“San Diego is a breakfast city,” observed Lestat, a recent East Coast transplant, and I had to agree. On any given morning customers can be seen standing in long lines at restaurants serving breakfast or, more importantly, brunch. Eschewing long lines, we made our way to Breakfast Republic where, for once, the usual snaking queue was non-existent.
“Indoors, or out?” queried the upbeat hostess, but “outdoors or in” might have been more accurate – there is plenty of outdoor seating on two shady patios. While dining al fresco is pleasurable, we chose to head inside and seek refuge from the hot muggy weather.
Lestat sipped a cranberry mimosa ($6) and I a small glass of fresh-squeezed orange juice ($3.75) as we perused the varied and delightful menu. Items ranged from Vietnamese Chicken Wing Breakfast Bowl (five sweet ‘n sour wings served with white rice, veggies and three eggs), to Shrimp ‘n Grits (shrimp cooked in hot sauce served with gouda cheese, sweet corn, chives and three eggs); to scrambles served with eggs, potatoes, choice of bread and Chicken Mango or Bleu Cheese sausage; to Duck Breast or Asiago-Fennel omelets; to Mint Chocolate Chip or Pineapple Upside Down pancakes. I chose the Crab Cake Benedict ($13) and Lestat ordered the Breakfast Bacon Mac ’n Cheese ($9).
The perfectly grilled cakes are chock-full of sweet succulent crab meat and served atop a split sourdough English muffin with poached eggs, lemony hollandaise sauce, slices of fresh tomato and avocado (add $2), and crisp herbed house potatoes. The pot of Mac ‘n Cheese is a creamy blend of cheddar and jack cheese with crunchy bacon bits, topped by golden brown parmesan bread crumbs and three soft scrambled eggs. Mmmm mmmm good!
But there’s more to savor than just delectable well-prepared dishes. There’s beer and booze, too. Drafts include Modern Times Black Coffee Stout, Julian Hard Apple Cider, Mother Earth Vanilla Cream Ale and Chouffe Dobellen India Pale Ale Tripel. Or try one of their specialty cocktails. Choose the Blueballs (vodka, brut, muddled mint and blueberries) or the Summer Breeze (vodka, Tropical Detox anti-oxidant, muddled blueberries and raspberries, lemon squeeze and a splash of soda water and orgeat.
Breakfast Republic is the latest venture in Johann Engman’s Rise & Shine Restaurant Group, which includes the Fig Tree cafes in Hillcrest, Pacific Beach and Liberty Station, and Café Cantata in Del Mar. You owe it to yourself to discover why locals are flocking to Breakfast Republic.
Breakfast Republic
2730 University Ave.
San Diego
Open daily 7 a.m.–3 p.m.
619-642-0299
