Before we can talk about the new fall menu at Snooze, we should first introduce you to the restaurant itself. Per the menu- “Snooze was born on April 2, 2006, in Denver, Colorado seeking to evolve the A.M. dining experience through culinary innovation, an eclectic and energetic atmosphere and comfortable and friendly service.” Luckily for us in San Diego, there are three Snooze locations to serve us, Hillcrest, La Jolla, and Del Mar. Snooze also has locations in Arizona, Colorado, and Texas.
We were hosted at the La Jolla location by the General Manager Justin Fritsch and found all of these things to be true, especially the culinary innovation. The location at 8861 La Jolla Village Drive had ample free parking and a hopping lively crowd, especially for 11:00 on a Tuesday morning. We were seated on the patio and greeted by Justin. He invited us in to try the fall menu even before it hit the streets. We were not disappointed.
Libations: We started with an iced and a hot vanilla latte, which were both really good and made from their exclusive, organic Guatemalan coffee. Things got more interesting when Justin brought out the new fall drinks – a grapefruit IPA mixer and a gazpacho bloody mary. The IPA mixer was a masterful blend of sweet, tart, and hoppy that was deep, crisp and satisfying. The bloody mary was deeply savory and would have made an excellent gazpacho on its own even before the house create garlic infused vodka was added. We were sneaking out on a work lunch so we couldn’t indulge in the rest of their full and creative adult menu.
First Course: The first food out was shrimp and grits and an egg white frittata. The grits were smooth and creamy, almost like a risotto and packed with full flavors, plump shrimp, and superb andouille sausage. The frittata started with fluffy eggs layered with wild mushrooms, garlic, and roasted sweet potatoes. It was like Thanksgiving dinner landed on top of your omelet, complete with roasted corn salsa and shaved Manchego cheese.
Breakfast with Bennies: Honestly, we would have left the table after the first course with our stomachs full and our taste buds excited, however, we were Justin’s guest and he had more culinary creations to show off. Next up were the two new fall eggs benedict creations, “I like you E’Lote Benedict” and “Steak + Eggs Benny”. For those of you who haven’t tried Snooze yet, they have an entire menu section titled “The Art of Hollandaise” where they experiment with all three elements of eggs Benedict: the base, the meat, and the sauce to create amazing combinations. Their benedicts go way beyond English muffins and a piece of ham. They all had a wonderfully poached egg but the rest got really creative.
The E’lote was built up around their delicious roasted corn salsa. The fire roasting imparted a deep and powerful flavor as a counter to the sweetness of the corn. They needed a hearty base for their creation so they selected corn quinoa cakes that were pan fried to perfection. The new world benedict theme continued with a chile lime hollandaise and a top coating of Cotija cheese. If the ancient Incan chefs made a breakfast for the king, this would be it.
The Steak + Eggs Benny was built to showcase the seared hanger steak medallions. They were tender and flavorful. The steak was paired with asparagus, roasted mushroom, and tomatoes and placed base was roasted poblano cheddar grits cakes. The hollandaise was accented with smoky cheddar and gremolata. This was savory breakfast perfection.
Sweet Utopia: We were absolutely stuffed at this time and had to save half of the benny’s for later but we weren’t about to miss out on Snooze’s pancakes or what they call “Sweet Utopia”. Snooze was built around their signature Pineapple Upside Down Pancake with chunks of caramelized pineapples covered in house made vanilla creme anglaise and cinnamon butter. They even have a program to donate pancakes to the local community to support worthy causes. New for the fall was the Bourbon Street Pumpkin Pancakes.
They start with a stack of light and fluffy pumpkin buttermilk pancakes and top with a layer of bourbon pecan jam but the sweet utopia doesn’t stop there. They add sweet cream cheese drizzle, whipped mascarpone and mocha crumble. It was sweet, decadent, and absolutely sinful. We shouldn’t have kept eating but we couldn’t stop.
Wrapping Up: Snooze makes it a priority to be creative and keep adding fresh and seasonal items to their menu. We thought their fall additions were amazing. They were deeply flavorful, some sweet and some savory but staying away from overly salted or candy like sweetness. If you are looking for a culinary adventure to start your day or the perfect compliment to your romantic getaway or San Diego bike tour, you should consider hitting the Snooze bar. Thank you, Justin, for having us and we look forward to tasting your new creations and catching up on the rest of your menu.
Disclaimer: Although our experience was complimentary, the views and opinions expressed are entirely our own.
We are excited to share our journey with you
Subscribe to receive our latest posts by email
“Hitting the Snooze Bar.” Cute! The food looks fantastic. I don’t usually go for drinks that early, but I’m sure a good Adult Menu could change my mind.
That Snooze Bar joke was like a slow pitch over the middle of the plate. It had to be done.
They don’t skimp on the portion size that is for sure. Everything looks delicious and fresh. Think they have a great place to eat and enjoy on their hands.
It was so good and yes, we could have had half that food with the portions they served.
Holy. Moly. That food looks amazing! This is the kind of place I go to, and I don’t leave until I’m about to burst! Om nom nom.
Om nom nom nom indeed. It’s worth all the time on the exercise bike to work it all off.
I’ve heard of Snooze AM! But haven’t been. I’m in the Detroit area and we don’t have it there. I think I saw it in CA or Chicago.
They are in California, Arizona, Texas, and Colorado. If you’re ever in the area you should definitely check it out.
wow what a cool place, I havent heard of this but I think there is one around me! I will have to check it out!
This place looks like so much fun with a great menu. Those pancakes look unbelievably yummy.
They were really…. umm… will I do it…. Sweet!!! Sorry. had to be done.
Love how innovative and fresh the menu is! Looks fantastic.
Wow, that looks like a very cool place! It looks like they have a great menu. Unfortunately, they do not have any locations in Illinois. I love the San Diego area – they have all the “cool” things! lol
There are lots of cool reasons to visit San Diego from Chicago, least of which is the breeze whipping off the lake after the leaves fall. I don’t know why we couldn’t get our Midwest friends to come out more often but it is really good to see sunshine in the middle of the winter.
Every single dish looks delicious! I would love to eat at Snooze the next time I visit San Diego.
This sounds like an awesome place to visit! I haven’t ever heard of it but the food looks fantastic!
It’s regional to Cali, Colorado, Zona, and Texas but if you’re in the area you should go.
Another reason to schedule a trip out west ASAP! WOW… this all looks delicious. You had me at the vanilla latte!
It was one of the best in San Diego. We actually like the Museum of Modern Art in La Jolla just a tad better, but Snooze had a fine cup of joe.
I could really use something like this to kick start my mornings. Especially with the chilly weather
The food looks delicious! I love all the photos and how you described everything.
What an incredible place! This sounds amazing, I wish I had one near me! Everything looks so good and tasty – I need to check this out sometime!
I am absolutely salivating over here. haha! You had me at the IPA mixer (my favorite kind of beer) and the gazpacho bloody mary (I’ve recently become obsessed with gazpacho in Spain). But then every new course that was brought out looks delicious and unique. Will definitely be coming here when I’m in the area!
We really dug the IPA mixer. It wasn’t as hoppy as you might expect but it was a solid drink. You will love it.
Any place where I can start my day with coffee and alcohol sounds like a great place! Those portions are huge too!
You can’t drink all day if you don’t start in the morning. We didn’t check the vegan options but a place this hip surely has some available. I bet they are really good too.
I love the look of those food there! The Steak + Eggs Benny looked the most tempting to me. However, I do need to share my food because I don’t think I could finish it on my own…
It’s always fun to go out to places like this with friends so you can share dishes. There are too many yummy flavors to have only one taste.
The spot in Colorado is famous, I hadn’t realized they were branching out into other cities, way cool! The menu looks formidable, you guys were real troopers trying those out!
The food kept coming. Ed was convinced that he wanted a pot pie until round two came out. By round three it was all we could do to keep tasting. With your love of food and regional spices, you would really like Snooze.
Holy moly those portions are ginormous, I’d need help finishing all 3 courses! Those steak and eggs bennies sound and look delicious. Count me in!
It’s a date girl.
Cocktail and breakfast make a perfect combination 😛 If I visit, it will probably be the only meal of the day since their portion size is huge!
You’ll need to go with friends so you can try a couple of things. Then lounge around the pool in a food induced coma.
The utopia pancake sounds amazing! I live for weekend just so I can brunch at places like these haha, looks delicious!
They are pretty spectacular pancakes. We are getting ready to eat out 30 days straight in Florida. Maybe you can suggest a place or two (or come up and visit us)