The much sought-after weekend activity of brunching, has made its way to Eater Maps as we have scoured Boulder restaurants to find the 11 best brunch options. From all you can eat extravagant buffets, to Latin inspired brunch happy hour to thoughtfully local, farm-to-table breakfast fare, to vegan breakfast - there's truly something for everyone to enjoy in Boulder on this list.
Owners Christopher Meyer and Jacquelyn Sproul purchased what once was the Golden Buff Grill in 1995 and have been providing greasy spoon breakfast ever since. Sitting on on 1725 28th Street on the corner of Canyon and 28th, The Buff is homey and comfortable. Do yourself a favor and order the pecan caramel quesadilla for a starter that includes pecans, brown sugar streusel and cream cheese. For a steal, they have $0.99 mimosas and bloody mary’s and if this is your style, The Buff was featured on Man VS. Food for their infamous Saddlebag pancakes (filled with bacon, sausage or ham) topped with two eggs.
Tangerine is one of the few restaurants in the area that is entirely focused on breakfast all day, everyday. Located in North Boulder on Iris and 28th Street, Tangerine's interior boasts a mod-like theme with the bright and welcoming colors of orange and tangerine hues. Much of their menu is focused on local ingredients with Mediterranean-style flavors. The options are inventive and broad and they have their own house drip-coffee and house chai to enjoy alongside their savory or sweet dishes. With two pages of breakfast items there is definitely something for everyone at Tangerine.
Cafe Aion, a tapas restaurant on The Hill is a special place for brunch not only for their carefully crafted Mediterranean inspired menu items, but also because there is virtually never a wait. The breakfast menu is local and their fresh croissants with homemade jam are flaky and buttery to perfection. They cure their own bacon in house and their bloody mary is $4 while the bellini with Colorado peach nectar is $6. The atmosphere is relaxing and we recommend sitting in their bay window seat, alongside their cozy fireplace.
The Walnut Cafe has been open for 30 years and it's no wonder it has been a longtime neighborhood favorite for Boulder. With three locations on Walnut and 30th, South Boulder, and in Lafayette (their Super Mini Walnut) all three locations provide equally delicious breakfast. Their food is straightforward with no fluff like their omelets and waffles, but they have sections dedicated to "Boulder Fare" and "Vegan Fare" to accommodate anyone's palette. Also known for their daily pie selection, if you're looking for a decadent breakfast dessert, look for their daily special. They have a robust espresso bar with 25+ unique, caffeinated drinks and the service is always extremely kind and personable - it's the kind of place where they know everyone's name. If you want to dine with your dog outside, they're dog friendly and have a watering area for them to relax alongside you.
Open for 32 years, Lucile's Creole Cafe now has five locations around Colorado but the first one started in Boulder in 1980 and still sits in their light yellow Victorian house in downtown Boulder on 2124 14th Street. The breakfast portions are enormous and beware when you order your biscuit alongside your eggs, it can fill you alone. You can expect to find Creole classics like shrimp and grits, pan fried trout with poached eggs or pain perdu, New Orleans style french toast. Consider ordering the Louisiana style chicory coffee and hot beignets to start. This might be the longest brunch wait in Boulder (they don't take reservations) but it’s worth it. Go with an empty stomach.
The Village Coffee Shop is Boulder's quintessential greasy spoon diner that has been standing strong for 40 years. Owners Ryan and Shanna Henkel have been manning the helm for the last 7 years. Located in a strip mall on Folsom and Arapahoe, the space is small and their motto and shirts read: “890 square feet of reality surrounded by Boulder.” You can expect to find longtime, older locals mingled with hungover college students crowded in the space. The food is greasy and simple, your bill will be minimal and the coffee is hot and most likely, Folgers. If you ask for something like a Latte, your waiter will yell, “We’ve got a Village Virgin!” to the whole restaurant. You can expect to find the usual suspects like bacon, eggs anyway you would like, hash browns or biscuits and gravy.
Snooze's most recent expansion is in Boulder on 1617 Pearl Street, where even during the week, lines are out the door because their reputation precedes them. Opened in 2006, there are now seven locations around Colorado and one in San Diego. The feel of Snooze's interior is retro and reminiscent of The Jetsons, and the environment is always fun and upbeat. Snooze is well known for being widely gluten-free and vegetarian friendly, which accommodates Boulder's palette nicely. Be on the lookout for their pancake of the day such as their Chestnuts Roastin' Pancakes filled with spiced pears, roasted chestnut caramel, sweet cream and citrus butter. Furthermore, their commitment to the environment is evident in their recycling and composting program in every one of their locations.
Centro, the Latin restaurant from Big Red F on 950 Pearl Street is one of the few restaurants that actually has a Brunch Happy Hour. The happy hour is on Saturday and Sunday from 9:30-11:30 a.m. and features $3 bloody mary's and mimosas and $2-4 plates. Beyond happy hour, brunch runs until 3 p.m. on the weekend. You can find the likes of fried plantains, quatro leches french toast, breakfast tacos, biscuit and gravy scramble with chorizo scramble and more Latin-inspired brunch items. If it's nice out, enjoy your brunch on their covered patio.
Opened in July of 2012 from Chef/Owner Janice Henningon on 10th and Pearl Street, Beehive is a farm-to-table restaurant that emphasizes the use of local ingredients. The ambiance is tranquil and filled with light - you feel as if you're transported to an English cottage inside. Their brunch menu has more options than their dinner service, so they've invested quite a few unique dishes to enjoy like the Scandanavian Eggs with smoked salmon, cappers, shallot and gaufrettes or the The Hipster with organic oats and fried eggs with organic sauteed greens. For a screaming deal, try the "Breakfast Buzz" special which includes two eggs, potatoes, two cornmeal biscuits and jam and a cup of coffee for just $10.
If you're looking for something a little more extravagant and special, the historical Greenbriar Inn offers a Champagne Buffet Brunch (all you can eat) on Sunday's from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Perfect for celebrations or holidays, the extended buffet offers the likes of oysters, made-to-order omelets, pickled herring, Belgian waffles, quiches, cheese, seasonal fruit, chef carved meat, a myriad of pastry desserts and more. The Champagne Brunch is $35 per person but if you opt for just the buffet sans alcohol, it's $28 per person. We suggest making reservations for this special experience.
For varying international fare and an exquisite interior shipped over from Boulder's sister city, Tajikistan, try Boulder's Dushanbe Teahouse downtown on 1770 13th Street. You can find the likes of Indian samosas, Greek scramble, Szechuan tofu scramble, beef hash and eggs and more global options on their brunch menu. When it's nice out, sit on their outside patio that faces Boulder's Farmers Market and sits on Boulder Creek.
Owners Christopher Meyer and Jacquelyn Sproul purchased what once was the Golden Buff Grill in 1995 and have been providing greasy spoon breakfast ever since. Sitting on on 1725 28th Street on the corner of Canyon and 28th, The Buff is homey and comfortable. Do yourself a favor and order the pecan caramel quesadilla for a starter that includes pecans, brown sugar streusel and cream cheese. For a steal, they have $0.99 mimosas and bloody mary’s and if this is your style, The Buff was featured on Man VS. Food for their infamous Saddlebag pancakes (filled with bacon, sausage or ham) topped with two eggs.
Tangerine is one of the few restaurants in the area that is entirely focused on breakfast all day, everyday. Located in North Boulder on Iris and 28th Street, Tangerine's interior boasts a mod-like theme with the bright and welcoming colors of orange and tangerine hues. Much of their menu is focused on local ingredients with Mediterranean-style flavors. The options are inventive and broad and they have their own house drip-coffee and house chai to enjoy alongside their savory or sweet dishes. With two pages of breakfast items there is definitely something for everyone at Tangerine.
Cafe Aion, a tapas restaurant on The Hill is a special place for brunch not only for their carefully crafted Mediterranean inspired menu items, but also because there is virtually never a wait. The breakfast menu is local and their fresh croissants with homemade jam are flaky and buttery to perfection. They cure their own bacon in house and their bloody mary is $4 while the bellini with Colorado peach nectar is $6. The atmosphere is relaxing and we recommend sitting in their bay window seat, alongside their cozy fireplace.
The Walnut Cafe has been open for 30 years and it's no wonder it has been a longtime neighborhood favorite for Boulder. With three locations on Walnut and 30th, South Boulder, and in Lafayette (their Super Mini Walnut) all three locations provide equally delicious breakfast. Their food is straightforward with no fluff like their omelets and waffles, but they have sections dedicated to "Boulder Fare" and "Vegan Fare" to accommodate anyone's palette. Also known for their daily pie selection, if you're looking for a decadent breakfast dessert, look for their daily special. They have a robust espresso bar with 25+ unique, caffeinated drinks and the service is always extremely kind and personable - it's the kind of place where they know everyone's name. If you want to dine with your dog outside, they're dog friendly and have a watering area for them to relax alongside you.
Open for 32 years, Lucile's Creole Cafe now has five locations around Colorado but the first one started in Boulder in 1980 and still sits in their light yellow Victorian house in downtown Boulder on 2124 14th Street. The breakfast portions are enormous and beware when you order your biscuit alongside your eggs, it can fill you alone. You can expect to find Creole classics like shrimp and grits, pan fried trout with poached eggs or pain perdu, New Orleans style french toast. Consider ordering the Louisiana style chicory coffee and hot beignets to start. This might be the longest brunch wait in Boulder (they don't take reservations) but it’s worth it. Go with an empty stomach.
The Village Coffee Shop is Boulder's quintessential greasy spoon diner that has been standing strong for 40 years. Owners Ryan and Shanna Henkel have been manning the helm for the last 7 years. Located in a strip mall on Folsom and Arapahoe, the space is small and their motto and shirts read: “890 square feet of reality surrounded by Boulder.” You can expect to find longtime, older locals mingled with hungover college students crowded in the space. The food is greasy and simple, your bill will be minimal and the coffee is hot and most likely, Folgers. If you ask for something like a Latte, your waiter will yell, “We’ve got a Village Virgin!” to the whole restaurant. You can expect to find the usual suspects like bacon, eggs anyway you would like, hash browns or biscuits and gravy.
Snooze's most recent expansion is in Boulder on 1617 Pearl Street, where even during the week, lines are out the door because their reputation precedes them. Opened in 2006, there are now seven locations around Colorado and one in San Diego. The feel of Snooze's interior is retro and reminiscent of The Jetsons, and the environment is always fun and upbeat. Snooze is well known for being widely gluten-free and vegetarian friendly, which accommodates Boulder's palette nicely. Be on the lookout for their pancake of the day such as their Chestnuts Roastin' Pancakes filled with spiced pears, roasted chestnut caramel, sweet cream and citrus butter. Furthermore, their commitment to the environment is evident in their recycling and composting program in every one of their locations.
Centro, the Latin restaurant from Big Red F on 950 Pearl Street is one of the few restaurants that actually has a Brunch Happy Hour. The happy hour is on Saturday and Sunday from 9:30-11:30 a.m. and features $3 bloody mary's and mimosas and $2-4 plates. Beyond happy hour, brunch runs until 3 p.m. on the weekend. You can find the likes of fried plantains, quatro leches french toast, breakfast tacos, biscuit and gravy scramble with chorizo scramble and more Latin-inspired brunch items. If it's nice out, enjoy your brunch on their covered patio.
Opened in July of 2012 from Chef/Owner Janice Henningon on 10th and Pearl Street, Beehive is a farm-to-table restaurant that emphasizes the use of local ingredients. The ambiance is tranquil and filled with light - you feel as if you're transported to an English cottage inside. Their brunch menu has more options than their dinner service, so they've invested quite a few unique dishes to enjoy like the Scandanavian Eggs with smoked salmon, cappers, shallot and gaufrettes or the The Hipster with organic oats and fried eggs with organic sauteed greens. For a screaming deal, try the "Breakfast Buzz" special which includes two eggs, potatoes, two cornmeal biscuits and jam and a cup of coffee for just $10.
If you're looking for something a little more extravagant and special, the historical Greenbriar Inn offers a Champagne Buffet Brunch (all you can eat) on Sunday's from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Perfect for celebrations or holidays, the extended buffet offers the likes of oysters, made-to-order omelets, pickled herring, Belgian waffles, quiches, cheese, seasonal fruit, chef carved meat, a myriad of pastry desserts and more. The Champagne Brunch is $35 per person but if you opt for just the buffet sans alcohol, it's $28 per person. We suggest making reservations for this special experience.
For varying international fare and an exquisite interior shipped over from Boulder's sister city, Tajikistan, try Boulder's Dushanbe Teahouse downtown on 1770 13th Street. You can find the likes of Indian samosas, Greek scramble, Szechuan tofu scramble, beef hash and eggs and more global options on their brunch menu. When it's nice out, sit on their outside patio that faces Boulder's Farmers Market and sits on Boulder Creek.
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