With our year-round, near-perfect weather and always-relaxed vibe, Sunday brunch in San Diego is kind of a big deal.*
Affordable options abound but, when the mood calls for a splurge, nothing teases your taste buds and rounds out a weekend like the spreads served up at our luxury hotels.
So, loosen your belt and check out these five to try Sunday brunch buffets:
- Caviar and crab legs and prime rib, oh my! If brunch in the Crown Room at the Hotel del Coronado makes you feel like you’re not in Kansas anymore, there’s a reason. The room’s chandeliers were designed by L. Frank Baum, author of the Wizard of Oz, and it’s said the hotel inspired some of his writing. Each Sunday, the staff turns out a buffet fit for all the numerous royalty, celebrities and presidents who have stayed at the historic property over the past 120 years. Brunch options include made-to-order waffles and Panini, sushi and dim sum, South of the border favorites and much more. It includes sparkling wine, mimosas, Bloody Marys or fresh-squeezed screwdrivers, is served from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. and priced at $74.95 for adults and $22.95 for kids age 6-12. www.hoteldel.com
- Want to dine like Hollywood royalty? Famous as a getaway for the stars since the silent-movie era of the 1920’s, today brunch in the Mediterranean Room at La Jolla’s “Pink Lady,” the intimate and charming La Valencia Hotel overlooking La Jolla Cove, is as fantastic as ever. It features fresh seafood ranging from Blue Point oysters to tiger prawns to smoked Nova Scotia salmon plus a carving station with roast leg of lamb, pork loin and prime sirloin, fresh local salads, omelets prepared to order, a wide assortment of breakfast favorites and decadent dessert options. Brunch includes complimentary orange juice and champagne, is served from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and is priced at $55 for adults and $28 for kids age 5-12. www.lavalencia.com
- Get along little doggies! You can almost hear the caballeros returning to the hacienda. Nestled in the hills of Rancho Bernardo, El Bizcocho at the Rancho Bernardo Inn serves up a bountiful brunch in a gracious, welcoming Southern California ranchero style with views of the rolling greens of the resort’s golf course. Here, brunch selections include cumin and ancho chili-rubbed rib eye at the carving station, spicy tomato and cucumber salad with roasted pepitas and poached eggs with a bacon-white bean ragout and hollandaise sauce. Brunch includes complementary mimosas and a make-your-own Bloody Mary bar, is served from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and priced at $45 for adults and $20 for kids age 5-13. www.ranchobernardoinn.com
- Craving a brewski with your brunch? Set against picturesque backdrop of Loews Coronado Bay Resort’s 80-slip marina on the terrace of the Market Cafe, the weekly Blues, Brews & Barbecue brunch gives the hungry a chance to groove to the sounds of B.B. King, John Lee Hooker and Jeff Beck while sipping free-flowing local craft beers like Woodie Gold and Red Trolley from Karl Strauss. The huge buffet features down-home culinary delights like ribs, barbecue chicken, slow-roasted beef brisket, tomato-habanero barbecued salmon, roast suckling pig and more. It includes complimentary craft beer from Karl Strauss and mimosas, is served from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and is priced at $38 for adults and $19 for children. www.loewshotels.com
- Ahoy matey, thar be brunch ahead! Okay landlubbers, so this one isn’t at a hotel but if you want to sail the high seas (well, the waters of San Diego Bay) this is your chance. Board Hornblower Cruises’ luxury yacht at Broadway Pier in downtown San Diego for a two-hour excursion that includes a narrated tour of the bay and an amazing spread with seasonal entrees, breakfast favorites, a full carving station and salad and dessert bars. Dine on the enclosed lower deck at your private table and, between trips to the buffet, wander up to the open air deck to enjoy the breeze and take in the sights. Brunch includes complimentary champagne, boards at 10:30 a.m. and returns to the dock at 1 p.m. and is priced at $54.95 per person. www.hornblower.com
Would you like to take a few friends to Sunday brunch at La Valencia in La Jolla?
Comment below by Thursday, December 2 at 10 a.m. PST and one lucky winner will recieve a certificate for brunch for four to use any time before December 1, 2011. (Certificate is good for brunch only; additional alcoholic beverages and certain holidays are excluded.)
*Double points for recognizing an Anchorman quote. Stay classy…and eat your brunch!