6 cool brunch spots in South Jersey
Chef Keira Turner had a dream one night that she owned a restaurant at a carnival. In her dream, it was called Chubby Chicks Café.
When she woke up, she knew what she would name her restaurant and the name has stuck.
“No one agreed with the name in the beginning, they were like, ‘why would you call it that’?,” Turner said.
The Sicklerville native initially had a ghost kitchen under another restaurant in Philadelphia, but no one knew she was there. She quickly moved over to doing a pop-up in South Jersey with another restaurant, but the popularity of her restaurant took off and within a few weeks she found her current space in Blackwood.
Now, Turner, the owner, operator and chef, has a sought-after brunch spot.
“It’ll be two years on May 22,” Turner said. “We’re a brunch restaurant, so that’s all we do is brunch. I would describe our food as whimsical and fun, it’s super different. It’s definitely chubby, so you’re going to take some food home with you … We’re not a quiet brunch. We call it a lit brunch.
“Saturdays and Sundays are super popular. It’s usually a line outside. During the week, it’s slower, it’s a more relaxed pace.”
Some of the notable dishes at Chubby Chicks Cafe include: Fish and (fried) grits. Pineapple upside down French toast. The French toast is fried and stuffed into a fried pineapple. There is fried sweet potato pie and fried red velvet French toast.
“Even our drinks look exotic and amazing,” Turner added. “We’ve got a drink called ‘Tropical Sunset’. It’s so much fruit on the top it looks like a fruit salad in your drink. We’re over the top, we’re bright, colorful.
“I just released a cookbook called ‘Recipe’s from a Chubby Chick’ so you can be chubby at home.”
Chubby Chicks is closed on Mondays.
Go: 1401 Little Gloucester Road, 856-302-2050.
Brunchaholics, Cherry Hill
The restaurant opened in August where Zoe’s Kitchen was previously located.
Brunchaholics, which has “inventive brunch offerings”, has a Philadelphia location as well.
Some of the brunch offerings include “Brunchaholic”, which includes two eggs, breakfast potatoes, choice of meats, French toast or pancakes; smoked short rib hash; fish ‘n’ grits; French toast cobbler, chicken and waffles. A banana French toast with caramelized bananas and Chessmen cookies is another menu highlight.
The lunch menu includes wings, brunch pot pie, jerk turkey burger, jerk salmon cheesesteak and more.
Closed on Mondays.
Go: 1200 Haddonfield Road, 856-330-4857.
Hot Butter Soul Supper Club, Pennsauken
Owner and chef Keeya Benson, a native of Camden, offers a “Boujee Brunch” on Sundays.
Some of the signature dishes include red velvet waffles, peach cobbler waffles, banana foster’s French toast, fish and grits (whiting or cat fish), shrimp and not so grits (smashed cauliflower), and more. There are also signature collabs, including chicken and waffles, creole shrimp and grits, avocado toast, breakfast “sammies”, breakfast tacos and several other special dishes and vegan options.
There are also options such as the brunch charcuterie board and the festival of brunch that feed multiple people.
Closed Mondays and Tuesdays.
Go: 9003 North Crescent Boulevard, 856-205-3195.
The Cubby Hole, Moorestown
Located on picturesque Main Street in Moorestown, the Cubby Hole is a cozy cafe with outdoor seating available for those warm days.
It offers pastries, coffee and has a strong brunch menu.
How about French toast flavors such as strawberry banana crème, coconut cream or bananas foster? Or how about chocolate chip, apple cinnamon or blueberry pancakes? There are crepes, omeletes, huevos con salsa (very popular), breakfast wraps, croissants, muffins and more to choose from.
The restaurant also has a brand-new expanded seating area as well for added space.
Go: 37 East Main Street, 856-234-4372.
Verna’s Flight Line Restaurant, Millville
You may get a view of plane’s taking off since it’s located at the Millville Executive Airport.
Some brunch offerings include avocado toast with poached eggs, strawberry and banana waffles, strawberry and banana French toast, biscuits with gravy, breakfast sandwiches are among the menu items.
Verna’s is in a small green building at the outskirts of the airport. It offers both indoor and outdoor dining. Closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.
Go: 302 Beacon Street, 856-825-3200.
Woodbury Station Café, Woodbury
The café is an old train station, and the building dates back to 1883.
Some of the brunch offerings include: crispy railroad potatoes, grilled chicken with roasted peppers, avocado and feta drizzled on top, homemade beignets, omeletes and much more. Vegetarian dishes are available and a kids’ menu is also available.
Trains still pass by there daily. There is outdoor seating, too.
Closed on Mondays.
Go: 101 Cooper Street, 856-384-6700.
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This article originally appeared on Cherry Hill Courier-Post: Here are 6 cool brunch spots in South Jersey
