Written by Anita
December 16, 2012
It may be cold outside, but you can still “go bottomless” at several weekend brunches in the DC area!
Acclaimed chef Richard Sandoval’s three area restaurants (Zengo, El Centro D.F., and Masa 14), all offer bottomless brunches—complete with bottomless brunch cocktails.
We recently sampled Zengo’s bottomless brunch and found that it offered a wide variety of tasty Latin-Asian dishes. For $35 per person*, guests can order unlimited small plates, brunch cocktails, and coffee. Served Saturdays and Sundays from 11am-2:30pm, the brunch includes several of our favorite small plates from Zengo’s popular evening happy hours (including the spicy angry Zengo roll and the delectable achiote-hoisin pork arepas) and several inventive brunch plates (like the Pekin duck chilaquiles—layers of corn tortillas, shredded duck meat, guajillo salsa, crema, and cotija cheese, topped with a fried egg.) We also savored the pillowy steamed buns, stuffed with crispy bacon and fluffy scrambled eggs and slathered with avocado spread. Bottomless cocktail options include a variety of mimosas (traditional, guava, passion fruit, or pomegranate), sake sangrias, and bloody Marys/bloody Marias (Marias are made with tequila). Don’t forget to save room for the churros! Light and sugary, they come with a mini mug of rich hot chocolate.
El Centro D.F.hosts an authentic Mexican brunch every Saturday and Sunday from 11am-3pm (last seating at 2pm). For $35 a person, you can enjoy unlimited brunch tacos and a variety of Mexican small plates. Choose breakfast-y options (like egg and chorizo tacos or huevos rancheros) or try something more lunch-y (like chicken tinga tacos or shrimp ceviche). Your party also gets an order of El Centro D.F.’s fresh guacamole (prepared tableside) and a choice of a Mexican fruit salad or a Fruit, Jicama, and Chayote salad. Wash it all down with unlimited brunch cocktails: micheladas (beer, tomato juice, and spices), bloody Marias, or seasonal Aqua Fresca concoctions. Those with a sweet tooth can try sweet selections like the tres leches cake or a Mexican chocolate waffle.
At Masa 14, $35 a person gets you bottomless Latin-Asian brunch plates and brunch cocktails. Served on Saturday and Sunday from 10am-3pm (last seating at 2pm), the menu includes flatbreads, salads, eggs, benedicts, omelets, and sandwiches. Cocktails include two types of mimosas (traditional and mango), lychee bellinis, bloody Marys (traditional or bacon!), and lemon lagers.
Not liking Latin? There are still plenty of other bottomless brunch options.
In the mood for Mediterranean? Then try Agora’s bottomless brunch for $29.95 per person, served Saturdays and Sundays from 11am to 3pm (last seating is at 2:30pm). For up to two hours, your party can order unlimited Turkish and Greek small plates and wash them down with mimosas, bloody Marys, champagne, and house martinis.
Craving Cuban? At Cuba Libre, your party can sample unlimited Piqueos (influenced by chef Guillermo Pernot’s recent visits to Cuba) on Saturdays and Sundays from 11:30am to 2pm. The meal is $26 per person; add $12 if you’d like to add unlimited cocktails like Cuban Marys, mimosas (classic, lychee, or watermelon), sangrias, or daily beers.
Itching for Indian? Then try The Bombay Club’s unlimited brunch buffet of regional Indian cuisine for $20.95 per person. An additional $7 gets you unlimited champagne (the live piano music is gratis!). Available on Sundays only from 11:30am to 2:30pm, the changing menu features seven items: two appetizers, a red meat dish, either a chicken, egg, or fish dish, and three vegetable or lentil dishes. Each meal includes fragrant rice and fresh breads.
Salivating for Spanish? Then try Boqueria’s unlimited tapas brunch Saturdays and Sundays from 11:30am to 2:30pm. For $35 per person, the menu includes a variety of brunch tapas, like the fluffy tortilla espanola or the sometimes spicy (each one is different!) pimentos de Padron. Sweets include churros rellenos (churros filled with cream or Nutella!), traditional churros, or a delicate flan. Bottomless drinks include mimosas, sangrias, and a special draft beer. Bottoms up!
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*All brunch prices are exclusive of tax and tip, and restaurants typically require the entire table to order the bottomless brunches. Leftover items cannot be taken home.