Best C-U brunch spots to impress your mom
April 6, 2017
It’s the last day of Moms Weekend. You’ve spent the day before walking around campus, visiting the craft fair or flower show and, of course, showing your mom all of your favorite bars. There’s only one thing left to cap off a good weekend: brunch.
Luckily, there are plenty of restaurants on and around campus with great brunch menus to finish the weekend without making you or your mom worry about cooking.
Campus
The Hub is one of the few brunch spots on campus. The restaurant at 601 S. First St. in Champaign is normally a sports bar, but it offers a Sunday brunch menu starting at 11:30 a.m. Most entrees come with the option of a $6 bottomless mimosa bar, which is a great “hair of the dog” option if you stayed out late the night before. Most of the food is Mexican-inspired, with huevos rancheros and roast beef eggs benedict. The sweet options are limited to the dessert menu and a hefty stack of six buttermilk pancakes with berries and whipped cream. The priciest thing on the menu (a specialty burger) plus bottomless mimosas is less than $20, so you’ll get a full meal for a reasonable price.
Cracked is also a good brunch option now that its location at 619 E. Green St. is open. This is a much more casual option, but a sandwich or wrap and tots will still be around $10. The restaurant is open for more than just Sunday brunch, so it’s a good option for a meal on Saturday as well. If you’re looking for good, fast and satisfying hangover food, there’s nothing quite like a Morning Bender or truffle tots to start the day right.
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Champaign
One of the most popular brunch options in Champaign is at Radio Maria at 119 N. Walnut St. The brunch is mostly Mexican-inspired, but also features six variations on eggs Benedict and a build-your-own bloody mary bar from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Sunday. Radio Maria sources from local and sustainable producers, making it a more environmentally conscious way to brunch. Most of the menu clocks in at around $10, so prepare to splurge a bit.
Big Grove Tavern, 1 E. Main St., boasts “Midwestern craft cuisine” on its brunch menu, so expect plenty of grits, pancakes and bacon. There are also plenty of vegetarian options including rich French toast bread pudding. The natural, homey food isn’t very cheap — entrees are around $11 — though an unlimited $8 mimosa bar offsets the cost if you want a boozier brunch.
Miga is a unique but expensive brunch. The restaurant at 301 N. Neil St. focuses on Korean-fusion cuisine and offers just nine options on its brunch menu. The prices range from an $8 house salad to a $26 New York strip steak with eggs, kimchi and bacon. The other dishes are all $12 and include bibimbap, rice with marinated mountain vegetables, greens and pork chili sauce, and the Galbi Burrito with ground beef, egg, bacon and kimchi cabbage. Miga is known for its clean, fresh flavors and creative dishes.
Urbana
Silvercreek Restaurant might have the most iconic brunch in Urbana. The restaurant at 402 N. Race St. features a buffet from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. It takes place on Sunday for just over $20 per person. The value is what you make of it, but with unlimited made-to-order omelettes and tables full of breakfast and lunch selections, it’s a hard deal to beat. On a nice day, Silvercreek opens The Greenhouse, a converted greenhouse with an exposed brick floor. Between the buffet selection and ambiance, Silvercreek has something for everyone.
Dancing Dog Eatery and Juicery, 126 W. Main St., is perfect for anyone with dietary restrictions. The all-vegan restaurant’s brunch also includes options for anyone with wheat allergies. The most expensive thing on the 10-item menu is biscuits and gravy with tofu scramble for $10. Banana french toast with a Sunshine smoothie (or mimosa with vegan white wine) is a rich option even if you don’t follow a plant-based diet.