We rarely eat out during the week; I enjoy cooking and usually have enough fresh food to last us until the weekend. That said, sitting down to enjoy a meal as a family is challenging during the week. My husband usually gets home just before my girls go to bed, and breakfast, well let’s just say mornings are crazy with a three-year-old and six-month-old.
Eating out looks very different than it did four years ago. These days, we only frequent “safe places,” meaning places where babies can cry, food can be thrown on the floor or three-year-olds can eat under the table.
This week, we decided to eat out for breakfast as a way to sit together as a family and break up the work week. To be honest, it doesn’t take much convincing for my husband and I try out a new breakfast place. We both love breakfast, but we rarely get to eat what we really want for breakfast — hot, comforting food that we don’t have to cook — and we had to pick a place where it was appropriate for my husband to wear a suit, yet casual enough to bring two kids.
Eating breakfast on a Tuesday morning with a family was interesting.
At First Watch Northshore, we didn’t run into the typical family scene. Instead we saw the cross fit bunch, police officers drinking coffee and solo business folks catching up on emails. Basically, the kind of people who might roll their eyes when a family walks in. We stuck out like a sore thumb however, the staff was very accommodating by giving us chocolate milk in a plastic cup and getting us out of the door in under 45 minutes.
We knew as soon as we walked in the door that this place would be a hit.
There was plenty of natural light coming in through the windows when we showed up around 7:30am. We were immediately greeted with a carafe of coffee and subsequently ordered a green elixir over ice. Our three-year-old loved the green juice which First Watch appropriately calls Kale Tonic, and happily drank it like it was orange juice. I usually start my day with some sort of homemade elixir (lemon juice, apple cider or blended veggies), so to have it made for me was a treat! Our family does not drink cow’s milk, so we asked for an alternative as a coffee creamer. While they didn’t have the usual almond or soy milk, our waitress kindly served us creamed coconut, which melted nicely into our hot coffee, and since we weren’t there for very long, she also brought me a travel cup for the car!
Despite the wide variety of menu items, we all seemed to know what we wanted instantly.
My husband ordered the matcha latte pancakes (limited-time menu option), recreated after his favorite beverage. Three over-sized pancakes arrived topped with coconut cream and nuts. Our oldest daughter got the biggest chocolate chip pancake I’ve ever seen and she ate almost the whole thing! I ordered the market veggie omelet served with mixed greens and a thick slice of whole grain toast. I’m very picky with my omelets because I love vegetables and most places give you only a small serving inside the eggs. But, these were overflowing with warm, sautéed veggies! I couldn’t help but order a side of skillet potatoes for the table — I was going to gym later, so I could work it off later, right?
First Watch does not skimp on portion sizes.
We took home two to-go boxes. Show up hungry, maybe even go for a run first, then eat. The good news is that they are open until 2:30 pm and they serve breakfast the whole time. This would be a perfect place to go mid-morning when you haven’t had anything to eat or to start a busy day when you know you will need something hardy in your stomach. That said, the food is not too heavy, nothing is soaked in oil or butter, and you can order to your liking whether you want oatmeal or a meat lover’s dish.
When my husband and I were first dating, a typical Saturday morning would look like this: wake up around 8ish, workout, stumble into a brunch spot around 11am, then go to the pool or watch college football. I dream of a Saturday where we can roll into First Watch for a late breakfast and drink however many cups of coffee we want. The thought of eating brunch without fussing at a three-year-old and spoon-feeding a baby sounds glorious!
Overall, I would highly recommend going to First Watch.
Whether you want a quick and delicious family meal or a date brunch, this is your spot. It’s in a convenient location on Cherokee Blvd., with ample parking and many attractions nearby. You may even consider taking a walk over to Renaissance or Coolidge Park and enjoy some outdoor time.
We plan on eating together as a family at First Watch as often as we can. Maybe one time we will get a sitter and pretend to be 20-something again!
You can enjoy First Watch Northshore daily, open 7am – 2:30pm everyday!
