Boulder Brunches 

Champagne showers and tea towers 

By Chloe-Anne Swink

Brunch is an invitation for all. It does not discriminate against late risers, yet it feels more youthful and vibrant than lunch. In modern culture, it has become a weekly event that brings social circles together in revelry without begging for a reason. 

Brunch carries an air of laxity, epicureanism and optimism. It says, “Come as you are. Go with the flow. Wonder at what this day will unfold.” If you romanticize brunch like I do, these local spots are sure to live up to your most indulgent Sunday morning expectations.

Tangerine

Tangerine plays on classic brunch nostalgia, weaving Americana diner style with Mediterranean ingredients and morals. The food is fresh, locally sourced and prepared to order. Patrons will find traditional brunch comfort foods—the only thing missing is excess grease and long-frozen ingredients. 

Founder and Head Chef, Alec Schuler has created a brunch menu that accommodates the conscious modern-day diner, yet it could also convert the most die-hard Denny’s or IHOP fanatic. 

“We have something here for everybody. Whatever your taste is—whatever your dietary restrictions may be—we have something here for you,” says Rama Ananda, General Manager of Tangerine’s Boulder location. 

It’s not every day that you visit a brunch restaurant that features menu items like The Vegan, a plant-based, gluten-free dish made with tempeh, collard greens and romesco sauce, next to beloved classics like a bacon avocado benedict and steak and eggs. 

In line with the local and seasonal ethos, Tangerine offers a fresh chef-curated selection of seasonal menu items each month. 

Schuler’s clever use of Mediterranean-inspired ingredients like kalamata olives, feta and salmon brings a fresh take to the beloved diner-style brunch. The decor is bright and cheery. The atmosphere is inviting and unpretentious, and the patio is poppin’... with champagne, colorful flowers and joyous patrons on a sunny day.

Alice and Rose

Stepping through the doors of this quaint white brick building on The Hill couldn’t be more aptly described than falling down the rabbit hole. Alice and Rose is an experiential cafe that serves an unforgettable brunch.

One could marvel all day at the extravagant decor. From hand-painted thrones by artist Jimmy Martin of London and nods to various literary depictions of Alice and Wonderland from different periods and countries to the cherished Alice in Wonderland china procured from the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, owner Holley Ellis has done far more than open a cafe. She has curated a full-spectrum experience that ignites the senses and imagination.

Alice and Rose revels in elegance and nostalgia, but Ellis insists each patron brings their unique self to the party. “We in Boulder, we’re outside people so we like our black boots, and our sweaters and our leggings. You don’t want to go home and change before you have tea.”

Elegant Tea Towers are what this spot is famous for, but a la carte items like It’s a London Thing French Toast are not to be overlooked. The mimosas are made of fresh-squeezed orange juice from local oranges. The teas are organic, sustainably sourced and extraordinarily aromatic. Breads and pastries are made fresh locally and in-house. 

The menu was a labor of love. “Our family chose all of our favorite meals from around the world and that’s how we chose the menu,” Ellis says.

As ingredients are sourced from the local farmers market, seasonal favorites like apple pastries and kale salad with honey-whipped ricotta and sweet potato cubes are set to appear this fall.

Centro Mexican Kitchen

Spicing up your weekend brunch? Head to Centro Mexican Kitchen. This flavorful Mexican-fusion concept offers an indulgent brunch and brunch happy hour.

“Being a Mexican chef-driven kitchen, we definitely have some fusion items here that are quite a bit different,” says Chef de cuisine Jason Schmidt. “We try to still hit on that nostalgia and that reminiscent aspect that folks are looking for in their food, but we take our flavor and infuse it as much as we can.” 

Colorado peach crème brûlée made with peaches from Ela Family Farm in Hotchkiss is a must-try seasonal special. From decadent options to satisfy a sweet tooth like sourdough French toast drizzled in divine mezcal-infused cajeta to hangover cures like the chilaquiles with house-made suiza sauce, you’re sure to find a dish you’ll leave craving more of.

Centro’s brunch cocktails are just as colorful and full of flare as the food. The Horchata Toast Crunch is a brunch martini dowsed in hedonic pleasure with Cinnamon Toast Crunch topping. Want something light and fizzy? Opt for the Mimosarita or share a mimosa flight with friends.

Beautiful murals are painted on the walls, and the patio begs you to party the day away, making Centro the ideal spot for a brunch fiesta with friends.