16 July 30th - Aug 5th, 2026 phoenixnewtimes.com PHOENIX NEW TIMES | NEWS | FEATURE | FOOD & DRINK | ARTS & CULTURE | MUSIC | CONCERTS | CANNABIS | The menu can be as budget-conscious as a cold brew and a croissant or as spendy as a bottle of bubbles with steak and eggs. You can show up in casual yoga gear or the same finery donned at a formal high tea. Maser, who is a private chef in Phoenix, loves the flexibility of brunch for that reason. She goes out for coffee on Friday mornings and heads to brunch with her friends every Sunday after church. “Dinner, I always say, it’s like a produc- tion. You’ve got to get fully ready, do makeup, hair, reservations,” Maser says. “Brunch, it’s kind of accessible to everyone.” ‘They pay attention to the details’ Longtime restaurateurs like Chamberlin and the O’Farrills say a thoughtful, curated approach is required at these new spots, not only in their design but also in their food. Diners we met with visited because they saw something on the menu that was familiar, with a little twist: a corn waffle with honey butter at Sophia’s, lemon ricotta pancakes at Lydia’s or Matilda’s breakfast sandwich, served on a pillowy milk bread bun that’s slathered with a Calabrian chile spread. On another spring morning, Laura Rush waited with her husband and daughter in the courtyard outside Lydia’s. She designed the logo for the restaurant and other shops in The Fred, but this was only the Gilbert resi- dent’s second visit. Rush says she’s been impressed by this new crop of brunch spots, including Sophia’s and Lydia’s. “You can tell they pay attention to the details of their food,” she says. “From the moment you go in to the time you eat your food, it all feels cohesive.” Chamberlin says customers notice details, like their use of a local butcher shop and bakery. The drinks at these new spots aren’t an afterthought, either. Many of the new brunch restaurants making specialty lattes, matcha and smoothies got their start in the coffee world. The all-day cafe Matilda’s is the brick-and-mortar offshoot of the mobile drinks truck First Place Coffee. Lydia’s launched in part with the team from Berdena’s, which has a coffee bar across the courtyard. This local brunch mania arrives at a time when 66% of Americans drink coffee, an all-time high, while only 54% drink alcohol, the lowest rate since 1993. Does that mean mimosas are giving way to matcha lattes? It depends on who you ask. “People here just love to be outside and active, and I think brunch aligns with that culture,” the private chef Maser says. “I think there’s a big shift in people not waiting to be out at night as much, drinking.” But perhaps the appeal of these new eateries lies in their ability to cater to a wide audience. Across the lawn at Matilda’s, Mary Ambrosia and Tammy Terrio sipped espresso martinis after an early morning flight in from New Orleans. “They’re called Second Wind,” Ambrosia says. “They are definitely going to be giving me a second wind.” This spring, recent openings sizzled like thick-cut bacon in a pan. Summer is often a different story for restaurants. Most diners shared that they swap daytime patio dining in the winter and spring for dinners after dark in the summer. Guzman and Hoffman lock into the WNBA season and go out more to spots near the downtown arena ahead of Phoenix Mercury games. Places that rely on patio seating, like Sophia’s, do what they can to keep people comfortable with shade, misting fans and a self-service water station. The brunch counter has also encouraged diners to order food to-go. That was something they had to hold off on during the crush when they first opened, Aaron Chamberlin says. The fall will show whether this new class of brunch spots has staying power that lasts beyond the hype of a buzzy opening. Restaureurs like Tandy Peterson are betting the momentum continues. “There’s a lot more cafe culture going on right now,” she says. Brunch Boom from p 14 Elegant aesthetics and painstaking exactness to European staples, along with some American classics, make Lydia’s a harmonious dining experience. (Chantell Nighswonger) Questions? Feedback? Email me at [email protected] • Follow me on RATING (out of 5 McFly’s) 2026 VW TIGUAN SEL: GERMAN ENGINEERING WITHOUT THE GERMAN ATTITUDE 2026 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN SEL R-LINE TURBO The 2026 Volkswagen The 2026 Volkswagen Tiguan SEL R-Line Turbo is what Tiguan SEL R-Line Turbo is what happens when practicality puts happens when practicality puts on a tailored jacket. Starting at on a tailored jacket. 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