If you say you don’t like brunch, you’re wrong. Brunch is the perfect combination of your favorite breakfast and lunch go-tos all while giving you the pleasure of sleeping in. However, with so many restaurant options in Boulder, how can you possibly choose? Whether your parents are coming into town, your best friend is visiting, or you know Boulder like the back of your hand, choosing a brunch place is always challenging. Here is a list of the top 10 best brunch places in Boulder that are sure to start your day off with a bang!
1. The Buff
This restaurant located on Canyon is a great hit for families with a wide selection of cleverly named entrees including homestead skillets, benedicts in the buff, and pancakes. Now if you think their food is good, just wait for the drinks. “The White Buffalo” is a mocha with white swiss chocolate with a mountain of whipped cream on top. The “Dirty Hippie” another popular favorite consists of bhakti chai, espresso, and soy drink.
If you are looking for a drink to kick-start your day, The Buff has a booze bar with a selection of Bloody Marys, Mimosa, or a Tequila Sunrise for 99 cents with an entree. Great for family, friends, and for a rockin’ brunch to start your week!
2. Tangerine
This restaurant in the Willows Springs Shopping Center has American brunch/lunch options with a Mediterranean twist. After enjoying a locally roasted, organic coffee or a banana chia smoothie, you can choose from 24 different kinds of egg options (yup 24 kinds!) or pancakes, french toast and waffles. Don’t worry, they also have lighter options like their house-made granola or their fresh fruit bowl. Almost all of the items on their menu have a gluten free, vegetarian, and vegan option.
3. Foolish Craig’s
This restaurant has been serving great food since 1998 with their 8 AM to 9 PM, all-day breakfast options. Foolish Craig’s is famous for their savory and sweet crepes that are served with house potatoes or cheesy grits. What is better than that? You can choose from their selection of eggs Benedict, three egg omelets, or just some classic eggs. If you’re looking for more of a lunch option during your brunch, they have a wide variety of options to fulfill any craving. What more could you ask for at a brunch place?
4. Turley’s Kitchen
Turley’s Kitchen has all the classic breakfast options one can wish for. With entrees like omelets, benedicts, and foods “from the griddle” there is no going wrong. If you’re looking for some sweet options, their “Monkey Bread,” the first item on the breakfast menu is house-made, cinnamon caramel bites with cream cheese drizzle and candied pecans. Or, maybe their “Duck Waffle Stack,” a pumpkin waffle with candied orange peel, smoked sea salt orange butter, and spice maple pecan dust with a pulled duck confit.
I don’t know about you but my mouth is watering for some pumpkin waffles right now. If you are in need of a great brunch place with clean food options to make everyone in your party happy, visit Turley’s Kitchen located in the Crossroad Commons.
5. South Side Walnut Cafe
After being seated at the South Side Walnut Cafe, the menu you are handed has the smiling faces of past customers in the background – that’s how happy you could leave after eating here! With their variety of items on the menu both savory and sweet, you’re assured to walk out feeling satisfied. While they have the usual omelets, pancakes, and waffles, they also have their special “Boulder Fare” section of the menu for our vegetarian or vegan friends.
If you’re looking for a large breakfast for a very reasonable price, order the “Blue Plate Special” with two eggs, two strips of bacon, two pancakes, and breakfast potatoes for only $7.45. Now that’s what I call a good deal! You’ve gotta come check to his brunch place out open seven days a week!
6. Snooze A.M. Eatery
This one is always a favorite amongst people of all ages. The Snooze A.M. Eatery is always filled with people, therefore you may come across a wait, however, they will text you when they can seat you and in the meantime, you can walk around Pearl Street and get some shopping in.
This trendy restaurant serves breakfast food from 7 AM to 3 PM, where you can choose from their countless options on the menu or create your own combination (which is great for those who have trouble deciding what to order). Snooze offers food from their “flavors of the hen” section with all styles of egg to their “sweet utopia” section with pancakes and french toasts to fulfill anyone’s sweet tooth.
If you or your guests are wanting something light for breakfast, check out their “light as a feather” section of the menu with healthy, easily digestible, very Boulder options like their egg white frittata or the quinoa breakfast bowl. Be sure to visit Snooze and order some their adorably named but also delicious items off of the menu.
7. Lucile’s Creole Cafe
This brunch spot located on 14th street is an adorable Victorian style house with its signature pale yellow walls. As you enter this creole-style restaurant, it’s as if you have taken a trip to New Orleans. Let me start off by saying that they have large, warm beignets covered in powdered sugar…need I say more?
Well just in case you need more persuading, here are some of their creole breakfast options: Pain Perdu (New Orleans style french toast), Creole omelet, Eggs New Orleans (fried eggplant slices with creole sauce), Eggs Pontchartrain (fresh pan-fried mountain trout with sauce bearnaise), and many more creative New Orlean style foods.
Lucile’s also sell their own original products like their biscuit mix, original seasoning, orange marmalade, and African creole seasoning. Here in Boulder, you can experience New Orleans and even take a little bit home with you!
8. Le Peep
With 14 different categories of breakfast foods, Le Peep offers food ready to satisfy anyone. They have basic breakfast options like oatmeal, different styles of eggs, as well as skillets and crepes. If you are worried about your calorie intake, they list the calorie amount right next to the listed food item. This may lead you to the “Healthy Habits” section of the menu with omelets made with egg whites.
A unique part of Le Peep is their monthly pancake where they feature a signature pancake every month. In case you can’t wait to ask your Le Peep waiter what the pancake of the month for April is, it’s the Carrot Cake Pancake which just screams spring.
9. Dot’s Diner
“Just like old times” or “Where the folks get their yolks” are the mottos of Dot’s Diners located only less than 10 minutes away from the CU campus by car, serving classic breakfast foods along with Nepali and Indian specials.
This brunch place in Boulder serves breakfast all day with foods like classic omelets and eggs in any style. Speaking of style, they also offer southern-style foods like ham, grits, homemade gravy, and buttermilk biscuits or Mexican-style breakfast foods like the classic huevos rancheros.
If you have any little ones coming with you to brunch, do not fret because they have the “Kid’s Food” section offering basic breakfast or lunch options any kid could want. There is also a take-out option which means that you have no excuse not to eat food from Dot’s Diners.
10. Brasserie Ten Ten
If this picture doesn’t already make you want to make a reservation this instant, allow me to share why Brasserie Ten Ten has landed a spot on this list. This french-cuisine inspired restaurant serves brunch from 9 AM to 3 PM on Saturdays and Sundays featuring their selection of french patisserie like croissants, chocolate eclairs, cinnamon rolls or beignets.
If your mouth isn’t watering already, why don’t I also mention that Brasserie Ten Ten serves classic eggs benedict, thick Belgian waffles, crepes, omelets, and other incredibly delicious options from the menu that don’t make sense unless you read the description below or speak French.
Regardless of the title of the food items, you really can’t go wrong with whatever you order. With their variety of brunch foods both savory and sweet, anyone who comes to this brunch place is guaranteed to leave with a smile.
If you decide to head out of the Boulder area, maybe to Denver, and still want to eat at a brunch place, check out 7 best brunch spots in Denver, CO.