I love a good Sunday brunch, especially when it is a buffet. So, when I heard about the farm-to-table American food experience coming to life in the form of a breakfast buffet at Epiphany Farms Restaurant, I had to go and check it out.
The restaurant has outdoor and indoor seating. The friendly staff seated us quickly in the modern rustic-themed restaurant that was well-lit with farm tools adorning the walls, a beautiful wood ceiling, and a large bar. The patrons were a good mix of students and families with big tables that included kids and couples.
The drinks menu was enticing with a variety of options; we chose the peach Bellini ($6), mimosa ($6), and the Irish coffee ($6.50).The Bellini and mimosa can also be ordered bottomless for $15. The peach Bellini was light, crisp, and fruity with some fresh fruit puree at the bottom of the drink; the Irish coffee was a delight and reminded us of the flaming Irish coffee from Dublin O’Neil’s with its smooth texture and semi-sweet taste. We saw a waiter walk by us with a Bloody Mary that was beautifully deep red and loaded with vegetables and meat, and agreed that it would be too much if we hoped to conquer the buffet.
The buffet is priced at $17.99 per person and is served in a separate room off to the side of the main seating area. A variety of savory and sweet options greeted us on the buffet table, we started with the array of dips and lavash (a Mediterranean flat crisp with sprinkled fennel, cumin, sesame seeds and a dusting of red pepper flakes). When paired with the wild ramp and onion dip, which was savory and had hints of garlic, or the walnut and cranberry dip, which tasted a lot like cream cheese, it was delightful! The assortment of bread and toast were chewy, fresh and bursting with flavor, but the freshly made grape jelly, strawberry jam, and orange marmalade won our hearts because of how well the whole chunks of fruit in them contributed to the sweet yet tart flavors. The butter was sweet, rich, and whipped to perfection.
I enjoyed the toast, butter, and jelly and tried the combination with the croissants as well.
My most favorite item on the buffet was the country biscuits: crunchy on the outside, soft and salty on the inside, cut into small parts and buttered. They paired amazingly with the gravy, which was heavy on the sausage, well flavored, and enjoyably salty. I tried the biscuits with the wild ramp and onion dip and immediately fell in love with the combination. We tried tiny portions of the scrambled and cheesy eggs, potatoes, and waffles so that we could still enjoy the sweet breakfast options.
The sweet breakfast options were phenomenal, starting with the chocolate chip crumble coffee cake that was soft and chewy and had decadent chocolate chips that made it very satisfying. One of the other patrons pointed out to me that it was the best thing on the menu. The yogurt parfait with fruit was tangy and sweet with a creamy consistency, they paired it with strawberry, blackberry, and peach puree which elevated the flavor of the yogurt without overwhelming it too much. They also had a cereal bar with a variety of cereals and dairy and non-dairy milk options. The roasted root vegetables, applewood smoked bacon, handmade sausage patties looked great but we stayed away from them to save space in our already bursting tummies.
We also tried two items from the à la carte menu to make sure we are not missing out on anything. The avocado toast ($4.79) was beautifully arranged on a stone slab with flowers embellishing the serveware and the food. The toast was crunchy and worked with a spread of avocado, radish, marinated beet, pickled condiments, pepitas and microgreens. The last thing we tried was the delicious bacon and candied pecan waffles ($11.79). Made with waffles that were crunchy on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside, it was topped with caramel ice cream and powdered sugar. We poured syrup all over it and doused it in the ice cream that made it decadent and a great last dish in a series of delightful breakfast options.
Epiphany Farms Restaurant is a great breakfast option for those who want a plethora of fresh, wholesome options and provides enough variety for vegetarians, meat eaters, adults, and kids and to enjoy an interesting new spin on traditional breakfast food in a fun and modern setting.
Epiphany Farms Restaurant
220 E Front St
Bloomington
T-Th + Su 4 to 9 p.m.
F + Sa 4 to 10 p.m.
Sa + Su 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Photos by Rashmi Tenneti