Let's Do Brunch
If you're looking for the best breakfast or brunch spot in Denver, Boulder and beyond, we have you covered with our list of the best locally-owned brunch restaurants along the Front Range—along with a few menu suggestions in case you can't decide on what to order.
But first, what the heck is brunch anyway? It's not breakfast, yet the menu offers Benedicts and waffles and glorious coffee in all your favorite iterations. And it's not lunch though you'll often find burgers and heartier lunch-esque fare. In fact, brunch is the best of both worlds, offering something for everyone at your table.
According to one popular theory, brunch has its origins in England where pre-hunt breakfasts were extravagant affairs that included both sweet and savory options. It's also been attributed to the tradition of enjoying a hearty Sunday meal after church services which became commonplace among the upper classes during the late 19th century.
Another theory points to the United States as the birthplace of brunch. In the late 1800s, New York City's high society began hosting lavish gatherings where the elite would get together to socialize over assorted breakfast and lunch dishes.
However it began, English author, Guy Beringer, is officially credited with coining the term "brunch" back in 1895. Inspired by his own hangover, he penned the essay, Brunch: A Plea. In it, he suggested that if you "carouse" on Saturday nights, you should sleep in and replace Sunday breakfast with a hybrid meal around midday:
"Brunch, on the contrary, is cheerful, sociable, and inciting. It is talk-compelling. It puts you in a good temper; it makes you satisfied with yourself and your fellow-beings. It sweeps away the worries and cobwebs of the week. The advantages of the suggested innovation are, in short, without number, and I submit it is fully time that the old régime of Sunday breakfast made room for the "new course" of Sunday Brunch."
No matter the origins, brunch has certainly woven its way into our everyday lives. So, if you're ready to dig in, take a look at our list of the best local brunch restaurants in Denver and the Boulder areas. Brunch appetit!
The Best of Brunch in the Denver Area
- Bacon Social House
- The Bindery
- Blue Sky Cafe
- BurnDown
- Café Terracotta
- The Cookery at Myrtle Hill
- Cucina Bella
- Culinary Dropout
- Denver Biscuit Company
- Fox Run Café
- HashTAG
- Lucile’s Creole Cafe
- Mimosas
- Quality Italian
- Safta
- Sassafras American Eatery
- Stowaway Kitchen
- Syrup
- Tamayo
- Urban Egg
- Wolf Peach Public House
Our Menu Favorites
The Delectable Egg (Multiple Locations) — Biscuits and Gravy with Eggs: Two buttermilk biscuits smothered with country sausage gravy and served with house potatoes or hash browns and two cage-free eggs any style.
Four Friends Kitchen (Central Park) — Side of Classic Beignets: Warm “FFK” classic donuts, with wild berry preserves and crème anglaise.
Onefold (Uptown & Union Station) — Bacon Fried Rice: Tenderbelly bacon (maple or habanero), two sunny duck fat fried eggs, garlic, scallions, chili oil, organic tamari soy sauce.
Root Down (Highland) — Carrot Bread French Toast (current): Served with buttermilk crema, grilled pineapple maple syrup, and oat ginger crumble.
Fox and The Hen (Highland) — Beat Bobby Flay-Vos: The pork green chili huevos rancheros that owner and chef, Carrie Baird, created when competing on the Food Network's show, Beat Bobby Flay. And yes, she won.
The Universal (Sunnyside) — Grits: Standard and pork green chili grits on the menu, plus specials such as honey habanero griddled chicken, griddled artichoke hearts, smoked tomatoes, sautéed kale, and feta over creamy grits.
Live Your Best Brunch in Boulder and Beyond
- 24 Carrot Bistro
- Alice and Rose
- Brasserie Ten Ten
- Butters Breakfast & Lunch
- Cafe Aion
- Centro Mexican Kitchen
- Corrida
- Greenbriar Inn
- The Huckleberry
- Le French Café
- Leaf Vegetarian Restaurant
- Lucile’s Creole Cafe
- Morning Glory Cafe
- The Parkway Cafe
- River and Woods
- Stella’s Cucina
- Tangerine
- Under the Sun
- Village Coffee Shop
- Walnut Cafe
Our Menu Favorites
The Buff Restaurant (Boulder) — Lemon Pecan Cakes: Fluffy pancakes with freshly grated lemon zest and pecans, topped with butter.
Gabe's Cafe (Frederick) — Chicken Fried Steak and Eggs: Topped with sausage gravy and includes two eggs any style, home fries or hashbrowns, and a side of toast.
The Hungry Toad (Boulder) — French Onion Soup: Topped with Swiss and pairs nicely with the breakfast sandwich (brioche, egg soufflé, red onion, avocado, arugula, house mayo, aged cheddar).
Lucky's Bakehouse Cafe (Boulder) — Avo Toast: Fresh avocado, jammy egg, tomatoes, nigella seed, and sprouts on a thick slice of ten-grain bread.
Pistachio Cafe (Longmont) — Green Chile Huevos Rancheros: Two crispy corn tortillas layered with two eggs, pinto beans, Monterey Jack cheese, pork green chile, sour cream, salsa fresca, and chives.
The Post Chicken & Beer (Multiple Locations) — Deviled Eggs: Pickled North Fork Valley pepper relish, fresh chives, and honey-cured bacon. The perfect starter for any brunch!
