Easter is a popular holiday for restaurant eating. All those who have been to church for the first time since Christmas get in the mood to have a nice, end-of-Lent celebration in a good restaurant. Here are some options. (There are plenty more, but these have come to our attention.)

  • Varanese, 2106 Frankfort Ave., will serve Easter Brunch Sunday, March 27, beginning at 11:30 a.m. The a la carte menu will offer starters such as baby iceberg wedge salad with grape tomatoes, beet pickled eggs and crumbled bleu cheese; crab and spinach quiche or shrimp bisque with fried shrimp toast.

Entrees include crab cake with poached egg benedict topped with lobster hollandaise;

grilled beef tenderloin with bacon potato hash; house-made applewood smoked ham steak served over bacon potato hash with smoky apple butter. 

Mimosas or Bloody Marys are specially priced.

Call (502) 899-9904.

  • At the Brown Hotel, 233 W. Broadway, both the English Grill and J. Graham’s Café are serving.

In the English Grill the menu will include country ham consommé with house pickles; baby spinach salad with grilled peaches, candied nuts and caramelized shallot vinaigrette; an intermezzo of lemon thyme sorbet followed by a choice of seared beef tenderloin with Bing cherry demi-glace; bone-in stuffed pork chop with smoked Gouda and pancetta; or seared diver scallops with smoked tomato-chile jam. Dessert will be spiced carrot cake.

The cost is $65, with seating from noon to 3 p.m.

At J. Graham’s Café, a buffet will include chilled cucumber and avocado soup with crushed almonds; mesclun lettuce salad with grape tomatoes, red onion and toasted sunflower seeds; a cold bar with caprese salad, Greek pasta salad, smoked salmon and shrimp cocktail; an omelet station; assorted breakfast pastries, fruits, berries and ambrosia.

Buffet entrée choices will include pan-seared salmon with blueberry barbecue sauce; scrambled eggs with cheddar and fresh herbs; applewood smoked bacon and pork sausage; a 

carving station with spiral honey ham with maple-bourbon glaze; New York strip with horseradish sauce; and espresso veal jus.

Cost of buffet will be $40 per adult or $19 for children ages 4 to 12, with seating from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Call (502) 583-1234.

  • All locations of the Bristol Bar & Grille will serve Bristol Bar & Grille will serve Easter brunch. Buffet choices will include classic scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage and potatoes, grits, biscuits and gravy, Belgian waffles, pastries, pasta, fresh vegetables, fried chicken, roast beef and several desserts. Cost is $21.95 for adults and $7.95 for kids ages 4 to 11.

Contact individual locations for reservations. Highlands: 1321 Bardstown Rd. (502) 456-1702; Downtown: 614 W. Main St. (502) 582-1995; East: 300 N. Hurstbourne Pkwy. (502) 426-0627; Prospect: 6051 Timber Ridge Dr. (502) 292-2585; Jeffersonville: 700 W Riverside Dr. Jeffersonville, In (812) 218-1995.

  • Brasserie Provence, 150 N. Hurstbourne Pkwy. will offer 3-Course Easter Brunch from 11a.m. to 2 p.m. Menu choices will include appetizers such as spring salad with young watercress, endive and herb goat cheese; French carrot soup; warm tomato and goat cheese tart; moules marinières; smoked salmon; or wild mushroom ravioli.

Entrées include croque-madame; roasted beef coulotte steak with duchesse potato; grilled T-bone lamb chops; coq au vin; or quiche. Among the dessert choices will be crème brûlée,  warm flourless chocolate cake and pistachio macaron cake.

Call 502-883-3153 or go to www.brasserieprovence.com