DC breakfast for foreign tourists
April 14, 2011 8:23 AM Subscribe
Friends coming in to DC from overseas. Where should I take them for breakfast and sight-seeing before they can check in to their hotel?
Some friends are coming in to DC from overseas. Their flight gets in at 6am in Dulles and their hotel won't let them check in until noon. I'll have my car and their luggage, but I'm willing to pay for parking. (We probably won't leave Dulles until after 7, plus driving time from there.)
Where should I take them? We'll need to get breakfast somewhere, but where? Somewhere in Old Town Alexandria? Georgetown?
I'd rather not take them to the monuments because they're spending the bulk of their stay in that area.
I'd really appreciate specific recommendations for restaurants with great breakfast, brunch, and coffee - especially in areas where we can later wonder around in, by foot and/or car.
It doesn't have to be limited to DC proper, but must have good food, good atmosphere, and in or close to pretty area.
Many thanks!
Some friends are coming in to DC from overseas. Their flight gets in at 6am in Dulles and their hotel won't let them check in until noon. I'll have my car and their luggage, but I'm willing to pay for parking. (We probably won't leave Dulles until after 7, plus driving time from there.)
Where should I take them? We'll need to get breakfast somewhere, but where? Somewhere in Old Town Alexandria? Georgetown?
I'd rather not take them to the monuments because they're spending the bulk of their stay in that area.
I'd really appreciate specific recommendations for restaurants with great breakfast, brunch, and coffee - especially in areas where we can later wonder around in, by foot and/or car.
It doesn't have to be limited to DC proper, but must have good food, good atmosphere, and in or close to pretty area.
Many thanks!
Art & Soul on Capitol Hill is *awesome*. The Chef, Art Smith, was on Top Chef Masters and used to be Oprah's personal chef. I've only had brunch/lunch, though - the breakfast menu isn't quite as exciting.
Here's the breakfast menu: http://www.artandsouldc.com/breakfast.html
And the brunch (Sunday mornings only): (pdf) http://www.artandsouldc.com/download/menus/Art-Soul-Weekend-Brunch.pdf
posted by alaijmw at 8:27 AM on April 14, 2011
Here's the breakfast menu: http://www.artandsouldc.com/breakfast.html
And the brunch (Sunday mornings only): (pdf) http://www.artandsouldc.com/download/menus/Art-Soul-Weekend-Brunch.pdf
posted by alaijmw at 8:27 AM on April 14, 2011
Which day of the week? I really miss Sunday's gospel brunch at the Corcoran.
posted by headnsouth at 8:29 AM on April 14, 2011
posted by headnsouth at 8:29 AM on April 14, 2011
If you felt like exploring the NW part of DC, you can always do Open City or The Diner. In addition to being able to explore the neighborhoods, both are about a half mile away from the zoo.
posted by statsgirl at 8:35 AM on April 14, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by statsgirl at 8:35 AM on April 14, 2011 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: day of the week: Saturday (this Saturday)
posted by Neekee at 8:40 AM on April 14, 2011
posted by Neekee at 8:40 AM on April 14, 2011
Open City gets my vote. Close to the Zoo!
posted by General Malaise at 8:49 AM on April 14, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by General Malaise at 8:49 AM on April 14, 2011 [1 favorite]
+1 for Open City. Great food and cheap. Gets crowded though.
posted by the foreground at 9:08 AM on April 14, 2011
posted by the foreground at 9:08 AM on April 14, 2011
What time are you thinking? A lot of the good brunch places don't seem to open before 10 or 11 on the weekends. However, Founding Farmers (19th & Pennsylvania) has a fantastic breakfast. They open at 9. Not the most fun neighborhood ever, but it's close to lots of fun stuff.
posted by min at 9:22 AM on April 14, 2011
posted by min at 9:22 AM on April 14, 2011
Nthing Open City. Oh how I love Open City.
posted by charmcityblues at 9:22 AM on April 14, 2011
posted by charmcityblues at 9:22 AM on April 14, 2011
I can't deny the appeal of Open City/the National Zoo for a welcome to DC, but a slightly less adventurous choice would be Old Town Alexandria, which is lovely to walk around.
Good places for coffee/breakfast: La Madeleine, Jack's Place, Fontaine Caffe & Creperie
And it's just a lovely place to walk around with shops and the waterfront.
posted by eggyolk at 9:31 AM on April 14, 2011
Good places for coffee/breakfast: La Madeleine, Jack's Place, Fontaine Caffe & Creperie
And it's just a lovely place to walk around with shops and the waterfront.
posted by eggyolk at 9:31 AM on April 14, 2011
Ben's Chili Bowl opens for breakfast at 7am on Saturday ... how healthy do they want to be?
posted by mccxxiii at 9:49 AM on April 14, 2011
posted by mccxxiii at 9:49 AM on April 14, 2011
Also ... Luna Grill and Diner in Dupont Circle opens at 8am for breakfast. If you prefer to make a stop in Virginia, they also have a location in Shirlington.
And the Busboys and Poets in Shirlington opens at 8am too, I think. (Note that there are 2 other B&P locations in DC proper but I don't know about their hours).
posted by mccxxiii at 9:54 AM on April 14, 2011
And the Busboys and Poets in Shirlington opens at 8am too, I think. (Note that there are 2 other B&P locations in DC proper but I don't know about their hours).
posted by mccxxiii at 9:54 AM on April 14, 2011
If you want to plunge them headfirst into the "real" DC, you could take them to the Capital City Diner, or the Florida Avenue Grill.
The Diner's alright, but I'd give it a pass. It's much more useful for the fact that it serves pretty decent food 24/7. (When you absolutely, positively need an omelette at 4AM)
I also do love Northside Social in Clarendon.
That all said, the Open City or Old Town suggestions both sound like the best thing to do for a group of out-of-towners.
posted by schmod at 9:57 AM on April 14, 2011
The Diner's alright, but I'd give it a pass. It's much more useful for the fact that it serves pretty decent food 24/7. (When you absolutely, positively need an omelette at 4AM)
I also do love Northside Social in Clarendon.
That all said, the Open City or Old Town suggestions both sound like the best thing to do for a group of out-of-towners.
posted by schmod at 9:57 AM on April 14, 2011
founding farmers has an amazing brunch - get the beignets - then visit the smithsonian museums.
posted by anya32 at 10:11 AM on April 14, 2011
posted by anya32 at 10:11 AM on April 14, 2011
Nthing Founding Farmers, and recommending reservations.
posted by juliplease at 10:14 AM on April 14, 2011
posted by juliplease at 10:14 AM on April 14, 2011
Maybe I am the odd one out, but if I were coming in from an international flight, I would really appreciate at least washing up in my friend's bathroom, if not just having brunch there. After freshening up, I would be totally up for doing things.
posted by kellyblah at 10:26 AM on April 14, 2011
posted by kellyblah at 10:26 AM on April 14, 2011
The Diner's alright, but I'd give it a pass.
Yes - The Diner consistently has the worst coffee in D.C., and the food is prepared with zero thought and cheap ingredients.
A few possibilities:
Breakfast at Jimmy T's Place followed by a walk with coffee down to Lincoln Park to see neighborhood Capitol Hill.
Breakfast at Market Lunch, then get coffee at Peregrine Espresso and walk around Eastern Market and the flea market (if they're interested in books, stop by Capitol Hill Books.)
Omelettes at Patisserie Poupon, get coffee to go, and walk around the beautiful grounds of Oak Hill Cemetery (some notable folks are buried there.)
Salvadorean greasy spoon breakfast at Don Jaime - get the migas - then a walk through Mount Pleasant down to the Zoo (the back entrance is at the intersection of Harvard and Adams Mill.) Visit the giant tropical fish at the Amazonia exhibit, and the Invertebrate House. If they're arriving after 5/7, stop by the farmers' market on your way there.
posted by ryanshepard at 11:07 AM on April 14, 2011
Yes - The Diner consistently has the worst coffee in D.C., and the food is prepared with zero thought and cheap ingredients.
A few possibilities:
Breakfast at Jimmy T's Place followed by a walk with coffee down to Lincoln Park to see neighborhood Capitol Hill.
Breakfast at Market Lunch, then get coffee at Peregrine Espresso and walk around Eastern Market and the flea market (if they're interested in books, stop by Capitol Hill Books.)
Omelettes at Patisserie Poupon, get coffee to go, and walk around the beautiful grounds of Oak Hill Cemetery (some notable folks are buried there.)
Salvadorean greasy spoon breakfast at Don Jaime - get the migas - then a walk through Mount Pleasant down to the Zoo (the back entrance is at the intersection of Harvard and Adams Mill.) Visit the giant tropical fish at the Amazonia exhibit, and the Invertebrate House. If they're arriving after 5/7, stop by the farmers' market on your way there.
posted by ryanshepard at 11:07 AM on April 14, 2011
By night, Capitol Lounge is a teeming mass of interns and young Hill Rats, but on the weekends they have a very good brunch.
posted by GriffX at 12:19 PM on April 14, 2011
posted by GriffX at 12:19 PM on April 14, 2011
I was going to say Open City, but everyone else already did!
posted by echo0720 at 3:34 PM on April 14, 2011
posted by echo0720 at 3:34 PM on April 14, 2011
Response by poster: As a follow up: they decided they wanted to go to Old Town Alexandria so I took them to Bread&Chocolate there. Very tasty coffee and nice pastries.
Thanks for all the suggestions! :)
posted by Neekee at 11:26 AM on April 19, 2011
Thanks for all the suggestions! :)
posted by Neekee at 11:26 AM on April 19, 2011
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posted by Neekee at 8:24 AM on April 14, 2011