Brunch is just as much a right of passage in college as late Friday nights or sleepy Mondays. To say that I am a brunch connoisseur is a bit of an understatement; on a good week, I go to brunch three times.
Naturally, I have been to quite a few different restaurants offering brunch around the Tempe and Phoenix campuses. This list doesn’t include some of my favorite joints down Scottsdale Road; nevertheless, there are great eateries walking distance from campus! Here are my five favorites.
FEZ
Less than half a mile from the Downtown Phoenix campus is the trendy FEZ, located on Portland and Central avenues. FEZ is hip and attractive with a friendly staff to bolster its delicious weekend brunch. Its brunch and drink special are available starting at 10 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday. FEZ combines breakfast favorites with a Mediterranean flair. The restaurant offers $4 mimosas or a $15 mimosa set which includes a bottle of champagne and a carafe of orange or cranberry juice. My favorite dish is the FEZ frittata.
Ncounter
Ncounter is a Tempe staple located off of 3rd Street and Mill Avenue in Tempe. The restaurant has a huge breakfast menu and a few lunch options. On the weekends, it isn’t uncommon to encounter lines out the door, but the staff is fast and the popularity speaks for the quality. Smoothie and omelette lovers will have a huge selection to pick from, but my favorite dish at Ncounter is the chipotle egg burrito.
Postino Wine Cafe
Postino may be better known for its wine and bruschetta boards, but its Saturday and Sunday brunch, held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., is a can’t miss for food lovers. The menu is small but perfectly curated to offer a variety of different flavors to get your day started. Postino, located off of Sixth Street and College Avenue, near the Tempe campus, offers an up class aesthetic and atmosphere for an affordable price. All of the brunch entrees are under $10! My favorite entree is the farm scramble.
Snooze, an A.M. Eatery
This Colorado-based eatery is perhaps Tempe’s most popular brunch option. Located in the same annex as Postino, Snooze offers a wide selection of expected breakfast foods, including pancakes and a variety of inventive eggs Benedict. The atmosphere is fun and casual — the restaurant blasts throwback jams of the 2000s, and the waitstaff is in laid-back clothes. The diner is decorated in bright orange, which only adds to the friendly aura and wakes up early morning diners, since the restaurant opens at 6:30 a.m. and closes at 2:30 p.m. daily. My favorite dish is the "Bella! Bella! Benny."
The Vig
If you are looking for a good hangover cure or maybe you want to start your drinking early, The Vig is your place with $3 mimosas until 2 p.m. and a $4 bloody mary bar. The Vig is a bright and open restaurant with a location off of West Fillmore Street and 4th Avenue near the Downtown Phoenix campus. The brunch menu really covers all the classic bases with a unique twist, like its coconut quinoa oatmeal and tres leches French toast. My favorite dish is the "hangover helper."
Related Links:
Snooze AM Eatery offers new brunch option to College Ave.
Downtown Dispatch: Matt's Big Breakfast & Giant Coffee
Reach the reporter at tanner.stechnij@asu.edu or follow @tannerstechnij on Twitter.
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