Brunch is more than just a delicious breakfast-meets-lunch experience; it is a social event, and better yet, an excuse for daytime drinking on weekend mornings followed by long afternoon naps. For these reasons, mostly the last one, I decided to explore some of Fort Worth's most popular brunch spots so I could help all those waking up in hunger on Saturday and Sunday mornings plan their next brunch outing. The unknowing contestants were Café Modern, Bird Café, Max's Wine Dive, Brewed, and Fixture.
Best Atmosphere // Café Modern
I have yet to find a place that provides the sophisticated brunch atmosphere that you will find at Café Modern. While brunching, you’re surrounded by glass walls and bathed in natural lighting, complete with a perfect view of the serene reflecting pond and outdoor sculptures. Recently, my family and very close family friends went to enjoy brunch and celebrate my mother’s birthday. The menu was gourmet, and the cocktail list presented a variety of interesting spins on the basic mimosa. My main entrée, the Salmon Lox Omelet, a tasty rendition of a Lox Bagel, may have had a dash of salt too many for my own personal tastes, but paired with a French Mimosa, a champagne cocktail mixed with Crème de Violette and St. Germain Elderflower, I barely noticed. If you are looking for an upscale atmosphere to brunch in for shockingly affordable prices, Café Modern is an excellent choice.
Best for Sharing with Friends // Bird Café
A favorite of many of my close brunching friends, I have been to Bird several times for brunch, and I always leave satisfied. In general, Bird Café's menu selections, whether lunch, dinner, or brunch, have been a favorite of mine for quite some time. If you are interested in a having a great brunch with friends, and lots to drink, Bird Café is the place for you. Whether you start with cheap carafes of Bird mimosas, which are mixed with a little bit of Hum Hibiscus, a unique herbal liqueur, or finishing with a bloody mary, made with your choice of one (or two if you make it a double) three house-infused vodkas, each sip is pure gold. Bird is the type of brunch where you will want everyone to order something different so that you can share, which happens to be the only way my boyfriend and I order. In the past, I have had the problem of my food hitting the table lukewarm, a pet peeve of mine, but over all, not enough to deter me. Make your reservations and treat yourself to a Badass Bacon Waffle and a little bit of the Creole Eggs Benedict, you won’t be sorry.
Best for Couples // Max's Wine Dive
After spending a wonderfully cozy belated Valentine's at Max's Wine Dive in February this year, I had been itching to get back. Well, I finally made my way over to Max’s this summer for brunch. Just as to be expected, Max’s brunch menu was filled with delicious entrée items, and of course, fried chicken. Max’s is dark, even in the daytime, a perfect place to go for a relaxed, even romantic, brunch date, and especially for dinner. This time we, the boyfriend and I, went simple – I ordered the Steak and Eggs, a perfectly cooked rib-eye paired with tasty, buttery fried eggs – and he had the Fried Chicken. Needless to say, the food was excellent, served nice and hot, straight from the kitchen. But my favorite part about Max’s brunch was their bloody mary. The bloody mary is made not with actual vodka, but a wine-based vodka similar to sake, quite possibly my favorite bloody mary to date. Max’s is a bit pricey, but still reasonable for the quality of food, and the overall experience.
Best for Hanging Out // Brewed
Over the summer, I kept hearing rave reviews about the food at Brewed, so a few friends and I decided to give it a try. The restaurant was packed with fellow brunchers, but we were prepared to wait. The 20 minutes or so flew by pretty quickly, and then we were faced with the decision of what tasty menu item to choose from. But before the food, I am sure you are all wondering – what about the mimosas? The mimosas were $3 a glass, a great price, and were heavy on the champagne, light on the OJ, with a splash of pomegranate, making for one of my favorite mimosas of the summer. I ordered the Scotch Eggs – two soft-boiled eggs wrapped in sausage, breaded, and fried, served with a tangy aioli on a bed of arugula. My stomach did not steer me wrong. The food came out nice and hot. Even though the wait for the table and for the food was a little long, the temperature and taste of the food made all things right with the world. To all my friends that are sticklers for service, just lower your expectations a little, and let the satisfaction of the food soothe you.
Best Overall Experience // Fixture – Kitchen and Social Lounge
Fixture was the last spot I got the opportunity to check out this summer, at least for the purpose of this blog. My sister and I decided to go a little before Noon. We made a reservation, and had no problem getting to our table quickly. What can I say about Fixture that I haven’t said about all the rest? Well, from start to finish, the service was good and quick. The mimosas were refreshing, cheap, and came out to the table almost as fast as they were ordered. We shared everything, like reasonable people do, from the hot, melty cranberry-brie nachos to my Chicken and Waffles, rosemary scented waffles topped with a fried chicken thigh and coated in a chipotle-maple syrup, and her Fried Bologna Sandwich, a favorite in our household, complete with a fried egg in the middle. To make the experience even better, the prices were fair, not too high, and it was nice and breezy inside. If you haven’t checked out Top Chef Winner Ben Merritt’s restaurant yet, you need to do it quick. The secret is out.
