Area restaurants are putting on their Easter best on March 27. From extravagant brunch buffets to prix fixe menus highlighting fresh spring produce, here are 10 options for celebrating with friends and family in Arlington, McLean and Falls Church.
SER Restaurant
1110 North Glebe Road, Arlington; 703-746-9822
Feel at home on Easter morning at SER. The Spanish restaurant rewards brunch guests who arrive in pajamas with a complimentary mimosa. Order a la carte or take advantage of a three-course, prix fixe menu that progresses from aperitivos to platos principals and finishes with postres for $32. Brunch is served 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The restaurant will also be open for dinner serving its regular menu, plus Easter specials.
The Ritz-Carlton Tysons Corner
1700 Tysons Blvd, McLean; 703-506-4300
Bring the kids to The Ritz-Carlton, where the hotel’s Easter brunch is backed by activities like a petting zoo, face painters and balloon artists. Mom and Dad will be content too, thanks to a well-stocked buffet that goes beyond omelet flippers to include luxuries like a raw bar, a caviar spread and even made-to-order pad Thai. Brunch runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in one of the hotel’s fifth-floor ballrooms and costs $125 per person plus tax and gratuity. Children under 3 eat free and children 4-12-years-old dine for $42.
2941 Restaurant
2941 Fairview Park Dr., Falls Church; 703-270-1500
When spring arrives, 2941 Restaurant becomes even more enchanting with its surrounding gardens in bloom. Take it all in on Easter when Chef Bertrand Chemel is offering a three-course, prix fixe menu for brunch (11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.) and dinner (4 p.m. to 8 p.m.). Some signature dishes will make an appearance (like the tuna tartare), but the menu focuses on fresh spring produce. Ricotta ravioli, for example, will be served with fricassee of peas, pea tendrils and wild mushrooms.
Sea Pearl Restaurant & Lounge
8191 Strawberry Ln. #2, Falls Church; 703-372-5161
Merrifield’s Sea Pearl Restaurant & Lounge is the Easter pick for seafood lovers. A brunch buffet spilling over with crab-topped benedicts, smoked salmon bagels and raw bar offerings like local oysters, Top Neck clams, PEI mussels and spiced shrimp costs $35 per person. Kids under 10 can hit the buffet for half price before building their own ice cream sundaes. Brunch will be served from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Palette 22
4053 Campbell Ave., Arlington; 703-746-9007
Shirlington newcomer Palette 22 will be serving its globetrotting menu for Easter brunch from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Try morning food from far off lands like a comforting Chinese rice porridge called congee; tamales with carnitas; Danish pancake puffs; or a Basque-style baked egg. A la carte pricing ranges from $5-$9, and don’t forget to build-your-own mimosa or Bloody Mary. Pause to take in the art that surrounds you—the restaurant doubles as a working studio for area artists.
Assaggi Osteria
6641 Old Dominion Dr., McLean; 703-918-0080
Celebrate Pasqua—the Italian word for Easter—at McLean’s Assaggi Osteria, where the kitchen is embracing the return of nature’s bounty with dishes spiked with green peas, asparagus, artichokes and other spring vegetables. Highlights include local lamb loin and chops served with mashed potatoes and a mint lamb reduction, and spring green pea soup with crispy guanciale and mint. The restaurant’s Easter feast will be served from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., along with the regular menus.
Kapnos Taverna
4000 Wilson Blvd., Arlington; 703-243-4400
Impress your guests and let Kapnos Taverna come to you Easter morning. The Greek restaurant is taking carryout dining orders for entrees including spit-roasted lamb, pork shoulder and chicken served with sides like spanakopita. It’s offering catering meals for both Catholic Easter (March 27) and Orthodox Easter (May 1). Orders for March 27 are due by March 24. If you’d rather dine-in, the full a la carte Greek brunch will be served from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
J. Gilbert’s
6930 Old Dominion Dr., McLean; 703-893-1034
J. Gilbert’s doesn’t want guests to leave hungry. Its overflowing Easter brunch buffet has all the staples, but let’s hit the high notes—peel-and-eat shrimp and other seafood; biscuits and sausage gravy; mac’n’cheese in lobster cream; chicken piccata; and three flavors of panna cotta. The buffet is offered from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and costs $35 for adults; $15 for children 5-12 years old. Children under 5 eat free.
Water & Wall
3811 Fairfax Dr. #105, Arlington; 703-294-4949
Chef Tim Ma’s three-course Easter brunch at Water & Wall opens with bright bites such as white gazpacho or a spring jewel salad before progressing into bigger, playful plates like “chicken and pancake” or brisket hash. End with something sweet such as a decadent bittersweet-chocolate bread pudding. The Easter menu is available for $35 per person. Naturally, the father of three thought about younger diners, too. Kids can order a “fancy pants” brunch bento box for $18 with scrambled eggs, potato hash, fresh berries and more. Brunch is served from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
La Sandia
7852 Tysons Corner Center, McLean; 703-893-2222
For an Easter brunch that leans South of the Border (and isn’t a buffet), visit Richard Sandoval’s McLean restaurant, La Sandia. It’s a holiday, so don’t think twice about indulging in Mexican chocolate waffles with fried plantains and whipped cream, or a big plate of steak & eggs that comes with every side imaginable: chile poblano rajas, onions, potatoes, churros, a corn tamale and morita salsa. Brunch will be available from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and a la carte prices range from $8.95 to $15.95.