Each week, we review a different breakfast spot in town, highlighting culinary offerings, brunchability, and the overall vibe as you sip your morning joe. Whether the restaurant in question is grab-and-go or stay-and-play, each offers a unique breakfast buzz that might be just what you need for the most important meal of the day.
The Spot: Soul Café
7615 East Pinnacle Peak Road, Scottsdale
480-515-6254
The Scene: Don’t let the restaurant’s name fool you – Soul Café is not so much Southern as Southwestern. Chef Sheila Bryson moved here from Chicago years ago, and – like so many Midwesterners – fell in love with the desert and never looked back. Her passion is reflected in the décor (which features work by local artists and a decidedly desert color palette), but also in the floor-to-ceiling windows that frame the palo verdes, saguaro, and nearby mountains. The casual vibe makes Soul a perfect place for all types of patrons, and plenty of the families, couples, and boozy brunchers around you are regulars.
The Goods: The menu at Soul is creative and satisfying. Traditionalists will appreciate the long list of omelet options, as well as a catalog of pancakes that include a couple of completely unique savory options (like the “Some Like it Hot,” two savory cakes made with corn, zucchini, red peppers, jalapeño, and onions, served with eggs and jalapeño-infused bacon). Make sure you don’t miss the house favorites, though. The “eggs Jared,” the restaurant’s version of an eggs Benedict, is made with bacon, tomato, and a jalapeño cheese sauce that is both light and creamy. The dish comes with the restaurant’s signature roasted tricolor potatoes, which you’ll happily pop in your mouth like M&Ms. A daily specials page should be attached to your menu, too; look for the “Chicken and Toast” made with cinnamon swirl French toast, buttermilk fried chicken, and local honey.
The Bottom Line: This spot rocks for natives and out-of-towners. Chef Bryson goes local where she can and uses those ingredients to great effect, and in a neighborhood where “casual dining” means Tomaso’s instead of Mastro’s, she has managed to create a comfortable, friendly space without sacrificing the quality of her menu.
Soul Café's version of an eggs Benedict is "Eggs Jared," English muffins topped with bacon, tomatoes, eggs, and a jalapeño cheese sauce, served with roasted potatoes (avocado optional).
Melissa Campana
Hours: Soul Café is open from 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. every day except Sunday and Monday, when it closes at 2 p.m.
Price: $$
Coffee Options: No espresso, but great cold brew and lots of creativity in weekly specials.
Fresh-squeezed juice: When you see the list of breakfast cocktails, you might not care about juice.
Wi-Fi? Yep. And lots of seating options (at the bar, tucked in a corner, out on the patio), if you want to put your head down and work.
Drinking Before Noon: Definitely – the spot offers a “famous” Bloody Mary, with (get this) house-made, jalapeño-infused bacon vodka, plus a couple of more fancy-shmancy takes on mimosas or coffee martinis.
