The 14 Best Breakfast Spots In DC 2024 - Washington DC - The Infatuation (2024)

Brunch culture takes up a lot of the airspace when we think about breakfast in DC, but the two meals are not to be confused. For one thing, breakfast without bottomless mimosas is a time-honored tradition in this city (see: diners like Florida Avenue Grill that are older than Metro). Here’s where to go on the mornings when you’re craving a straightforward, no-nonsense breakfast, whether you’re dining in or carrying out.

THE SPOTS

La Tejana, a Tex-Mex restaurant in Mt. Pleasant, is a go-to neighborhood staple for a quick and delicious breakfast. Plants hang from shelves overhead, coffee grinds sit next to jugs of horchata, and the staff banters from behind the counter with regulars, recommending orders and drinks like the Dirty Horchata. The restaurant serves nine taco options that they rightly recommend you order in batches of two or three. Each soft taco is made with some variation of eggs, queso, potatoes, or refried beans on flour tortillas made in-house. Expect a weekend line that forms early, but moves quickly.

Heat Da Spot, a beloved local gathering spot in Petworth, serves some seriously good breakfast. Come to this Ethiopian restaurant for things like ful and chechebsa, fried flatbread marinated in spiced butter and berbere that’s peppery and crispy in all the right places. There’s a down-to-earth charm about this place, which on any given occasion should probably only seat about 30 people, but is often hosting double that amount. On the weekends, you’ll find people forever lounging on the gold couches and the mismatched furniture that decorate the space, so be prepared to hunt for seats.

There are a few reasons to hit this all-day American restaurant and cafe in Navy Yard, like their homemade cold brew that’s quite good and the buttery croissants. But the real reason we visit is for the scallion-pancake egg sandwich. They come with your choice of bacon, kimchi, or sausage, and are served with a spicy, tangy garlic-chili crisp. It's a great spot to work while you eat—or maybe it’s eat while you work? Lounge on a green tweed couch if you’re looking to kick back, or grab a more sturdy (but still comfortable) booth if you’re there to grind.

Florida Avenue Grill has been a DC institution since 1944. It’s an old-school diner, so think tattered vinyl booths and bar seats that have withstood the test of time, with customers that range from longtime regulars to the occasional tourist. Their world-famous hot cakes, served with butter, cinnamon, and powdered sugar, are the stuff of dreams—they’re light, fluffy, buttery, and sweet. Things take time here and the service can be slow, but as the saying goes, good things come to those who wait.

The Coupe has an all-day breakfast menu and massive seating options—the restaurant takes up the entire corner of the block, which means there’s space for everyone, plus plenty of natural sunlight from the windows along the far wall. You can’t go wrong with The Coupe Royale, which comes with eggs, sausage or ham, a hash brown square, and your choice of french toast or pancakes (always get the pancakes). And if you’re not looking to take on a whole meal, they also have an extensive coffee and pastry menu.

This family-owned restaurant in Capitol Hill is everything you want from your neighborhood cafe. It’s the type of place you can sit at a table by a window solo or side-by-side with friends in a booth dissecting the drama from the night before. Expect nothing but the fundamentals: booths, bar seating, and wooden tables that can be rearranged to accommodate big groups. The straightforward menu is full of American breakfast classics, the best of which are the omelets and the french toast. Like other diners, it’s cash-only here, so be prepared.

Murry & Paul’s is the definition of a no-nonsense diner with a straightforward breakfast menu and a cash-only policy. It gets seriously packed on weekends as people wait for tables and mull around the bar while the staff manages an obscene number of carry-out orders. The restaurant has served Brookland for 60 years, and you can tell by the large crowds that the restaurant, and its food, are much appreciated. Get the pancake or french toast specials, which come with eggs and your choice of meat.

Pearl’s Bagels in Mt. Vernon Triangle is in the perfect spot to grab a quick breakfast sandwich to start your day. The menu is almost endless—you can order predesigned things like the Frenchie topped with juicy honey ham, eggs, gruyere, and heaps of spicy mustard, but you can also build your own. The shop is open daily but closes at 2pm, so make sure to skip that morning meeting that could’ve been an email if you’re craving their sweet honey butter slathered on a whole wheat bagel.

This former Navy Yard café was once next to its sister restaurant, Albi, but has since found new life in Georgetown and Union Market. We’re partial to the Georgetown location for its proximity to shopping and retail, and the plush couches provide a nice spot to people-watch or read a paperback from Politics and Prose. Both cafés have solid breakfast options that tend to sell out quickly, so the sooner you can scoot on in, the better. Our latest obsessions are the cardamom chocolate cruffin—that’s a combo we didn’t know we needed—and the super-stuffed BBQ cauliflower pita that’s so huge, you could probably save half of it for a snack later.

We love an on-the-go breakfast that gives us an energy boost that isn’t from a short-lived sugar rush. And on those days, we go to Turning Natural. The Anacostia juice bar serves about 20 different smoothie and fresh juice options, including our favorite, the Bob Marley, a tropical smoothie full of papaya, pineapple, mango, and peach. They get you in and out in under 10 minutes, so stop in even if you’re running a little behind schedule. Just tell your boss it was your daily dose of self-care.

Call Your Mother knows how to attract a crowd. This fast-casual Jewish deli is the closest DC has gotten to a New York City bagel. We also like their signature sandwiches, like The Pastrami Sun City, made with pastrami, egg, cheddar, and spicy honey. The shop’s decor includes quirky designs in aquamarine and pink, so get ready to pull out your phone at least once to snap a quick pic while holding up the line. That said, it’s in your best interest to skip the line entirely. Order ahead, especially on weekends when the wait times can hike up quickly.

The early morning breakfast crowd is in Farmers & Distillers, and for good reason. The Chinatown restaurant sits on the corner of Mass Ave. and 6th St., making it really easy to get to whether you’re driving, walking, or taking the metro. And it has New Orleans-adjacent beignets, fluffy pancakes, anda huge dining room that can fit anyone’s needs. Whether you’re coming for a quick pre-work breakfast with a coworker or looking for a spot to meet up with a friend who is visiting, Farmers & Distillers meets the mark.

This Puerto Rican spot in Navy Yard is a brightly colored, family-friendly place (but yes, there’s still a bar) that can get you in and out of in under 30 minutes, depending how quickly you’re able to pick between the mata hambre or one of the tostadas. Use your phone to order food at your table—try to get one with a swing—and someone will bring it right to you. Or you can grab and go at the dedicated takeout counter complete with an old-school black and white menu with the slide-on letters.

Ted’s Bulletin opened nearly 15 years ago, and the original diner—with its iconic yellow, tufted-leather bar and booths—in Capitol Hill is the neighborhood’s go-to spot for an unfussy breakfast that tastes like a home-cooked meal. The operation has grown to eight locations across the DMV, though the Capitol Hill outpost remains our favorite for its super-friendly staff and quaint original charm. Breakfast is served all day, and if you’re anything like us, you’ll keep coming back for the huevos rancheros, biscuits and sausage gravy, and thick-cut french toast. Definitely leave room for the house dessert: Ted’s Tarts, available in strawberry, brown sugar and cinnamon, s’mores, and blueberry cheesecake.