This post has been updated from an earlier version.
Who doesn’t love mimosas with a water view? Here’s where to get outside for brunch this weekend.
The Wharf and Buzzard Point
Colada Shop Wharf
10 Pearl St., SW
The all-day Cuban cafe is a bright, casual stop at the Wharf. In addition to longtime favorites like Cuban sandwiches, guava-filled pastelitos, and mojitos, the Wharf location offers heartier plates like churro waffles, pork-and-yuca hash, breakfast sandwiches, and specialty coffee drinks.
Del Mar
791 Wharf St., SW
Fabio Trabocchi’s fancy Spanish spot is especially pretty—and offers especially good deals—during the day. On weekends, a three-course brunch is $36 per person, with choices like fried-egg-topped breakfast paella, chicken Milanese with brown butter and boquerones, and an ice cream sandwich. The a la carte menu shows off raw bar selections, hand-sliced Iberico ham, and the splurge-y seafood paella that’s so popular at night.
Fish Shop
610 Water St., SW
This stunner of a Wharf dining room has Scottish roots. That said, its brunch menu feels like a trip through a local farmers market. There are johnnycakes with Keswick Creamery ricotta, Roseda beef smashburgers, Autumn Olive pork chorizo, and of course, the place’s signature crumpets.
Hank’s Oyster Bar at the Wharf
701 Wharf St., SW
Chef Jamie Leeds’s classic New England-style seafood restaurant is a prime spot for outdoor brunch, which is served Friday through Sunday. Snag a seat facing the water, order up a lobster omelet or crab bennie, sip a DIY Bloody Mary, and pretend you’re on the beach.
Ilili
100 District Sq., SW
The Wharf’s Lebanese dining room doesn’t have a patio, but the water-facing side of the restaurant boasts fully retractable windows to create an indoor/outdoor veranda. Look for hot and cold mezze, plus Lebanese riffs on brunch classics like shakshuka with spicy tomato sauce; Swiss-chard Benedict with aleppo-pepper hollandaise; and a smoky bourbon cocktail for four. Order a la carte or go for the $39 prix fixe, which includes two mezze, an entree, and dessert.
Limani
670 Wharf St., SW
Celebrating something? The $95 bottomless brunch at this glassy Mediterranean dining room is a feast of seafood, with unlimited amounts of oysters, chilled lobster, crabcakes, mussels, and more. Also included: charcuterie and cheeses, salads, carved meats, and more breakfast-y fare like house-made cinnamon rolls. Add on bottomless orange and pineapple mimosas for $34 per person.
Mi Vida
98 District Sq., SW
Multi-level patios with waterfront views greet diners at this stylish mod-Mex destination at the Wharf. But the restaurant is more than just a pretty place to drink (although mango margaritas are definitely a draw). In addition to the regular menu of mole enchiladas and fish tacos, look for morning specials like chorizo-filled breakfast tacos, banana French toast, and egg-stuffed burritos.
Officina
1120 Maine Ave., SW
Every first and third Sunday of the month, you’ll find three things at this Wharf Italian dining room: a waterfront breeze, Italian brunch plates (frittatas, carbonara), and a drag show. $25 tickets include a welcome cocktail and entry to the photo-friendly rooftop performance. Purchase food from an a la carte menu.
The Point
2100 Second St., SW
This massive, indoor/outdoor 500-seat seafood restaurant at Buzzard Point sits at the intersection of the Anacostia and Potomac rivers and flanks a large marina (so yes, water views are widely available). We like to set up by one of the patio fire pits or at the outdoor bar for weekend brunch with an Ivy City Smokehouse smoked-fish board; crab-dip-stuffed doughnuts; smoked salmon Benedict; or shrimp n’ grits.
Tiki TNT
1130 Maine Ave., SW
Hit Todd Thrasher’s three-story tiki bar at the Wharf for year-round summer vibes and water views—especially good from the rooftop. The brunch menu has group-friendly options like bottomless passionfruit mimosas ($25), snack-laden pupu platters, and island eats like shrimp toast or boozy rum buns.
Old Town Alexandria
Ada’s on the River and Barca Pier & Wine Bar
2-3 Pioneer Mill Way, Alexandria
These neighboring sister restaurants in Old Town are all about the water. At Ada’s, an airy dining room and patio overlooking the Potomac, brunch is a classic New American affair—think sticky buns, Benedicts, and omelets. Pier restaurant Barca sits right on the river, serving Spanish wines and tapas in an open-air setting. At brunch, options include bacon-and-egg croquetas with honey and an eggy Spanish tortilla with garlic labne.
Hummingbird
220 S. Union St., Alexandria
The Hotel Indigo’s waterfront restaurant serves weekend brunch in a coastal chic setting overlooking the Potomac River. The menu runs the gamut from a simple breakfast platter to steak and eggs with chimichurri or croissant bread pudding with lemon curd.
Vola’s Dockside Grill
101 N. Union St., Alexandria
This Old Town waterfront restaurant—a sibling to Ada’s on the River and Barca—specializes in casual, beachy fare like shrimp tacos, lobster rolls, and crabcake sandwiches and Benedicts. Bonus: it’s dog-friendly, and even offers a special menu for pups.
Navy Yard
Osteria Morini
301 Water St., SE
Not only does this waterfront Italian restaurant in Navy Yard have a roomy wraparound patio shaded by umbrellas, it also serves a lovely menu with brunch and lunch items. Pancake fans will be especially happy: there are seven sweet and savory versions, including carbonara- and tiramisu-inspired riffs. To drink, there’s even a pancake old fashioned.
The Salt Line
79 Potomac Ave., SE
Sandwiched between Nationals Park and the Anacostia River, this popular New England-inspired spot often draws a crowd (whether it’s a game day or not). Perch on the wraparound patio for seafood dishes like smoked-salmon Benedict or grilled shrimp over cheddar grits—plus a showstopper bloody Mary for two garnished with a lobster claw, shrimp, oyster, fried coddie, and more.
Georgetown
Fiola Mare
3050 K St., NW
The star of the Georgetown waterfront is definitely a special-occasion brunch spot (though it’s still not as spendy as it is at dinner). Diners can go a la carte or splurge on the $78 “sparkling brunch” that includes a warm pastry basket, a choice of appetizer, entree, and dessert, and unlimited prosecco and brunch cocktails. The bottomless espresso martinis, $45 extra, come in four variations.
Gaithersburg
Charley
9811 Washingtonian Blvd., Gaithersburg
This restaurant from the owners of DC’s Bar Charley sits on the lake at Gaithersburg’s Rio complex. Its daytime menu is a mix of lightly tweaked comfort foods: a tower of doughnuts, a griddled-tomato-and-avocado Benedict, and a breakfast smashburger with maple syrup and a fried egg. Bottomless mimosas are $24, or you can refuel with an Irish coffee or an icy mudslide cappuccino.
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.
Ann Limpert joined Washingtonian in late 2003. She was previously an editorial assistant at Entertainment Weekly and a cook in New York restaurant kitchens, and she is a graduate of the Institute of Culinary Education. She lives in Petworth.
