Where to Brunch in Graduate Hospital: Little Spoon Cafe

Little Spoon Cafe took over the corner of 15th & South in October, adding a nice brunch option to South Street West's emerging restaurant row. It was clearly needed in the quickly growing family neighborhood - wait times instantly soared during peak hours.

Our first visit to Little Spoon was packed with great bites. On the savory side, their version of a Monte Cristo sandwich, made with honey ham, smoked gouda, fried egg and jalapeno mayo on country white bread, was as good as it looks below and the egg scramble of the day, almond pesto, added a hint of creativity and a lot of great flavor to otherwise standard eggs. The breakfast burrito also hit the spot, but know that it's served with the potatoes inside the wrap making it quite a large endeavor!

Monte Cristo

Breakfast Burrito

The bacon waffle, which understandably draws a lot eyeballs on the menu right away, was, well, a waffle that tastes like bacon. Might be just the thing for you, but to us it was not as special as it sounds like it should be, so temper your expectations there.

Winner!! Carrot Cake Waffle

Sweet dishes always catch the attention of brunchers, and at Little Spoon the carrot cake waffle was one of the best parts of our meal. It wasn't overly sweet, even with the dollop of cream cheese icing on top and maple syrup. The waffle had just enough of that comforting, familiar carrot cake flavor without making you feel like you were actually eating cake for breakfast.

The only disappointment was the cheese plate. It rotates all the time but on our particular day the two cheeses just weren't thrilling. Also, it's not the best thing to order on a hot day, especially if you snag one of the couple tables in Little Spoon's back courtyard. Maybe save that for cooler weather brunches.

I've stopped in Little Spoon other times for quick take out, too. On the warm morning of the Broad Street Run, their Death By Sunshine smoothie (a Dominican-inspired smoothie with orange juice, pineapple juice, mango sorbet, soy milk and vanilla) hit the spot while I watched Bradd run, but my bacon, egg and cheese on a bagel did not. The bagel either wasn't toasted enough or sat too long before being stuffed and served to me - too common of a problem when getting breakfast sandwiches to go from any cafe. I need to remember that in the moment.

Little Spoon is definitely worth a little bit of a wait on a nice morning and a welcome brunch addition to the neighborhood, serving a hearty mix of traditional brunch items and fun, creative dishes. Also serves lunch food, which we hope to try sometime this summer, too!

Outdoor tables behind Little Spoon - cute area, look for their homegrown herbs!

What We're Eating: Beiler's Donuts

If you walked through Reading Terminal Market recently and saw a lone female patron with a box of six doughnuts, a spork in one hand and camera in the other, that was me. I had to promise a lot of bystanders that I wasn't going to eat them all.

With a random weekday off from work, I was on a mission to try Beiler's Donuts. It opened just over a year ago, filling the doughnut stand void in Reading Terminal and expanding the Pennnsylvania Dutch family's corner operation full of breads, pies, salads and pickles.

And what a delicious mission it was, as in a suddenly-competitive doughnut town, Beiler's is right up there with Federal Donuts, Frangelli's and others in my book.

First tip: don't be scared off by the line. It almost always wraps around the corner stall near the 12th & Arch entrance but moves very quickly. You can watch the entire doughnut-making process from your spot in line as you get hungrier by the second. See photos below for some of that experience; they really are made right in front you.

Second tip: Order a lot. At 90 cents each or $4.95 for a half dozen, it's absolutely worth trying more than one!

But that begs the question: If you were going in for a half dozen doughnuts, among a counter of at least 30 different varieties, what would you choose? I had to go with a classic glazed, a chocolate with sprinkles (my childhood go-to) and a Boston creme. I couldn't pass up Beiler's most famous warm apple fritter, then added in an apple harvest and a salted caramel.

Warm apple fritter. A must-try.

Salted caramel perfection.

The outcome: The apple fritter is worth every rave review - so fluffy and warm with blended in apple flavor and a hint of glaze on top. Eat it first while it's still warm. The salted caramel is equally mind-blowing, with a heavenly white creme filling, caramel icing and added sprinkled salt. You can tell they are both handmade and fresh out of the oven.

5 Philly Brunch Photos of the Week

Happy Friday food-loving friends. Here are some Friday Food Photos for you, honoring delicious brunches we've had around Philadelphia recently. 

Talula's Daily opened this summer just off Washington Square. The next two photos show you one of their big slices of quiche, enjoyed at a sidewalk table overlooking the square, and a ham n' brie croissant, eaten inside at one of Talula's rustic wooden tables. You can also get sandwiches, baked goods, meat/cheese and other quick bites here, as well as a seasonally-inspired, ever-changing, five course dinner. 

Cafe Lutecia, a little french cafe at the corner of 23rd & Lombard, is beloved from Fitler Square to the 'burbs. We've heard of people coming all the way in from the Main Line just to eat brunch here. Pick a croque madame (below + tea and coffee), breakfast sandwich, quiche or soup (tomato bisque is best) off the simple menu, grab an old copy of Paris Match and check out of reality for a while...

Only a couple blocks from Cafe Lutecia is Gavin's Cafe at the corner of 25th & Pine. Run by Argentinian chef Jezabel Careaga, two featured items at Gavin's are the daily empanadas and the alfajores. The empanadas are a fun treat for any time of day and a nice alternative for brunch. On an occasional Friday night Gavin's stays open and serves them along with frozen mint lemonade for a BYOB dinner (bring rum to make a mojito). The alfajores are shortbread cookies with dulce de leche filling and grated coconut on the outside. I LOVE THEM. I heard recently that they sell mini versions now too, but honestly, just get a large. You'll want the whole thing plus a few more to take home.

South Street West Update: Miles Table and REX 1516

Philadelphia's South Street West neighborhood has seen several new cafes, restaurants and shops open in the past year. Last fall we wrote about Magpie, The Cambridge and a few other new faces... here's our take on two more neighborhood spots open for brunch and dinner.

Miles Table

At 16th and South, Miles Table is a new casual eatery/coffee shop focused on fresh, high quality yet simple dishes. It's an offshoot of Catering by Miles, which runs the concession stand at the Lombard Swim Club (where we are now on the waiting list, check back in 5-7 years) and is the exclusive caterer for the Gift of Life Donor Program, an important cause to us having both donors and recipients in our immediate family.

Breakfast sandwich at Miles Table

I stopped in for breakfast after a long bike ride and was surprised at how much foot traffic Miles Table was getting. By the time I left, it had a healthy brunch crowd of couples with dogs outside, hungover hipsters and families with small kids.

The $6 breakfast sandwich at Miles Table was a hit. Lots of scrambled egg, a good everything bagel (tough to find in Philly), the right amount of cheese without going overboard, and crispy bacon, served with a few nice apple slices as a surprise.

Honey's Sit 'n Eat Arrives to an Anxious Crowd in Graduate Hospital

After more than a year of rumors and anticipation, Philadelphia brunch mecca Honey's Sit 'n Eat opened a second location last weekend at 21st and South Streets. [The original location is in Northern Liberties. Read about our visit.]

When we came out at 11:30 a.m. - big crowd!

It was promptly packed by 9:00 a.m. on Sunday, with a crowd growing outside. There is a small waiting area just inside the door as well, in case it's raining or you want to sit down. Or you can wander next door to Doggie Style and look at the puppies in the window.

At 10:30 a.m., we actually sat right away and were reminded of an important brunch tip: tables for two come a lot quicker than anything larger. It's nice to eat with your friends, but if you're really there to try the food, just bring one date. Or do your best to go on a weekday when Honey's has a mega-cheap breakfast option. $3.95 for two eggs, a side dish and coffee from 7:00 - 9:00 a.m.

A Delicious Brunch at Green Eggs Cafe

Green Eggs Cafe recently won the 22nd & Philly Scarpetta Award for the best brunch we had during 2012. I have to say the 13th Street location is also one of my favorite places to take pictures because the large front windows let in so much natural light. Green Eggs has two other locations in South Philly and Northern Liberties.

I managed to get back there already in 2013 and add to our small collection of mouthwatering brunch photos. Here is a quick run-down of some awesome dishes at Green Eggs, though I can't imagine you'd go wrong with anything on the menu.

Peanut Butter Crunchy French Toast  – $11. Brioche slices stuffed with whipped crunchy peanut butter cream cheese, topped with chantilly cream, fresh berry compote and blackberry coulis. I mean, COME ON. Just LOOK at it. It was delicious, but super sweet. Unless you can handle a mega-sugary meal, order savory dishes and then get one of these to share among the table.

Sunday Brunch at a.kitchen in Rittenhouse Square

a.kitchen off Rittenhouse Square has been on our brunch to-do list for quite some time. It's not very big and Sunday reservations go fast, but we managed to get seats at the 8-10 person cafe bar recently. Our two bartenders were pleasantly attentive while busy pouring generous mimosas, bloody marys and coffee, but didn't put on any pressure to chase us out quickly.

House-made english muffin, country sausage, fried egg

Craig LaBan raved about a.kitchen's house-made english muffin as "a pedestal for breakfast bliss." I can't argue with that after thoroughly enjoying the restaurant's version of a breakfast sandwich. The muffin is toasty on the outside, fluffy on the inside; the egg fresh and fried to perfection; and the country sausage made with a mix of spices to push the flavor up a notch.

It comes as an open-faced sandwich, but I recommend using your knife and fork because it will get messy. Plus you'll want to soak up all the extra runny yolk with the top half of the delicious muffin, so don't waste any on your fingers or in your napkin.

For $10 it does not disappoint on flavor, but at first glance you may lament that the sandwich looks really small. Not to worry, it has plenty of substance to satisfy your brunch cravings. Plus the side potatoes are too good to pass up, anyway.

Brunch Week! Last Stop: Morning Glory

For Part III of Brunch Week, let's chat about Sam's Morning Glory Diner, a South Philly staple since 1997.

QVF and I took some out-of-town friends to Morning Glory on the Fourth of July as our last meal before everyone headed home. Despite Philly having a reputation for emptying out on summer holidays/weekends, there were still plenty of locals waiting in Morning Glory's courtyard for a delicious brunch.

Morning Glory is a straight up diner, but with far better food and a more homely feel than any diner I've been to... and I'm from the diner mecca of North Jersey. Brunch offers all the regulars, some with a twist like Pecan Waffles and Challah French Toast with strawberry sauce, a few salads and a selection of irresistible frittatas. I've heard the Monkey French Toast is a highlight - challah french toast stuffed with caramelized bananas and mangoes, topped with caramel sauce and whipped cream. Hello.

I made the very excellent decision to order the Focaccia Breakfast Sandwich. A simple fried egg n' cheese with bacon added, this was still no average sammie. The focaccia is a homemade staple at Morning Glory and a key factor to making this one of the best bacon, egg and cheeses I've ever had. It must be popular, because I saw a giant pile of foccacia behind the counter ready to be sandwiched. I would eat it again, right now.

Focaccia Breakfast Sandwich

Brunch Week! Add a Little Kick to Your Eggs at Xochitl

Part II of Brunch Week... time for some Mexican food at Xochitl in Headhouse Square. 

If you want to put a little kick into your brunch, Mexican restaurants around Philly offer some great brunches. Xochitl is also right across the cobblestones from the Headhouse Square Farmer's Market, so it's an excellent spot to dine before/after you pick up the week's fresh groceries. Brunch is served Sunday 11am - 2pm.

Keep in mind that since I ate there, owners Steve Cook and recent James Beard winner Michael Solomonov (of Zahav fame) decided to sell Xochitl. The staff is supposed to remain but it looks like some additions are coming to the menu. No word on brunch changes yet.

Xochitl only launched its brunch menu in May and offered us a complimentary visit to try it out, so I took my trusty food-loving Queen Village Friend (she's made appearances before at spots like Sabrina's and Carman's and will continue to, so henceforth she will be referred to as my QVF). The very nice chef came out and chatted with us but otherwise I think our experience was similar to that of the patrons around us.

Brunch Week! The Charm of Carman's Country Kitchen

Update: Carman's sadly closed its doors in late 2012 after more than 30 years in business. Carman moved south to take a new adventures. Big loss for Philly's breakfast scene, so glad we got to try it. 

This spring/summer I've been out to brunch more than usual. I followed up Distrito in April and Sabrina's Cafe in May with outings to Carman's Country Kitchen, Morning Glory and Xochitl in the past six weeks. All very different, each has its own flair and appeal.

In honor of this personal brunch conquest, and because I need to catch up on posts, this week has officially been declared "Brunch Week" at 22nd & Philly. Here's my take on brunch at Carman's in South Philly. Stay tuned for reviews of Xochitl and Morning Glory later this week.

Brunch at Carman's is nothing short of an "experience." It has  an incredible charm, driven largely by a colorful mix of wacky/nostalgic/random/cutesy/phallic decor and very friendly staff. Carman's is also super small, with seating for only about 10-12 people including counter spots. On weekends you can also sit outside in the flatbed of a pickup truck parked on the street (sure why not?).

It was the perfect spot to bring a few fun-loving, world-traveling girlfriends in town and ready to party down at a wedding the next night.

Everything we ate was mouthwateringly good: Challah French Toast with mangos in a peach/pineapple sauce with key lime gramcracker gelato; Buttermilk Pancakes with banana, raisins, toasted coconut and vanilla; Omelet with cheese, avocadoes, tomatoes, sweet onions, scallions and yucca with a hint of white anchovies and cilantro. Drool over them in photos below.

Brunch at Sabrina's Cafe: Worth the Wait?

For as long as we've lived in Philadelphia, Sabrina's Cafe has had the reputation of offering the best brunch around town. After completing the ODDyssey Half Marathon a few Sundays ago, I finally had the chance to check it out.

The regular menu has all the usual egg/bagel/fruit cup options, plus some really attractive frittatas, omelets and signature items like Stuffed Challah French Toast (farmer's cream cheese, bananas and vanilla bean syrup - sweet heaven!). There are also burgers, vegetarian options and a handful of salads and sandwiches. Every plate going past our table looked incredible.

My running partner went with the frittata of bleu cheese, sauteed spinach, mushrooms and bacon. She thought it was excellent but estimated it had 5-6 eggs in it, and was therefore way too big for her to eat more than half. We didn't think it would taste too good as a leftover so it was a bummer to waste all that food.

Birthday Brunch at Distrito

Distrito has been a 22nd & Philly favorite for a while now. Bradd even found Jose Garces' recipe for hamachi ceviche and adapted it for his birthday dinner last year. But we're not frequent brunchers, so when I had the chance to celebrate a friend's birthday over a Distrito brunch, my stomach immediately started growling.

If you haven't been to Distrito yet, the ambiance is cool enough to at least stop in the door one day and check out. The downstairs area (shown below) has a nice long bar and a good number of tables. The bar tables are not up for grabs, though, you have to be seated by the hostess. The backs of the chairs downstairs are pretty funky and look to me like giant versions of those thin rubber bracelets we used to wear as kids. Upstairs has another bar, a smaller bar seating area with fun porch swings and a ton of tables and big round, basket-looking booths.

Brunch at FARMiCiA

A few weeks I read Craig Laban's review of Green Eggs Cafe.  We haven't been to Green Eggs although will plan to do so at some point.  But, the idea of brunch on Easter Sunday sounded like a great idea!  We've heard good things about the brunch at FARMiCiA so off we went.

It was a beautiful morning so we were hoping that we might get a seat outside.  No luck though as others likely had the same idea. Kicking us while we were down, we were seated in the far back, right corner of the restaurant, which was very disappointing since we had made reservations and it was not overly crowded yet.  It also took about ten minutes for the waiter to even say hello.  We were not in a rush, but were anxiously waiting some mimosas. Brunch was off to a rough start, but quickly changed direction (even though the service stayed sub-par).

 We started off with the mimosas and I ordered coffee, which were both quite good. Kristy ordered the quesadilla, which is really a breakfast burrito.  It was huge and is stuffed with eggs, cheese, potatoes and chorizo.  I thought it could have a bit more punch to it, but it was quite good and Kristy enjoyed.  She was able to eat about half and took the rest home. 

I had a omelet and one pancake.  I went for the goat cheese and herbs omelet.  It was good, but I now know that I'd rather have cheddar and bacon omelettes.  The pancake was the best part.  Light and fluffy with a touch of sweetness.  If/when we go back I'd go with the pancakes or try the french toast.  

Verdict.  We would both suggest for brunch and trust the service issues were an anomaly rather than the norm.  I would like to go back for dinner since I like supporting and trying places that support  local farmers/producers.   

The best brunch place we've been to is still Honey's by a long shot, but I am excited about the growing brunch scene in Philly.  Brunch is not something we do every week, but it is the perfect event to casually meet up with some friends or family.  

Honey's Sit n' Eat with my Honey

We had our first anniversary this past July 5. It worked out well that it was over 4th of July holiday (like it should be, sort of, every year) so we could celebrate for three straight days. Festivities included dinner at Melgrano (review to come), brunch at Honey's Sit n' Eat, a Phillies game and the a trip to the zoo, not necessarily in the order.

Honey's Sit n' Eat was probably the best brunch I have ever had in my entire life. Period. It's extremely popular so I'd been warned you usually have to wait for a table. Since there was just two of us, though, we only waited about 10 minutes and got a cute table next to the window. Larger groups probably have to wait longer, but if you're just a few people here's a tip: check the "bar" first. There were a handful of open stools there and plenty of room to eat, so if you don't want to wait it's a good option.

Took me about three seconds to pick my food - eyes were drawn directly to the Nutella French Toast, stuffed with pears, strawberries, and some kind of delicious cream sauce. AMAZING. I hadn't had anything "nutelle" in a long time, but had fallen in love with it while studying in Paris during college. Combine that with the pears and strawberries and it was heaven. A little rich and filling though, so I couldn't eat the entire thing. Does this not look absolutely delicieux?!

Bradd got just about one of everything. An omlette, a pancake, home fries, coffee... and then he ate the rest of mine, loving every minute of it.

I would highly recommend Honey's brunch for anyone. They have lunch and dinner food on the menu too, but I've never spoken to anyone who has gone there for anything but brunch. Outside seating is available, too, for nice days.

I haven't been able to find a website for Honey's but here's a version of their menu. Maybe the Nutella french toast was a special? Regardless, everything looked great.