, as well as the whole tapas menu. A “deluxe” bottomless drink deal features a stream of sangrías, bloody marys, and cava for $45 (90-minute limit). The same options are available at a Dupont Circle location with a front patio at the corner of M and 19th Streets NW.

777 9th St NW, Washington, DC 20001

Visit Website

Paella de mariscos loads up on seafood (monkfish, sepia, squid, shrimp, clams, mussels) alongside bomba rice, saffron, and salsa verde — Paella de mariscos loads up on seafood (monkfish, sepia, squid, shrimp, clams, mussels) alongside bomba rice, saffron, and salsa verde

Barrel

613 Pennsylvania Ave. SE, Washington, DC 20003

At this Southern staple on Capitol Hill, chef Walfer Hernandez (Union Pub, The Eastern) designs fried chicken and waffles topped with bourbon whipped cream, apple compote, and basil candy. Other popular orders include carbonara with homemade tagliatelle and 18-month cured prosciutto and shrimp and grits jazzed up with Calabrian sausage and piquillo peppers. Wash down brunch bites with clarified milk punch cocktails or bloody marys with a serrano pepper kick, plus a $23 (for 2023) bottomless bubbly deal to boot. Dine in 11 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. on Saturday and all the way until 9 p.m. on Sunday for the later brunch set.

613 Pennsylvania Ave. SE, Washington, DC 20003

Visit Website

Barrel’s bottomless spread.

Ambar Capitol Hill

523 8th St SE, Washington, DC 20003

Capitol Hill’s resident Balkan restaurant underwent a multi-million dollar renovation during the pandemic but didn’t change a thing about its beloved bottomless brunch ($34.99 per person, plus $12.99 for unlimited drinks). Popular orders that keep coming (for two hours) include potato hash, meze platters, beef prosciutto or salmon Benedict, beet tzatziki, and cinnamon sourdough,

all designed to be washed down with bottomless mango hibiscus mimosas and bloody marys. Opt for seating across its expanded patio, indoors, or on a retractable rooftop on the third floor. An additional outpost in Clarendon is joined by a brand new location in Shaw.

Open in Google Maps

523 8th St SE, Washington, DC 20003

Visit Website

Decoupaged pottery, trinkets and books line the shelves one the second-floor perch.

Boardwalk Bar & Arcade

715 Wharf St SW, Washington, DC 20024

Waterfront brunch with a side of arcade games and Skee-ball? Yes, please. The year-old entertainment venue with the biggest bar at the Wharf sends out a surprisingly solid weekend lineup of avocado or French toast, breakfast burritos, and tacos. Go bottomless with unlimited bottles of bubbly and choice of cranberry juice, pineapple juice, or orange juice for $39.99 (90-minute limit).

715 Wharf St SW, Washington, DC 20024

Visit Website

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Boardwalk Bar & Arcade (@boardwalkwharf)

Duke's Grocery Navy Yard

1201 Half St SE Suite 115, Washington, DC 20003

The quirky, East London-style pub offers brunch at all three D.C. locations (10 a.m. to 3 p.m.). There’s one of the best burgers in town — add a runny egg for $2.50 — along with a proper English breakfast and shakshuka. The decade-old Dupont original is currently closed for a facelift, and a brand new Navy Yard location joins its Woodley Park and Foggy Bottom outposts. All offer bottomless mimosas, bloodies, and select beer for $26.

Open in Google Maps

1201 Half St SE Suite 115, Washington, DC 20003

Visit Website

A full English breakfast at Duke’s Grocery.

Shilling Canning Company

360 Water St SE, Washington, DC 20003

Brunch at chef Reid Shilling’s Chesapeake restaurant in Navy Yard runs from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Rotating dishes on the a la carte menu include deviled eggs, buttermilk fried chicken with hot honey and hoe cakes, ham and cheddar biscuits, and croque-madame. The solid cocktail list includes mimosa carafes made with preserved local fruit.

360 Water St SE, Washington, DC 20003

Visit Website

Shilling Canning Company dining room wide

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All-Purpose (Multiple locations)

79 Potomac Ave SE, Washington, DC 20003

This waterfront pizzeria in Navy Yard and Shaw draws large crowds for its egg-topped pies on weekends. Along with its full lineup of Jersey-style, deck-oven pizzas, popular orders include fiery wings with Calabrian chili honey; Sicilian “disco” fries with ‘nduja sausage, parm fonduta, and chives; and bottomless mimosas and Aperol spritzes for $23.

Open in Google Maps

79 Potomac Ave SE, Washington, DC 20003

Visit Website

Pizza topped with greens and cheese. — A brunch pizza from All-Purpose Capitol Riverfront

Related Maps