The Allston crawl is a rite of passage for any student from Boston University. Be it Halloweekend or Marathon Monday, you’re bound to end up in Allston— also known as Rat City, as it’s lovingly nicknamed— at one point during your time at BU.
While the Allston crawl may seem like a good idea in the moment, the morning after is often filled with headaches, queasy stomachs, and plans to do homework thrown the wind. Although there are plenty of tips to avoid and cure hangovers, the most common cure is a hearty breakfast to soak up the leftover alcohol in your system.
Thankfully, there are a plethora of great brunch places in Allston and Brighton to bounce back from an Allston crawl and kick butt for the rest of the day. Here are some of my top choices some items that will help you rally and get you to Mugar for some studying.
1. T Anthony’s Pizzeria
Although this BU mainstay is most often associated its mozzarella stick pizza, its breakfast menu is filled with staples that are pure comfort like blueberry pancakes and fried egg sandwiches.
The best part about T Anthony’s is how close it is to west campus, meaning you won’t have to put that much effort into getting there to get a filling breakfast for cheap.
2. Cookin’ Cafe and Grill
Located a little bit farther up Comm Ave than T. Anthony’s, Cookin’ Cafe serves breakfast all day so you can get your bacon, egg, and cheese any time of day.
Cookin’ Cafe has all of the classics alongside some inventive dishes like the Gyro Omelet and the Pepperoni and Cheese Omelet, making it the perfect spot to get a brunch feel while not having to venture far into Allston.
3. Union Cafe Allston
Union is right near Packard’s Corner and has pretty much everything someone would need in the morning, from homemade corn beef hash to belgian waffles with chocolate shavings and ice cream.
The most enticing item on the Union menu is their wine rosemary french toast, made with Brioche, stuffed with french brie cheese, raspberries, and red wine rosemary syrup. If that doesn’t sell you on their menu I don’t know what will.
4. Tavern In The Square
While Tavern in the Square is most commonly known as a place to go out in Allston, they also have an award winning brunch buffet that offers a rotating selection of omelets, a chef’s carving station, and a build your own dessert bar.
Tavern in the Square has also recently updated their a la carte brunch menu with biscuits and gravy, bellinis, and caffeinated cocktails as well. This new menu update is the perfect excuse to get your friends together for some serious brunching.
5. Lulu’s Allston
The most exciting thing about Lulu’s menu is that they have some great vegetarian and vegan options. Speaking as someone who can’t really eat eggs or dairy and avoids eating meat, finding a breakfast spot that can easily cater to my tastes without breaking the bank is always like Christmas.
Serving up comfort food like the “White Trash Hash” alongside “The Vegan VG,” Lulu’s is a great place to go if your friend group has a range of tastes and dietary restrictions.
6. Allston Diner
Another spot that is great for vegans or vegetarians, the Allston Diner will make any of their omelettes into tofu scrambles for $1.99 and have other options like sides of “soysage” and BBQ seitan.
The Allston Diner doesn’t just cater to vegans and vegetarians though. Items like their Cornbread Waffle & Chicken and Nutella Garden show that the Allston Diner is here to make your brunch the most it can be, no matter your dietary restrictions.
7. Twin Donuts
With an exterior straight out of the 1950’s, Twin Donuts has great options for cheap. Their doughnuts are 85 cents and their coffee by the mug (with free refills!) is just $1.70.
Twin Donuts has more than their namesake however. Serving up pancakes, breakfast sandwiches, and omelets, this breakfast spot has everything you need to get back to feeling your best after a night out.
8. The Breakfast Club
Another spot with a throwback feel, The Breakfast Club is a diner with serious 1980’s nostalgia. Records and movie paraphernalia decorate the diner, but decor isn’t the only way this spot honors the 80’s.
An entire section of their menu, called “Library Specials,” has breakfasts named after the characters in the movie the diner gets its name from. If that isn’t up your track, The Breakfast Club also offers all of the diner classics like eggs benedict and meatloaf for relatively cheap.
These spots will help you get over the lasting effects of the Allston Crawl and see how much Allston has to offer outside of partying.