There’s never been a time when I wasn’t in the mood for brunch. “Want to meet for brunch? Don’t worry—I have a place,” is a conversation I’ve had hundreds of times, so I’m always on the hunt for my next spot.
Zuzu’s Petals has been open for four months at the corner of Third Street and Olive Avenue and serves breakfast, lunch, and small plates until 3 p.m. It’s a small space, with outdoor seating that’s dog friendly. Soon it’ll have a parklet, which the city recently approved. It also received its beer and wine license, meaning mimosas and other alcoholic drinks will be offered shortly.
At the counter, I go through my usual checklist: Savory or sweet today? Heavy or light? Hot or cold?
I went with the Cinnagave Shaken Expresso ($7) and The Skillet ($17), although I can’t take complete credit for what ended up being wonderful choices as Zuzu’s Petals’ staff were helpful in advising what to pick.
While the idea of a $7 coffee might make people rightfully bristle, it’s essentially a coffee cocktail. It’s hand shaken until frothy, sweetened with agave, has cinnamon and your choice of milk (I went with macadamia milk, an extra 75 cents). The drink wasn’t overly sweet, and for those who like their coffee more on the bitter side, you can cut the agave in half. It was creamy, not overpowered by cinnamon and, overall, delicious.
If you like a breakfast hash, The Skillet, does it well. The hash browns are crispy, the onions soft and sweet, and the red and green bell peppers are cut into thin strips so even if you generally don’t like bell peppers these will likely not be an affront to your palate. But the star of the dish is the scrambled eggs, which are soft, creamy and cheesy.
The eggs were scrambled gently, not overcooked to the point that they were a crumbled, rubbery mess. They were topped with avo cema and Sriracha aioli that coated each soft bite. And worry not, the Sriracha aioli was not spicy, but if you’re looking for a kick, each table has hot sauce options to add.
I went with turkey maple sausage, but bacon and soyrizo were also options.
The portion was generous, so generous that even though I opted out of the bread or tortilla side, I still couldn’t finish the entire plate, making for great breakfast taco leftovers the next day.
The menu has many vegetarian options like Brioche French Toast, Belgian Waffles, Avocado Tartine, Veggie Wrap and more. Vegan options are also available like the Beet Hummus Tartine, Acai Bowl and Strawberry Summer Salad.
Have you been to Zuzu’s Petals? Is there another spot I should try? Send me your favorite dishes and places around town—to help me figure out where I should go next—at [email protected].
Zuzu’s Petals is located at 801 East Third Street.