Habitat at Fairmont Hotel

Brunch Overview:
Brunch doesn't always have to be a planned out event. Sometimes it's impulsive, unplanned, and just happens. Maggie and Kariann were stressing out one day about college and work, so they decided to grab mimosas and oatmeal before class. It was a Tuesday, so not a usual brunch day. Habitat at the Fairmont Hotel had mimosas, so we grabbed our backpacks and ran over there. There were only a couple other people in the restaurant when we were. We had a pretty view of the city from our window table. They were delivered to us decorated with an orange slice in tall glasses. It was nice to relax over some chit chat and a breakfast cocktail. We decided we better eat something while we were there. We both ordered the oatmeal. It came with mix ins like brown sugar and nuts, but also had fresh berries in it, as well. It was delicious! So light, but we felt full. Sometimes you just have to take a break from it all, and just #412brunch.
Mimosa Rating:
Maggie: 5/5, Best I've had in the city.
Kariann: 4.5/5, Definitely one of the best I've had too.

Mimosas with a view!

Michelle's Cafe

Brunch Overview:

This past weekend, we road tripped to Maggie's hometown of New Bethlehem, PA. Her favorite coffee shop growing up is in the college town, Clarion, just fifteen minutes from where she lives. Michelle's Cafe was her date spot, hangout area, and go to coffee shop. She wanted to show Amber and Kariann her favorite place as a kid growing up. It's rustic, friendly, and feels like home. Between the mismatched furniture, the fireplace, and stacks of board games; it's hard not to feel at home in the living room type atmosphere. Maggie got her usual caramel macchiato and a fresh made scone. Kariann had a toffee latte and a danish. Amber chose a mocha and bagel sandwich. Everything is made in the coffee shop daily and they fresh roast the beans, as well. We sat down on some big, comfy chairs and ate our brunch. Afterwards, we wondered Main Street in Clarion and checked out all of the cute little boutiques in the college town. Maggie was so excited to show the girls her hometown, and they are planning a trip back soon.

Maggie swears that they have the World's Best Caramel Macchiato!
Only found at Michelle's Cafe in Clarion, PA.

Penelope

Brunch Overview:
Two of the ladies were away in New York City this weekend, so of course Maggie and Kariann had to take advantage of the yummy spots the Big Apple has to offer. We discovered a trendy, local spot called Penelope that reminded us of a chic version of Pamela's. We had to wait for about twenty minutes, but it was a nice day. We didn't mind waiting outside in the nice weather as we planned our last minute tourist stops before heading home. When they called Maggie's name, we were then seated at the bar. 
Maggie ordered a mimosa and Kariann ordered a blackberry bellini. The drinks were delicious and so fresh. We both ordered the same thing, the Nutella Stuffed French Toast. And yes, it was as delicious as it sounds. The dish was topped with a bananas foster's type topping of deliciousness. Eating every last bite, we made conversation with the couple beside us. They gave us an inside scoop on the best places to go. Sadly, we were leaving to go home in a few hours. Penelope's was a great little spot to find, and we would definitely go back when in NYC again. After eating the french toast, we then walked 18 blocks to Kleinfeld's. 
Mimosa Rating:
Maggie: 4/5, So good! I wish it would've been a little bit bigger, but it was delicious. 
Kariann: 3.5/5, I had the Blackberry Bellini instead of my usual mimosa, but it wasn't bad. There wasn't much blackberry flavor to it, but there were little pieces of the fruit floating in it.

Check out this deliciousness!
The Nutella Stuffed French Toast was amazing!
We ate it all!

Whitfield at Ace Hotel

Brunch Overview:

Another day, another brunch! This Sunday we went to Whitfield at Ace Hotel in East Liberty. We discovered this venue through Instagram, and the food looked so yummy. Looking at the menu beforehand, we could tell the selections weren't your usual brunch spread. Amber was skeptical about going, but we decided it was an adventure! 

We pulled up to the old, newly renovated building and opened the large wooden doors. Upon entering the hipster atmosphere, the restaurant was to the left, check in desk straight ahead, and bar/lounge was off to the right. We were greeted immediately, and despite being a few minutes early; our table was ready. 

The decor could be described as flea market chic. The furniture all appeared to be restored to be more modern, yet still have undertones of an older, rustic feel. All of the original woodwork and crown molding architecture was left untouched and beautiful. The open floor concept and big rooms reminded Maggie of an old Southern home. The music didn't really match the relaxed vibe of the restaurant as it was really upbeat at times. 

Mimosas and coffee at Whitfield at Ace Hotel.

Blueberry Lemon Pancakes were a feature that day.

The menu had changed from when we looked at it online. There was a date at the top, so that's when Kariann pointed out that it must change daily. Some of the menu items were a little more exotic than we were expecting. Amber ordered the Mushroom Gravy and Biscuits with a side of home fries. Kariann had blueberry pancakes with lemon cream and also a side of home fries. Maggie ordered the Whitfield Breakfast (their version of Eggs Benedict) with coffee, of course. The portions were generous, but the menu items were still a little bit pricey. We were all really glad that we tried out this place, but we probably won't be going back anytime soon. Check out their brunch menu here.
Mimosa Rating:
Maggie: 2/5, I love champagne, and I'm glad that they gave us a lot to compensate for the price, but I was really needing some more orange juice in that drink.
Kariann: 3/5, The champagne to orange juice ratio was not up to par. I needed some more OJ, too.
Amber: 2/5, Agree with all of the above. Not impressive. Needed to be a bit sweeter.

Market Street Grocery and Wine Bar

Brunch Overview

After hearing about how delicious the Market Street Brunch was, we knew we had to check it out for ourselves. Before making reservations, we looked at the menu online to see some of the options. Everything sounded so delicious.

Brunch is served in the wine bar. The venue is small, but one can be reminded of a Tuscan countryside. We were seated at wooden hightop tables with white metal stools. Right away, we were greeted with water and menus as "Sabrina" played on the wall behind us.

We all decided to order the Prix Fix, which included bottomless coffee, choice of mimosa or Bloody Mary, starter, and entree. (Mimosa juice flavors available were orange, mango, or grapefruit.)  All for $25. There was such an abundance of food on our little tabletop. For the starter, each of us was given a plate of fresh fruit slices, (strawberries, kiwi, pineapple, honeydew, cantaloupe, and orange slices) yogurt and granola bowl (three flavors of greek yogurt, fresh berries, and homemade granola), and a muffin and biscuit. That was just the starter alone! For the entree, there were six menu items to choose from including a special of the day. We decided to choose the Classic, which was food from the hot bar and custom-made omelettes. The omelettes were freshly prepared at a station at the front of the grocery store where you could go up and choose what you wanted in yours and watch it be made. 

From banana french toast to bacon to potatoes to the fresh omelettes; everything was delicious! Amber and Kariann raved about the potatoes which had a savory seasoning that just hit the spot with all of the sweetness from the fruits, muffin, and mimosa. Maggie could have ate the banana french toast everyday. 

The relaxed vibe made us feel like we were dining in a friend's kitchen. The servers were friendly, but not overly attentive.

This meal is well-worth the $25, and we will definitely be going back. We do recommend making a reservation, although they do accept walk-ins. Check out the website here.

Mimosa Rating

Amber: 4/5, because I thought it was a good mimosa, but it didn't blow me away. I appreciated that there were other flavor options. 

Kariann: 4.5/5, because I had a yummy mango mimosa that was the perfect combination of juice and champagne. There were even mango pieces floating in it. 

Maggie: 4/5, because I also agree that it had a great ratio of juice to champagne. I was happy with it!

A spread of the starters including fruit and yogurt, fruit platters, and muffins.

Until Next Brunch!