The outside of Snooze located next to the Postino Annex. The red-brick building has corn hole, a ping-pong table and foosball outside on the patio. (Emily Johnson/The State Press)I'm usually bumming around on College Avenue due to the grand and metropolitan options presented by both Subway and Royal Coffee Bar, but I was pleased to find that Snooze, a breakfast and brunch offering, opened on Dec. 10, 2014.
At that opening event, the company raised $8,000 for Project Cure and Tempe Action Agency, according to a press release.
Snooze CEO David Birzon spoke to me about the charitable excursions the restaurant takes. It's apparently very hard to vet organizations and give away the 1 percent of sales and in kind services to charities. Each month, every restaurant pairs with an organization in the community.
"This year, we’ll donate $300,000 within 3 miles of each of our restaurants in total," he said.
Located right next to Postino Annex, the space required a lot of work to breathe life into the old brick and mortar.
"It was not quite abandoned but it was certainly left behind by ASU for a lot of years," Birzon said. "We went through a lot of painstaking processes to retain the exposed brick (and) the wooden trusses."
That certainly shows in the space. In addition to the restored annex shell, the restaurant is replete with the pastels that are the theme colors of brunch — oranges, greens, blues and yellows. The restaurant, unfortunately, was as loud as the color palette.
People of all temperaments, ages and interests went on a recent Sunday for brunch. Old people, students, families and couples all found something interesting on the menu. If you have to wait, there are games, including corn hole, a ping-pong table and foosball. There's even free coffee.
The menu, by the way, caters to every taste: classic breakfast offerings, from a breakfast pot pie ($9) to a breakfast burrito ($9). There are a dizzying six hollandaise options — these are obviously for people not faint of heart. The CEO mentioned that he liked the pot pie because of its flaky crust and the rosemary sausage gravy.
Additionally there's lighter fare, in case you're watching your figure for your new boyfriend. Fall greens, includes spinach, arugula, "roasted pears, goat cheese, crispy prosciutto, shaved fennel, candied walnuts and champagne vinaigrette," according to the menu.
The entry to Snooze, located near College Ave. and 7th St. in Tempe. The restaurant opened Dec. 10, 2014, serving only breakfast and brunch. (Emily Johnson/The State Press)But, flipping the menu over, the OMG French Toast option would probably put this diabetic writer in the hospital.
When I went, I ordered a breakfast burrito. It was monstrously sized and smothered in a delicious green sauce and pico de gallo. Unfortunately, the rice, black beans, eggs and hash browns did not really make for an interesting burrito. I would recommend adding some meat or vegetables — for a price, of course.
I also got coffee, apparently sourced in Guatemala. It wasn't anything to write home about, but I appreciate black coffee no matter what it tastes like. The restaurant sources this coffee for a very particular reason.
"They use the same practices devoid of chemicals, fertilizers their fields are naturally shaded by native trees," Birzon said. "The coffee farm supports the local community that it works with to build women’s shelters and schools with the profits from their farm."
To finish my meal, I ordered a grapefruit mimosa as Taylor Swift's "Shake It Off" played. I seized the moment, and I did not regret it. I got my drink, and it was served in a glass rivaling George Glass's really good looks.
Most of the morning alcoholic selections are $8, and my mimosa was $6. The sparkling wine is sourced from Infinite Monkey Theorem, an urban winery in downtown Denver, Colorado.
grapefruit mimosa c/o Snooze on College Ave. pic.twitter.com/BJ4sbCvTA0
— Peter Northfelt (@peternorthfelt) January 18, 2015
The local sourcing from Arizona is attempted as much as possible, but sometimes it has to come from Denver. In fact, Birzon had some choice words on the locally owned debate.
"I certainly understand what honoring and patronizing businesses that are owned locally, but there can be business owners that live there locally that are disinterested in the communities in which their businesses are located," he said. "So we really strive to be a community spot no matter where we are."
When I asked him about the local business that occupies the space north of Snooze, Birzon was not at all concerned that Postino also serves brunch, adding that there's good synergy and karma in the combination.
When I left the restaurant, I sat across College Avenue by College Avenue Commons. Everyone seemed like they were having a jolly old time. That energy spilled over onto the street, really transforming this spot into a destination for many who are ready to spend the cash to participate.
Snooze is open Monday through Friday at 6:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and opens at 7 a.m. on weekends. Snooze is located at 615 South College Ave. Suite 103.
Tell the reporter about your favorite mimosa/Taylor Swift pairing at pnorthfe@asu.edu or follow him on Twitter @peternorthfelt
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