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Worcester Bows Down to Brunch

BirchTree Breakfast Pizza: Topped with strawberry banana jam, almond & coconut granola, and a drizzle of vanilla bean yogurt.

Nothing says leisure like Sunday brunch. Whether you’re looking for day drinks, danishes or a diner special, prepare to be suitably dazzled by Worcester’s brunch scene.

Roast Beef Sandwich – Roast beef, smoked parsnip-potato mash, Gruyere, horseradish hollandaise, a fried egg, served open faced on fresh baked sourdough, side of dressed greens.
Roast Beef Sandwich – Roast beef, smoked parsnip-potato mash, Gruyere, horseradish hollandaise, a fried egg, served open faced on fresh baked sourdough, side of dressed greens.

Armsby Abbey

144 North Main Street

You can expect a line of fifty people waiting outside of Armsby Abbey every Sunday morning. Aside from serving as Worcester’s primeval boozy brunch destination, please note that Armsby Abbey is also the only place in the great Commonwealth where Hill Farmstead overfloweth. The menu changes every weekend to reflect the availability of farm fresh ingredients and the creative whimsy of a highly motivated culinary team. Pro tip: Bar customers skip the line when doors open at 10 a.m., so pull up a seat and grab yourself a Bloody Mary tailored to your specifications.

BirchTree Bread Co.

138 Green Street

The craft toast trend is alive and well at BirchTree Bread Co. where dough is prepared in a long, slow process with natural leaven and brought to peak fermentation before baking on the hearth. Daily toast specials range from savory Vermonter-caramelized onion bacon cream cheese to sweet ricotta and chocolate chip cannoli cream. Expect live music every Sunday and parents take note: BirchTree is family friendly.

deadhorse hill

281 Main Street

It’s impossible to dine at deadhorse hill without gleaning some sort of knowledge of global cuisine. Brunch makes it even easier. From the Japanese Breakfast bowl, to the Mexican Torta, to the Winter Squash Shakshuka, you’ll have traveled the world without ever leaving downtown. Take a peek inside the highly innovative kitchen for a taste of Jared Forman’s brunch acumen.

Lock 50

50 Water Street

Espresso, Macchiato, Con Panna, Pour Over, Nitro Cold Brew…Lock 50 is Worcester’s premier destination when it comes to caffeine. And, nothing pairs better with a coffee concoction than a delicately executed crepe. Unlike the high volume operations cited above, Lock 50 exudes a lazy atmosphere that encourages patrons to take their time. Bring the Sunday paper, sip your mimosa, and take in the Canal District views through sprawling picture windows.

Here’s to the chefs who brave busy Saturday night dinner service only to wake up at the crack of dawn in honor of Worcester’s fastest growing cult following – those who bow down to brunch. You can also find fresh renditions of Sunday brunch at Bull Mansion, The Hangover Pub, and Sweet Kitchen & Bar (where rumor has it that a new beverage director is about to take day drinking to new dimensions.) Or, visit an old standby at Annie’s Clark Brunch where omelets and home fries will never fade.

Breakfast Pizza – Sliced Applewood smoked ham, chopped jalapeños, Vermont cheddar, a soft-cooked egg, beer béchamel sauce.
Breakfast Pizza – Sliced Applewood smoked ham, chopped jalapeños, Vermont cheddar, a soft-cooked egg, beer béchamel sauce.
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Central Mass Sweet Tooth

Banana Pain Perdu made by Chef Brady at Sonoma in Princeton, MA.

It is wise to forge a final impression that leaves guests dreaming of their next visit. Here are the dessert destinations that keep us coming back for more:

Dolly Momma Ice Cream From WooBerry on Highland Street in Worcester, MA
Dolly Momma Ice Cream From WooBerry on Highland Street in Worcester, MA | Photo by Erb Photography

The Queen’s Cups

If it’s cupcakes you’re after, look no farther than Renee King’s Millbury bakeshop. Ms. King’s cupcakes are crafted from scratch using real butter and decadent fillings. Pick up a batch of the Maple Bacon Coffee Cake or the Maine Black Bear Milkshake to add some whimsy to your next special gathering. (Summer 2017, expect to find Queen’s Cups in their new Worcester location in the Canal District!)

Sonoma Restaurant of Princeton

Very few restaurants still roll out the dessert cart to entice customers, but Sonoma has kept this French Service tradition alive with the help of Chef Bill Brady. Creamy, crunchy, fruity, nutty, dainty, tart, melting, whipped, baked…the options abound!

Sweet Kitchen & Bar

Alina Eisenhauer is credited with the creation of the original croissant donut, the Dosant. This treat comes stuffed with peanut butter or dark chocolate and served with fluff or caramel sauce for dipping. Eisenhauer has a talent for bringing a sophisticated edge to childhood favorites like Milk and Cookies, S’mores, and Hot Chocolate Sundaes.  

Wooberry

Wooberry has reopened for the season in hopes that you’ll enjoy their comfortable new interior as much as you enjoy Worcester’s favorite froyo. Flavors and toppings are local when possible and change frequently. Don’t forget to grab a take home pint of Wooberry’s chewy, dense New England style ice cream. 

Nothing piques one’s curious appetite like something sweet!