When pondering brunch, most locals don't really think of Wynwood. As cool as the arts district is, it lacks the breakfast-meets-lunch meal period laden with eggs and booze. Sure, you could head to Zak the Baker for some chicken liver Saturday or Sunday afternoon. And there are breakfast tacos at Coyo and even a doughnut burger at Kush, but none of these constitutes a proper brunch.
Enter the Butcher Shop, which recently added weekend brunch to its repertoire. "There are few restaurants around Wynwood serving brunch," says chef Stan McKay, AKA Chef Love, as the rest of the Butcher Shop crew calls him. "We wanted to become part of that Wynwood brunch activity and accommodate the people of the neighborhood."
To do that, Butcher Shop offers bottomless booze accompanied by hearty items such as the prime Benedict -- a burger Benedict.
See also: Loba's Saturday Brunch Has Something For Everybody (Photos)
You likely know the Butcher Shop for its impressive beer selection, but if you're looking to booze hard while brunching, there are three bottomless options (bloody Igor, mimosa, or sangria), each priced at $20. The bloody Igor, named after the owner's father, is made using a secret spice recipe and topped with cabanossi smoked sausage. "We kind of thought about the fact that we are a butcher shop, so we wanted to keep that aspect with brunch."
That element holds true from the bloody Igor to the prime Benedict ($15), which is Butcher Shop's claim to brunch fame. "We basically threw in our biggest hitter, the prime burger, and mixed it up with the tried-and-true brunch dish, eggs Benedict." A sliced English muffin acts as the bun, which holds a beefy patty cooked to chef's liking at an impeccable medium-rare. Sautéed spinach, hollandaise sauce, and the mandatory poached egg top this baby. You'll want to savor every bite of this perfect mess. All brunch dishes are served with crisp potato pancakes.
If you're one of those people who can't resist chicken 'n' waffles for brunch, the Butcher Shop has them in slider form with chipotle sauce and elderflower syrup glaze ($16). This was probably the least exciting of the offerings we sampled, considering there's a plethora of chicken and waffles all over town. Indeed, Kush down the street might have the best in the city.
More exciting is the smoked bone-in rib bacon, which you can get as a side, as shown above, for $4 or with two organic eggs your way for $11. Fatty, rich, and chock full of smoky flavor, it's another must-have.
So is the walnut-crusted French toast ($12) if you're feeling sweet. "I actually made this at home one day trying to accommodate my 3-year-old, who likes the sweeter end of things," McKay says. Instead of using regular walnuts, the recipe calls for honey-roasted candied walnuts as the crust for the challah bread. Make sure you get some of the strawberry and pineapple mint chutney with each bite; it brightens up the dish and balances its richness with citrus and acidity.
Although Butcher Shop's brunch menu is small, it's got some hefty brunch contenders, so next time you can't decide whether you want eggs Benedict or a burger, you don't have to choose. Head to Wynwood, where you can get both.
Butcher Shop brunch is offered Saturday and Sunday from 11 a .m. to 4 p.m.
Follow Carla on Twitter @ohcarlucha
Follow us on Facebook at Miami New Times Food & Drink.