Breakfast may be the most important meal of the day, but brunch is on its way to becoming the most popular one.
Some wake up early, with a disposition sunnier than the big star itself, looking forward to freshly brewed coffee and the smell of bacon first thing in the morning. Others might need a little more coaxing, hitting snooze a few times, craving a tall glass of fresh orange juice (maybe even with a touch of champagne.)
Breakfast vs. Brunch
Breakfast is an any-day-of-the-week meal, but brunch is generally reserved for weekends, when people have the time for a lingering, relaxing, drawn-out social event.
Breakfast and brunch menus are often similar, featuring typical morning fare such as eggs, toast, bacon, sausage, hash browns or home fries, pancakes and more. Brunch has all that and then some. Because brunch gets its name from the combination of breakfast and lunch, there is usually more variety, with dishes suitable for either meal.
Brunch food might also be more extravagant. For example, omelettes and Eggs Benedict may contain more interesting and exotic ingredients (think crab meat) than cheese and peppers. Not simply a flapjack, pancakes may be topped with fruit sauces or stuffed with homemade cream. Consequently, brunch tends to cost a bit more than a simpler breakfast. Some restaurants, however, have brunch buffets with an array of options and unlimited trips.
Photo: Bill Fanning
Perhaps the most distinguishing characteristic that separates breakfast and brunch is that the latter is considered a prime opportunity for day-drinking. Popular brunch cocktails include Mimosas, which combine citrus juice (usually orange, but other varieties are also used) and champagne, and Bloody Marys, a cocktail made of tomato juice, vodka and a blend of sauces, seasonings and flavorings.
For a quick cup of joe and light bites, Colonial Beach has two new coffee shops: Colonial Beach Buzz, located inside Monroe Market, and Julie’s Coffeehouse, housed within the Tides Inn Market.
Breakfast (and Brunch) is Served
Stay in one of Colonial Beach, Virginia’s Bed & Breakfasts and you’ll likely be served a gourmet morning meal, sometimes right in your room!
Photo credit: Dennison Street Inn (left); Colonial Beach Plaza (center) and The Tides Inn (right) by Chris Militzer
Here in Colonial Beach, VA, get a delicious and traditional breakfast, with southern specialties and hash browns or home fries, at Lenny’s Restaurant. Open daily (closed Wednesday) at 6 am, serving breakfast and lunch until 3 pm.
Ola’s Country Kitchen serves up homestyle breakfasts from 6 am (7 am on Sunday) to 11 am, Monday through Friday, Saturday and Sunday until 11:30 am. Breakfast sandwiches are available until close.
With a full bar, Four Seasons Restaurant serves breakfast and brunch cocktails any time of the day, every day of the week. Open daily 7 am to 9 pm, 10 pm on Friday and Saturday.
Two restaurants in Town of Colonial Beach offer a leisurely brunch experience.
On Sundays, from 9 am to 1 pm, guests of Riverboat on the Potomac partake in an all-you-can-eat Breakfast Buffet, including scrambled eggs with or without vegetables, eggs cooked to order, deviled eggs, home fries, hash brown sticks, pancakes, biscuits, sausage gravy, chipped beef gravy, bacon, breakfast ham, sausage, scrapple cooked to order, corn beef hash, either grits or macaroni and cheese, and assorted toast, pastries and fruit. Cost is $11. Drinks are sold separately. Adult beverages are available, including $2 Mimosas and $4 Bloody Marys. Stationed in Riverboat’s Potomac Room, patrons enjoy spectacular waterfront views of the river below.
Photo: Riverboat on the Potomac
Dockside Restaurant & Tiki Bar serves traditional breakfast and brunch every Saturday and Sunday, from 10 am to noon. Menu items include standard fare such as eggs any style, Country Ham & Eggs, Eggs Benedict, and Homemade Corned Beef Hash & Eggs. Specialty and brunch items include Andouille Pontabla (Cajun smoked sausage sautéed with peppers, onions and potatoes), Eggs Orleans with Mini Crab Cakes, Eggs Andouille with Cajun Smoked Sausage, Eggs “Irving” with Country Sausage and sliced Tomatoes, and Eggs “Gumbar Point” with Fried Oysters. Alcoholic beverages, including Bloody Marys and $3 Mimosas, are available. Live music is performed beginning at 11 am. With Dockside’s location on The Point and its tropical atmosphere, it’s like brunching in the Caribbean!
Photo: Chris Militzer