These new dining spots aren’t just opening early, though. They’re whipping up early morning fare with unexpected ingredients such as truffles and caviar, and turning to new and high-quality ingredients to elevate comforting dishes. What’s more, many are taking a fun and easygoing approach to the ambience, making the first meal of the day a truly eye-opening experience.
“It’s playful, casual and it’s fun. I think people gravitate towards that, especially coming out of the pandemic that crushed so many hopes and dreams and aspirations,” said James Moore, chef-owner of Full Belly Cafe + Bar (427 N. Loop 1604 West, Suite 202, (210) 236-5374, fullbellysa.com), a San Antonio brunch spot that opened shortly before the COVID crisis hit U.S. shores. “Maybe a little whimsy is just what people are looking for.”
When it opened, Full Belly offered breakfast, lunch and dinner, but Moore scaled down his menu amid the uncertainty of the pandemic. After analyzing the trends, the solution to surviving and thriving seemed clear, he added.
“When we were conceptualizing the restaurant, I don’t think brunch had begun to peak quite so hard yet, and the cocktail program certainly lent itself, at the time, to more of an at-night thing,” Moore said. “Quite frankly, we sell a ton of cocktails. I love that people are happy to drink cocktails at 10 a.m. with a burger or something savory. It’s just turned into something that consumers want that we do well.”
Wake up vibes
Newish Hemisfair spot Box St. All Day (623 Hemisfair Blvd., Suite 108, (210) 476-5705, boxstallday.com) has also made its name with a blend of breakfast and booze. Unlike Moore’s concept, morning meals were a big part of Box St.’s design from day one. The owners of the brick-and-mortar iteration of the popular food truck Box Street Social also sought to embody the fun, funky attitude the trailer was known for.
From an eclectic restaurant-wide playlist to murals on blush pink backgrounds to cheeky tabletop wine chillers — one reads, “You’re doing great, bitch!” — Box St. could be considered one of the buzziest brunch spots in town. Aside from the Instagrammable space, the food rewards knowledgeable diners with elevated breakfast and brunch favorites.
The spot’s milk-bread french toast and Thicc Boi Pancakes are heavenly on their own, but each plate is also accompanied by compotes and whipped creams that take them to a new level. Chef-owner Edward Garcia III says he thinks the extra touches resonate with guests. Just don’t call them new “twists.”
“When I want brunch, it’s something like the chilaquiles or the burrito, and people say, ‘Oh, it’s a twist on it,’ and I don’t know,” he said. “That’s who we are, so it’s not a twist. It might be a twist on a classic … but this is who we are.”
Nina Rangel
Cullum’s Attaboy gives guests the option to shower their omelets with fancy AF truffles.
The idea of exploring new ingredients or European-style techniques may sound daunting to diners in the Land of Puffy Tacos, but some San Antonio restaurateurs see breakfast as the ideal opportunity to sneak them in.
Cullum’s Attaboy (111 Kings Court, cullumsattaboy.com) serves up a no-nonsense menu of brunch faves, some adorned with truffles and caviar. Yes, “no-nonsense” and “truffles and caviar” can both apply to the same dish. The pairing of omelets and such fancy ingredients may sound unorthodox — but that’s sort of the point.
“I’ve been able to find my way, and I want to make things I couldn’t afford accessible,” chef-owner Christopher Cullum said. “I don’t feel like there is a real reason to mark up those luxury items. Just because they’re nice, that shouldn’t mean everyone shouldn’t have access.”
Cullum’s late father, the renowned jazz musician Jim Cullum Jr., held a longstanding residency at downtown’s The Landing Jazz Club, which afforded the younger Cullum exposure to high-end foods and techniques early in life.
Brunch allows Attaboy to employ a counter-service model with minimal staff, which lets the chef offer high-dollar delicacies without a markup. In the end, diners get to explore fancy AF culinary territory without breaking the bank.
“The way I like to cook and plate and operate businesses is minimal, but I also want to cook things that people don’t think they want to eat or spend money on,” Cullum said. “I like changing people’s minds.”
Who knows? Maybe minds are primed to change with that first cup of coffee.
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