Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Smoothies and Omelettes at Zoe's in Cambridge

I am terrible at making bets. Well…that’s a lie. I make a LOT of bets, but never win any of them. This past weekend included another bet I had made and lost – this time with Z. The deal was, whoever lost had to buy breakfast the next morning. Thankfully for me, the place we chose was delicious and affordable.

When we were looking for a place to have brunch on our iPhones, Z and I had a hard time deciding where to go. Darwin’s, per usual? Lord Hobo, assuming they still serve brunch? Brave the lines at The Friendly Toast? It was a hard decision, until we finally stumbled upon Zoe’s right outside Harvard Square.

Parking isn’t fun down by Zoe’s, but we finally found a spot, and hurried into the warm, diner-like restaurant. An older, friendly man greeted us and took our name, letting us know it would be about a 20 minute wait. While we waited, we observed how much of a well-oiled machine Zoe’s was – the host quickly greeted guests, said goodbye to patrons who were leaving, and cleaned tables as soon as they were clear, ensuring anyone who was waiting was quickly seated.

After about 25 minutes, Z and I were seated at a table. I grabbed a menu and was quickly impressed at the various, healthy breakfast options – including a slew of smoothies and fun drinks. I was really in the mood for hot coffee on this chilly Sunday morning, but I opted for a Coffeelicious ($4.99), made with non-fat vanilla frozen yogurt, banana and coffee.


The smoothie was extra thick and absolutely delicious, without being overly sweet or filling. As “dessert-y” as it sounds, it didn’t taste like I was drinking dessert at all, which I loved.

For my entrĂ©e, I went with the Veggie Omelette ($8.29), chocked full of peppers, onions, mushrooms, tomatoes, asparagus, and cheddar cheese. My omelette came with home fries and toast – I went with the cinnamon raisin toast.


Everything on this plate was fantastic; especially the potatoes. The omelette was also bursting with vegetables and cheese, and the toast was thick-cut and not drowning in butter. It was a fantastic, diner-style breakfast without the added grease.

Overall, we loved Zoe’s and plan to be back soon. For the portions you get, the friendly service, affordable prices, and the vegetarian-friendly, healthy options (they even have veggie sausage!), Zoe’s gets two thumbs up in my book.

What's your favorite breakfast spot in the Boston area?

Zoe's Restaurant on Urbanspoon

9 comments:

  1. Some of my favorite breakfast spots in Boston include the Friendly Toast, the Paramount, and Beacon Hill Bistro.

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  2. I have been wondering about Zoe's! That milkshake looks incredible and veggie omlette is always my brunch go-to. I am absolutely going to check it out now!

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  3. that milkshake sounds like a glass of heaven.

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  4. My two favorite breakfast spots lie at opposite ends of the spectrum. The country french breakfast at Brasserie Jo, with its Callebaut bitter chocolate stuffed french toast and warm maple syrup is just perfect when I'm feeling indulgent. And the authentic Salvadoran breakfast served at places like TacoMex and Cactus Grill in Maverick Square is robust inexpensive and healthy but also a bit adventurous. Love the grilled maduros and pureed beans, plus I get to have a real cafe con leche!

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  5. YUM! I will have to go there that looks delicious!!

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  6. Whenever we walk by Zoe's I think about how we haven't gone there yet. (Of course we always have the dog with us when we walk by, so we can't just stop in.) I love getting breakfast (earlier than brunch) at Henrietta's Table and getting the granola parfait. Their granola is so good!

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  7. Megan, I'll have to try Henrietta's granola - thanks for the tip! And I definitely recommend trying Zoe's next time you're walking by.

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  8. We're always looking to try new brunch spots - I'll have to add Zoe's to the list. Have you had brunch at PJ Ryan's in Teale Square? the menu is only okay but the bloody marys are the BEST!

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  9. Melissa, I have not had brunch there - although, I have had dinner there (grilled cheese and fries), and it was delicious. I'll have to go back and try their brunch. Thanks for the tip!

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