Photo by: Michael Furman
Breakfast at Snooze, an a.m. eatery, offers a new experience in all aspects of traditional breakfast dining.
Snooze is the work of DU alumnus Jon Schlegel. The name came from his daily practice of hitting the snooze button whenever it was time to wake up in the morning.
While Snooze’s downtown address may seem like a trek, it is a mere RTD Light Rail ride for DU students to breakfast bliss. Snooze is located at 2262 Larimer St. just a couple of blocks from Coors Field.
The owners of Snooze captured the urban-revival style in the interior design of the restaurant. The outside wall of the entrance is covered in a large mural that conveys this urban feel and also commemorates their third anniversary. Upon entering the restaurant there is a retro-spacey feel to the decorations and atmosphere. The walls vary in shades of mustard yellow to lime green, and the starburst graphic logo of the restaurant is reminiscent of something out of the cartoon, “The Jetsons”.
Snooze specializes in breakfast items. The restaurant serves up sizzling dishes, 6:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. They are open 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Lunch is served starting at 11 a.m.
The menu includes typical breakfast items like eggs, hash browns and sausage, but there are unique versions of these traditional items. Among these is Snooze’s tropical take on pancakes. The “Pineapple Upside Down Pancakes” for $7.50 offer fresh chunks of caramelized pineapple with house made vanilla crCB(me anglaise and cinnamon butter. Deliciously unique, the pancake is perfectly cooked to a golden brown. The crCB(me anglaise sauce sweetly replaces traditional syrup, and the largely sized pineapple chunks in the pancake serve to complete a sweet breakfast entree. The generous portions make this dish a delectable delight.
Another menu highlight is the vanilla almond oatmeal brulee with seasonal fresh fruit of strawberries, blueberries, cantaloupe and honeydew which is served with a little pot of cream on the side for $7. Snooze uses only fresh organic produce and most of the produce is grown locally. Also, the egg layers and beef builders eat all natural feed. The restaurant has some other interesting items like “Sandwich I Am” made of scrambled eggs, Polidori sausage patty and cheddar cheese between a toasted pretzel roll served with tomato gravy or Vermont maple syrup on the side and hash browns for $8. Snooze’s “French Toast Between the Sheets” is made with Ghiradelli chocolate chips and banana cream tucked inside challah French toast on top of a bed of peanut butter anglaise and drizzled in chocolate.
Drinks include a Snooze house coffee, $3, from Guatemala and made exclusively for Snooze. A variety of juices are offered including orange, grapefruit, apple and tangerine for $3.
The prices at Snooze are fair considering the quality and thought that was put into each item. The relaxed environment combined with the laid-back and friendly wait staff help make this restaurant well worth the trip downtown. If visiting on a morning, avoid hitting that snooze button and hurry down, for there will be a long wait at this popular breakfast spot.
