If breakfast is the straight-A student, the Tracy Flick who gets up at 6 to eat a whole-grain muffin, brunch is her party-hearty sorority sister — the kind of lazy-pants who rolls out of bed at 10:30, head pounding but ready to take down a giant plate of bacon. Breakfast wants to get up and get moving; brunch wants to have a good time.
It's no wonder we chose brunch as the topic of this week's issue — now more than ever, it feels necessary to let the good times roll. But what came as a surprise as we researched the idea of brunch in St. Louis were the hidden depths beneath brunch's frivolous reputation, the wealth of interesting options for those who want to turn the first meal of the day into a feast.
As Cheryl Baehr learns in "Dim Sum Kind of Wonderful," St. Louis' dim sum palaces have become the "it" brunch option for homesick college kids and adventurous eaters alike. Why not expand your horizons with the carts — and delicious communal offerings — of tapas done à la Hong Kong? We'll get you started with "10 Must-Try Dim Sum Dishes," courtesy of St. Louis' own Julia Li, as well as a listing of four great restaurant options.
Not sure you're ready to go that far outside your Midwestern comfort zone? We hear you; we've got a list of "20 Great Brunch Spots for Every Occasion" you may find inspiring. And if you want to cut straight to the booze, well, we've got that covered too, with a roundup of "10 Terrific Bloody Marys" and "15 Places to Enjoy Bottomless Mimosas." Something for everyone — so long as you're not looking for a whole-grain muffin or your nourishment pre-sunrise.
