One thing to know about Washingtonians: they love brunch. And from a quick glance at Instagram, it’s clear that it’s easy to settle into a rotation of the same few classic brunch places. Alas, the constant search for the best new brunch spot (with a particular affinity to bottomless food and drinks) seems to be never-ending.
Agora in Dupont is worth visiting, both from a value and flavor perspective. Aside from classic eggs benedict or buttermilk stacks, Agora presents a unique take on what brunch food can be, with a greater emphasis on shared plates and Mediterranean flavors. Was it a perfect brunch? No, but it was tasty, effortlessly coursed and a clear value with its $45 dollar all-you-can-eat-and-drink price point.
Upon arrival for a 1:45 p.m. reservation on Saturday, the restaurant was in full swing, packed with groups deep into their 2-hour bottomless brunch experience. Nonetheless, Agora immediately presented excellent service and quickly explained how ordering and coursing would work, setting them apart from a typical brunch experience. The first course started with all of the items on the menu’s starters section, including a selection of dips such as hummus, acuka (red pepper walnut dip), and labneh, as well as truffled deviled eggs and smoked salmon. All plates were served with fresh and warm pitas, which were attentively and consistently refilled. Standouts from the course were the acuka dip with the nutty walnuts blending perfectly with the red peppers, and the classic hummus which was simple but well seasoned and balanced. The labneh was also particularly delicious, almost mistakable for whipped feta with its level of tang and creaminess.
Next to come out were the flatbreads, one of the only misses on the menu. The flatbreads were neither warm nor crispy, making the bread and cheese blend monotonous both texturally and flavor-wise. Shortly after came the short sweets-focused course with a greek yogurt parfait and french toast. The parfait was pleasant yet subtle, with incredibly thick yogurt and crave-able dried apricots, granola, and honey. The french toast was satisfactory but relatively unremarkable, except for the baklava syrup and pistachios, which added texture and a unique sweetness.
Last up was the egg course, differing from the other courses by being the only individually selected one. Their egg offerings included omelets, benedicts (both classics and riffs) fried and scrambled. The salmon benedict was respectable, if not slightly underwhelming, with lackluster presentation and standard flavors. However, the carefully considered smaller portion was a smart move on the part of Agora, seeing as it was the last course of a reasonably built-out experience.
While the food and service may have departed from the standard brunch experience, the atmosphere was not. The energy was clear on the front patio where a birthday group, bachelorette group, and several couples sat, clearly enjoying the bottomless mimosas. Agora gets what people want out of brunch, bottomless food and drinks they don’t have to think too hard about and maybe, just maybe, to try something new, and on all those things and more, Agora gets it right.