In this weekend's roundup of food and drink events, use these CL suggestions to treat yourself, or others, to brunch.
Relax between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. on Saturday or Sunday with brunch at Z Grille. The eclectic downtown St. Pete eatery serves up specialties like sage and cornflake chicken and waffles, as well as breakfast Cubans dripping with fontal cheese. Z Grille classics (WTF truffle fries, anyone?) round out the solid lineup. Throw in $10 for bottomless mimosas anytime and people-watch on Second Street as you sip. Zounds good! 104 Second St. S., St. Petersburg, 727-822-9600.
If you'd like to get some reading and book browsing in after brunch, try Hyde Park's Oxford Exchange 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday or Sunday. The spot's on-site restaurant features menu items with locally sourced, seasonal, and even organic, ingredients. If you like to chow more on the healthy side, there are plenty of options (but heartier eaters won't be left out). Try the chicken burger with cumin aioli, or the kale scramble with quinoa and egg whites, while soaking up the rays in the restaurant's sunroom with soaring ceilings. It's best to make reservations ahead of time; this place fills up fast. 420 W. Kennedy Blvd., Tampa, 813-253-0222.
You won't have to "drag" anyone to brunch at Hamburger Mary's in Clearwater. With a brunch buffet from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. every Sunday, and a live diva show at 1, this quirky destination will get you up and movin'. The menu varies weekly for brunch, but the $12.95 spread is fairly traditional, offering a mix of breakfast and lunch items like homemade meatloaf. Wash down your dish with $5 bottomless mimosas and $3 Bloody Marys. 28910 U.S. Highway 19 N., Clearwater, 727-400-6996
Pack up the kids and head to Proino Breakfast Club this weekend. From 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, kids ages 12 and under dine free at the Largo restaurant. Parents can join in the fun, too, through mimosas and Bloody Marys. Breakfast favorites, including crepes and eggs, are cooked up, and a lunch menu is also available. If you can't make in Saturday, the breakfast club is open 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, but the deal isn't featured. 201 W. Bay Drive, Largo, 727-444-0937.
This article appears in Aug 27 – Sep 2, 2015.