Let's Do Brunch

Club 1201

Of course there’s plenty to love about good ole’ breakfast grub. But when it comes to brunch, we crave something beyond glorified breakfast with later hours and a different name. For an occasion offering creative cuisine and an elevated experience, the Sunday brunch served from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Joplin’s Club 1201 (1201 E. 32nd St., Joplin, 417-626-0032, club1201.com) hits the spot. That’s because the eclectic, well-appointed restaurant was intended to provide 417-landers a delicious meal in a more refined environment. “We wanted it to be affordable so that anyone could come, but we wanted them to feel like when they were here that they were doing something sophisticated and special,” says Manager Arianne Jones. Club 1201’s brunch perfectly embodies that goal thanks to its inviting atmosphere and wide-ranging menu, which runs the culinary gamut with options like Monta Cristo sliders, panko-coated fried chicken with Belgian waffles, scrambled-egg-topped flatbreads and fruit-stuffed French toast made with cinnamon swirl bread. Whatever main dish you choose, a Club 1201 brunch isn’t complete without the signature airy, fresh-from-the-fryer beignets. Those light, fluffy fried pastries are artfully presented in cone-shaped stands, dusted with powdered sugar and served warm with either raspberry coulis or Nutella. A word of advice to those with late-to-rise tendencies: it’s not unusual for the popular New Orleanian treat to sell out. “The dough requires 24 hours to rise and do its thing,” Jones says. “We make it Saturday, so once it’s gone on Sunday, it’s gone.” Duly noted, and alarm set.  

The Order

A perfect balance of comfort and luxury, a platter of eggs Benedict is a gift from above to brunch lovers everywhere. And The Order (305 E. Walnut St., Springfield, 417-832-1515, theordersgf.com), Hotel Vandivort’s buzzy, stylish restaurant serving brunch on Saturdays and Sundays from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., is whipping up some of the most heavenly Benedicts around. “We pride ourselves on the Benedicts,” says Zach White, The Order’s executive chef. The eatery serves up four varieties, including a classic Benny, one with smoked salmon and another with crab cakes made from Alaskan king crab. There’s also White’s favorite, the Ozarks Benedict composed of scrumptious house-made biscuits, Circle B Ranch pork belly, sage and sausage gravy and poached eggs. “If you’ve had a rough night, come in and get an Irish coffee and have an Ozarks Benedict—that’s going to take care of it,” he says. “It’s pretty phenomenal.” If a hefty, stick-to-your-ribs entree sounds too heavy, try one of the clever, shareable small plates populating the menu like the pancake-encased bacon strips, pork belly corn dogs and duck confit sliders. “You’ll see tables with multiple items like that,” he says. “It makes it much more fun and interactive when you are able to do that and enjoy it with two, three or four other friends and make a whole day out of it.” Sharing may be caring, but you’ll have to forgive us if we keep the French toast dippers—flattop-cooked, custard-dredged Hurts donuts with three delightful, alcohol-infused sauces—to ourselves. 

Early Bird Breakfast Pub

By design, most pubs are destinations for grown-up beverages and a kid-free evening. By those standards, Early Bird Breakfast Pub (1717 E. Cherokee St., Springfield, 417-885-8088) is a bit of a rare bird—one that since opening in 2015 has spread its wings and developed into a wildly popular 417-land mecca for well-crafted, stick-to-your-ribs morning meals that the whole family can enjoy. Started by brothers Shawn and Stephen Washburn, Early Bird is an ideal spot for a laid-back brunch in a fun, relaxing environment. “The atmosphere of the restaurant and attitude in general, you come in here and you have a good time,” Shawn says. As for the menu, there are four impressive pages from which to choose, each filled with creative, satisfying selections like finger-licking-good monkey bread, a breakfast mac and cheese (tossed with goodies like hash browns, scrambled eggs and bacon) and the Breakfast Club with fried eggs, sweet apple-bacon butter and bacon or sausage all sandwiched between waffles or French toast. Tempting as those options are, don’t miss the signature Bird’s Nests. Each features a fluffy puff-pastry base that’s topped with unique combos like bourbon-apple ham, steamed broccoli, eggs, hollandaise and sweet potato nuggs in the Robin Bird’s Nest. There’s also a great cocktail list that’s chock full of libations that are just as clever, like the rum-spiked Kick in the Glass. “It has Tang in it, which people love when they try it,” Shawn says. “I think it brings them back to their childhood.” It’s these and other bird-brained creations that will keep us coming back for more of Early Bird’s brunch-time goodness.

Harvest Restaurant

In some cases, culinary buzzwords like locally procured, sustainably sourced and the like are trendy rather than tried-and-true. But at Harvest Restaurant (8011 E. State Hwy. AD, Rogersville, 417-830-3656, harvestmo.com), owners Craig and Tamara von Foerster have built their establishment on the sincerest farm-to-fork foundations. That approach has been the base of Craig’s culinary philosophy for decades, including when he was executive chef of the acclaimed Sierra Mar Restaurant at Post Ranch Inn in Big Sur, California. After moving to Missouri and becoming the third generation in Tamara’s family to farm land that her grandparents began farming in 1932, the von Foersters opened Harvest to offer an experience highlighting the bounty from that farm, which is equally as present in the newly launched Sunday brunch as in Harvest’s gourmet dinner service. “The quality of the product—it starts there,” Tamara says. In addition to careful sourcing, each ingredient is handled with precision and attention to detail. For instance, Craig brines the salmon in one of Harvest’s luscious eggs Benedicts for two days before smoking it in-house, allowing him to control the flavor and level of smoke present in the final dish. Featuring Belgian waffles, seasonal frittata and scratch-made baked goods, the menu is built around those skillfully prepared ingredients, the vast majority of which come from within Missouri, some from just a stone’s throw from the restaurant. Take, for example, the light, airy Harvest German apple pancake featuring apples picked fresh from an orchard within view of diners on the patio. That proximity allows diners to truly appreciate the relationship between farm and fare. “It’s a morning in the country where you can actually sit in surroundings where your produce actually came from,” she says. “You can gaze at the apple trees on the patio and eat the apple pancake. It’s a direct connection with where the ingredients are sourced from.”  

Lindberg’s Tavern

When diners think of bars, exceptional food might not be the first thing that comes to mind. But at Lindberg’s Tavern (318 W. Commercial St., 417-868-8900, lindbergsbar.com), that’s exactly what’s on the menu, including at brunch, which the storied watering hole and music venue now offers on Sundays from noon all the way until 10 p.m. “We like to do the sort of high-end stuff from scratch and use classic techniques to do something a little more than what they expect typically when they get bar food or when they think of bar food,” says owner Ryan Dock, who alternates cooking duties with fellow owner Eric Weiler. “We like it when people leave here and they say, ‘Wow, we didn’t expect that.’ They expected regular bar food, and they got something different.” At brunch time, that wow-factor comes from unpretentious, well-prepared soul food like the scrumptious chicken and waffles platter with juicy buttermilk-soaked chicken that’s breaded and fried to order. Bread pudding, which isn’t technically on the brunch menu but is so popular and beloved by regulars that it’s still available then, is another comforting favorite. “We make that like bread pudding should be—real buttery, with a lot of eggs, sugar and cream,” Dock says. There are also fun brunch specials, which change from week to week; a fried green tomatoes dish with champagne-poached lump crab, a runny egg and hollandaise is a recent example. Be sure to also try one of the frequently rotating specialty brunch cocktails whipped up by Lindberg’s creative bartenders. Add to the mix mellow live acoustic tunes from 2 to 4 p.m. and Lindberg’s cool, historic setting and you have a spot-on recipe for lazy Sunday bliss. 

The Bruncheonette

​At The Bruncheonette (424 N. Main St., Joplin, 417-781-3447, thebruncheonette.net), regulars have come to expect the unexpected from Chef Sean Flanagan, who owns the popular, cozy eatery with his wife, Chas. That’s because Flanagan finds inspiration in inventive, out-of-the-ordinary sources for the brunch menu, which is available all day during restaurant hours (Wednesday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. until supplies last). Take for example the Cuban B, an eggs Benedict featuring components of a Cubano sandwich including pulled pork, sliced ham and cheese. Elsewhere on the menu, the toast made with house-made gluten-free brioche comes with a rotating variety of toppings; recently, those toppings were inspired by no less than the king of rock ’n’ roll when it was served “Elvis style”—slathered with peanut butter and topped with banana slices, chopped bacon and local honey. Even conventional items have a special twist to them, like the King’s Hawaiian sweet bread that’s used in the French toast platter, the butter-fried pulled pork served atop buttermilk pancakes and the Boulevard 80-Acre beer that’s used to make the syrup that comes with both dishes. Regardless of what you try, you can always expect locally grown ingredients. Flanagan and his team work hard to procure products from nearby sources wherever possible, including the Webb City Farmers Market and regional growers Center Creek Farms in Sarcoxie and Fredrickson Farms in Carl Junction.

Osage Restaurant

With ample champagne, endless selection and an air of indulgence, there’s something so lavish and satisfying about a brunch buffet. And in 417-land, the one at Osage Restaurant (150 Top of the Rock Rd., Hollister, topoftherock.com, 417-335-2777) on Sundays from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. is an ideal spot for a special morning. Once located at Big Cedar’s stately Worman House, the Sunday brunch moved to Osage Restaurant at Top of the Rock for its handsomely appointed space and gorgeous view. The move also provided access to functional kitchen features like an open meat pit, where the rotisserie-cooked prime rib roasts over oak within view of diners. Not only is that a mouthwatering visual, but that preparation also gives the meat depth of flavor and a hint of char and smokiness. “Everybody loves the prime rib,” says Osage Restaurant and Buffalo Bar Sous Chef Stephanie A. Holmes, who creates each week’s brunch menu. Diners also enjoy fresh oysters, a luxurious touch. “We have oysters flown in on Fridays,” says Mike Halbert, Big Cedar’s executive chef. “We have a guy out there shucking them out in the dining room, so it’s nice, fresh, beautiful oysters.” When sampling the smorgasbord of salads, charcuterie, made-to-order omelets and other goodies, be sure to save room for the eye-catching spread of desserts, often including items like cake pops, macarons, cupcakes and house-made candies, all beautifully presented near the entrance to the dining room. “The dessert [station] always has the wow-factor,” Halbert says. That wow-factor is also due to the restaurant’s spectacular surroundings. For the peak experience, request a table in the atrium room. Its picturesque, unbroken view of Table Rock Lake provides the perfect scenic backdrop for the sumptuous meal. 

Scotch & Soda

With its stylish vintage vibe, hip clientele and jaw-dropping array of libations, Scotch & Soda (310 South Ave., Springfield, 417-719-4224, thescotchandsoda.com) is a top-notch spot for a nice night out and a classic cocktail. For a dressed-down version of that experience, stop by for Sunday brunch. Served from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and available to those 21 and older, the atmosphere is more casual than it is in the evening, but diners can still enjoy drinks and eats that are equally as cool and high quality. “It’s a little bit more laid-back than the traditional Scotch & Soda atmosphere,” says co-owner Joshua Widner. As for the food, inventive waffles and tacos with slow-roasted meats are popular fixtures on the menu, which Widner and fellow co-owner Andrew Heilman developed over several months. “We tried to write our own menu that was true to our style but would still pair well with champagne, beer or a cocktail,” Widner says. If you over-indulged with any of those beverages the night before, Scotch & Soda has just the ticket: the Pete and Pete, an open-faced, gravy-smothered sandwich that pairs beautifully with Grandpa’s Breakfast, a porter or stout with a whole raw egg. “That would put you right back on your feet,” he says of the old-school hangover cure. There’s also a bloody mary bar with an eye-popping variety of toppings and fixings, plus rotating varieties of refreshing punches served out of hammered steel bowls. Boozy punch and a tasty brunch? Talk about a match made in heaven. 

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