After attending the opening for Carluccio’s in Alexandria this past spring, we’ve been wanting to get back in for an actual meal. Thanks to some positive reviews from others and the Old Town Art Show taking place just steps from their front door, we had  the perfect Saturday for a brunch date.Carluccios-1

Nestled in at the corner of Union Street and King Street, Carluccio’s in Alexandria found what is seemingly the perfect location to open their first United States restaurant. In addition to the restaurant, the full-scale Italian market seems ideal for people looking to sip on a coffee or nibble on a pastry while walking around the Old Town waterfront.

We walked in right around 11am to a beautifully prepared dining area. After grabbing mimosas at the bar we headed to our table to find a basket of bread varieties and some fresh fruit and yogurt waiting. For your visit, don’t be concerned if you don’t initially find butter on your table, because the instant upgrade to fig jam is exactly what you want. Trust us.

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Bread, fresh fruit, and yogurt could easily be a satisfying brunch, but when you hear “I think we have the best ham on our Eggs Benedict,” you HAVE to try them. I couldn’t turn down the Eggs Florentine, but for Al there wasn’t a moment’s hesitation when she heard the rave review on the Eggs Benedict.

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Eggs Florentine

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Eggs Benedict

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Colazione (scrambled Eggs, grilled smoky pancetta, sauteed mushrooms, tomato)

We both cleaned our plates and were happy with our selections, but the two highlights were the hollandaise sauce and the ham on the Eggs Benedict. Another highlight from our visit was Al trying espresso for the first time. They put extra care into this beverage, and from what hear (and taste!) are masters of the almighty bean.

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If you haven’t been to Carluccio’s in Alexandria for their hearty Italian brunch yet, it’s time to stop in.

Cheers!