Ah, it’s the battle of Mediterranean tapas! Small plates are a big deal in the mid-to-upscale dining scene here in D.C. Sometimes they’re worth the hype (and the price for quantity) and sometimes they aren’t. I had been to Kapnos for brunch a while back and had the most unique chicken and waffles ever. When they had a brunch deal for Restaurant week – I had to go back and check it out!
Kapnos is a mediterranean + Greek restaurant located in the 14th street neighborhood of D.C. near Meridian Hill. The chef and owner is Mike Isabella, the former executive chef of Zaytinya. Isabella was also a former competitor on Top Chef. We love a TV food star IRL!
As a small plates style restaurant, ordering enough food for a dinner can get pretty pricey. Kapnos’ happy hour has deals on spreads and small plates, and their brunch menu has bigger plates for $13-18. The Kapnos’ D.C. restaurant week deal for brunch was a $22 three course meal, a spread, an entree, and a dessert, which is a fantastic deal!
We sat outside on the patio, which is quite nice, if not a little too sunny. We started off with iced coffee, which was served with cream and sugar syrup. The aesthetics of this place are fantastic, the color themes of all the glassware, plates, and tables were clearly well thought through. I always try and convince myself that i like iced coffee on a hot day – but i think i’m just a hot coffee gal. Either way – it cured our sleepiness.
For the first course of spreads, Zach got the hummus and I got the melitzanosalata, a dip made of smoked eggplant, red pepper, walnuts and feta. While the hummus was really some of the best hummus i’ve had (dare I say, better than Zaytinya!) the eggplant dip was my favorite. It was crunchy and had a lot of texture – and the feta was a good addition! Mass-produced hummus has sort of ruined my appetite for the dip, but fresh hummus like this, with actual tahini, is so worth it. The flatbread served with the dip was thicker, almost like a naan consistency, freshly dusted with flour.
I would come back to Kapnos happy hour for their spreads and flatbread. The quality is so good, so fresh, and surprisingly filling. We were almost full after the first course!
For the brunch entree, I just had to get the chicken and waffles, and Zach got the shakshouka. I should have gone with something lighter – but I was in too deep! My dish featured roasted chicken, fluffy waffle pieces, topped with crispy grains and greek honey. This wasn’t the fried-hot sauce topped style of chicken and waffles, this was a very Greek rendition – and really didn’t feel like a calorie bomb. While I like the style of this dish – I was a little disappointed with its execution. There wasn’t nearly enough syrup or moisture, I ended up with a lot of dry bites of waffle and chicken. The chicken itself was much more tough than it should have been, the outside was crispy and flavorful but the meat underneath wasn’t tender. I know this dish has been better before, but as the dish I was most looking forward to – it fell a little flat.
Zach had the shakshouka, a tomato and chickpea stew served in a little cast iron pan with two runny eggs in the middle, served with grilled bread. The stew itself was great, but the bread-to-stew ratio was a little off. Both the entrees were definitely good (and definitely good for the restaurant week price) but the first course was definitely the standout.
At this point, we were *so* stuffed – but as one always does, we found room for desert. I had the baklava and Zach had the loukoumades. The baklava was fantastic, soaked in honey and nuts, the most decadent and rich desert ever, the small piece was just the right amount. The other desert were little fried dough balls served with whipped cream – almost like Greek beignets. Really good, but a little much for the hot weather and our already fulfilled appetites.
This was a really great brunch – fresh, clean food, filling, and even thought i was stuffed to the brim – I didn’t feel an afternoon mimosa hangover or queasy from too much fried egg stuff. The staff were really nice and brought our our food with adequate breaks in between the dishes. I really can’t tell you enough that this is a fantastic deal for the price! If you’re really hungry, you can try the all-you-can-eat brunch (with cocktails) for $39, or visit for cheaper apps during happy hour. Overall, the food was really great, though the execution and ratios on a few dishes can be improved.
The Bottom Line
Amazing spreads + a beautiful brunch. Dare I say, D.C.’s best hummus?
Cone Rating: 4 Cones 
Price: $$ (During R Week / Happy Hour) $$$ (Normal Times)
Location: 14th Street, Washington, D.C.
aditi eats 