Look alive Buffs. After a long night of sucking down beers or pushing through a 15-page paper, the pain of the next morning has come back to whoop that ass.
So go ahead, drink some water and take a few Advil — nothing cures that nasty hangover (booze- or study-induced) like a largely portioned, greasy (or not) breakfast.
You can find all of your favorite breakfast foods in Boulder — burritos, omelets, skillets, pancakes and French toast. These restaurants will fill you up and send you on your way, good as new.
And you don’t have to slurp down the lion’s share the night before to stop by — these places open early for the driven and studious Buffs, and don’t close until the mid-afternoon for those rolling out of bed late.
The Buff
725 28th St. for now — location changing in the fall. Call 303-442-9150 to check. Weekdays 6:30 a.m.-2 p.m.; weekends 7 a.m.–2 p.m.
A must-visit in Boulder, the Buff is one of the most popular breakfast spots in town. The Buff opened in 1995 and has been serving hungover students ever since.
The most popular item on the menu is The California, a classic omelet complete with avocado, bacon, Swiss and tomatoes. But when the POTUS himself paid the Buff a visit in September, Obama went with the Ole — a skillet loaded with chorizo, green chilis and jalapenos.
To keep the party cruising from last night, order some 99-cent Bloody Marys or mimosas; the Bloody Mary mix is homemade. (Only if this is an age-appropriate option, of course.)
Village Coffee Shop
1605 Folsom St., Boulder. Weekdays 5:30 a.m.–3 p.m.; Saturday 5:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m.; Sunday 7 a.m.–2:30 p.m.
In a town full of active citizens and healthy diets, the Village brings a greasy element to the Boulder food scene.
If you’re looking for organic granola or kale chips this is not your spot. In fact, they sell T-shirts that say, “The Village Coffee Shop, 892 square feet of reality surrounded by Boulder.” We get it, Village.
The Village has everything you crave for breakfast — eggs, hash browns, burritos, pancakes, French toast, etc. If you want a classic diner breakfast in Boulder, there isn’t a better place.
Moe’s Broadway Bagels
Three locations in Boulder, all open 5:30 a.m.–5 p.m. daily: 3267 28th St., 720-406-9000; 3075 Arapahoe Avenue, 303-442-4427; 2650 Broadway St., 303-444-3252.
Like shmearing bagels? Try Moe’s.
Moe’s has 22 varieties of bagels and 14 different kinds of cream cheese — that’s 308 combinations. A dozen bagels will cost you about $10, a great way to share a cheap breakfast with friends. Test out the blueberry bagel with maple walnut cream cheese for a sweet breakfast treat.
If you want to branch out from the classic bagel and cream cheese go for some of their breakfast sandwiches and breakfast burritos, prices ranging from $4-$7.
Lucile’s
2124 14th St, Boulder, 303-442-4743. Weekdays 7 a.m.-2 p.m.; weekends 8 a.m.–2 p.m.
Named after the owner’s mother, Lucile’s has a feel makes the place feel comfy and homey — partly because it’s literally a small house. The NOLA-inspired menu gives you some unique choices for breakfast, like the Eggs New Orleans (fried eggplant slices with creole sauce, poached eggs and hollandaise sauce) and shrimp and grits.
The potatoes here are can’t miss, and don’t forget to use the homemade jam on your biscuit. Might also want to try the beignets, a New Orleans staple.
Dot’s Diner
Two Boulder locations: 1333 Broadway St., 303-447-9184; weekdays 7 a.m.-3:30 p.m., weekends 8 a.m.–3:30 p.m; 2716 28th St., 303-449-1323; weekdays 7 a.m.-2 p.m., weekends 8 a.m.-2 p.m.
Dot’s Diner claims to have Boulder’s best breakfast for over 30 years. Many Boulderites won’t argue with that, and thus the reason for Dot’s motto, “Where the folks get their yolks.” Don’t be fooled by Dot’s hole-in-the-wall appearance — it’s a favorite for CU students, and the location on the Hill is hard to beat.
Try Dot’s dense breakfast burrito loaded with eggs, potatoes, veggies, sausage and bacon and smothered in green chili. Dot’s also has spectacular buttermilk biscuits, and huevos rancheros that are a must-try.
Walnut Cafe
Two Boulder locations, 7 a.m.-3:30 p.m. daily at both: 3073 Walnut St., 303-447-2315; 673 S Broadway St., 720-304-8118.
The Walnut Cafe also claims to have the best breakfast in Boulder for more than 30 years — seems that breakfast is competitive in Boulder. The Walnut Cafe has a breakfast to back up its claim including a wide variety of omelets, the cafe’s specialty.
If you want to be conscious of the dreaded freshman 15, the Walnut has a nice selection of vegetarian and vegan options that will fill you up.
A must-try here is the blueberry cornbread, which you can order straight up or have it cooked into your pancakes for an awesome experience. Also, the banana walnut waffles and French toast are highly recommended.