Sleepy Rooster, Wild Eggs brunch restaurants to open in New Albany

Brooke McAfee, The Evening News and the Tribune, Jeffersonville, Ind.
·3 min read

Sep. 1—NEW ALBANY — There will soon be new options for brunch in New Albany.

A new restaurant called Sleepy Rooster Morning Kitchen is moving into the former Bob Evans location at 2204 State St. Owners Roza and Juan Segoviano are hoping to open the brunch spot by November.

The couple also owns and operates La Catrina Mexican Kitchen in New Albany, El Catrin Mexican Kitchen in Sellersburg and the local Señor Iguanas chain.

In downtown New Albany, renovations are underway at the former Daisy's Cafeteria as the regional Wild Eggs chain prepares to open a restaurant at 223 W. Fifth St. The restaurant is known for its breakfast and brunch options.

Wild Eggs is aiming to open the New Albany location by the first week of October, according to a spokesperson for the company.

SLEEPY ROOSTER

Sleepy Rooster Kitchen was inspired after La Catrina started offering weekend brunch about six months ago, according to Roza. They saw a big response, but it was difficult to keep up with staffing as they expanded service on Saturdays and Sundays, she said.

Brunch is no longer offered at La Catrina as work is underway for the new restaurant, but Sleepy Rooster will be an expansion of the La Catrina brunch menu in terms of both food and drink.

Roza, the head chef for La Catrina and El Catrin, will also serve as executive chef for the new restaurant.

"We just have so many concepts we want to do, and luckily, there has just been a lot of opportunity on this side of the river," she said. "I really like the thought of breakfast and keeping it on the sunny side of Louisville."

The concept is a traditional American breakfast, Roza said. The menu will feature signature dishes such as stuffed french toast, Eggs Benedict and crepes, as well as some Mexican offerings such as chilaquiles and breakfast burritos.

"We already had some of those morning staples at La Catrina brunch, but we threw in some tidbits of Mexican brunch," she said.

The drink menu will include brunch cocktails, including varieties of mimosas and Bloody Marys.

All of the dishes will be made from scratch, including the biscuits, pancakes and waffles, Roza said. In addition to breakfast, there will be options for the lunch crowd, including soups and sandwiches.

"I'm really excited," she said. "Brunch is like my favorite thing, and this way with it being more American-geared as far as the cuisine, it allows me to do some things I couldn't really have done at La Catrina."

Roza describes the spot as a "great location," and she wants it to have a "modern farmhouse" environment.

"There's not many sit-down restaurants over that way — it's a lot of fast food and drive-thrus," she said. "Right now if you stop by, it's a total renovation to make a Bob Evans to not look like a Bob Evans."

Like La Catrina and El Catrin, Sleepy Rooster will feature murals by local artist Braylyn "Resko" Stewart.

WILD EGGS

The Wild Eggs restaurant in New Albany will be the company's 15th location and its fifth location in Indiana. The new location was announced earlier this year.

Wild Eggs operates restaurants in Kentucky, Indiana and Ohio, and it also has a location at Veterans Parkway in Jeffersonville.

The restaurant offers a wide range of omelets and other egg-based dishes, along with sweet options such as pancakes, waffles and French toast. Wild Eggs also features an espresso bar and alcoholic options such as mimosas and coffee cocktails.

"We are excited to bring Wild Eggs to New Albany. Joining the New Albany community has been a goal for us for a long time," Wild Eggs President Bill Strenzhorn said in a January news release. "The strong growth in the area certainly makes it an attractive market and one that we feel will complement our operation in Jeffersonville."