Common Roots: Uncommon Brunch

Common Roots has been on our Brunch List for months. Most of us have been there for a beer or coffee but we’ve never made it for a Sunday morning. We figured that today would be perfect – it’s a grey morning, a bit of wintry mix coming down – begging for an easy morning in a cozy coffee shop.

True to form, the atmosphere was perfect. With a bright orange paint job and exposed brick, Common Roots is both bright and earthy, full of Uptown’s most organic hipsters catching up over coffee or cozied up with class notes and coffee. Tables aren’t set up for larger groups, but with ample seating, we were able to get creative and seat the six of us creatively. 

The menu, however, was incredibly limited in comparison to our other favorite brunch locales. They have a wide assortment of bagels and spreads, but only 10 other items on the menu. They also wait to serve lunch items until at least 11:30, or as late as 3:00 for others, which can leave some brunchers’ cravings unfulfilled. So many items on their menu caught my eye, but I had to settle for my fifth choice – a farmer’s breakfast with eggs, turkey sausage, and roasted potatoes. Strikingly similar to my usual workday breakfast, but if the chicken confit, salmon caesar salad, chicken wild rice soup, and mushroom swiss burger weren’t options, it would have to suffice. Two other brunchers simply ordered coffee, which is rare for any of us to skip brunch. I’m guessing they felt my pain.

The food arrived quickly, piping hot and well presented. Everything was incredibly fresh and wholesome. I could tell that my turkey sausage had been ground and seasoned in house and that the ingredients had never been frozen. It makes me think that the whole “local, organic” food movement is worth all of the hype. It was some of the best sausage and eggs I’ve ever tried. But it wasn’t what I wanted. So it failed to hit the spot. Their tea, however, definitely fit the bill. They brew all of their tea loose with really creative combinations like ginger lime and raspberry green. Today I tried their apple ginseng concoction and it was the perfect start for a snowy morning – like a warm apple cider but not as strong or as sweet. 

My farmer's breakfast and apple ginseng tea

Annie went for the eggs & plantains. She loved it, but definitely
recommended it for those with adventurous taste buds

Will I be back? Sure – for more tea, dinner, and maybe even a brunch if something catches my eye. But it probably won’t make the brunch list again. With six people, two vegetarians, lactose intolerance, nut allergies, and a grain free diet, it’s too hard to please all palates with a 10 item menu.