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Inside First Watch’s bold new brunch menu

I sampled First Watch’s sweet and savory brunch menu—Here’s the verdict

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First Watch
First Watch

First Watch is one of my favorite restaurants for a consistently delicious brunch that never gets old. With a rotating seasonal special menu, I always look forward to trying new brunch items at First Watch. To kick off the new year, First Watch just dropped an all-start lineup of brunch dishes that blend returning favorites with standout new dishes for the ultimate winter and spring brunch lineup.

This new menu includes the returning B.E.C (Bacon, Egg, & Cheese) and a newly debuted Chimichurri Steak & Eggs Hash. Of course, a First Watch seasonal menu wouldn’t be complete without a few sweet brunch items in the mix too, such as Lemon Blueberry Cornbread. Below, Shane Schaibly, Senior Vice President of Culinary Strategy at First Watch Restaurants, shares what inspired the unique flavor combinations behind the recently launched seasonal brunch menu.

A fresh new take on the season

First Watch
First Watch

A standout of the new brunch menu is the returning B.E.C, made with hardwood smoked bacon, folded cage-free eggs, aged cheddar, house-pickled sweet peppers and arugula with Calabrian chili aioli and roasted garlic aioli on griddled artisan sourdough. Per Schaibly, this returning favorite has made a comeback this season as it is one of the most ordered LTOs. “We consistently saw customers calling it out on social media and asking when it would return,” he shared.

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“During testing, the Chimichurri Steak and Eggs Hash became the highest-mixing limited-time offering in First Watch history, which told us customers are craving bold, vibrant flavors. At the same time, Chimichurri is having a real moment in the culinary world – it’s fresh, herb-forward and packed with flavor,” he shares. This menu item is served with steak, fresh spinach, Cheddar and Monterey Jack, diced red bell peppers and house-roasted onions in a potato hash, topped with two cage-free eggs any style, crumbled Feta, house-pickled sweet peppers, roasted garlic aioli and a drizzle of chimichurri sauce.

Sweeter options

First Watch
First Watch

While savory options at First Watch are my personal favorites, they do offer several sweet brunch items if you’re craving something indulgent. From freshly baked Blueberry Lemon Cornbread to Strawberry Tres Leches French Toast, there’s no shortage of indulgent options for your weekend gathering. If you’ve been to First Watch before, you know they’re also known for their exceptional juice flavor combinations. The newest Pineapple Express is a hit (I saw nearly every table with one of these), which is made from fresh juice featuring pineapple juiced in-house, orange, coconut water, lime and agave, finished with a mint crystal rim.

“Customers come to First Watch because they trust us,” says. “They know they’ll find the classics they love but they also expect us to surprise them. Our rotating seasonal menu gives us the perfect space to experiment and innovate. We usually start with flavors and ingredients that feel familiar, and then elevate them with a fresh twist or lean into relevant culinary trends. We want to create dishes that feel exciting but still fit naturally alongside the favorites our customers come back for,” he shares.

“We currently rotate our seasonal menus several times a year, and that’s intentional. It’s part of our “Follow the Sun” approach – building dishes around ingredients that are freshest and at their peak.”

Emily Caldwell
Emily Caldwell
Contributor
Emily is a Features Writer at The Manual, where she specializes in food, beverage, and travel content. She focuses on weaving… Read Full Bio
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