Donuts at Brunch

Yes, you read that correctly. And look at the picture — don’t they look delicious? They are cinnamon and sugar donuts served with vanilla whipped cream. You can order them by the donut, or by the half dozen, at brunch at the Tabard Inn in Washington, DC.

I love brunch. When I first moved to Washington in 1998, I was surprised that this was not a city all about brunch. Saturday brunch was almost unheard of, and Sunday brunch options were limited. At the time I theorized it was because people stayed home to watch the political news shows on Sunday mornings, though I had no explanation for Saturdays. I remember thinking that there should be a fabulous brunch place with all the different political shows broadcast on various TVs.

Oddly, even the Washington Post thinks that brunch has a “Sunday inflection” – fortunately, over the years, brunch options have improved. My first weekend back here, determined to start on the right foot, I went to Tabard Inn for brunch. The big draw was the donuts (the vanilla whipped cream was a big selling point) but I have to say I was very impressed with brunch. I may even have said “wow, this is as good as a good New York brunch.”

I had a lovely sweet potato hash with poached eggs and my husband had a really delicious crabmeat quiche. I just checked their menu, and it seems to change frequently to fit the season and available ingredients – always a good sign in my book.

The donuts were warm, just a bit crispy on the outside and delicious. They paired nicely with the vanilla whipped cream.

The restaurant is a couple of blocks from Dupont Circle, so easy to get to if you are in town for a visit and want to get a good meal between museums.

Picture by City Girl