Brunch has become so trendy lately, hasn’t it? Every weekend I see a few instagram or facebook friends tagging each other in brunch pics. For good reason, too–brunch is an amazing way to spend a Saturday or Sunday off (rare as that may be in my case) and have delicious pancakes or other breakfasty foods at an hour that (if we’re being honest) is much closer to actual lunch. Brunch is best spent with your significant other or a group of good friends.
Yeah, maybe you should go with a friend ;)
Several months ago I heard buzz about a new brunch spot in Hillcrest, called Great Maple. The buzz has been lived up to as GM has been named one of San Diego’s best new restaurants in 2013.
Doug and I finally both had Sunday off at the same time, so off to Great Maple we went!
I had lollywaffles (waffles on a stick) with four different kinds of sauce: raspberry, lemon curd, whipped cream, and dulce de leche. I also supplemented with a side of scrambled eggs. When my meal first came out I thought it looked really small, but I ended up not even finishing all of the eggs. The waffles were more filling than they look!
Doug had a savory veggie scramble–and loved it. Did I mention we spent the last half of October eating vegetarian? I can’t wait to go back to Great Maple and try some ham-laden eggs Benedict (my default brunch order).
The restaurant is a rehabbed diner. The building been a mainstay of this Hillcrest neighborhood for years so I’m glad it a) wasn’t torn down for new construction and b) has been doing so well. The interior was swanky (the bar area featured lots of brass) but I liked that they kept things like water glasses and coffee mugs simple and classic.
My absolute favorite thing about the building is the exterior. There is something I just L-O-V-E about 1960s and 1970s style stone on the out side of a building. Or on the inside for that matter (give me a Brady Bunch fireplace any day of the week).
Happy weekend, all! Find yourself a good place to brunch.
If you’re in town, some of my other go-to brunch spots are the Crest Cafe (also in Hillcrest) and The Mission (several locations around San Diego).
My Friend Staci 