Colorado Breakfasts on Colorado Avenue

European Cafe ✦ 1015 Colorado Ave ✦ (719) 632-6309 ✦ link

A quiet place for a weekend brunch, the European Cafe is known more for their eastern-European fare—compliments of Polish native and chef-owner, Bozena Jakubczyk. However, hints of the Eastern Block bleed their way onto the brunch menu, with items such as an imported Polish sausage and a potato pancake that is cutely entitled “Eggs in a Nest.”

The nest is made of grated potatoes, think of a latke, with the wafting aroma of sweet peppers and a beautiful poached egg nested atop ($9.75).
The immense and mild sausage of the “Imported Polish Sausage,” flanked by well seasoned home potatoes and three eggs-to-order, make for an exceptional filling meal ($11.95). Pair it all with a cup of house coffee and avoid the mixed drinks (the Bloody Mary [$6] was derived from a mix).

503W ✦ 503 W Colorado Ave ✦ (719) 471-3370 ✦ 503w.com
The hipster-trendy location that has planted itself squarely between downtown and Old Colorado City, may be a favorite of millennials, but particular items on its brunch menu are exemplary enough to warrant a visit from anybody. While we’d recommend staying away from the Benedicts, it was the imaginatively creative dishes that stole the show.
The Sriracha Maple Bacon, i.e., Chicken and Waffles ($13), with an accompanying of arugula bitterness and a honey lavender dipping sauce that does not overwhelm, is singular enough for a return trip. Regardless of what you order, be sure to request a side of sweet potato tater tots ($2.50). With their perfect preparation an unctuous sweetness, they will have you in childhood heaven.

Bon Ton’s Cafe ✦ 2601 Colorado Ave ✦ (719) 634-1007 ✦ link
It’s your neighborhood diner; the kind of place where the staff call you “Hon,” and your grandfather has been going to for as long as he can remember. But the food is good—really good. The charming location is a bit rough around the edges, and has the feel of an establishment that has been humming along for 35+ years; and it has. The ambience echoes with New Orleans Dixieland, to the extent that the lack of Creole on the menu is almost disappointing. But there is nothing disappointing about the menu (other than finding “krab,” but we’ll ignore that).
The classic Benedict is amply satisfying with thick Canadian bacon and a housemade hollandaise sauce that is less tangy and more unctuous ($11.59). You can also spice the morning up with a taste of Santa Fe. The Chili Relleno—yes, for breakfast—satisfies with its picante crunch ($11.89). Or pull all stops and dive deep into the decadence that is the Deep Fried Stuffed French Toast ($10.79). Stuffed with strawberry cream cheese and topped with a warm strawberry compote, the presentation is opulent and the richness is nearly overpowering—we bet you can’t eat the entire thing.

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