It’s Sunday morning. Perhaps last night got a little out of hand, and it’s difficult to recall what truly happened, causing you to feel a load of hangxiety. Maybe you’re now feeling overwhelmed at the towering amount of schoolwork you haven’t yet started that’s due Monday. Admit it, the weekend went by far too fast, and the thought of everything on your plate for the week ahead sends a sharp sense of impending doom throughout your soul. We’ve all been there - it’s a classic case of the 'Sunday scaries.' Luckily, there’s one simple answer to cure these scaries, and that is forgetting everything, and diving fast into a proper Sunday brunch! (And maybe a hydration pack too). If you go to Trinity or live in or near the Hartford area, I’ve got you covered with what are, in my opinion, the four best brunch spots in and near Hartford. Trust me, these four spots have the food, drinks, and atmosphere, to fight off the inevitable 'Sunday scaries.'
Sally and Bob's
Feeling nostalgic or homesick? Looking for a comforting spot with amazing food? Look no further than Sally and Bob’s, located on Main Street in West Hartford. Sally and Bob’s has been open for over five decades, and has won back-to-back ‘Best of West Hartford’ awards in 2020 and 2021 for the best breakfast around (we can attest to that).
Sally and Bob’s has a large, but not too overwhelming, menu of both breakfast and lunch items, and you truly cannot go wrong with any selection.
In the mood for breakfast? I recommend the California Eggs Benedict. Woke up too late and looking for more of a lunch vibe? My top pick is a classic turkey melt on rye bread. Not only does this meal taste like home, but it hits all the right comfort spots.
Check out their website here!
Address: 10 N Main St, West Hartford, CT 06107
The Place 2 Be
If you’re looking to keep the party going on a Sunday morning, The Place 2 Be, is quite literally, the place to be. The Place 2 Be conveniently has three locations in the surrounding areas of Trinity, all within a five-mile radius of campus.
The three tight terms I’d use to best describe The Place 2 Be would be Instagram-worthy, trendy, and boujee. You can’t go wrong with a single item on this killer menu, as all the food offered is downright delicious and over-the-top. From chicken and waffle sliders to an extensive egg and pancake menu, you might find yourself unbuttoning your jeans at the beginning of the meal, just to get ready.
The drink menu offered at The Place 2 Be carries arguably the most unique and delicious brunch-time booze in the Hartford area. Of course, you can always go the classic bottomless mimosa route if you want to play it safe. However, how could you pass up something called the ‘Cotton Candy Cocktail,’ or better yet, ‘The Booty Call?!’
Check out their website here!
West Hartford location: 50 Memorial Rd, West Hartford, CT 06107
Franklin Ave location: 615 Franklin Avenue, Hartford, CT 06114
Downtown Hartford location: 5 Constitution Plaza, Hartford, CT 06103
Effie’s Place
Effie’s Place is a CLASSIC Sunday brunch destination in the Hartford area, offering similar-yet-different vibes to Sally and Bob’s. Effie’s Place is a proud family restaurant, and though it is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, my friends and I always find ourselves there first-thing on Sunday morning. My favorite memories from Effie's Place are the mornings spent in early fall and spring, when the patio is open outside, and we are able to bask in the warm sun whilst enjoying our meals and people-watching.
The breakfast/lunch menu is quite extensive, so if you’re indecisive like me, you might want to peek at the menu in the car ride over. I always opt for the classic omelet or Eggs Benedict. However, there's also a classic dinner menu, that delivers every time.
Check out their website here!
Address: 91 Park Road West Hartford, CT 06119
The Kitchen
If The Kitchen was open on weekends, I would be there every Sunday of the year, period. The Kitchen is not only the closest breakfast/lunch spot near campus, but the food is unique and just unmatched, and when you support The Kitchen, you are also supporting Forge City Works. The mission of Forge City Works is to eliminate barriers through the power of food. A central way in which The Kitchen practices this goal, is by providing on-the-job training in order to empower and help boost those who have been thrown some of life’s toughest obstacles, whether they are facing homelessness, a criminal record, or poverty. Read more about Forge City Works and their mission here.
The food is straight-up sensational. One of my all-time favorite features about the food offered at The Kitchen, is their ability to adapt unique menu items that change with the seasons. You can feel and taste how passionate the minds behind menu items at The Kitchen are, as their food creations are always on the edge, innovative, trendy, and simply cool - but never too over-the-top crazy. The Kitchen also locally sources their food, and each ingredient they put into their menu items are always extremely fresh.
Though The Kitchen often changes menu items as seasons change, one item remains constant, and that is their famous curry chicken salad. Try The Kitchen’s curry chicken salad on top of a bed of greens with dried cranberries, toasted almonds, and paired with a red wine vinaigrette. If you’re more in the mood for something hearty like a sandwich, the curry chicken salad is also offered on delectable cranberry walnut bread. If you want it straight out of the container, make sure to stop by their refrigerated section.
Check out their website here!
Address: 559 Broad Street Hartford, CT 06106