Art + Tapas: Brunch at Palette 22 in Arlington, VA

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Brunch is a staple here in the DMV. On Saturday and Sunday mornings, hundreds of residents stumble out into the streets looking for the best brunch cocktail, and a comfort dish to cure their lingering hangover! With so many options to choose from, restaurants work hard to stand out and provide menus and offerings that will leer the mimosa craving patron into their doors.

For the DMV, a good brunch isn’t just a meal, it’s an experience. I can make brunch dish at home, but I can’t make an Arepa Eggs Benedict with an art gallery as my backdrop now can I? That’s where Palette 22 steps in.

Palette 22
4053 Campbell ave, Arlington, VA 22206
www.palette22.com


Palette 22 gets the experience of brunch right. It’s a restaurant as well as an art gallery. On any given day, local artists can usually be seen working in the space and almost all of the art shown can be purchased. I loved walking in and checking out some of the pieces while we waited for our table. Though I didn’t buy any, there were a few I put in my mental wish list. 

Photo via opentable.com

Not only is the space fun and artsy, but the menu is as well. All dishes are internationally inspired and served tapas style, so it’s great for sharing. During brunch, an unlimited tapas option is offered for only $25! Tapas options range from French Toast sticks to various Pizzas and Tacos, to desserts like Churros and an Apple Dutch Baby. Each with its own flavorful twist. My personal favorites were the Crab Arepa Benedict and French Toast Sticks served with a Nutella sauce. Yum! 

To wash it all down, brunch cocktails are only $2.22 when combined with the unlimited tapas option. In addition to cocktail options like Blood Orange Mimosas (these were the bomb) and Watermelon Bellinis, they offer a Create-Your-Own Bloody Mary Bar with your choice of bacon-infused vodka, jalapeño infused tequila or house vodka as a base. 

If you’re looking to make your way to Palette 22 this weekend, here’s what you should definitely try while there:

Crab Arepas Benedict
A healthy serving of lump crab meat smothered in hollandaise sauce and put on an arepa instead of an English muffin. It’s heavenly! 

Tony’s French Toast Sticks
Breakfast or dessert? They are served with a nutella fudge sauce. 

Chilaquiles
So much flavor packed in this bowl. Crispy tortillas, guajillo chili sauce, and cotija cheese, topped with a fried egg. Every bite is like magic. 

Breakfast Tacos
No brunch is complete without breakfast tacos stuffed with egg, bacon, potatoes, pico de gallo and cheese.

Tacos al Pastor
Pork and pineapple. What’s not to love?


If you’re ever in the neighborhood definitely stop by and give Palette 22 a try. “Food.Art.Fun” is their motto, and they do not disappoint.

Jiselle

Growing up, food was the staple for every major event, and my family made it a point to introduce me to many different cuisines. They might also be to blame for my slight obsession with cocktails and small plates. I mean, I was the 5-year-old at dinner ordering a virgin Pina colada and shrimp cocktail! Nevertheless, they ingrained in me my love for food and the amazing abilities it has to bring people together. “Don’t tell me what you ate, tell me who you ate with.” (Parts Unknown, Anthony Bourdain) I recently relocated to Washington D.C., from New York City and am obsessed with the D.C. brunch scene! Something about the casualness of drinking bubbly in the middle of the day really speaks to my soul. I also have a weird obsession with cupcakes and cheese, not together, but if someone could make that work, I’d be down. I’m excited to share pieces about my brunching adventures, happy hours, and classy things in between that are best spent with friends and/or loved ones, as well as sharing experiences from D.C. foodie events. Check out more of my champagne-ing, cupcake eating, D.C. life at my blog Cupcakescaviar.com.

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