On Sundays We Brunch

After over a decade of summers filled with baseball and travel for my sons sports, this year we found ourselves suddenly footloose and fancy free. Baseball is in the rearview mirror and every weekend we were re-surprised at our found free time. As the summer comes to a close, I wanted to take some time to share our new favorite activity that filled our sports-free weekends: Brunching!

The first place we tried (and then returned to again later in the summer) was River in Wethersfield

They had some great cocktail options including a Bloody Mary which looked more like a meal.  My favorite dish was the “Brunch on a Flatbread” flatbread (so good, I ordered it both times). The service was also good, but the draw for this place is the view.  Located right on the riverfront and with plenty of outdoor seating, River is a terrific place to spend a leisurely Sunday morning.

The next place we tried was Beamhouse in Glastonbury

We sat at the bar here and enjoyed chatting with the bartender and sipping unique breakfast cocktails.  Also unique were the brunch menu options. I had the frittata and my husband ordered what could only be described as a breakfast stew.  Trust me- it was better than it sounds. We will be returning!

Living in Wethersfield, we are frequent diners at The Charles

But until this summer, we had never been there for brunch.  We already knew their espresso martinis were to die for, so off we went craving caffeine. The brunch menu selections are few and I believe they may change frequently, but they do have their entire menu available for ordering as well.  Our server heard us chatting about the Scotch egg and though we didn’t order it, he brought a complimentary one for us.  We always enjoy our dining experiences at The Charles and brunch was no exception.

On our fourth brunch weekend, we finally had friends join us and we chose Black Eyed Sally’s

With 6 of us brunching together, I think we tried just about everything they had to offer.  Everything was great!  We had a reservation, but it was not necessary.  It was a rainy day so we took our time and planned out a few post-brunch spots to hit up.  Our reservation was at 11:30am and after going wherever the day took us, we wrapped up around 6:30pm.  That’s a blog for another day…

Our final spot (at least as of now) was Elaine’s in Wethersfield

We had previously been to Elaine’s for Mother’s Day brunch and that’s when we learned they have brunch every Sunday.  At $19.95 for the buffet (a little more on holidays), this place wins as the best value option.  If you are a sucker for a brunch buffet, this one is a must try.  They had plenty of breakfast and lunch options as well as a dessert table.

With the end of summer drawing near and football season upon our household, brunch may have to wait a few months. But I have loved this new tradition that has eased the blow of not getting to see my son swing a bat. I do miss it, but nothing a mimosa (or two) couldn’t fix.

I hope you’ll try some of these spots and would love to hear your favorite brunch places.  Cheers!