Best Brunch Ever @ ZED451

First off, can you believe that I needed pants and a jacket this past Sunday when we headed to brunch to take my sister out for a nice meal in celebration of her eight weeks with us this summer (and all her help taking care of The Little Guy)?! It’s the middle of July and the temperature wavered in the mid fifties for much of the morning. I honestly can’t recall ever experiencing temperatures like this during this time of year. A couple of years ago, I remember going to the beach every single weekend playing volleyball in a swimsuit and running as fast as possible down to the water to cool off because the sand scorched my feet. That’s definitely not been the case this year.

But on to better (much better) topics of conversation… brunch at ZED451. Honestly, this place is amazing!! No doubt it vies for one of my favorite meals in Chicago. Chicagoans LOVE brunch, and I bet most Chicagoans (at least those who’ve been to ZED451) would rank this spot near the top of their list. Far from your standard brunch locale, imagine a Brazilian steakhouse style brunch with a harvest table (i.e. high end buffet) filled with fresh fruits, banana french toast, duck confit hash browns, fancy cheeses and cured meats, red wine marinated pears, brussel sprout ceasar salad, and many other amazing sides. While visiting the harvest table, your server brings an unbelievable monster cinnamon roll, arugula topped frittata, and (seriously) the best maple Cajun bacon you will ever experience. Full, you say? The party is just getting started. Servers then bring you 6-8 different “entrée tastings” if you will, including things like buttermilk bottom sirloin, buffalo chicken and waffles, hot spicy sausage, crab cake eggs benedict, Cajun salmon, and other wonderful meats and fish. Every dish could stand alone as a great plate, but getting to taste a few bites of each can’t be beat. Check out my Instagram pics for a few peeks of what we savored.

As expected, the price tag matches the menu. We don’t visit often because it would break our bank account. But to celebrate every once in a while with an indulgent and somewhat gluttonous meal tastes fantastic.

If you’re visiting Chicago and looking for a restaurant recommendation, I definitely suggest adding this to your list. I could also provide myriad other options so don’t hesitate to reach out if you’d like some ideas. I live right in the heart of tourist town in Chicago, so I could certainly recommend something close to where you likely stay.

And if you do visit, be sure to check the weather forecast before leaving. Mother Nature is manic around here!