Brilliant Phoenix Brunches

The Dish: Brunch
The Place: These Gems Below
The Mimosa: Some Bottomless Below
By: Laura Stoddard

It’s the weekend! Time to relax, run errands, shop, and do all the things you couldn’t get to during the week. You’re going to need some culinary (and liquid) fortification for that. You’re going to need brunch! Fortunately, Phoenix has dozens of amazing restaurants that simply kill it for this singular meal. Below are some of our favs.

Snooze an A.M. Eatery
Location: Town & Country Shopping Center, 2045 E Camelback Rd A17, Phoenix, AZ 85016 + Tempe, Scottsdale, and Gilbert
Hours: Mon – Sun, 6:30 am – 2:30 pm
Site: www.snoozeeatery.com
Be warned, this is a popular place, which is both good and bad. Good, because if affirms that you’re in for an awesome dining experience, but bad, because you could be quoted anywhere from a 20 minute to two hour wait time. After you check in with the hostess, grab a beverage (the Palomimosa is always a popular choice), chat with your friends, and enjoy the beautiful morning until your table is ready (you’ll receive a text notification). Inside, prepare for massive bursts of color, a vibrant retro feel, friendly service, and a phenomenal, I mean, phenomenal breakfast selection. Their menu is one of a kind. Where else can you find pancake flights, or an entire section devoted to hollandaise? Indulge in absolute decadence here, or impress us all with your amazing will power by choosing one of their light and healthy options, like the Egg White Frittata. Snooze is trendy and fun and definitely a place to add to your list—unless you’re one of those people who gets hangry and needs food like NOW!!! You might want to have some snacks handy to keep up your strength and sanity during the wait. But it’s worth it.

Hash Kitchen
Location: 8777 N Scottsdale Rd, Scottsdale, 85253 + North Scottsdale, and Arcadia coming soon!
Brunch Hours: Daily, 7:00 am – 3:00 pm
The Site: www.hashkitchen.com
Want to go somewhere for brunch that’s just plain fun? Hash Kitchen, based on name alone, may sound country, but it is anything but. Be prepared for a colorful, vibrant, high-energy space, where the food and beverages are delicious, and you get to enjoy the pumping beats of a live DJ spinning techno tunes. The brunch menu (which is available seven days a week!) is creative and fun, featuring items like Oreo cookie pancakes, and shrimp eggs benedict, but their claim to fame, is of course, their hash. They offer seven different varieties, the flavors and ingredients all over the board, but all equally scrumptious. Whether you’re craving herb fried chicken, sausage and peppers, huevos rancheros, or corned beef, there’s a hash for you. Also, like any good brunch spot, Hash Kitchen offers some delicious morning cocktails and a Bloody Mary bar, but!—let us recommend the Mimosa flight: four different flavors (like guava and mango) for only $16. That is one delightful, delicious deal.

SumoMaya
Location: 6560 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale, 85253
Brunch Hours: Sat – Sun, 9:00 am – 3:00 pm
The Site: www.sumomaya.com
Okay, to start, there’s a tree in the middle of this restaurant. That should be your first indicator that SumoMaya is a little different. And by different, we mean, awesome. If you’ve never experienced the fusion of Mexican-Asian cuisine, this is the place to do it. Here, you can either partake of their flavor-packed Family Style menu, which comes in two rounds, or take advantage of the Bottomless Brunch, unlimited small plates and desserts, plus one entrée, for $29 per person. Kick in $10 more, and have a designated driver or Uber on standby, because you get unlimited Margaritas, Mimosas and Bloody Marys. Unlimited! For $10! Holy. Crap. Because the cuisine is Mexican-Asian, the tapas-style small plates have something for everyone. Where else are you going to find an Avocado Frittata on the menu next to Kimchee and Egg Fried Rice? Coming here isn’t just dining, it’s an experience. Yokoso and Bienvenido!

Barrio Urbano
Location: The Yard, 5632 N. 7^th Street, Phoenix, 85014
Brunch Hours: Sunday, 10:00 am – 3:00 pm
The Site: www.barriourbanophx.com
If drinks are more important to you at brunch than food, as is the case for many, Barrio Urbano welcomes you! Pair one of their powerfully flavorful Mexican dishes with one (or two or three) of their unique and exotic signature cocktails. These drinks pack a punch; the menu even assigns each one a hashtag, alluding to what it has in store for you. Take, for example, The OG (Don Julio Blanco, Damiana, fresh lime and powdered sugar) #aphrodisiac. During Sunday brunch they offer $9 bottles of champagne for “make your own” Mimosas, and $4 Bloody Mary’s and Margs. Pull up a chair in this cool, industrial hub housed in The Yard complex in Uptown, sample the bold flavors of Mexico (try the Jalapeño and chiltepin cured bacon) and people watch the hours away with your friends.

The Farm at South Mountain
Location: 6106 S. 32^nd Street, Phoenix, 85042
Brunch Hours:    Tue – Fri, 8:00 am – 11:00 am & Sat – Sun, 8:00 am – 1:00 pm
The Site: www.thefarmatsouthmountain.com/morning-glory-patio
The Farm at South Mountain has gained notoriety as a lovely, peaceful escape just a few miles outside of Phoenix’s busy city center. It boasts lush foliage, walking paths, gardens and wildflowers, produce and local goods for purchase, and a variety of eateries and gathering spaces. Visit the Morning Glory Patio and enjoy their delicious breakfast offerings, which are homemade, and incorporate ingredients from the farm itself; dishes such as the “Back To Your Roots” plate, featuring roasted, seasonal vegetables, two over easy eggs, and a large, flaky buttermilk biscuit. The average price per plate is about $13, and although that might seem a little high for a place where you’re sitting at gingham-covered picnic tables on plastic chairs, it’s more than worth it for the atmosphere. As it’s outside, the best time to visit is definitely in the cooler months.

The Herb Box
Location: Scottsdale and North Scottsdale (DC Market Street)
Brunch Hours: Sat – Sun, 10:00 am – 3:00 pm
The Site: www.theherbbox.com
https://vimeo.com/148279334
All restaurants have their own vibe, and if modern, trendy, and comfortable is yours, step into The Herb Box. Originally founded as a catering business in the mid-nineties, the company focused on delivering wholesome, flavorful, artisan cuisine to the North Scottsdale and Paradise Valley areas. More than two decades later, thanks to great popularity and success, the Herb Box still does catering, but also has several valley restaurants and a market. The restaurants have a great look and feel, kind of industrial meets ranch house. The menu offers a fantastic selection of signature cocktails, plus food that is as nutritious as it is delicious. Of particular note, let me recommend two dishes: the Crispy Brussel Sprout Chips (individually peeled, sea salt-toasted, melt-in-your-mouth, leaves of green gloriousness), and the Serrano-Avocado Shrimp Salad  (which comes on two thick pieces of toast so that you can pick it up and eat it with your hands if you so desire!—I so desired). PS – Make a reservation, as seats fill up quickly.

Essence Bakery
Location: 3830 E. Indian School Road, Phoenix, 85016
Brunch Hours: Tue – Sun, 6:30 am – 3:00 pm
The Site: www.essencebakery.com
The allure of this restaurant is twofold. First, the ambiance is comfortable and casual—muted colors, warm, wooden beams, gleaming cases of beautiful baked goods, and simple furnishings and decor. Second, the food, particularly the pastries, are extraordinary. Which is to be expected, as Chef Eugenia Theodosopoulos (also Co-Founder and Owner) spent years refining her culinary skills in France—land of patisseries. Another reason we love this bakery is because it uses ingredients from local farmers whenever possible; from olive oil, to chicken, to produce. The breakfast menu is comparatively small, about eight dishes to choose from, but more isn’t always better. To experience the perfection of the pastries here, try the Signature Sausage Turnover, a flaky pocket filled with gruyere cheese, two eggs, mushrooms, sausage, of course, and tomato Provençale. And it’s never too early to indulge in one of their award-winning Parisian macarons. These little bites of heaven come in flavors such as mint chocolate, pink grapefruit, raspberry rose, and espresso. This bakery is the essence of exceptional breakfast feasting.