Best New Brunches
The 4 hottest new brunches in Austin right now
Austin loves brunch, whether to cure the ailments from the night before or to kick off the weekend's activities. Here are a few hot spots that have recently started brunch or weekend breakfast service.
Delicious
This newly opened South Lamar hot spot offers an incredible brunch. Raj Sing, the man who brought us Live Oak Market, wouldn’t have named his latest endeavor Delicious if he wasn’t able to deliver. And deliver he does, thanks to the culinary talent of chef Tyler Johnson, whose varied menu features mostly house-made items down to the various microgreens they grow.
Delicious serves the best chicken and waffles we’ve ever had — smoked then coated in crunchy buttermilk batter, served atop a beer waffle with a sweet and savory caramelized onion and jalapeño syrup and tangy Granny Smith cubes. Breakfast lovers will like the Number One sandwich, served on a homemade English muffin with crispy fried ham, pimento cheese, and arugula, with a perfectly golden hash brown on the side. Johnson also has a knack for authentic Mexican recipes, hitting high marks with a hearty pozole and a superb scallop aguachile. Save room for the seasonal ice creams and sorbets, and wash it all down with $2 mimosas, wines by the glass, or a pint from the rotating craft beer selection. Add a laid back South Austin vibe and you have a favorite in the making.
Eden East
Early risers, rejoice. This lauded little gem started serving breakfast a couple months ago, so people who wouldn’t normally commit to a seated five-course meal would have a chance to try chef Sonya Cote’s farm to table fare. The á la carte menu is a departure from the traditional style that characterizes Eden East, and it includes classic shrimp and grits; vegan grits and greens; vegetable or grass fed beef hash; and the 2 Plus 2 (bacon, toast, and two eggs), with prices ranging from $9 to $12.
Enjoy breakfast al fresco every Saturday during Springdale Farm’s farmers market hours starting at 9 am, then stroll the lovely grounds and pick up fresh veggies for the week.
Irene’s
The Southern-inspired eatery from the folks behind Easy Tiger, 24 Diner, and Italic just launched a bustling "Biscuits and Booze" brunch. Aside from the regular menu, they feature flaky house-made biscuits served right out of the oven with butter and jam; as an egg and bacon sandwich; or “stuffed” with cheddar, bacon, and scallions. For the booze portion of the party they offer mimosas and Bloody Marys for $3 and themed specials throughout the weekend.
Saturdays are for "Rosé All Day," with $4 draft rosé, $6 sparkling rosé, $5 pink sangria, and ’80s music. Sundays feature "Reggae All Day," with happy hour specials starting at 11 am and a very legit jerk chicken served with rice and black beans for $15. A rotating roster of DJs spins grooves on the patio from noon to 4 pm to keep the party going.
L’Oca D’Oro
We are thrilled that this buzzworthy contemporary Italian at Mueller is serving brunch on Saturday and Sunday from 10 am to 2 pm. Fans of chef Fiore Tedesco’s fresh and inventive cuisine can expect the same “homemade everything” philosophy to carry over from the dinner menu. Brunch features dishes like an egg sandwich with rabbit sausage and piperade butter on an English muffin; smoked steelhead trout Benedict with a poached egg and hollandaise; brioche bread pudding with figs and creme fraiche; and sweet and savory pastries ranging from a classic corneto to blueberry, lemon curd, and chocolate doughnuts.
Seasonal brunch cocktails include a fresh mint-melon mimosa; a margarita made with cucumber-basil juice; and the Bloody Bartolo, a twist on the classic that mixes local Banner vodka, pressed tomato, and fermented chile. "When thinking about brunch, which is exciting for me, I'm fascinated by looking at people's expectations of simple foods and exploring ways to exceed them,” says Tedesco. “That, and I like putting eggs on buns."