Brunch. That odd time between breakfast and lunch that has you pondering a variety of questions such as, “What shall I eat?” and “Do I want breakfast or lunch?”
The mid-morning meal is the answer to both your growling stomach pains and your questions. Lucky for you, the Daily Wildcat compiled a list of brunch spots to check our near campus based on an unscientific Twitter poll and Facebook post.
Prep & Pastry – 6450 E. Grant Road | 3073 N. Campbell Ave.
With their closest location set just about 10 minutes away from campus, this hip restaurant specializes in the art of brunching. Known for their wide variety of mimosa concoctions and plenty of breakfast and lunch options to keep you hungry and thirsty for more, this place is a big hit.
“[We have] farm-to-table style menus so we have really good food, but on top of that, we really exemplify proper service, which we felt was lacking in Tucson,” said Kevin Sinohui, a bartender at Prep & Pastry. “And as far as our eggs go, we have a chicken farm in Elfrida, Arizona, so all our eggs are cage-free, iodine-free and almost everything-free.”
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The menu at Prep & Pastry is quite unique. They serve four kinds of French toast, various omelets, sandwiches and their signature donut-croissant cross, the doissant, to name a few.
One of Prep’s more popular brunch features is its wide array of mimosa flavors. Each of the nine options costs $6, including a build-your-own mimosa that includes a bottle of either rose or poema cava and assorted juices.
Cup Cafe – 311 E. Congress St.
Next stop is Cup Cafe, located just a five to 10-minute Sunlink ride away from campus. This cafe has more to offer than just brunch. In the heart of downtown Tucson, Cup Cafe offers something no other brunch place in Tucson can—the ability to enjoy brunch inside a beautifully preserved historic landmark, Hotel Congress.
“Unbelievable architecture, deco paint and all the incredible artists that have … embellished the property over the years,” said Arnolbo Calleros, Cup Cafe general manager and a UA alum from the class of ’91. “Whether it’s the motif in the lobby or original artwork from Pete Martinez in the cafe that goes from the ’30s, ’40s and ’50s—to an all-tiny floor, I mean, we must have, to me, one of the most unique environments that anyone will ever dine in.”
Brunch is not lacking at this cafe. The most popular dish at Cup Cafe is their award-winning cast iron baked eggs. This piping-hot dish has won many awards over the years, including one from the Arizona Foodist Awards, who named it the Best Breakfast Dish in 2015.
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In addition to their cast iron baked eggs, the brunch menu features dishes such as the Creole Breakfast, which features andouille sausage and biscuits and gravy, for an authentic southern flare.
Nook – 1 E. Congress St.
Just one stop further down the road off the Sunlink Street Car sits Nook. Not only does it have a dining room for you to get your brunch on, but in the front of the restaurant is a mini bakery and coffee bar filled with plenty of pastries and coffee drinks for you to choose from after your meal.
Nook has a menu packed with delicious items to get you started on your day. Some of the menu items give tribute to true southwestern cuisine Tucson encompasses such as the breakfast tamale pie and huevos rancheros. They put their own personal twist on the classic eggs benedict with the godfather Benedict, which includes prosciutto, balsamic and arugula to top it all off.
Bisbee Breakfast Club | 4131 W. Ina Road | 4811 E. Sunrise Drive | 2936 E. Broadway Blvd.
Bisbee Breakfast Club originally started in Bisbee, Arizona, then eventually opened four other locations—three in Tucson, and one in Mesa, Arizona. Each location incorporates the idea of having a breakfast bar where customers can sit at a table or at a diner-like bar facing the kitchen.
Its menu is large with plenty of options to choose from and even includes gluten-free options. It carries the basic brunch essentials such as omelets and French toast as well as blue granola cakes (blueberry pancakes with housemade granola), D’s Potato Cakes and a pancake sammy (pancakes with eggs, sausage or bacon).
Baja Cafe | 2970 N. Campbell Ave. | 7002 E. Broadway Blvd.
This brunch mecca, only 10 minutes away from campus, will have you coming back for more.
“What I love about being here is that we’ve got, you know, babies, we’ve got people that are probably in their 90s, we’ve got couples, families, single folks,” said Kim Scanlan, co-owner of Baja Cafe. “I mean, just everybody comes in of all different cultures and races, so I think it’s pretty welcoming.”
In addition to their welcoming vibe, they give back to the community and partake in a variety of fundraisers, charities and support local businesses around Tucson. Baja Cafe also enjoys supporting local artists by inviting them to display their work in the cafe.
Baja Cafe is no stranger to over-sized pancakes with plenty of different kinds of specialty pancakes. One of their most decadent flavors is the chocolate lava pancakes, which are three chocolate pancakes filled with chocolate ganache, topped with a drizzle of salted caramel sauce, fresh strawberries and whipped cream for the ultimate chocolate lovers dream.
What’s your fav brunch place near campus? Leave a comment if you have a different place we should include in our story☕️
— Daily Wildcat (@dailywildcat) November 14, 2016
Follow Alexis Adekoya on Instagram.
