The tradition of a midday feast on Sunday dates back to 1895 when British writer Guy Beringer wrote a plea for a cheerful and talk-compelling dining ritual: “Why not a new meal on Sundays, for Saturday night carousers?” he wrote in the Hunter’s Weekly. “It could be served around noon and start with tea or coffee, marmalade and other breakfast fixtures before moving along to heavier fare,” he wrote. The idea caught on and Sunday Brunch became a thing amongst London’s social set.
Forty years later, restauranteurs in New York noticed that Catholics who would fast before mass had huge appetites right after they left church. Many started competing for their share of the hungry brunch crowd by creating fancy egg dishes like Eggs Benedict and Quiche Lorraine, and soon cocktails like Mimosa, Bellini and Bloody Mary joined as brunch menu standards.
Here in DTSJ, Brunch has never been more popular. More restaurants are offering Brunch on the weekends, including themed brunches that double as “day parties.” Here’s a few we recommend:
Brunch at Rollati is best enjoyed with a group of friends, so you can order the Aperol Spritz Tower for four, which is their featured Brunch Cocktail. Brunch entrees include Italian Toast (Sweet Batard, Nutella, Maple Syrup) and Buttermilk Pancakes with Huckleberry, plus the entire lunch menu. Brunch served Sat. & Sun. 11am to 3pm.
The FAB brunch menu includes Egg Machaca, Pozole, and their hearty loaded dirty fries, served “breakfast-style” with a soft over-easy egg. Brunch served Sat. & Sun. 11am to 3pm.
The brunch menu at The Club includes Berry Waffles, Chilaquiles, Crab Cake Benedict, or a Club Burger, served brunch-style, with an egg on top of the Wagyu patty. There’s a full bar and specialty cocktails, but the Fever Tree Sparking Sicilian Lemonade is worth a try. Brunch served Sat. & Sun 11am to 3pm.
The Sourdough Machi Waffle, Tri-Tip Hash, Smoked Salmon Scramble (to name just a few) pair perfectly with imaginative cocktails that include an Elderflower Spritz, Passionfruit Bellini, and a drink called Corpse Reviver No. 2. SP2 also has a preset Brunch menu that allows you to choose an entree, side and a salad for the fixed price of $45. Brunch served Sat. & Sun. 11am to 2pm.
The Chuy’s Michelada at Farmer’s Union is practically a meal, but you will want to try the Chicken Fried Chicken & Eggs or the Huevos Motulenos with turkey, peas, cojita cheese, and friend plantain. Brunch served Sun.11am to 3pm.
Brunch at Mama Kin includes the usual brunch staples, along with Cajun Creole specialties of the house, but it’s mostly about the vibe. On Saturday, the R&B Brunch and Day Party, features R&B tunes from the 80s to the 2000s. Sunday is the Boom Box Brunch and Day Party, with a DJ playing music from the golden era of Hip Hop. Brunch served Sat. & Sun. 10am to 3pm.
Jambalaya Scramble, Pecan pancakes, New Orleans-style Beignets, and Pain Perdu (New Orleans French Toast) are just a few choices on the brunch menu at PHB. Doors open 10 am, but the live Blues on the Patio entertainment doesn’t start until noon. Brunch served Sun. 10am to 2pm.
The sweet and savory crepes at Whispers are offered all day every day, but it’s a very popular place for brunch on the weekends. It’s also the longest hours for Brunch in the downtown, for early risers who don’t want to wait until 10 a.m. to eat. Brunch served Sat. & Sun. 8am to 3 pm.
Located inside the Signia by Hilton San Jose, next to the Circle of Palms, offers a weekend brunch that includes Lobster Benedict served atop fresh artichoke hearts, generous Avocado Toast and Trout Toast, Pancakes, and Belgian Waffles. The weekend brunch menu also adds lunchtime go-tos like the tasty Fountain Burger with balsamic onion jam and gruyere, plus salads, sandwiches, and a crowd-pleasing kid’s selection with Mac n’ Cheese, Chicken Tenders and Sliders.
