Tired of iHop, Denny’s and The Silver Diner? Give these restaurants a try for great-tasting, fresh food in a unique atmosphere.
Luna Grill & Diner, Shirlington (South Arlington)
Luna Grill & Diner offers a large selection of fresh breakfast items at a very reasonable price. I particularly recommend the omelette, where you can specify egg whites only and choose from a large variety of fresh fillings such as broccoli, chicken, sausage, ham, mushrooms, and various kinds of cheeses. The portion sizes are generous but not overwhelming, and always cooked to order.
If you’re looking for a light breakfast, Luna Grill & Diner is the way to go. Their fruit is fresh and delicious and can be served on top of pancakes, waffles, yogurt, granola, or on its own. They also have daily specials, which are unique creations at very reasonable prices.
I particularly recommend Luna Grill & Diner in the summer months. They have outdoor seating in a scenic area, which is great for people watching. It can get quite crowded on the weekends, so try and get there early so that you don’t have to wait for an outdoor table.
Celebrity Delly, Falls Church
Celebrity Delly has been in business since 1975 and it continues to be one of Northern Virginia’s best kept secrets. It’s a small restaurant in an old shopping center, Loehmanns Plaza, on Route 29. Unless you knew it was there, you would probably see it and think to stop in.
This restaurant reminds me of the Carnegie Deli and the Stage Deli in New York, but on a much smaller scale. The portions are huge and the food is always fresh. They have a wide variety of omelettes. You can make your own, or choose from one of the many unique selections on the menu. Their Crabs Benedict is a wonderful indulgence with poached eggs topped with a crab cake and hollandaise sauce. Like a New York style Deli, Celebrity Delly offers white fish, lox, creamed herring and kippered salmon.
Celebrity Delly has excellent service, and it offers free wireless Internet access.
Eggspectation, Chantilly
Canadian-based Eggspectation opened a Chantilly location in 2006 in close proximity to the Westfields Conference Center. Eggspectation offers the most unique and original menu of all three restaurants. As the name suggests, their specialty is eggs, and they do things with eggs that you probably didn’t think were possible. The “Excentricities” portion of their menu features items such as the “Muffin Eggplosion” (Muffin dipped in egg whites and grilled, topped with English cream, banana, kiwi, and roasted almonds), and the “Western Breakfast Burger” (western omelette on a kaiser bun, garnished with lettuce and tomatoes).
The restaurant features a large selection of eggs Benedict options including Florentine Benedict (two eggs poached, spinach, gruyère cheese with hollandaise sauce), Waffle Benedict (two eggs poached, bacon, gruyère cheese, with hollandaise sauce), Breton Benedict (two eggs poached, two crêpes, black forest ham, gruyère cheese with hollandaise sauce), and many others. The menu is large, so it might take you a few minutes to decide what you want.
Eggspectation also features a juice bar with freshly squeezed juices and smoothies. The atmosphere is a bit more upscale and fancy than the other two restaurants, and the prices are slightly higher. The food is always fresh, the portions are large, and the selection is mind-boggling.
All three restaurants serve their breakfast menu throughout the entire day, so these tasty items can be enjoyed for lunch, dinner, or as a snack.
