The Best Breakfast in Washington DC

In no particular order....

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Ambar

I list this spot first because it was the first restaurant we ate at in DC after a long red-eye flight that was so incredibly freezing cold we couldn't sleep. Good thing we were able to get some good food in our bellies before sleep deprivation stepped in and we started hating each other LOL.

Ambar is a restaurant serving Balkan cuisine, and is open for brunch, lunch and dinner, primarily serving small plates. I love restaurants that serve small plates, it can be so fun! The decor is very cute in a modern rustic way and the service was impeccable. For brunch, they offer an all you can eat special, or you can order off the menu.

The unlimited brunch comes with bottomless mimosas as well, so this is really an experience. If you come here, the fried sourdough bread is a must have. It is SO GOOD. I could have eaten 20 pieces of that stuff. We ordered the Mezze Board which came with a selection of cheeses, meats and spread and that delectable fried sourdough.

Mezze board at Ambar - best brunch in dc

Also good is the Prosciutto Benedict with a perfectly poached egg, as well as the Roasted Mushroom Crepes which were just packed with flavor.

prosciutto benedict at Ambar - best brunch in dc

The menu has so many options, so if you're up for it, I highly recommend the unlimited brunch for a real special experience!

Baked and Wired

An extremely popular bakery in Georgetown, Baked and Wired serves up all the best coffee drinks, as well as a wide variety of pastries. They serve an array of baked good such as cakecups, biscotti, breakfast breads, muffins, pies, quiche, cakes and biscuits, among others. The Cakecups are wildly popular with flavors like German chocolate, dulce de leche, almond orangesicle, strawberry and peppermint patty. You definitely want to check out this spot to get your morning started with a bang.

Tabard Inn

I am in love with this cute little historic inn in the heart of DC. I wish that we would have stayed here during our visit. But oh well, the breakfast here was enough to keep us happy.

The food at the Tabard Inn was just to die for. This may have been the best breakfast in DC that we tried. They make their own cinnamon sugar donuts served with fresh whipped cream. I mean who doesn't love fresh whipped cream? It's the best. They were light, fluffy and addictively delicious.

donuts at the tabard inn - best breakfast dc

The boyfriend ordered the Tabard Sandwich which was a bagel filled with corned beef, bacon, swiss cheese and of course a fried egg. It was delectable.

tabard sandwich at the tabard inn - best breakfast dc

I ordered the Hillbilly Grits which came with slices of braised caramelized pork belly, two poached eggs, fontina cheese and a creamy Bearnaise sauce. OH. MY. GOD. It was amazing. If you go here, you must try this.

hillbilly grits at the tabard inn - best breakfast dc

They serve breakfast every day starting at 7 AM, or brunch every Saturday and Sunday starting at 10:30 AM. We ate there for breakfast, and while the menu is not as extensive as it's brunch menu, you can see we fared pretty well. I'd love to go back for brunch and try the Tabard Cheese Grits (yes I love grits) with fried oysters or the Chicken and Waffles (another weakness of mine).

Ted's Bulletin

Another highly popular spot, Ted's Bulletin has multiple locations across the DC area. Here, breakfast is served all day long. They have traditional breakfast dishes such as omelets, biscuits and sausage gravy, corned beef hash, pancakes, and several benedicts.

Incredibly popular are their pop tarts, which come in an array of different flavors. They've also got a selection of donuts, donut holes (try the ones filled with jelly), and other pastries. Basically, if you're going to try anything here, you must get at least 1 pop tart!

Tryst

A coffeehouse right smack in the middle of DC, Tryst has an awesome selection of specialty coffees and teas to get your day started right. They also serve an all day brunch including items such as quiche, avocado toast, bagels, salad, and a selection of appetizers.

Also popular are their waffles....they serve a Death by Chocolate Waffle (yes, a waffle made with chocolate batter) and a Fawaffel, which is a waffle made out of falafel batter. Each day, they have a selection of baked goods to try as well.

Acadiana

This is not your typical breakfast. Acadiana only offers a prix fix Sunday brunch (in addition to a daily dinner menu), and doesn't open until 11 AM for that brunch. But guys, this place is worth the trip. The food is incredible. We loved everything we tried.

The Pork Boudin Balls were perfectly crispy on the outside, and creamy and delicious on the inside, perfect served with creole mustard.

boudin balls at Acadiana - best breakfast in dc

The Blackened Tilapia with sweet corn pudding, collard greens with bacon, and crawfish lemon tabasco butter was to die for. The fish was cooked to perfection and the dish had so much flavor!

tilapia at Acadiana - best breakfast in dc

The Eggs Acadiana was also delicious, served with two perfectly poached eggs over crawfish crab cakes with a tasso ham hollandaise sauce. Droolworthy guys.

And don't forget to order some beignets, a mocha creme brulee or pecan tart for dessert. Then sit back and let the blissful food coma take over.

Commissary

Commissary offers an array of different breakfast options, ranging from pancakes, to Heuvos Rancheros to Steak and Eggs. They have this awesome breakfast for two which has 2 coffees, two breakfast entrees and a pitcher of bloody mary's or mimosas. Pretty sweet deal if you ask me. Try their potato pancakes with smoked salmon, grab one of their many smoothies, or treat 'yo self with a hearty plate of steak and eggs. They also have lighter fare such as quinoa bowls, avocado toast and yogurt & granola.

Kyirisan

Kyirisan only serves brunch on Sunday, but boy is it an awesome brunch with some amazing dishes. Try dishes like the Truffled Kimchi Congee, Scallion Pancake or the Panko Chicken Sandwich for some slightly different, but awesome, breakfast flavors. They also serve blueberry pancakes, a lump crab cake benedict and gravlax croissant sandwich. If you haven't tried the brunch here, what are you waiting for?

Blue Duck Tavern

A Michelin Star restaurant, we were not disappointed by the breakfast here. The flavors were incredible, and the menu wonderfully unique. Blue Duck Tavern is located in the Hyatt in Georgetown. Offering both breakfast every day, and a brunch on weekends, this is a "must visit" spot.

I had this amazing waffle with blueberry compote and duck confit, however, I don't see if offered on the menu anymore.

waffle and duck confit at Blue Duck Tavern - best breakfast in washington dc

Don't fret, there are many other awesome dishes like a Jumbo Lump Crab Benedict, Lemon French Toast, and this Hot Fried Chicken Biscuit.

hot fried chicken at Blue Duck Tavern - best breakfast in washington dc

Don't forget to order a basket of pastries and some roasted bone marrow for the table to share!

Tail Up Goat

Offering a Sunday prix fix brunch, Tail Up Goat offers a fresh seasonal menu that changes depending on availability. It's a three coarse meal featuring a starter, an entree and a sweet dish. Starters include options such as Seared Pork Belly, and their take on a Ricotta "Pancake." Second course includes amazing options like this Tagliatelle Carbonara made with a duck egg yolk and smoked mushrooms, or this Fried Pork with Polenta. Finish it off with something sweet like Ginger Sorbet or Custard with honey and balsamic vinegar.

If you're visiting DC, you must try a few of these restaurants offering the best breakfast in Washington DC.

Have you been to any of these restaurants? Is there a restaurant that you love that's not on this list of best breakfast spots in DC? Leave a comment below and let me know!