Welcome to our first installment of Brunchin’ on a Budget, where we do the grueling, thankless and painful work of putting local brunch joints to the student budget test for you (we’re kidding, we’re happy to eat pancakes and then tell you about it). Can you get in and out for $10 or under, have a tasty brunch and not be hungry again in an hour? And most importantly, as Chrony photographer Cole Tan put it, “Is the food good enough to get out of bed for on a weekend off?” For the next few weeks we’ll give you the lowdown on local restaurants near campus. Have a favorite joint you want us to review? Drop us a line at [email protected].
Nestled comfortably among the houses and apartment complexes on the corner of 800 East and 300 South sits Caffe Niche, an antidote to hipster brunch exclusivity. Niche manages to take all of the good things you would expect of a place where exposed brick and air ducts meet tasteful tungsten light fixtures (local and organic ingredients) and absolutely none of the bad (snobbiness, service that leaves you waiting).
Right along a number of student-frequented bus routes, Niche boasts a savory brunch menu with items like a wild organic mushroom scramble, Kobe corned beef hash, a rotating daily quiche, the all-menu perennial fresh fish tacos and plenty of vegetarian options.
The cafe is buoyed by a professional staff so good they manage to refill your coffee when you’re not looking.
Speaking of, let’s take a quick break for coffee, pun intended. Niche partners with sister restaurant Oasis Cafe for their roasts. The result? A damn good cuppa that costs less and tastes better than your run-of-the-mill Starbucks latte. If nothing else, the extensive drink menu is enough to bring any student in for a to-go cup on the way to campus (though maybe lay off the $5 mimosas until after class).
While you would be hard-pressed to choose freely from the brunch menu and still pass the $10 and under litmus test, you could most certainly mix and match from the assortment of artfully presented sides and get a good cappuccino without breaking a student budget. A local egg, tasty baguette with jam and butter, avocado with black sea salt and a glass of pineapple juice will run you just $9.25.
Niche doesn’t take brunch reservations, which can get hairy on busy weekend mornings with their limited waiting space at the front of the house, but they do have a well-situated bar for small parties and outdoor seating in the warmer months.
So far, Niche — coffee, olive oil hollandaise, friendly service and all — is worth getting out of bed for. Caffe Niche is open in time for most classes on weekdays, with hours from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday to Thursday, 8 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., on Friday, 9 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. on Saturday and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m on Sunday.
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