21 Places to Eat Brunch in Arlington

Everyone knows that weekends are better with brunch, and in our area, it’s easy to find a spread to suit just about any taste or budget. Check this list of local brunch spots in Arlington to satisfy that midday hankering for dishes ranging from corned beef hash to waffles stuffed with apples, plus coffee, cocktails and other requisite hangover cures. As Covid concerns continue, many of the restaurants below have patio dining that will remain open through the colder months, some with covered and/or heated outdoor spaces.

Stellina Pizzeria

The D.C.-based pizzeria opened its Arlington outpost in early 2021 and has already made a mark on the crowded weekend scene with its social brunch option. And, it’s easy to sample the menu at Stellina.

For $35 a person, guests choose three dishes across a variety of breakfast pizzas, pastas, desserts and side options, plus a choice of alcohol—including a quartet of chilled Lambrusco cans or a bottle of Prosecco with fresh orange juice. Another sharable option is the Un Po Di Tutto Da Smezzare, which means a little of everything. For $25, this order includes a kitchen sink of items including croissants, Stellina toasts (Brioche, white chocolate espresso crema, mascarpone vanilla mousse, toasted almond, candied bacon and marinated berries), yogurt pancake with banana semifreddo, bacon, mixed berries with yogurt and sausage.

Stellina has limited outside seating, but there are heaters. // 2800 S. Randolph St., Arlington (Village at Shirlington)

 

The Salt Line

In October, the buzzy, seafood-centric restaurant and bar—a favorite après-baseball spot next to Nats Park in Navy Yard—opened a second location in Ballston, where the brunch choices include smoked steelhead trout  Benedict, lobster rolls, chowder, salt-cod fritters, rockfish tartare, and a seafaring rendition of Eggs in Purgatory featuring poached eggs, spicy tomato sauce and fried octopus.  For the ultimate briny bonanza in a glass, order The Perfect Storm, a double Bloody Mary festooned with a lobster claw, cocktail shrimp, dressed oyster, fried coddie and various other accoutrements.

The brunch menu is served Saturdays and Sundays, 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. // 4040 Wilson Blvd., Arlington (Ballston)

 

Screwtop Wine Bar

Brunch extends until 4 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays in this Clarendon wine bar and restaurant. Several Mexican-inspired dishes star on the brunch menu, including breakfast tacos filled with chorizo and Huevos Al Puerco Ranchero, which features pulled pork, guacamole, eggs and beans on a fresh tostada. Screwtop has an extensive wine list by the bottle, glass or flight, but also serves several mocktails from Curious Elixirs.

For the winter, Screwtop has added heaters to its covered outside seating along Fillmore Street. // 1025 N. Fillmore St., Arlington (Clarendon)

The Liberty Tavern

The Liberty Tavern has changed its approach to all-you-can-eat brunch with safety in mind; most notably, the upstairs dining room’s “breakfast table” buffet is no more. Liberty now offers unlimited small plates for $29.95 for adults and $11.95 for kids aged 3-12, including new dishes such as avocado toast and shrimp and grits, in addition to a la carte ordering. Guests can add unlimited penny cocktails—such as Bloody Marys or the restaurant’s top-selling grapefruit buck made with vodka, St. Germain, grapefruit and topped with Maine Root ginger beer—for $15.

If you want, you can enjoy your brunch on the dog-friendly patio, which has heaters. // 3195 Wilson Blvd., Arlington (Clarendon)

Café Colline

This French bistro in the Lee Heights Shops opened in June 2020 in the former Cassatt’s space and now serves brunch from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. Breakfast items—such as a tartine with smoked salmon, herbed boursin, poached egg and capers; and French toast with lemon and blueberries—are available on the weekends, as are classic French dishes like chicken liver mousse and escargot in puff pastry.

If you prefer to eat outside, there is limited, partially covered seating, but no heaters, though the restaurant is working to add some this winter. Owners Ian and Eric Hilton and chef Brendan L’Etoile also operate the French bistro Parc de Ville in the Mosaic District and several D.C. restaurants and bars, including Chez Billy Sud in Georgetown. // 4536 Langston Boulevard (Lee Heights Shops), Arlington

Palette 22

Guests have two choices for weekend brunch at this Shirlington favorite: Bottomless dining for $28.22, or any dish ordered a la carte. The fusion concept has an enormous menu. Highlights include brick-oven pizzas, bao buns and salads, as well as vegetarian specialties and mains such as arepas Benedict with spicy hollandaise sauce, house baked pumpkin donuts and the popular shrimp and grits. The bottomless brunch option features unlimited trips to the waffle and taco bar, as well as discounted cocktails. Don’t miss the three types of Bloody Marys and mimosas with a variety of juices, including blood orange, pineapple and hibiscus (plus peach bellinis).

Palette 22 has a sprawling, heated patio with space for more than 100 guests. // 4053 Campbell Ave, Arlington (Village at Shirlington)

Mattie & Eddie’s Irish Bar and Restaurant

Cathal Armstrong’s new Irish pub at Westpost (formerly Pentagon Row) serves a weekend brunch from 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m., with day-starters such as corned beef hash, Irish bacon quiche and an oak-smoked salmon salad with poached egg. You can feed your Irish breakfast cravings at Mattie and Eddie’s anytime; the kitchen serves a traditional breakfast all day, every day, complete with brown bread, fried potatoes, country ham, sausages, mushrooms and eggs. (Read our dining critic’s recent review of Mattie & Eddie’s here.)

The restaurant’s outdoor seating has heaters—or you can always add an Irish coffee to your order to warm yourself up. // 1301 S. Joyce St., Arlington (National Landing)

Ruthie’s All-Day

Breakfast is offered Monday through Friday at Ruthie’s, but on the weekends, the menu balloons for brunch from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Guest favorites include the Brisket Bennie—homemade biscuits (baked fresh all day), layered with wood-smoked brisket, black pepper hollandaise, pickled red onions and arugula—and the apple pie pancakes, topped with whipped cream and maple-poached apples. Go beyond the usual Bloody Mary and order the Back Two My Roots cocktail, which features eye-opening horseradish-infused vodka, carrot and lemon. There’s plenty of space to spread out on the 70-seat patio, which has heaters for chilly days. // 3411 5th St. S., Arlington (Arlington Heights)

The Pinemoor

The brunch menu at this year-old, country-themed Clarendon restaurant includes fresh oysters, chocolate-chunk pancakes topped with strawberries and an ancho-braised short rib Benedict. Boozy options include $5 bottles of sparkling wine, the Ice Virginian—coffee with Kopper Kettle Virginia whiskey, coffee liqueur and cream—and the house brunch favorite: an orange sherbet mimosa, made with three scoops of orange sherbet and sparkling wine.

The Pinemoor has an outside bar and covered patio seating for 42 (first come, first serve) during brunch service from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. //1101 N. Highland St., Arlington (Clarendon)

William Jeffrey’s Tavern

Benedicts shine at this roomy bar-restaurant on Columbia Pike. Select from three versions of the hollandaise-topped brunch classic: Virginia ham, cured salmon or a vegetarian option with baby greens and shallots. In addition to a weekend make-your-own Bloody Mary bar set-up, you can also order mimosas by the glass or carafe with discounts on refills for both. William Jeffrey’s is part of the Vintage Restaurant Group (sister establishments include Dogwood Tavern and Ragtime), which specializes in seasonal cocktails. Winter brings a limited edition spiked eggnog, made with fresh egg yolks, bourbon, brandy and aged rum.

If you choose to sit outside in cooler months, bring a jacket—there are plenty of seats but no heaters. // 2301 Columbia Pike (Siena Park Apartments), Arlington (Columbia Pike)

Ambar

The Balkan restaurant is known for its bountiful feasts, and brunch is no exception. The unlimited small plates menu is available at the midday hour for $39.99, including brunch cocktails for a quarter each. Alternately, a $22-per-person brunch deal to go includes your choice of one spread/dip, one soup and a trio of sliders (try the shredded zucchini)—plus potatoes and salad—to eat at home.

Ambar added patio space to its back parking lot and now offers more than 100 outside dining spaces. A heated sidewalk terrace, complete with covered awning, can accommodate an additional 50 guests. // 2901 Wilson Blvd. Arlington (Clarendon)

Green Pig Bistro

Chef Tracy O’Grady retooled the menus at Green Pig when she joined the restaurant in 2020, adding a plethora of brunch options. On the menu, you can now find a quartet of stuffed waffles: a savory version with bacon, egg and cheese; the croque madam waffle with eggs, ham and gruyere cheese; a vegetarian version with roasted vegetables and avocado; and a sweet waffle stuffed with walnut streusel and cream cheese. But don’t worry—the bistro’s ever-popular fried chicken, tucked between two waffles on sausage gravy, remains on the menu alongside fan favorites like shrimp and grits, house-made brioche cinnamon rolls (served in cast-iron skillets) and pulled-pork huevos rancheros. Mimosas here include traditional orange juice, as well as hibiscus, grapefruit and seasonal apple cider.

The restaurant has a wrap-around patio with outdoor seating for 80 with heaters. //1025 N. Fillmore St., Arlington (Clarendon) 

Bayou Bakery, Coffee Bar & Eatery

Brunch is an all-day weekend affair at Bayou in Courthouse, with authentic, sugar-dusted beignets and buttermilk biscuits served hot until closing. Grits are a southern staple, and chef-owner David Guas takes them one step further, offering kernels that have been stone-ground at George Washington’s estate at Mount Vernon. Order them “dressed” with cheddar, bacon and green onion. And if you had a rough night, consider tucking into the Hungover Hog, which finds poached egg and barbecue pork over bacon fat-roasted potatoes, smothered in Virginia ham gravy.

Bayou has a few outdoor tables for those who want to enjoy the weather. // 1515 N. Courthouse Road, Arlington (Courthouse)

The Freshman

Nick Freshman’s all-day restaurant, which opened earlier this year in National Landing, has a weekend brunch from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. featuring several Latin American- and Mexican-inspired dishes. On the menu, you’ll find Huevos Mestizos, a pupusa topped with eggs, salsa and refried black beans; Papas Locas fries tossed with spicy Tajin, chipotle-tomato sauce, cilantro aioli and cheese; and cinnamon-sugar dusted churros. The Freshman has a full bar serving fresh sangria; Micheladas made with Delaware brewer Dogfish Head’s tart Sea Quench Ale; and the caffeinated Carajillo 43, made with espresso and vanilla-accented Spanish liquor Licor 43 over ice. Breakfast dishes are served all day, including traditional fare such as omelets, eggs, avocado toast and home fries.

If you’re looking for something light, sit on the patio and order a Swings coffee and a roasted butternut squash toast with ricotta spread, sage and pumpkin seed oil.  // 2011 Crystal Drive (Crystal City Shops), Arlington (National Landing)

Oby Lee

The brunch at this tiny Clarendon wine bar-creperie begins relatively early, at 9 a.m. In winter, order a hot mulled wine or red-wine hot chocolate with a slice of quiche, or a savory crepe filled with smoked salmon, kielbasa or applewood bacon. For a meatless option, try the buckwheat crepe stuffed with egg, guacamole and goat cheese. (Note: you can substitute buckwheat batter on any crepe on the menu.) Sample wines by the glass in a variety of sizes (self-serve via the house Vinoteca machine) or choose from nine juice options—including pink grapefruit, tangerine and mango—on the mimosa menu. Coffee lovers take note: Oby Lee roasts its own coffee in-house every Monday.

Eat inside, outside in the open air on the plant-filled patio, or see if space in one of their “Glass Chalets” is available. These small dining enclosures max out at four guests and the space is open on a first come, first serve basis.  // 3000 Washington Blvd., Arlington (Clarendon)

SER Restaurant

The Spanish restaurant offers brunch from 11:30 to 3:30 each weekend, featuring hot and cold tapas, paellas, roast suckling pig, seafood towers and meat and cheese plates. But one of the most popular brunch orders is the Sara Montiel sandwich—eggs on ciabatta with Serrano ham and a spicy aioli.  Red, white and sparkling sangria top a list of classic brunch drinks, but don’t forget to explore SER’s expansive wine list.

There is plenty of outside seating on the restaurant’s covered and heated patio, as well as room for large parties inside. // 1110 N. Glebe Rd., Arlington (Ballston)

Courthaus Social

Gather with a big group on the Clarendon beer garden’s partially-covered (but not heated) dog-friendly patio, and call it a party. Courthaus Social specializes in hearty brunch favorites, such as Nutella pancakes, chicken and waffles, and a full tots menu with toppings like beer cheese, bratwurst and Wagyu steak. Ask about the cinnamon roll of the month and order it early—it requires a 30-minute prep time and often sells out.  // 2300 Clarendon Blvd, Arlington (Courthouse)

Rhodeside Grill

The Bloody Mary bar is back for weekend brunch at this Courthouse mainstay. Rhodeside staff sets out an array of spices, hot sauces, house-made pickled vegetables and house-infused pickle vodka for you to DIY your custom drink. Crowd pleasers on the food menu include the chicken and waffle sandwich with eggs, cheese and Sriracha maple syrup, and fried chicken on a buttermilk biscuit with sausage gravy.  Reservations are available inside, as well as for the outside space, which features fire pit heaters for cold days. Kick your comfort up a notch with one of Rhodeside’s warm cocktails, such as the Plum Hot Toddy made with plum black tea and plum juniper syrup or the XXX Hot Chocolate, a mix of Captain Morgan’s Spiced Rum, brandy, dark and milk chocolates, spiced cream, vanilla honey and a spiked marshmallow. // 1836 Wilson Blvd., Arlington (Courthouse)

Barley Mac

Omelets, including the lobster and French dip versions, are guest favorites, but don’t overlook the strawberry-shortcake French toast with amaretto whipped cream, or the breakfast gnocchi with pesto, sausage and fried egg. Coccoli, a classic Italian snack of creamy Stracchino cheese, prosciutto and truffle-honey doughnut balls, is worth the calories.

You can snag a table on the expansive patio, which offers heated seating for more than 100. Also, the restaurant packages its entire weekend brunch menu, including cocktails, to go. //1600 Wilson Blvd. Arlington (Rosslyn)

Freddie’s Beach Bar & Restaurant

In November, Northern Virginia’s self-described “only LGBTQ, straight-friendly restaurant and bar” reinstated its popular weekend buffet brunch on 23rd Street in Crystal City, every Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.  Salads, burgers, fajitas and other entrées can also be ordered à la carte.

Diners can enjoy brunch outside on the front patio, which has heaters, or at covered tables behind Freddie’s. And if you’re at the beach, the bar opened a second location in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware earlier this fall. // 555 23rd St. S., Arlington (Crystal City)

Detour Coffee

Detour, owned by the team behind Darna lounge, has revised its weekend brunch menu, now offered from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Virginia Square. Highlights include protein pancakes made with ricotta whole grain batter, flax and sunflower seeds and topped with bananas, peanut butter and jellies made in house. Try the Gaviota cocktail mixed with tequila and Aperol, charred grapefruit juice and grapefruit bitters and finished with flaky Maldon salt.

Take your brunch on the porch—it’s covered but not heated. Detour’s house coffee is from Vigilante Coffee in Hyattsville, Maryland. // 946 N. Jackson St., Arlington (Virginia Square)

Related Stories

→ 9 Arlington Coffee Shops We Love

→ Rako Brings Specialty Coffee and Cocktails to Courthouse