For greater than twenty years, I’ve loved Boulder, Colorado’s evolving meals scene. Most of Boulder’s standard eating places have been in a position to stand up to the unwell results of the pandemic. Whereas a couple of native favorites shuttered their doorways, all of the locations the place I eat breakfast and brunch in Boulder are nonetheless open for enterprise.
I’m sharing 5 of those fabulous eating places so you possibly can take pleasure in a scrumptious breakfast or brunch earlier than you begin your day exploring a few of Boulder’s high websites — mountaineering trails at Chautauqua, the Flatirons, Flagstaff Mountain, the Pearl Road Mall, and the College of Colorado campus.
Since I not eat meat, the eating places on this story showcase menus with a wide range of vegetarian and pescatarian choices. Carnivores will likely be equally happy by the varied menu alternatives. Nevertheless, I’m not the native you’d look to for recommendation on the perfect bacon or sausage choices.
In all situations, the menus on my record embrace each breakfast and lunch entrees. Two of the locations solely serve brunch on the weekends. The remaining three are open for breakfast/lunch seven days per week. Whereas the standard of the meals and the presentation are on the high of my record, service and atmosphere are shut seconds. If I’m going to depart the consolation of my dwelling for breakfast or brunch, I must be touring to a spot with a particular environment.
Harvest Homestead skillet stuffed with nutrient-dense veggies at The Buff in Boulder, Colorado
Photograph credit score: Sandy Bornstein
1. The Buff Restaurant
This family-owned restaurant with a down-to-earth feeling has been serving breakfast and lunch since 1995. The unique location was changed by the present restaurant adjoining to the Marriott Lodge on Canyon Boulevard. Efforts have been made to repurpose the wooden from the unique location to keep up continuity. Climate allowing, seating is obtainable each inside and outdoors. On a sunny day within the spring or fall, I desire to be outdoors. Throughout peak instances, an extended wait time is to be anticipated at this standard place.
What To Order At The Buff Restaurant
The prolonged two-sided menu will please everybody on the desk. Breakfast fundamentals like eggs, omelets, Benedicts, French toast, and pancakes are tasty. Homestead skillets are available in six other ways. The lunch crowd loves the soups, salads, and sandwiches in addition to Southwestern meals with a kick. A few of my previous eating companions solely order entrees from the final class.
Most of my visits to The Buff have been in the course of the morning hours when my urge for food is much less sturdy. My “go-to” breakfast entrée is the homestead skillet known as Harvest. This dish doesn’t skimp on a large assortment of recent greens and potatoes. I often ask for my eggs to be scrambled and I rotate between rye and wheat toast. From the espresso bar, I choose my every day cup of cappuccino with oat milk.
Handcrafted exterior ceramic tiles are the focus at Boulder’s Dushanbe Teahouse.
Photograph credit score: Sandy Bornstein
2. Boulder Dushanbe Teahouse
Since 1998, guests to Boulder and locals have visited and dined in a teahouse construction created by Tajikistan artisans in Asia that showcases historic components of the Persian Empire. From the skin, guests can stare upon colourful ceramic panels designed and created by Victor Zabolotnikov in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, one in all Boulder’s sister cities. Every of the eight panels has a Tree of Life panel.
Whereas consuming inside, most individuals search for on the carved and painted ceiling panels, which have been created with out using energy instruments, and scan the inside to admire the plastered carved partitions illustrating Persian Ganch, together with the 12 individually carved cedar columns. Whereas outside seating is obtainable, that is one place that I like to recommend coming early so you possibly can dine inside. Reservations usually are not taken for brunch.
If you happen to’re within the temper for a singular weekend brunch expertise infused with natural produce harvested from a neighborhood farm, the Boulder Dushanbe Teahouse needs to be put on the high of your record. The eclectic menu contains an abundance of Asian delicacies in addition to a couple of Mediterranean, European, and American favorites.
Kookoo Sabzi, a Persian herb omelet with naan, at Boulder Dushanbe Teahouse
Photograph credit score: Sandy Bornstein
What To Order At Boulder Dushanbe Teahouse
Adventuresome diners will likely be intrigued by the varied menu with three sections — Entrees, Small Plates, and Soups & Salads — that features a vast assortment of spices and nutrient-dense meals. Tea lovers will likewise be in heaven as they peruse the multi-page menu that showcases over 100 choices. A common beverage menu lists a number of tea cocktails and a few tea mocktails.
As a substitute of spending time analyzing the tea choices, my husband and I often choose the home chai with soy milk or the golden milk from the easier drink menu. After we are all for sharing a starter, we gravitate towards the Thai shrimp muffins.
If you happen to’re recreation for one thing a bit completely different, strive both kookoo sabzi or Indian dosa. Kookoo sabzi is a Persian herb omelet with baba ghanoush, crispy rice, and walnuts. The omelet is reduce into segments and served with thick items of naan. The Indian dosa or crepe has curried scrambled eggs, spinach, potato, onion, mango lassi, and apricot-cherry chutney. Contemporary fruit accompanies this entrée.
Pattern Center Jap delicacies with an revolutionary hummus plater at Boulder’s Greenbriar Inn
Photograph credit score: Sandy Bornstein
3. The Greenbriar Inn
Guests who’ve the pliability and the time to drive 15-20 minutes north of downtown Boulder might be pampered by the Greenbriar Inn’s Sunday brunch menu. Whereas many choose this countryside location on the base of the foothills for elegant particular events, locals typically put aside time on Sundays to drive to this restaurant that has been working for greater than 50 years.
At any time when attainable, I attempt to reserve a desk within the Sunroom so I can gaze on the beautiful grounds. Lengthy earlier than the farm-to-table motion gained recognition, the Greenbriar Inn began its first backyard and began harvesting seasonal produce. The eggs used for the Sunday brunch menu come from chickens raised on the restaurant’s farm.
What To Order At The Greenbriar Inn
We often skip breakfast and arrive near lunchtime so we are able to savor each a starter and a essential course. Throughout our newest go to, we shared the Hummus Trio for Two. Although the platter offered completely completely different from the menu description, we completely loved the chef’s revolutionary strategy to Center Jap delicacies. This model had two dollops — pink and orange — together with a mound of couscous. The pink hummus was comprised of beets and garnished with pistachios, whereas the orange hummus was derived from mashed-up squash sprinkled with pomegranate seeds. The assortment of olives, together with a couple of sliced cucumbers, and quite a few wedges of pita have been used to scoop up the dips.
To keep up a Center Jap theme, I attempted one of many newer menu choices that was inaugurated earlier within the 12 months. The Greenbriar Inn model of shakshuka has an abundance of chickpeas in a spicy tomato sauce garnished with a small quantity of feta cheese. The toasted buttered baguette provides texture and taste to this dish. My husband selected the seasonal pumpkin spice pancakes that have been served with an apple pecan and maple compote. The mound of thick pancakes appeared like a spherical tower. I sometimes reached throughout the desk and used my fork to snag samples of this delicious deal with.
Certainly one of Tangerine’s wholesome breakfast choices — Veggie Hash with pumpkin puree served with multi-grain bread
Photograph credit score: Sandy Bornstein
4. Tangerine
Daily, Tangerine’s menu presents a mixture of vegetarian and gluten-free choices together with a collection of Tex-Mex and Mediterranean-inspired recipes. Chef Alex Schuler efficiently creates an inspiring menu that appeals to a health-conscious viewers who’s in search of a wide range of breakfast and lunch choices. With an emphasis on made-to-order entrees, virtually every thing is comprised of scratch. Since Tangerine opened in 2011, my eating experiences have been within the north Boulder location. I’ve but to go to the Lafayette or Longmont eating places which share the identical menu.
The breakfast menu favors home specialties which might be principally gluten-free. Eggs Benedict, pancakes and waffles, and omelets have their very own classes. Lunch goers can order from a alternative of 10 sandwiches or six salads.
What To Order At Tangerine
When I’m on the lookout for a wholesome begin to my day, I choose the Veggie Hash. This gluten-free dish has a scrumptious mixture of carrots, caramelized onions, mushrooms, spinach, pink peppers, and potatoes served on high of a pumpkin puree and topped with balsamic discount and cumin-spiced pepitas. The dish additionally has two eggs and a alternative of gluten or gluten-free toast. If you happen to take pleasure in a cup of espresso along with your breakfast, make certain to pick one of many espresso drinks that makes use of domestically roasted espresso from Salto, a woman-run enterprise.
Dana’s Tempeh Skillet with a bit of corn bread on the Walnut Cafe in Boulder, Colorado
Photograph credit score: Sandy Bornstein
5. Walnut Café
I’ve all the time visited the unique location on Walnut Road, however I do know many individuals who dine on the south facet restaurant on Broadway. Former managers of those breakfast and lunch eateries took over possession earlier this 12 months. The restaurant on Walnut opened in 1983, and the second was added in 2005. This present day, the brand new house owners don’t anticipate making any main adjustments.
When the climate permits, I ask to be seated at one of many tables outdoors. Although the small patio space runs adjoining to the strip mall’s parking zone, I take pleasure in wanting on the mountains. The restaurant’s favorites embrace greater than a dozen methods to organize eggs. Most of those entrees include one or two sides that vary from recent fruit to grits to French toast. Different classes give attention to omelets, pancakes, waffles, bakery gadgets, soups, salads, sandwiches, and burgers. A complete web page is put aside for an extended record of espresso bar drinks in addition to tea, juices, milk, sodas, and kombucha.
What To Order At The Walnut Cafe
I used to be instructed that the Eggs Marcos and the Huge Dill Eggs are the restaurant’s high sellers. I’ve not tried both so I can not remark. As a substitute, I are inclined to reorder Dana’s Tempeh Skillet. The menu claims it was one in all Boulder’s first vegetarian meals. As a substitute of utilizing eggs, the skillet makes use of tempeh as its main ingredient. A bountiful assortment of breakfast potatoes, onions, tomatoes, mushrooms, and spinach add shade and style to this wholesome breakfast. I all the time choose the thick wedge of blueberry cornbread to enrich my skillet.
It’s exhausting to withstand ordering one thing from their record of espresso bar creations. I incessantly choose the Boulder latte, which has a double shot of espresso with steamed milk, vanilla, honey, and cinnamon, or the Sherpa Chai. Since I attempt to reduce my dairy and sugar consumption, I substitute soy milk for the milk and ask to go mild on the honey.
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