Sunday Brunch: A Staple of Island Life

Brunch is among my absolute favorite meals. It is that perfect compromise between breakfast and lunch that allows you to sleep late, have a leisurely morning and still enjoy your favorites from both meals. Galveston definitely has its share of places offering spectacular brunching options.

The granddaddy of Sunday brunches is of course the Hotel Galvez. I have sampled many hotel buffets and brunches and none has ever compared to the Hotel Galvez in the atmosphere, the food and the weekly consistency.

If you have never treated yourself to a Sunday brunch at Bernardo’s inside the Hotel Galvez, add it to your must-do list. It truly is an indulgence you should allow yourself.

But you don’t have to go all out at the Hotel Galvez to enjoy brunch in Galveston. Places such as Mosquito Café, Star Drug Store, M&M offer wonderful brunch menus.

The relative newcomer to the Sunday brunch scene comes from the somewhat unexpected source of an Italian restaurant. Mario’s Seawall Italian Restaurant offers a grand buffet of brunch food, from eggs and meats to roasted chicken, pork and even petite bacon-wrapped filets.

The selections will change from week-to-week. My most recent visit included eggs, bacon, sausage, biscuits (with gravy if you wanted), roasted potatoes, grilled vegetables that would have made a hearty meal on their own, a flavorful and tender pork tenderloin, roasted herbed chicken, bite-size pieces of bacon-wrapped filet, pizza, a variety of pasta salads, green salads, fruits and cheeses, plus a dessert table that almost makes you want to skip the meal just to sample more of it.

It does seem a bit cruel to place the dessert table at the front of the restaurant so that it is the first thing you see as you wait to be seated. Oh, and it’s in front of the gelato counter, which again, just provides an evil temptation to skip the nourishing food and go straight for the sweets. Try the pink grapefruit gelato, made fresh at the restaurant, if you see it offered.

While it is a buffet-style brunch, it is a Mario’s brunch, which means none of the flavor or preparation is sacrificed. You’re still getting top-quality food and service from an island favorite.

Of course what would brunch be without a little bubbly to complement the meal, and Mario’s offers 99-cent mimosas with brunch. Or, if you’re more of a red wine fan, try the sangria, also offered at just 99 cents a glass during brunch. Both are refreshing and excellent additions to the meal.

You also get the spectacular Mario’s view overlooking the Galveston beachfront.  It really is a good way to spend a leisurely Sunday.

So if you like to sleep a little late, don’t fear, brunch options like Mario’s, or the Galvez, or any of the other establishments, await you. Get out this weekend and give them a try.

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