Easter Restaurant Specials in Washington

Where to go for brunch, dinner, and visits from the Easter Bunny

By: Laura McKenzie

Highlights from the Easter menu at this adorable Rockville restaurant include house cured-lamb hash with poached eggs, roasted sweet peppers, and curried-carrot emulsion; shrimp and grits with grilled Benton ham; fried chicken with buttermilk pancakes; and a soft-shell crab sandwich. The menu is à la carte; prices are $12 to $19. Serving brunch from 11 to 3 and dinner from 5 to 9.

Easter in Washington

Ardeo + Bardeo
Enjoy a three-course Easter brunch in this recently merged Cleveland Park restaurant. Dishes include French toast with bananas, walnuts, and maple syrup; fried chicken with biscuits, gravy, and collard greens; and Scottish salmon with peas, asparagus, farro, and carrot au jus. Desserts include apple cobbler with rum-raisin ice cream, pecan pie, and Meyer-lemon-meringue pie. $39, or $49 with bottomless Champagne and mimosas. Serving brunch from 10:30 to 3.

Art and Soul
Expect Southern influence and locally sourced ingredients for brunchand dinner here. Highlights include shrimp and grits and eggs Benedict made with pork belly, and for dinner, a roast leg of lamb. For dessert, sample a grilled vanilla pound cake or smoked-chili-infused chocolate pudding. Brunch is $45 and dinner is $55. Serving brunch from 10 to 4 and dinner from 4:30 to 9.

Blue Duck Tavern
At this slick restaurant in the Park Hyatt hotel, there’s a three-course, fixed-price brunch. Entrées include Sunnyside eggs with cod cakes and spicy buttermilk sauce, roasted leg of lamb, local rockfish, and Belgian waffles with huckleberry marmalade. $90 per adult and $45 for kids ages six to 12. Brunch is served from 10:30 to 3:30.

Bombay Club
Within spitting distance of the White House, this Indian restaurant is serving a Champagne brunch featuring Easter lamb plus egg dishes, seafood curry, and fresh fruit. $25, or $35 with bottomless Champagne. Serving brunch from 11 to 2:30.

At Robert Wiedmaier’s Old Town restaurant, a five-station buffet brunch includes cold items such as smoked salmon, fruit, and cheese as well as roasted chicken, prime rib, and ham. Kids have a buffet of their own with corn dogs, grilled cheese, and Belgian waffles. There’ll also be a dessert station. $55, or $65 with bottomless mimosas; the kids’ buffet is $15. 10:30 to 2:30.

Co Co. Sala
Brunch starts off with an appetizer of chocolate fritters and follows with dishes such as French-toast s'mores, Louisiana crabcakes, and grilled cheese with truffle-scented brioche. Finish off with a selection of house-made desserts. $50, including one Champagne cocktail, or $30 for kids ten and under. Brunch is served 10:30 to 4.

Cuba Libre
This Penn Quarter Latin restaurant is serving a special empanada de choclo en cazuela with pulled lamb shoulder, olives, capers, and corn-casserole pie, served with a piquillo-pepper salad. There’ll also be a traditional brunch à la carte menu. The empanda is $20 and à la carte prices are $5 to $11. Brunch is served 11 to 3.

Just when we thought a deep-fried Twinkie was as bad as it got, Eamonn's brings us the deep-fried Cadbury egg. The English candy is rolled in flour, deep-fried at 350 degrees, and coated in cinnamon sugar. Available now through Easter.

Farenheit at the Ritz-Carlton, Georgetown
Brunch is served from 11 to 3, and main dishes include a lobster omelette, wild salmon, and eggs Benedict with beef tenderloin and bearnaise sauce. Finish the meal with a dessert buffet. $65.

Fyve at the Ritz-Carlton, Pentagon City
Dishes include garlic-roasted leg of lamb; prime rib; and a raw bar with Blue Point oysters, shrimp, and crab. Kids can enjoy a petting zoo, Easter-egg hunt, and storytelling. 11 to 2; $80, or $40 for children 12 and under.

The Grille at Morrison House
At this Old Town spot, a three-course brunch features starters such as Virginia crabcakes with Vidalia-onion pie and entrées such as lamb and eggs with braised-lamb crépinette and sunny-side up eggs, toast, and a rosemary-lamb sauce. For dessert, try profiteroles with warm chocolate sauce or a chocolate pot de crème. Wash it all down with a mimosa or fresh juice. $49. Brunch is served from 11 to 2.

Inn at Little Washington
This Virginia fine-dining establishment is serving a special seven-course tasting menu for dinner. Highlights include spring rack of lamb, eggs from the restaurant's hen house, local asparagus, and wild morel mushrooms. $128. The regular menu will be available for $168. Seatings begin at 4.

Jackson 20
From 11 to 3, indulge in the Grand Buffet Brunch, which holds pancakes, omelettes, biscuits and gravy, and a carving station with lamb and country pig. For dessert, try the signature bread pudding and other house-made pastries, and have a drink from the Bloody Mary and mimosa bars for an additional $20. $55, or $25 for kids 12 and under. Brunch is served from 8 to 2:30.

Kellari Taverna
This seafood-centric K Street restaurant is offering a prix-fixe, three-course meal in celebration of Greek Easter. Special dishes include Easter kokoretsi (spit-roasted sweetbreads), magiritsa—a traditional soup accompanied by eggs and tsoureki bread, and spit-roasted baby lamb with lemon potatoes. There’ll also be live entertainment. $65. Brunch is served from 11:30 to 4.

The Mason Inn

The brunch at this Fairfax hotel restaurant includes traditional eggs Benedict, French toast with warm stone-fruit stew, bourbon-and-brown-sugar-glazed ham and roast Moroccan-spiced lamb with green-tomato-and-date chutney. $39.95, or $14.95 for kids 12 and under. There are two seatings—11 and 1:30—each followed by a bring-your-own-basket egg hunt for the kids. Live jazz will be played throughout the day.

At Michel Richard’s newest restaurant, the three-course Easter menu includes roast lamb and spring-chicken vacherin with seasonal veggies such as spring peas and asparagus. Traditional brunch items such as brioche French toast and smoked-salmon Benedict are available à la carte, as are cocktails such as passion fruit bellinis and basil Bloody Marys. The prix-fixe brunch is $65, and à la carte items are $15 to $25. 11:30 to 2:30.

The Old Dominion at the Ritz-Carlton, Tysons Corner
Brunch includes caviar, eggs Benedict, made-to-order omelettes, and a raw bar. Wash it all down with Champagne cocktails and selection of exotic juices. $120, or $40 for kids ages four to 12. Brunch is served from 11 to 3.

Pienza Italian Market Restaurant at National Harbor
Eat brunch with Peeps; instead of the Easter bunny, everyone’s favorite marshmallow character will be there. Brunch selections include fresh pastries, made-to-order omelettes, lasagna, and herb-roasted rack of lamb with mint jelly. Kids have their own buffet, and desserts include such as like Peeps cupcakes and strawberry cake. 11:30 to 2:30; $49, or $19 for kids ages three to 12.

Seasons Restaurant at the Four Seasons
Enjoy traditional brunch fare or sample dishes such as grilled rack of lamb with tomato chutney, lobster rolls, and spring-vegetable ratatouille. Also on the menu: double-truffle meatloaf cupcakes and a pork-belly BLT. $100, including Champagne and mimosas. Brunch is served from 11:30 to 2:30.

Screwtop Wine Bar
The three-course brunch menu at this Arlington wine bar and cheese shop includes a first course of either goat cheese with apricot honey and fresh bread or a ham biscuit with peach chutney. The second course is a strawberry-fields salad with bacon vinaigrette, lemon Ceasar salad, or fresh greens with your choice of dressing. The third course is a bacon-egg-and-Brie sandwich, french toast, ham-and-Gruyere quiche, "buffaloaf" sandwich, or a goat sandwich. End the meal with fresh berries and chocolate. $19.99; add bottomless orange or pomegranate mimosas for $13.99. The kids menu is $8.99 for ages ten and under and includes items such as a cheese plate, PB&J, and chocolate-chip cookies. Brunch is served 11 to 4.

Brunch at this Georgetown landmark includes a visit by the Easter Bunny to each table. Enjoy a three-course brunch or an à la carte dinner. Expect dishes such as challah French toast, ham and eggs with collard greens, and rack of lamb. Entrées range from $28 to $38 (the first course is included with the entrée). Brunch is served from 10 to 3:45. Dinner is served 4 to 8.

The brunch buffet at this upscale-Southern restaurant in the Mandarin Oriental includes dishes like buttermilk-ricotta flapjacks and steak and eggs, plus a selection of shrimp and oysters. There’ll also be an Easter-egg hunt for kids and an appearance by the Easter Bunny. $65, including one brunch cocktail, or $30 for kids ages three to 12. 11 to 3.

Vinifera Wine Bar & Bistro
This Reston restaurant will have a petting zoo provided by the Leesburg Animal Park, a visit from the Easter Bunny, and three Easter-egg hunts. There’ll also be a three-course, prix-fixe brunch for $40, or $18 for kids 12 and under. Brunch is served from 11 to 3.

Westend Bistro
The buffet at celeb chef Eric Ripert’s restaurant has cheese and charcuterie, a variety of salads, a raw bar, plus made-to-order eggs, homemade bread, roasted duck, and Asian-inspired dumplings and pot stickers. $85, or $42.50 for kids 12 and under. Brunch is served from 11 to 3.

Willard Grand Ballroom
A buffet brunch will be served from 11 to 2, and the $75 seat includes a glass of Champagne. Kids ages five to 12 eat for $37, and there’ll be a cookie-decorating station and a visit from the Easter Bunny. Brunch is served from 11 to 2.

April 24 through May 8, enjoy a variety of specials in celebration of Greek Easter. Dishes include spit-roasted lamb on Easter Sunday, lamb sandwiches to go, or a ten-course tasting menu featuring house-made lamb sausage, braised lamb shoulder, and greens with scallions and mizithra cheese ($105 for two people).

Got a restaurant special you’d like to see included? E-mail lmckenzie@washingtonian.com with details.

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