10 New Places for Brunch in Metro Phoenix

We've noticed a trend at Valley restaurants, and it's called brunch. Everyone's favorite weekend meal has started popping up everywhere. So from red velvet waffles to a Bloody Mary sushi roll (yes, really), here are some of the newest brunch offerings in metro Phoenix. 

Artizen

The newly opened Camby Hotel's sleek Artizen Restaurant features indoor and outdoor seating and serves a variety of brunch items. Those searching for lighter fare will find beignets, deviled duck eggs, and grilled andouille sausage listed on the menu as "brunch munchies." Diners with larger appetites will probably get a kick out of heartier fare like burgers, steak and eggs, or breakfast hash. But those who really want to go all out should consider ordering the "Can You Buy Me." For $75, you get a one-pound lobster tail omelet that's served with a staggering amount of ingredients, including foie gras, porcini, winter truffle, creme fraiche, watercress, chives, caviar, and chopin. Brunch is served on Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. For more information, check out Artizen's website. 

Barrio Urbano

From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. every Sunday, diners can enjoy chef Silvana Salcido Esparza's signature Mexican cuisine — in brunch form. Customers can dig into plates like a burrito with eggs, chorizo, and a side of salsa tatemada. Enjoy lighter fare like fruit of the day served over cottage cheese topped with honey, sunflower seeds, raisins, pecans, and housemade granola. Or cut into hearty steak and eggs topped with roasted tomatillo salsa and served alongside buttered bolillo toast, black beans, and potatoes. Guests also can share a $9 bottle of Champagne (to make mimosas, if you so desire) or enjoy $4 margaritas and Bloody Mary's. For more information, visit the Barrio Urbano website. 

Salty Sow 

The Salty Sow in North Phoenix is a surprisingly sleek freestanding gastropub that happens to share a parking lot with a Walmart. And every Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., guests can feast on new brunch items like rosemary honey-dipped fried chicken and waffles, banana chocolate chip French toast bread pudding, and green chile pork topped with poached eggs and warm buttered tortillas. At this buffet, guests also can nosh on pastries, made-to-order eggs, and meats from a carving station. Brunch wouldn't be brunch without the drinks, so the Salty Sow also features $4 mimosas and a $5 make-your-own Bloody Mary bar. The brunch buffet costs $18.95 per person. For more information, check out the Salty Sow website. 


T. Cook's

The Royal Palms Resort & Spa's T. Cook's may not be a new place for brunch, but the well-loved restaurant has started serving a Sunday market brunch buffet in recent months. Guests can dig into paella, carved meats, made-to-order omelets, whole roasted carved meats, and chilled shellfish. Baked goods including housemade bread, pastries, doughnuts, cinnamon rolls, cakes, cookies, and mini desserts are also available. Brunch is from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Sunday and costs $49 per person. For more information, visit T. Cook's website. 


Kitchen West  

Housed inside the Scottsdale Resort, which opened in September following a $10 million renovation, Kitchen West serves Western-inspired American fare. From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., diners can dig into classic brunch dishes made with a twist. Local goat cheese omelets, rib eye Benedict, huckleberry sourdough pancakes, and a smoked cured ham kiln-oven flatbread all appear on the menu. Sandwiches, salads, and pastries round out the brunch offerings. Beer, wine, and cocktails are also available. For more information, visit the Kitchen West website. 

RA Sushi 

If you’re tired of eating waffles and pancakes every weekend, you could try switching it up with sushi for brunch. From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. every Sunday, all five of RA Sushi’s locations across metro Phoenix serve brunch. Standout menu items include the Bloody Mary roll featuring shrimp, bacon, asparagus, tomato, cucumber, and Sriracha mayonnaise rolled in nori and rice. Consider complementing the roll with the drink it’s named after; RA’s take on the popular brunch libation is made with Ketel One vodka, Sho Chiku Bai Nigori sake, and crushed cucumber, then finished with a signature skewer of shrimp, bacon, celery, olives, tomato, and asparagus wrapped in cucumber. The menu also features salads, sushi, and bento boxes. For more information, check out RA Sushi's website. 


La Bocca Urban Kitchen + Wine Bar

La Bocca Urban Kitchen + Wine Bar's North Phoenix location — a contemporary spot featuring brick walls, red chairs, and long tables — is now serving brunch every weekend from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The menu features fresh takes on traditional brunch fare. Customers can look forward to almond French toast made with maple bourbon fried ciabatta served with toasted almonds, chocolate drizzle, maple syrup, and fresh strawberries. One highlight includes the bocadilla de chorizo and Manchego, a take on the breakfast quesadilla, with housemade bread, chorizo, scrambled eggs, and you guessed it, Manchego cheese. La Bocca pours traditional Bloody Mary cocktails and one-of-a-kind varieties like a maple bourbon Bloody Mary and a jalapeño Caesar Bloody Mary. The drink menu also boasts six mimosa options – traditional, mango, strawberry, peach, pineapple, and cranberry. For more information, visit La Bocca's website. 

Dakota

Old Town Scottsdale's 4,500-square-foot full-service restaurant and bar the Dakota started serving brunch in January. Diners can order eggs, cereals, and items made on the griddle. Menu highlights include French toast, eggs Benedict, short rib hash, and huevos rancheros — a mash-up of two eggs sunny side up on crispy blue corn tostadas, ranchero sauce, chorizo-braised black beans, sliced avocado, and cotija cheese. Diners also can enjoy a Bloody Mar bar and endless mimosas. Every Sunday starting around 1 p.m., a DJ will spin tunes for those looking to enjoy a nightclub atmosphere during the daylight hours. You can order brunch at the tables surrounding the dance floor, although dining al fresco on the patio might be a better option if you're searching for a quieter place to eat. For more information, check out the Dakota website.  

Refuge 

The Melrose neighborhood's Refuge, a cozy coffee shop and wine bar with vibrant paintings lining the walls, started serving brunch on Saturdays and Sundays in January. Guests will find mostly lighter fare on the menu. Customers can order steel-cut oats, bagels and lox, and organic vanilla yogurt and fresh berries with homemade granola. Breakfast burritos and a breakfast sandwich featuring eggs, mild cheddar cheese, thick-cut smoked bacon on panini-toasted whole wheat bread from Wildflower Bread Company also make an appearance. On Saturdays only, Refuge will serve one sweet and one savory crepe. Drink specials include $5 house-infused jalapeño vodka Bloody Marys and mimosas with Tempe Orchard Orange juice. For more information, visit Refuge's website. 

Ncounter 

Tempe’s Ncounter has upgraded its brunch menu with a few new items. Highlights at the casual Mill Avenue joint — which fittingly has a long counter — include red velvet waffles, chilaquiles (lightly fried fresh corn chips, roasted ranchero sauce, melted cheese, and two perfectly basted eggs), and a Mediterranean Salad (a mix of spring greens, avocado, artichoke, cucumber, red pepper, kalamata olives, red onion, feta cheese, and sunflower seeds tossed in balsamic vinaigrette dressing). New drink options include Nitro coffee and a PB&J smoothie, a blend of soy milk, blueberries, strawberries, and peanut butter. For more information, check out the Ncounter website.