Sundays: a day we all look forward to. Some consider it special cause they have something set up - a game-day or sporting event. Some dread it cause it marks the end of the weekend. Many look forward to Sundays cause they had a long week and probably a busy Saturday evening, and they want to wind down.
Most of us see Sundays as the perfect day to spend time relaxing with the family or your special someone having conversations and generally having a good time. Guy Beringer, the man who coined the term “brunch” had the same thing in mind in his essay “Brunch” A Plea”, published in an issue of Hinter’s Weekly in 1895. In it he says:
“All of us have experienced the purgatory of those Sabbatarian early dinners with their Christian beef and concomitant pie. Have we not eaten enough of them? I think so, and would suggest Brunch as a satisfactory substitute. ”
Brunch is obviously an amalgamation of breakfast and lunch, which refers to meals taken between 11 in the morning and 4 in the afternoon with the usual accompaniment of some form of alcoholic drink.
That said, brunch evolved as most things do. What started in posh hotels made its way into our homes. Families shared cold cuts, pastries, and drinks - it even became an everyday sort of affair but nothing replaces Sunday brunch. Even today, more than a hundred years after Guy Beringer’s article was published, brunch is still as he described:
In his essay, Beringer goes on to add:
“To begin with, Brunch is a hospitable meal; breakfast is not. Eggs and bacon are adapted to solitude; they are consoling, but not exhilarating. They do not stimulate conversation. 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. ”
Are you looking forward to Sunday brunch? Well, here are a few great spots to have it in Boise:
Goldy’s Breakfast Bistro
Goldy’s Breakfast Bistro or simply “Goldy’s” is located at the very heart of downtown Boise. They provide made-to-order meals that you can choose from their standard combos or you can build your own. They don’t offer reservations so make sure to come early or they just might be a wait time given how popular they are. Once you get in, make sure to go for their homemade Hollandaise and unique entrees like Spinach Frittata, Andalusian Eggs, and their huge Breakfast Burritos. Apart from its inviting and extensive menu, this establishment prides itself on its crew's service. Goldy’s offers brunch 7 days a week.
More into the drinking aspect of a good Sunday brunch? Then head over to Bardenay.
This local chain has 3 locations with the original in their brick warehouse at Basque Block in downtown Boise. They’re the country’s first restaurant-distillery serving handcrafted drinks made with their liquors. Their brunch menu includes include vegetarian and gluten-free options upon request. Some items include their Basque Scramble which includes scrambled eggs with sautéed Basque-style chorizo, pimentos, scallions, and cotija cheese. This is then served with roasted red potatoes and your choice of whole wheat, sourdough, English muffin, or dark rye toast.
They also have their signature Bardenay Breakfast composed of two eggs made the way you like it served with roasted rosemary potatoes, fresh-cut fruit, choice of bacon, ham, or Basque-style chorizo, and your choice of bread. You also have to try their cocktails and Bloody Marys.
Bardenays opens its brunch menu on weekends from 10 AM to 2 PM.
Fork embodies its “Loyal to Local” pledge in its menu. This means they get their key ingredients and beverages from local farmers, ranchers, bakers, distillers, brewers, producers, and cheese makers. They even have an entire page dedicated to them on the website.
Fork offers a unique menu that’s truly northwest-inspired with a number of gluten-free options. This includes their OG breakfast of two eggs done the way you like them, herbed potatoes, Zeppole sourdough toast with Dorothy’s jam & spiced bacon. They also have their BAM Omelet composed of three eggs with applewood smoked maple-spiced bacon, fresh avocado, mozzarella, pesto & tomato. Herbed potatoes & Zeppole sourdough toast & local jam. Perhaps the highlight of this menu though is the option to Build-your-own mimosa.
Fork is open 7 days a week. You can check their website for their operating hours.
121 N 9th St, Boise, ID
Oh, bacon… Thinly sliced strips of pork belly served hot and crispy. Now what would happen, I wonder, when you’re faced with a restaurant called Bacon Boise?
Acclaimed Chef John Berryhill opened Bacon Boise in 2011 and if you love bacon, you’ve come to the right place. They’re so popular they cook about 10 tons of bacon a year. So what’s on the brunch menu? Items like their Bacon Burge. The patty’s made up of 2/3 bacon and a third beef with smoked gouda, chipotle fried onions, lettuce, tomato, and bacon jam served in a bun with chipotle aioli and sides.
They also have The MAC which includes parmesan, jack, cheddar, provolone, bacon, mushrooms, and tomatoes all baked with penne pasta. I’m hungry just writing about it.
Bacon is open for brunch 7 days a week.
4218 W Overland Rd, Boise, ID
A restaurant centered around brunch: what’s not to love?
The proverbial new kid on the block in terms of this list, Blue Bench is part of the Brunchette family of restaurants that guarantees they have the best brunch for you at the best price while focusing on bringing small local vendors and farmers to market & showcasing their work. That’s according to their website and who can argue with what they’ve done so far with their other ventures.
Blue Bench’s brunch options include their Stuffed Tortilla that contains breakfast sausage and house-made bacon bites, scrambled with 2 eggs, roasted red peppers, caramelized onions, and Idaho home fries which are then, stuffed inside a large flour tortilla with sharp cheddar cheese and rich hollandaise.
They also have a build-your-own Hipster toast of country white bread topped with fresh avocado, salt, and black pepper. Served with Idaho home fries, fresh fruit medley, or heirloom cherry tomato salad. You can check out the available add-ons on the menu located on their website.
Blue Bench Brunchette is open on Mondays to Fridays from 7 AM to 2 PM and on Saturdays and Sundays from 7 AM to 3 PM.
Well, writing that made me hungry. If you're anything like me, you're probably hankering for brunch after going through all that. If that's the case, set an appointment or visit the spots we posted here. Now if you want to know more about Boise or if you’re interested in owning a home here, check out our featured listings at Platinum Idaho Real Estate.
See you at brunch!
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