Malabar in Washington, DC, has announced a $35 Sunday brunch buffet beginning October 25, with a rotating selection drawn from India’s Malabar Coast. Kerala fish fry and lamb curry are among the advertised possibilities. The usual brunch debate over eggs can take the morning off.
The new program at 4465 Connecticut Avenue NW will run from 11:30 a.m. to 2:15 p.m., according to local dining publication The List Are You On It. Brunch starts with Masala Popcorn, followed by a buffet of at least seven dishes that changes weekly.
The announced examples include Kerala Fish Fry, Mangalorean Chicken Curry, Malabari Lamb Curry, Paneer Muttar and Carrot & Bean Poriyal. Rice, dal, a breadbasket and desserts round out the meal. Those are sample selections for a rotating program, rather than a promise that every dish will appear every Sunday.
Drinks are priced separately. Sparkling wine, Bloody Marys and mimosas are listed at $10 each; unlimited pours cost $25 per person for 90 minutes, with an upgraded alcohol option at $35. The food price is $35 before adding a drink package.
Brunch will be served in the dining room and on the patio when weather permits. Malabar’s opening announcement describes 100 indoor seats and a 30-seat patio; its January conversion from Rosedale also brought new artwork and a refresh of the dining room.
A coastal menu with Rasika connections
Malabar belongs to Ashok Bajaj’s Knightsbridge Restaurant Group, with a culinary team led by group executive chef Vikram Sunderam. Sunderam is also responsible for the cooking at Rasika and Rasika West End, a useful family connection for diners already acquainted with those menus.
The restaurant’s coastal focus was established at its January 2026 opening. Its launch menu emphasized seafood, coconut and regional preparations, including Mangalorean chicken curry with fresh coconut, garlic, fenugreek and coriander seeds. The brunch examples carry that regional approach into a fixed-price spread while making room for vegetarian dishes.
The space previously housed Rosedale, another Knightsbridge restaurant, which opened in fall 2024 with seasonal American food and rotisserie cooking. A December 2025 company announcement set out its replacement by Malabar and a refresh of the Forest Hills dining room.
Sunday brunch was mentioned in that earlier announcement, so the October news is the newly advertised buffet program. Its most useful feature for repeat visitors may be the weekly rotation: a return trip can involve a different curry, which is an entirely respectable reason to keep a Sunday available.
