A well-kept secret: Early brunch at Le Diplomate

Brunch in Washington, DC, typically starts at 11:00 am. By that time, I've usually been up hours and likely eaten three meals. Also by that time, all the hungover hipsters have had time to wake up, brush something if we are lucky, and crowd up most of the decent brunch spots.

Unbeknownst to many, around 9:15 am, a line forms outside Logan Circle's Le Diplomate. You can spot the strollers and Ergos blocks away. That's because their brunch starts at 9:30 am.

Le Diplomate, on the corner of 14th and Q Street, NW, was actually the inspiration for this blog, and I've updated this post several times as we uncover new reasons why we love it. The experience is so consistently enjoyable not only do I want all babies and their parents to know about it, I also want more restaurants to know about it too.

Le Diplomate's service is well-choreographed and always reliable. And for a fleeting moment, parents might actually feel like they are leisurely dining in a Parisian cafe.

At the nexus of Le Diplomate's many baby-friendly elements is its bread.

By far the freshest and crunchiest, the bread is baked in-house, free and always swiftly brought to the table. As an infant, I occupied myself gnawing on crusts, plus the basket is fun and safe to play with too. As a toddler, I'm happy to eat it and keep (mostly) quiet while waiting for my meal.

The place is equipped with more than enough high chairs (ask for the sturdy American ones - not the tippy French ones if you are a wigggler and/or weigh more than a stuffed animal). And friendly staff do not shudder at the sight of a slobbery baby, a disheveled mom or even a boobie.

While Le Diplomate lacks a kids' menu, it makes up for it in outdoor seating, changing tables and some baby-friendly entrees.  The Grueyere and Fine Herbes omlette can be sliced into fingers for easy, independent maneuvering. The poached eggs Basque has a simple polenta you could scoop on a plate for me. And you can never go wrong with the oatmeal.

My brunch and dinner companions have indulged in the espresso bar, pastry basket, salmon tartine, Belgium brews, sea scallops, trout and open faced sandwiches.

The bread is so good (and time-consuming to eat), my parents can often end the meal with a coffee or dessert. A real luxury when dining with baby.

4.5 stars (on its way to 5 as soon as Le Diplomate adds in a kids' menu)

Learn ABOUT ME and check out some of my DOS AND DONTS for eating out.