Hankering for brunch? Visit any restaurant district in Northern Virginia and you’ll find a smorgasbord of menus competing for your attention. Pancakes and eggs never disappoint, but if you’re in the mood for something different, these eateries might have just the departure you’re craving, whether it’s a twist on the classics, a different cuisine, live jazz or Premier League soccer on the telly.
Sabores Tapas Bar
The bottomless brunch at this Columbia Pike establishment is all about tapas, but the small plates aren’t limited to Spanish mainstays like chicken croquettes, gazpacho and patatas bravas. Regulars also flock in for Latin American favorites such as tequenos (Venezuelan fried cheese sticks served with guava sauce), patacones (Colombia’s popular dish of fried green plantains topped with shrimp or shredded chicken) and feijoada, a classic Brazilian stew made with black beans and beef broth. How much can you put away over the course of two hours? For $32.99 per person you can find out, while simultaneously indulging in $1 mimosas (try tropical flavors like passion fruit or tamarind for an extra buck) and $5 margaritas and sangria drinks. On select Sundays, live music performed by a flamenco-style guitarist makes it even more of a party. 2401 Columbia Pike, Arlington
Smokecraft Modern Barbecue
Pitmaster Andrew Darneille aims to push the limits of what barbecue can be, and he’s getting creative with a newly reimagined brunch menu at his handsome ’cue joint in Clarendon. Case in point: a gigantic cinnamon roll baked in a smoker using cinnamon sticks as wood. Every menu item here is “kissed” with smoke—from the Monte Cristo sandwich on Texas toast to the mimosas and bellinis incorporating grilled or smoked fruit. Tempted to try a little of everything? A $40 bottomless brunch brings two hours of unlimited small plates, including new additions such as smoked cauliflower quiche, mini chicken and waffles, grilled portobello flatbread and bagels with house-smoked salmon. The kitchen also turns out eight kinds of Benedicts topped with your choice of protein—from pork belly to crab cakes—plus a poached egg and chipotle hollandaise sauce. 1051 N. Highland St., Arlington
Cafe Kindred
The pork sausage gravy that accompanies the scratch-made cheddar chive biscuits at this casual Falls Church eatery is so good that the team held a brainstorming session to figure out how else they could use it. The answer: a hit breakfast poutine that finds the same toothsome, house-made gravy smothering French fries, breakfast potatoes or tater tots gilded with cheese and sunny-side-up eggs. On weekends, the cafe becomes a laptop-free zone where conversation flows easily. Brunch is a come-as-you-are affair, even if that means the kids show up in their PJs to enjoy Fruity Pebbles pancakes, scrambled eggs, muffins and banana bread. A Britpop theme finds guitars mounted on the walls, Oasis on the speakers, Heinz English Beans on the menu and English Premier League soccer on the flat screen telly at the bar. Thanks to the time difference, the games are often perfectly timed to the brunch hour. 450 N. Washington St., Falls Church
Neutral Ground Bar + Kitchen
The live jazz at this congenial spot owned by Louisiana natives David Guas and Simone Rathle is as much of a draw as the pillowy beignets that arrive in a flurry of powdered sugar. On Sundays, local quartet Les Quatre Boulevardiers plays upbeat swing and ’50s jazz standards while a rattan cocktail cart roams the dining room, offering seasonal spritzers (think pear-ginger or elderflower-grapefruit) with or without booze. Chef Guas demonstrates his mastery of Southern comfort foods with dishes such as blue crab-topped deviled eggs and buttermilk pancakes served with Chantilly cream and banana-rum caramel. Classic shrimp and grits get a local twist in the form of white corn grits that are custom ground for the restaurant at the historic George Washington’s Gristmill near Mount Vernon. 6641 Old Dominion Drive, McLean
Godfrey’s Bakery Cafe
Godfrey McKenzie has the magic touch of a pastry chef, and his namesake bakery in Falls Church is a testament to his talents. Visitors pass by stylish shelves of coconut macarons and brioche loaves en route to ordering at a massive marble-topped case filled with even more goodies, from flaky kouign-amann to strawberry-custard Danish. The daily morning menu is decadent enough, with choices like Bananas Foster French toast with white chocolate mousse and caramelized walnuts. But the place becomes even more tantalizing on weekends, when diners can tuck into dulce de leche pancakes with snickerdoodle cookie crumbles, or a savory breakfast pizza topped with Brussels sprouts and smoked applewood bacon. A dog-friendly covered patio is where you’ll find a special pup menu touting selections such as a “Barkin’ Good Chicken Bowl,” and blueberry and brown rice waffles for dogs (known as “Blueberry Woofles”). 421 W. Broad St., Falls Church
Little Falls Cafe
On the outside, this Little City creperie looks like a gingerbread house, and that’s just the icing on its cottagecore aesthetic. Inside, it’s a visual feast of fancy and filigree, with Delft tiles, still life paintings, Tyrolean farmhouse chairs and Old World knickknacks rounding out the decor. Waitresses swan around in lace kerchiefs and flowing aprons, delivering sweet, fruit-topped crepes and savory buckwheat galettes stuffed with ham, Gruyere and a sunny side up egg, or smoked salmon and herbed crème fraîche. The overall effect is “adorable,” the diners next to me declared, as they sat down to a table set with mismatched enamelware cups and vintage plates. Lovingly curated by owners Enzo and Anastasiya Algarme (the power duo behind Pupatella pizzeria), the café serves brunchtime drinks ranging from pistachio lattes to cherry mimosas. And the experience is sweet from start to finish. My bill arrived alongside Italian candies and a tiny pair of Dutch wooden shoes. 106 Little Falls St., Falls Church
Harvey’s
There’s no missing the DIY Bloody Mary bar with its plethora of pickles, accoutrements and hot sauces (including a house-made honey-butter scorcher) at this neighborhood haunt in Falls Church City. It’s set up near the host stand, where the host who greets you may well be chef-owner Thomas Harvey himself. The pancakes here are the size of dinner plates, but a quick scan of the dining room confirms the popularity of Harvey’s supremely customizable breakfast sandwich platter. Go with a preset combo such as the “Forager” (fluffy scrambled eggs, charred mushrooms, Swiss and “IPA-ioli”), or build your own masterpiece with your choice of bread, protein, cheese and spreads. Brunch service begins at 9 a.m.—perfect for early risers and families with young kids. A bartender tossed a toy to my fussy baby in her highchair, while my 5-year-old loved looking at the restaurant’s chalk art and hunting for drawings of its unofficial mascot—a little cartoon of a strawberry bonbon. Speaking of which, you can grab a couple of those fruity candies on your way out. 513 W. Broad St., Falls Church
Maison Cheryl
Chef Robert Maher loves brunch so much that he thought it a shame to limit it to the weekends. That’s why, seven days a week, you can pop by this cute Clarendon bistro and dig into a Dutch baby pancake doused in chocolate; French toast that’s torched creme brûlée-style and served with berries and creme Anglaise; or a Swiss burger au poivre with frites. The restaurant feels Parisian, with a big marble bar, painted brick walls and cane-backed seating. But Maher, who trained at the French Culinary Institute, likes to get creative in the kitchen, blending elements of new American cuisine with traditional French fare. One of his brunch originals is a beautiful rolled omelet stuffed with the elements of a Philly cheesesteak and finished with a drizzle of truffle oil. 2900 Wilson Blvd., Arlington
Mark’s Duck House
Stainless steel carts laden with Cantonese delights careen through the dining room of this no-frills dim sum destination, a Falls Church institution since 1986. On weekends, come early or be prepared to wait around for your number to be called over a loudspeaker. Once seated, pour yourself some tea, crane your neck for a peek at whatever has landed on neighboring tables, and prepare for temptations such as roast pork with crispy skin, Chinese broccoli, and myriad varieties of dumplings, spring rolls and buns. For adventurous palates, the specialties also include options like snails and chicken feet. On the sweet side, discover fried dough balls studded with sesame seeds, silky egg custard tarts and bowls of tofu floating in a fragrant ginger broth. Pro tip: Don’t order too much off the first cart that comes by, like I did. The carts will keep on rolling with an ever-expanding array of choices. This is a marathon, not a sprint. 6184-a Arlington Blvd., Falls Church
Makers Union
Looking to feed a hungry bunch? The family-style unlimited brunch ($34 per person; $13.95 for kids under 10) at this National Landing eatery delivers plates upon plates of faves like cornflake-crusted French toast with maple-pecan praline syrup; fried chicken and waffles with honey butter and bourbon maple syrup; and cinnamon roll pancakes. For folks whose preferences lean more savory, the choices include breakfast nachos with bacon and chorizo; smashed avocado toast on focaccia; and smoked salmon lox on sourdough with lemon-parsley cream cheese. A Bloody Mary garnished with celery, bacon, a deviled egg and an everything-bagel-spice rim is almost a meal in itself. Espresso martini fans will appreciate the nitro-pressured machine behind the bar (created in partnership with Gray Goose vodka) that produces a frothy, caffeinated cocktail at the perfect temperature in seconds. 1450 S. Eads St., Arlington
Ballston Local
If your idea of the perfect brunch includes beer and sports, stop by this Ballston watering hole for a “kegs & eggs” menu, available on weekends from noon to 5 p.m. This is the type of straightforward, easygoing food you can order while watching college football or NFL games—think fried egg-topped burgers, breakfast sandwiches on brioche buns, and a shareable white breakfast pizza loaded with scrambled eggs, bacon, cheddar, bagel spice and a drizzle of maple syrup. The craft beer list highlights Virginia-made suds, and select draft beers are $2 off during brunch. Other boozy bevs include Bloody Mary pints and mimosas (by the glass or bottle) with your choice of orange, pineapple or grapefruit juice. 900 N. Glebe Road, Arlington