Winter Restaurant Week runs January 14 through 20 with dozens of places offering weekend brunch menus ($22) in addition to the regular lunches ($22) and dinners ($35). A weekend afternoon is often a good time to snag a deal, when menus are still relatively low-priced, but there’s no rush to get back to the office. Here’s where we’d go.
All-Purpose Capitol Riverfront
79 Potomac Ave., SE
This is the popular pizzeria’s first Restaurant Week (at the newer waterfront location only, sorry Shaw regulars). There’re plenty of choices for antipasti and pizza. For brunch, try everything-spiced smoked salmon crostini or polenta muffins before digging into an egg-topped pie with prosciutto (no diets allowed here). Dessert is simple: brownie or gelato.
American Son
1201 K St., NW
Chef Tim Ma’s new modern American spot in the liberal-chic Eaton Workshop hotel is dishing up Restaurant Week meals around the clock. Expect eclectic pairings on the plate, like wood-grilled shishito peppers with anchovy aioli or a fried chicken sandwich with papaya slaw.
Bindaas/Sababa
3309 Connecticut Ave., NW; 3311 Connecticut Ave., NW
Restaurateur Ashok Bajaj‘s adjoining Cleveland Park eateries both offer Restaurant Week brunch. (There’s also a Bindaas location serving a similar menu downtown.) At the Indian street food-focused Bindaas, that means dishes like a masala omelette. At Israeli-themed Sababa, you may find brunch additions to the regular menu, such as shakshuka or hummus with poached eggs.
Estadio
1520 14th St., NW
Estadio is underrated for brunch, but we’re longtime fans. Try share plates such as jamon croquetas with pickled cucumber, or not-so-share plates like soft-scrambled eggs with goat cheese and mushrooms.
Iron Gate
1734 N St., NW
Snag a seat in the cozy, fire-lit dining room and order one one chef Anthony Chittum’s Mediterranean dishes, such as an heirloom beet salad or poached eggs over polenta with cherry tomato sauce.
Momofuku CCDC
1090 I St., NW
New chef Tae Strain helped transform DC’s Momofuku into a restaurant we crave. The Restaurant Week brunch menu looks deliciously savory and includes some of our favorites: warm, pita-like bing bread with salted chili pimento cheese; smashed cucumber salad; and branzino ssam.
Officina
1120 Maine Ave., SW
Chef Nick Stefanelli’s gorgeous Italian emporium at the Wharf isn’t easy on the wallet—all the more reason to visit for Restaurant Week. This is more of a weekend lunch destination than brunch, but you won’t miss a Benedict if you try one of the sandwiches on house-baked bread.
Osteria Morini
301 Water St., SE
The Tuscan fare at this waterfront Italian restaurant makes it a cozy winter option. The Restaurant Week brunch menu has hearty dishes like gnocchi with black truffle and chocolate-espresso mousse. Diners can also opt for a $12 flight of Lambrusco (an effervescent red wine), which with the $22 menu, still makes it a good deal.
The Riggsby
1731 New Hampshire Ave., NW
Drinks can drive up the cost of a Restaurant Week brunch, so if you’re craving a mimosa or bloody, head to Michael Schlow‘s supper club-esque restaurant, where any course can be substituted for a brunch cocktail. Some of our favorite dishes make a Restaurant Week appearance, including the deviled eggs, chopped salad, and a burger.
Scotts DC
927 F St., NW
Penn Quarter’s polished new British restaurant is serving special dishes and drinks for two weeks (January 14 through 27). The kitchen turns out classics like fish and chips with mushy peas or sticky toffee pudding. Make it a two-cocktail meal for an additional $22, with options from the “heritage” menu such as planter’s punch or a sidecar.
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.
