You'll rarely see me out in the wild at a restaurant before 10 a.m., butIreally loveeggs.And bloody Mary's. And blueberry pancakes.Which is why brunch is whatgets me out of bed on a weekend afternoon.
You may be wondering what — besides the socially acceptable consumption of morning cocktails—isthe difference between breakfast and brunch? The latteris a special occasion, a meal that's all about leisure, areward for a successful work week, a time to indulge withfriends and family.
The Valley has a diverse brunch scenewith everything from bottomless mimosasto hipster huevos rancheros and blowoutbuffets at our many high-end resorts. Thesebrunch spots stand above the rest, andcharmed me withfluffy eggs, Paradise Valley mountain views andacinnamon roll worth driving from anywhere to enjoy. I've also included my go-to spots forMexican brunch, French pastries and Chinese dim sum.
They're all different and they're all delicious. Theseare the best places for weekend brunch in metro Phoenix.
Old school Mexican brunch at Presidio Cocina Mexicana
Presidio Cocina Mexicanaserveshands-down the best Mexican brunch I've hadin the Valley. Consider it the local's pick, the strip mall gem. The small restaurant on Thomas Road isabout a third the size ofMexican brunchspots like Gallo Blanco and Chantico, but the Nava family'sMichoacánflavorsare fiercer and more dialed in. Presidiois the place to go for steaming pozole rojo and spicyhuevos rancheros, a Southwesternstaple that's found on nearly every Arizona brunch menu, but at its best when kept simple with fried eggs and a mean plate of beans. Thesmoky salsa roja on top means business, and pairsbest with one of their punchy margaritas.
Why you're here: Huevos rancheros as they're meant to be.
Details:519 W. Thomas Road, Phoenix,602-279-8420,presidiophx.com.
Sonoran hipster brunch at Bacanora
We had to have a strategy for this one.After aJames Beardnod, tons of national attentionand afive-star review from yours truly, Bacanora has becomenotoriously hardto get into without a reservation. Following a server's advice, I showed up at10 a.m., an hour before the restaurant opensfor Sunday brunch.My cousin held my place in line whileI ran down the street to Bones Aftermarket to grab acoffeeand a pre-brunch Danishfrom the pastry whispererMark Chacón.
The wait wasworth it.Bacanora serves the most fun brunch I've been to, well … ever.
The Sunday morning fareis just as whimsical as the nightly dinner menu, with fresh cucumber aguachiles and delicate bowls of shreddedbirria soup. The restaurant'shallmark mesquite grilled beef tastes even more delicious when it's got a runny farm egg drizzling down the side.
Bee Geespumpedthrough the speakers as servers deliver hollowed-out pineapples filled with limey mezcal punch. Ten out of ten, would do it again.Maybe next time I'll even make a reservation.
Why you're here: Partially for the pineapple drink, butmostly for that mesquite grill.
Details:1301 Grand Ave., unit 1, Phoenix.602-612-4018,bacanoraphx.com.
Bacanora review:Believe the hype. This restaurant really isthe best in America
A diner brunch at Matt's Big Breakfast
Phoenix is flush with upscale brunch options, but for some reason it's really hard to find a good oldneighborhood diner. That's why I totally dig Matt's Big Breakfast. I am here to tell you that the Guy Fieri-fueledhype is real. The local chain hasseveral locations, but the original downtown spot is the G.O.A.T., so expect a waitand a packedhouse once you get insideon the weekends.
Over the years, I've becomeso stuck on the fluffy salami scramble made with fat strips of Molinari sopressata, that I can't bring myself to order anything else. They also make some wonderfully crispy hash browns and even the whole wheat toast is good. It's twice the size of the regular store-bought stuff and perfectly paired withtheir signature sweet strawberry jam.
Why you're here: It's a Phoenix classic. Enough said.
Details: Multiple locations, but I visit the original in downtown Phoenix,825 N. First St., Phoenix.602-254-1074,mattsbigbreakfast.com.
Vegan brunch at The Coronado
I'm obviouslynot a vegan, but I go to The Coronado more than any other brunch restaurant on this list. The flowery wallpaper in the dining room is bougie and gorgeous, but more importantly, I've become addicted to the breakfast burritos stuffed with creamy blendedSan Jose salsawith red potatoes, black beans, spinach and a crumbly tofu scramble. On the days I'm feeling extra,I also grab one of thesugary breakfast loaves, expertly baked bysister cafe Dark Hall Coffee next door.
Why you're here: Vegan brunch in a beautiful space.
Details:2245 N. 12th St., Phoenix.602-767-8133,thecoronadophx.com.
Tucson-style cast iron brunch at Ollie Vaughn's
I feel like I'm back in Tucson whenI step into this airy breakfast cafe on McDowell Road. With its concrete floors and framed art hung on brick walls, Ollie Vaughn's reminds me of Old Pueblo brunch paradises like Five Points Market and Hotel Congress's Cup Cafe.
The pastry case isa veritable gallery ofquiches, crusty ham-filled croissants, cheesecakes and gooey lemon bars. But the real Tucson connection is in the baked eggs dish that'sinspired by the Cup Cafe's originalcast iron wonder. Here it takes ona Southwestern accent with crumbly homemade chorizo, pico de gallo and flour tortillas on the side. I enjoyed this version just as much, if not more, as the yolks were still runny when I forked into the gooeycheese and egg.
Why you're here: Cast iron eggs, killer pastries or Tucson nostalgia.
Details:1526 E. McDowell Road, Phoenix.602-254-1392,instagram.com/ollievaughns.
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Country chic brunch at The Farmhouse
Sometimes I want topretend I'm not in Phoenixand go to an idylliccountry cafe. The kind ofplace with cinnamon rolls,inspirational messagesand servers named Deb … like Cracker Barrel, but real.I found just such a place indowntown Gilbert housed in a historic 1918 building complete with a wooden planked open ceiling. They've been serving brunch there since the '80s, when Gilbert was still a dusty slice of Old West farmland. And it does, in fact, serve one heck of a cinnamon roll. The Farmhouse also serves25 different types of omelets. Upon my server's recommendation, I found the #19 with bacon, sausage, green chile and sour cream very satisfying.
Why you're here: Cinnamon rolls and omelets are your jam.
Details:228 N. Gilbert Road, Gilbert.480-926-0676,farmhouseofgilbert.com.
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Historic digs and chill vibes at El Chorro Lodge
Crowds not your thing? Then head to Paradise Valleywherehistoric,sprawling hacienda-style restaurants offers bothspace to breathe and expansive views of the desert mountains. Among all thehistoric lodges and luxe hotels of PV — that tend to attract an older clientele and plenty of lady lunchers who like their bloody Marys strong, as they should—El Chorro is my favorite, not only for its respectable bloody Mary, but for the open-air dining area and an incredible view of Camelback Mountain.
The menu is old school fabulous with a complimentary sticky bun basket onevery table to accompanydishes liketrout almondinewith crisp green beans and potatoes poached in lemon oil and the best omelet anywhere. I ordered mine withcubes of ham and they werefully incorporated into the egg, rather than just tucked inside. It's not only a vibe, but seriously good food.There's a reason this place has made it since 1937.
Why you're here: Partially for the view, mostly for the omelet and free sticky buns.
Details:5550 E. Lincoln Drive, Paradise Valley.480-948-5170,elchorro.com.
A perfect Benedict brunch at Merci French Cafe
Eggs Benedict is my ultimatebrunch order.And finding one with the perfect poach and béchamel can be challenging. After extensive brunching, Merci came out far ahead asthe benny champion.The cute little French cafe makes hollandaise withperfect lemony tang and the poachedeggs are flawless. The presentation was also lovely, with scattered herbs and sprigs of dill. The best part? The English muffins are loaded with bundlesof fresh crab, whose brightflavormade Canadian bacon seem like an insult.
Why you're here: You love eggs Benedict, an iconicbreakfast dish with an English-sounding name that's actually from New York and very good here at this French cafe.
Details:7620 E. Indian School Road, Scottsdale. 480-947-2777,mercifrenchcafeandpatisserie.com.
A soul food party brunch at SugarJam The Southern Kitchen
On a Friday morning visit, I arrived to find people twerking between the tables and drinking Champagne straight from the bottle. It turns out that this is a regular occurrence at chef Dana Dumas' Southerncelebration spot, which is tucked into a quiet parking lot at the Scottsdale Airpark wherereservations are typically booked weeks in advance.
From myseat at the bar, I had a prime view of the DJ booth and the bartenders pouring flight after flight of multi-colored vodka mimosas. While party brunches aren't always my thing, SugarJam backs it up with seriously great food, like chicken and waffles, shrimp and grits and piesthat Dumas has become known for.
Why you're here: In the words of Beyoncé: "Cause we like to party." And love fried chicken and grits.
Details:15111 N. Hayden Road, suite 170, Scottsdale.480-948-6210,sjsouthernkitchen.com.
Dim sum brunch at Great WallCuisine
As a kid there was only one brunch place I knew of and it served shumai, har gow and fried turnip cakes with little pieces of porkin the dough. My family's been taking me to Great Wall Cuisine since around the time it became a Hong Kong dim sum spot in 1992. Andit's still worth the long wait in that hot Westside parking lot.
The pandemic threateneddim sum restaurants with traditional cart service, even taking out a longtime stapleGee's Garden in Tucson, but theaging banquet hall of Great Wall survived. They havemaintainedthe quality of theporkdumplings, fried shrimp balls andbarbecue pork char siu bao. And, though it might in part be nostalgia,I'll take it over the many lovely East Valley dim sum spots that have popped up over the years.
Why you're here: You love dim sum for brunch and consider ordering from a carta magical experience.
Details:3446 W. Camelback Road, suite 155, Phoenix.602-973-1112,greatwallcuisineaz.com.
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Reach reporter Andi Berlinatamberlin@azcentral.com. Follow her on Facebook @andiberlin, Instagram @andiberlin or Twitter @andiberlin.
