(Updated at 4:50 p.m.) A new eatery promising tacos, ice cream sandwiches, Compass Coffee and all-day breakfast is headed for 19th Street NW.
Signage went up for Moxie’s (1020 19th St. NW) some time last week. Marcus Barnett, the restaurant’s owner, said he plans to open for business in March or April after “extensive renovations.”
The restaurant’s website also teases a few more details:
At Moxie’s, you’ll experience a casual, friendly environment with great food and a relaxing atmosphere. We have a different, modern and eclectic menu to satisfy both your naughty and nice cravings! And remember to add one of our Handcrafted Signature Sauces to your entree.
Quick, someone wake Guy Fieri!
Bub and Pop’s, the Dupont sandwich shop located at 1815 M St. NW, today launched a new breakfast sandwich packed with fried eggs, provolone cheese and bacon.
The $4 sandwich, which is also prepared without meat for $3, is the newest creation of Bub and Pop’s chef Jonathan Taub. Unlike a normal Bub and Pop’s sub, the sandwich is served on a smaller, four-inch hoagie roll. And here’s a free tip when ordering: Add a dab of mayo, suggests Bub and Pop’s co-owner Arlene Wagner.
The sub shop also now serves Vigilante coffee, hot chocolate and hot tea. Breakfast is served between 8 and 11 a.m.
Plenty of breakfast options in the neighborhood. (Luis Gomez Photos)
From Aparna Krishnamoorthy. Email her at aparna[AT]borderstan.com. Follow her on Twitter @aparnakris.
Most days, breakfast consists of coffee and any fruit I can grab. If I have an extra five minutes, it’s a smoothie or a piece of toast before running out of the door.
But occasionally, I have one of those days when I roll myself out of bed especially early and am ready to take on a big breakfast by 8am. And for those days, an early meal can make or break my day. To save you the distress of a horrid start to the day, I’ve compiled a list of where to find breakfast in Borderstan without having to wait till 9 am, when the rest of the world decides to get going. And I’m not talking about grab and go places — these are full on sit-down, ready to crush the day breakfasts.
- Commissary – Love this neighborhood spot for their egg heavy breakfast and for early morning people-watching before heading to work. It’s also awesome that they serve breakfast till 4 pm and massive mugs of coffee. Open Monday through Friday, 8 am; Saturday and Sunday, 9 am.
- Luna Grill and Diner – Decent breakfast, decent service and decent prices. Location in Dupont makes it perfect for a quick breakfast if you work in the area. Opens every day at 8 am.
- Java House – A landamark in the area. Great coffee selection and wonderful service. From granola to bagels. Check their menu online. Opens every day at 8 am.
- Kafe Bohem – Kafe Bohem has pretty much all the makings of a perfect neighborhood spot. Chicken schnitzel croissant sandwich plus coffee and you leave with a spring in your step. Nothing can screw up your day. In addition to potato pancakes and lox, bratwurst and Czech toast (egg fried bread!), they have a daily selection of pastries. Check out their full menu here, and go there tomorrow morning. Opens Mon through Friday at 6 am; Saturday and Sunday at 8 am.
- Florida Avenue Grill – This place has been in the business of breakfast since its inception, and they do it right. A few months back, this made it to my list of DC institutions to try. Fellow contributor Ashley and I checked out their breakfast one morning. No frills diner breakfast, with friendly service and superb grits. Opens Tuesday through Sunday at 8 am.
- U Street Café -Gigantic waffles, free wifi and friendly service. Nice spot to get some work done with breakfast, or catcsh up on the morning news. Opens Mon through Friday at 7 am; Saturday and Sunday at 8 am.
- Pica Taco -For those mornings when you know you need a breakfast burrito, this is where you go. Decent size, nice fillings and quick service. Perfect for the morning that you are regretting the fun you had on a school night. Opens Monday through friday at 8 am; Saturday and Sunday at 9 am.
- New Orleans Po Boy shop – I haven’t actually been here, but I hear they serve up a mean Andouille, egg and cheese poboy in the mornings. Finish that off with freshly made beignets to satisfy any sweet cravings. Opens Mon through Friday at 7 am.
In addition to these, most hotel restaurants also have a fairly priced breakfast every morning – Firefly, M Street Bar and Grill, Beacon Bar and Grill, Urbana, and Tabard Inn offer full breakfast every morning.
And of course, there is always Busboys and Poets, Kramerbooks and Afterwards and Le Pain Quotidien (love!) all in the neighborhood. So, for the next time you have those early morning cravings and some time, you know where to go!
What’s your early AM favorite? Let us know in the comments.
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The Coupe at 3415 11th Street NW. (Rachel Nania)
From Rachel Nania. Check out her blog, Sear, Simmer & Stir. Follow Nania on Twitter @rnania, email her at rachel[AT]borderstan.com.
This past October, the folks from The Diner, Open City and Tryst launched their latest venture, The Coupe, a 7,000-square-foot restaurant/bar/coffee shop that is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week – and it’s a good thing, because after my first visit, I plan to eat multiple meals a day at the Columbia Heights establishment (in my dreams).
Even though The Coupe opened a little more than a month ago, it is still swamped on weekends, despite the restaurant’s ability to seat the entire Northwest quadrant of the District. So to dodge crowds and a long wait (patience has never been my forte), I decided to pop-in on the earlier side for a Sunday breakfast.
My party was instantly seated at a cozy booth next to a window, and coffee orders were taken promptly. It took a while for the bar to make the coffee, but once my cappuccino arrived, all was forgiven – partly because it was delicious, and partly because it was decorated with animal crackers.
Everyone at my table ordered something different, which meant I got to sample five things on the menu, which, by the way, serves breakfast all day (and night).
Here is what our table tasted: the Farmer’s Market Omelet with hashbrowns, the griddled banana bread, French toast, a stack of pancakes and scrambled eggs with stone-ground grits.
Yes, we went a little heavy on the carbs, but after the meal we were filled with happiness, not guilt.
Of the items I sampled, the French toast – served with an apple and cranberry compote – took the crown for the tastiest breakfast, while the loaded veggie omelet and crispy hashbrowns came in for a close second.
Next time, I will leave the grits (they were a bit soupy for my taste), and try a honey butter-glazed biscuit to satisfy a soul food craving.
The food wasn’t the only thing that won me over – the ambiance was also impressive. Somehow the owners managed to tastefully fill the restaurant with art, chalkboards and couches, making the large space seemingly cozy, instead of vast and expansive.
But perhaps the best part about The Coupe is that it is open for 24 hours a day, making it completely possible to eat more than one meal a day there.
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The Coupe at 3415 11th Street NW, just north of Park Road NW. (Rachel Nania)
From Rachel Nania. Check out her blog, Sear, Simmer & Stir. Follow Nania on Twitter @rnania, email her at rachel[AT]borderstan.com
Because there are few things in life better than all-day breakfast and comforting sandwiches at 3 am, the folks behind Tryst and Open City recently added a 24-hour upscale diner to their DC dining line-up. And we all know about the lack of 24-hour diners in DC, so a new one beyond the boundaries of Borderstan is well worth noting.
The Coupe, an exposed brick and granite bar establishment in Columbia Heights, opens October 9 (the soft opening was last week) at 3415 11th Street NW (just north of Park Road and Red Rocks Pizzeria). The late-night menu includes house-made bottled sodas, milkshakes, omelets, waffles, burgers, sandwiches and specialty items (think cheddar grits with Creole braised short ribs, southwest cornbread waffle bites and Bahn Mi with crispy pork belly or tofu).
If you prefer to eat your meals during normal hours, The Coupe has a menu for that, too. Rabbit pot pie, jalapeño crepes, hand-cut pappardelle and a list of local cheeses, salads, sandwiches and small bites are available from 5 until 11 pm.
And did I mention breakfast is served all day? Menus are also available online.
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Steam Cafe at northwest corner of 17th and R Streets NW. (Photo by Luis Gomez, One Photograph A Day.)
As readers probably know, I don’t do restaurant reviews–news about food and restuarants, yes, but not restaurant reviews. I will say this, though, about Steam Cafe at the northwest corner of 17th and R Streets NW: best croissants I can find in D.C.
They make the croissants themselves in the morning in three varieties: plain, chocolate and a pecan/maple syrup gooey one. Sometimes the croissants go fast, so they may not have any left if you go later in the morning.
