It’s almost Fall and back-to-school time again. The weather will be getting a bit cooler, and our lives will be back to full swing, with less opportunity to spend quality time with our families like we did throughout the summer. Brunch on Saturday and Sunday mornings is a great time to reconnect again after a busy week.
Going out for brunch is an even better idea, as we aren’t distracted by rushing to get brunch on the table and cleaning up afterwards. Somewhere we can just simply sit and enjoy some great food while catching up with our families.
Calgary has no shortage of fantastic local family brunch restaurants, and the following are just a few of my favorites!
Bro’Kin Yolk
This local chain first opened in August 2015 by two brothers (hence the ‘Bro’), Gil and Jeff. The ‘Kin’ stands for family, and that’s exactly how you’re treated when you come and dine here (and, well, the ‘Yolk’ – I bet you can guess what that stands for!). The service is always so helpful and knowledgeable, and definitely makes you feel welcome.
Bro’Kin Yolk is always full of families, and I’m always amazed to see so many little ones sitting contently, skipping the children’s menu and going right to a large plate of chicken and waffles…definitely a favorite here! The waffles have a large selection of toppings that you can order, which make it fun for both children and adults alike to dip and mix the fun selection of options.
Other favorites here include their Filipino-style bacon (a teriyaki-type flavor), their various smoothies, the truffle, ham and wild mushroom poutine, and the very famous ’Bro’s Breakfast’ (which consists of jasmine rice, pork belly adobo, and two sunny-side up eggs topped with housemade tomato salsa). Bro’Kin Yolk boasts its farm-to-table cuisine, with everything locally sourced, right down to the microgreens.
They have three locations in Calgary: Creekside, Mahogany, and Signal Hill. They don’t take reservations; however, just call to get added to the waitlist. You’ll get a text confirmation and a link to check your place in line, and then just stay in your pajamas and hit snooze until it’s time to go... it’s the weekend!
The Sweatered Hen
The Sweatered Hen recently opened its doors in April of this year on 17th Avenue SW by Chef Andrea Harling, who has been very active in the Calgary food scene and is also widely known for Lil Black Rooster (a sandwich shop in Calgary Farmers’ Market West). Chef Andrea has two young children of her own, so focusing on a warm and inviting place for families to get together for brunch comes naturally to her.
The Sweatered Hen definitely makes you feel like family, right down to the beautiful, nostalgic plates that they serve your food on, which have been collected from family and friends all over the world. And they’re serving up good old family recipes, such as ‘Ganny’s Cheese Biscuits’ (served warm), their ‘Harling’ breakfast sausage, and homemade canning and preserves.
Other popular dishes here include the Coconut Shakshuka (poached eggs, tomato-coconut chickpea stew, herbed tahini, Greek yogurt, and herbs served with pressed multigrain toast) and The Italian Job (a hearty sandwich served on a hoagie and filled with mortadella, capicola, salami, red pepper spread, garlic aioli, cheddar, hot peppers, tomato, and lettuce). Their Rooster Potatoes are also extremely delicious!
And they haven’t forgotten about the littles – their children’s menu has a variety of children’s favorites, including the very fun Egg in a Nest. No doubt you will leave The Sweatered Hen feeling love in your tummy!
Belmont Diner
If you are looking for some good old family fun, look no further than the Belmont Diner.
With its retro dining groove and menu classics, your family is sure to have a good time. Locally owned by the same family since 2001, Belmont Diner has three locations in Calgary: Marda Loop, Aspen Landing, and their new location in Willow Park.
The service here is super friendly, helpful, and accommodating, and they are very excited to show you the fun things that they can do with their cuisine, like pancake art! Their head pancake artist has been with Belmont Diner for over 20 years, and the work he can do is nothing short of amazing. The kiddos love it! Simply let your server know what design you would like your pancakes to come out in, and voilà! From dragons, to Bluey, to your own personal picture replicas, he has done it all. Not to mention that you can also order your pancakes in an array of flavors and they are still cooked with the perfect amount of light crispiness. At $14 for pancake art, this is a must for the littles.
Also popular here is the Chuck Norris (rosemary and garlic Parmesan hash topped with your choice of bacon, beef sausage, ham, donair meat, Montreal smoked meat or veggies, two eggs any style, melted cheese, and their very famous hot Holly Sauce), the Bennies (which are made on croissants as opposed to English muffins), their Reubens, and, of course, their burgers. Breakfast is also served with bottomless hash browns.
The Belmont Diner is definitely a good old family time!
Monki Breakfast Club & Bistro
Another absolutely scrumptious local Calgary brunch spot is Monki Breakfast Club & Bistro. Monki opened its location in the Beltline in 2012 and, since then, has opened locations in Greenwich and Inglewood, with another location opening this summer in Crowfoot.
Monki is most famous for its Reverse French Toast and, in fact, you can even check this dish out on John Catucci’s Big Bucket Food List on Food Network Canada. If you’re feeling energetic on a Sunday morning, you can even attempt to make this decadent dessert-style hazelnut chocolate French toast stuffed with bananas, cinnamon, and cream cheese (with or without the Frangelico), as Monki released the recipe to Food Network Canada and you can find it on their website.
However, they have advised that they will not be sharing any of their other secret recipes, so if you would like to try their amazing Birria Brisket Breakfast Tacos (brisket so juicy it’s running down your arm) or their Kimchi Hash (an absolute flavor explosion of their slow-cooked beef tossed with kimchi, red peppers, tomato, cheese, sesame seeds, Bulgogi sauce, and Gochujang aioli served on their sweet and savory Monki hash browns), you’re going to have to pack up the family and head on down for brunch.
You’ll find lots of choices for the little ‘Monkis’, and you can even join Monki Perks and earn points with every visit to use towards the menu, get priority seating, or even to put towards their very fun ‘Monki swag’. This place definitely has a consistent clientele!
Jennifer is a local foodie with a passion for food writing. Find more of her food writing on her Facebook page: For The Love of Food YYC.
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