Mother's Day Brunch Spots: DC, VA Eateries Among America's Best

WASHINGTON, DC — Are you looking for a special spot to celebrate Mother's Day after two years of scaled-back events?

The District and Virginia are home to eight of the top brunch restaurants in the country, according to OpenTable's list of the 100 Best Brunch Spots in America.

OpenTable said an analysis of its data shows Mother's Day reservations to its clients are up 39 percent compared with pre–pandemic 2019, and up 13 percent compared with 2021.

Here are the DC and Virginia brunch spots that made the list:

Virginia

• Bistro L'Hermitage, Woodbridge: A French bistro in historic downtown Occoquan, L'Hermitage promises relaxed good taste with the polish and sophistication of fine dining. Popular dishes include filet mignon, escargots, and foie gras. Check out the menu.
• L'Auberge Chez Francois, Great Falls: The French country inn a short distance from the nation's capital has drawn visitors for over 66 years. The extensive menu is full of the flavors of Alsace and traditional French cuisine. Find the menu online.
• Le Yaca, Williamsburg: Le Yaca began in 1964 in Courchevel, a tiny village in the French Alps. Daniele Bourderau came to the United States and opened Le Yaca in Williamsburg. Daniel Abid bought Le Yaca in 2001. Browse their menu. There is also a location in Virginia Beach.
• OBC Kitchen, Lexington: The venue was named after the counties that eventually became Kentucky, so Old Bourbon County is a chef-driven restaurant that houses an extremely rare bourbon collection, eclectic craft beer selection and extensive wine list. Favorites include steak and cake, chicken in country biscuits, wagyu bacon cheeseburger, and cola-braised short ribs. Check out the menu.

Related: Mother's Day Gift Guide 2022

District of Columbia

• La Piquette, Washington: A neighborhood bistro located in Cleveland Park offers a daily menu with farm raised and seasonal fresh ingredients. Popular dishes are steak and frites, gâteau a l'orange and salmon tartar. See the full menu here.
• Old Ebbitt Grill, Washington: Run by Chef Salvatore Ferro, the restaurant is Washington's oldest saloon, founded in 1856 when innkeeper William E. Ebbitt bought a boarding house. Presidents Ulysses S. Grant, Andrew Johnson, Grover Cleveland, Theodore Roosevelt and Warren Harding supposedly refreshed themselves at its stand-around bar. Check out the menu.
• St. Anselm, Washington: Located in the Union Market neighborhood, the second outpost of Joe Carroll’s popular NYC restaurant aims to bring some Brooklyn to Washington, D.C. The American tavern is devoted to the pleasures of grilled meats and great ingredients simply cooked. Specialties include New Yorks strip with au poivre sauce, prime 16 ounce ribeye, lamb leg steak with pepper relish and wild rockfish with saffron mussel cream. Find the menu online.
• Le Diplomate, Washington: Located in the Logan Circle neighborhood, the 260-seat restaurant pays homage to the cafés of Boulevard Saint-Germain in Paris. The menu features classic dishes including onion soup gratinee, steak frites, and poulet roti as well as contemporary bistro fare, with dishes such as shaved veal tongue with mache and bavette de boeuf à l’echalote. See the full menu.

In a survey of 1,255 adults, 45 percent said they plan to make up for time lost with their mothers and mother figures during the pandemic by "going big" this year. And 48 percent of moms surveyed said their ideal Mother's Day involves going out to brunch or dinner.

Among those, nearly half (47 percent) are opting for brunch. The most popular cuisines represented on the list are American (30 percent), French (19 percent), contemporary American (11 percent) and seafood (10 percent).

More about the list can be found at OpenTable and OpenTable’s Mother’s Day planning hub.