I love to go out to brunch after a long run. It’s the best, right? Take a quick shower, throw on some casual clothes, and refuel!
I’ll be honest that I’m not always all that picky; pancakes, eggs, omelets, waffles- I love it all. (I just don’t want to have to wait for a long time as I’m usually pretty “rungry” by that time, amiright?) So even though I’m not super picky, there are still specific places that are at the top of my list for a Saturday morning after putting in the long miles.
Today’s post is about those places- my favorite post-long run brunch locations! There are so many great restaurants in the Twin Cities area that I could go on and on; I had to draw the line somewhere to keep the post a reasonable length! But if you think I missed a really great brunch place in the Twin Cities area, please let me know in the comments!
French Meadow Bakery
Website: http://frenchmeadowcafe.com
Reliable, healthy, wonderful French Meadow Bakery….It has been one of my favorite brunch places for many years.
At the Lyndale location (where I usually go), you order at the counter and then get a funky picture (like the below) to bring back to your table for the waiter to bring your order. Their menu has something for everyone-carnivores, vegetarians, vegans, gluten-free- you’ll find something that fits your needs. And its all delicious.
Bonus: dog-friendly patio!
Blackbird:
Website: http://www.blackbirdmpls.com
Dustin and I have been going to Blackbird since it was at its old location (that burned down.) I love the Norske Scrambler, but recently I tried the Sweet Potato Biscuits and Gravy and they were amazing.
Barbette:
Website: http://www.barbette.com/menu/
Barbette has been an Uptown favorite of mine for many years. I love the Truffled Scrambled Eggs. Great lattes.
The Lowry:
Website: http://www.thelowryuptown.com
All of the Blue Plate Restaurants are great for brunch, but the Lowry is probably one of my favorites in the Blue Plate family. The only downside is that its pretty popular, so sometimes you have to wait (not ideal for a hungry runner!)
But it’s worth the wait. The Spinach Frittata is wonderful. Or the peanut butter waffle!
Tilia:
Website: http://www.tiliampls.com
My neighborhood fav. They don’t take reservations, so you often have to wait for a table at dinner. But for brunch, you can almost always get seated quickly. Their brunch is SO good. It’s maybe a little pricier than the other places on this list, but its very good. Kid-friendly, especially at brunch.
Bonus Item(s):
Zumbro:
Website: http://www.zumbrocafe.com
Another neighborhood gem. I love the Veggie Benny. Very kid-friendly. Here’s a picture from several years ago when my niece was visiting. She loved the teddy bear pancake!
Rustica Bakery:
Website: http://www.rusticabakery.com
Unlike the other restaurants listed above, Rustica is a bit more casual, but its still a great post-run location. I often stop here after a morning run for a Dogwood coffee and a pastry.
Isles Buns & Coffee:
Website: https://www.islesbun.com
One of Dustin’s favorites- he loves the puppy dog tails! Add as much icing/frosting as you want. Best if you get them hot out of the oven. Great fresh squeezed OJ here as well.
My niece loved the frosting!
Runners like to run and they also like to eat, and it seems that they particularly like to eat brunch. In fact, its safe to safe runners are passionate about brunch!
I hope you found this list helpful for your next post-long run brunch.
I love French Meadow! I have been to a couple of the other places listed but not all so I will have to check them out. Thanks!
French Meadow is definitely amazing 🙂 Glad you found this list useful!
Dare I say this is my favorite post from The Right Fits to date?! I swear my only motivation to long run on these hot summer weekend mornings is the promise of brunch afterward. My favorite is also Tilia, their biscuits and gravy are my go-to and we always start with a donut – post-run brunch deserves an appetizer, in my opinion! I love sitting at the bar that overlooks the kitchen. If we lived closer to Tilia we’d be there every weekend I think 🙂
YES! The Tilia donut is so, so good. We actually just had dinner there last night, but now I want to go back on Saturday for brunch!!!
Looks amazing and yummy!!! We have one near our house that we occasionally go to for brunch and they’re usually like an hour wait but if we beat that traffic and go early enough, we’ll get a seat right away. It’s usually super crowded after 10-11am!
And of course, there are some that are not nearby but we would go to if we’re in that area. Like Boots n Kimos, Kalapawai Deli, Eggs n Things…
Ahhhh you’re making me hungry!
Your breakfast options sound amazing! I will keep them handy for a trip to Hawaii! 🙂
Have you ever tried Hot Plate by Nokomis? Peanut butter pancakes…mmm
No I haven’t heard of it. I’m adding it to my list, thanks!
Great suggestions! I may be a bit different than others in that after my long run, I crave healthy food, not sweets or carbs. I guess it is an “after all that work don’t eat junk” reaction. But after shorter runs, I can junk it up with anyone!
Agree that a key consideration is a short wait time. The runger can make me a crabby brunch companion!
Some of these places, like Isles Buns, are definitely unhealthy but most of them are great options for healthy refueling. There is nothing unhealthy about eggs or pancakes! Ryan Hall swears by pancakes.
So many delish places!, but my go-to brunch spot for after a long run is Birchwood, always 🙂 Now I’m craving a puppy dog tail, though! ha!
Birchwood is great too- the list keeps getting longer!
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[…] Saturday: Last long run before Boston. 13.1 miles at an 8:50 pace. The sun was shining and it was a gorgeous 60 degree day. We followed the long run with a hearty (but healthy) brunch at French Meadow (one of my favorite post-long run brunch places from this post.) […]