Well hello friend! I am back and discussing yet another great option for the gluten-free diner in the Austin area.
On the first of the year I met friends for brunch. I had gotten off work and they were meeting me after participating in Austin’s polar plunge. They were also awesome enough to go back to Barton Springs with me and get back in the water so I could say I participated in the polar plunge after we ate.
Before this I had not visited Snooze, or so I thought. After seeing some of their apparel I realized Snooze was started in Denver. In 2014 I visited some family in Denver and we went to breakfast at a place notorious for having safe gluten-free options. Back then I did not talk about my Celiac life on the internet, or keep tabs on everywhere I ate, but I truly believe Snooze was where we ate. I have now had a few encounters with Snooze and am happy to report all good things to you my dear reader.
Although I had heard from multiple sources that Snooze was a good option for gluten-free food, I never tried it. The Snooze nearest me, on South Lamar is right next to the Picnik trailer. The two options are both so great and are hard to pick between.
Environment
All of the times I have eaten at Snooze in Austin I have sat on the patio. The patio is dog-friendly and my friend has a dog. Pro-tip get friends who have dogs and have none of the responsibility for yourself. It is wonderful.
I would say the environment is somewhat Austin-y, but Snooze is not an Austin based company. From what I observed it was a bit wacky, they have bright colors and fun seating inside the location I visited. They also have a bar with stools if you were wanting to eat alone, or were not wanting to wait for a table.
Everything I saw was clean, and well maintained. On the patio there are heaters that can be turned on so you don’t freeze when it is a bit chillier in Austin. The environment is fun, it’s friendly to all even your pet.
The only downside is they are a very popular restaurant, especially on the weekends. Wait times can be long, so do be prepared for this if you chose to visit. Don’t go in when you are starving thinking you will be seated immediately, because most likely you will not be.
Food
In my experience Snooze has been a great option for eating gluten-free. Though this is the case they do not have their menu labeled. I personally find it a bit odd, but all the staff are very knowledgeable. During my first visit I asked about the gluten-free options. Our waitress walked me through the menu explaining what I could have, and what I could have with some modifications. It was great. She also asked if I, or my friends had any other allergies they should know about.
After going through the menu I decided on getting the blueberry danish pancakes. I love pancakes and anytime I can find gluten-free pancakes at a restaurant I am probably ordering them. I liked how they had many options for the gluten-free pancakes. They have the gluten-free pancake batter and then they have different add ins, and toppings. With my pancake I also got an order of crispy bacon, as well as a Maine Root soda.
The food was great. The pancake toppings were maybe a bit too sweet even for this sweet tooth. The cream based topping was a bit much for me, but the blueberry flavor was delicious. Despite being sweeter than I expected I smashed most of my meal. The pancake itself was nice and fluffy, it’s texture was pancake-like and overall seemed like it came from a good pancake batter. Now I am interested to try some of their other pancake flavors. The bacon was nice and crispy just how I like it without being burnt. Floppy bacon is not for me. So this was the first time I visited.
Prior to my second visit at Snooze I had enjoyed pancakes multiple times in a short amount of time. So I decided to switch it up and go with breakfast tacos. Being in Austin tacos of any kind are common. What made these stand out were that they had more than just bacon and egg. Bacon and egg breakfast tacos I can make at home, and do make for myself sometimes. The breakfast tacos at Snooze that I ordered had potato, avocado, salsa, eggs, and bacon all spread on a corn tortilla. They filled these tacos up so much I had to eat half the insides before even picking up my tortilla. The tacos and all of their components were well made and finger-liking good. During this visit I also decided to get a beverage. I ordered an iced chai tea latte because I had not enjoyed one in awhile and thought it sounded good. This has been the only disappointing menu item I have received at Snooze. It was neither sweet, nor spicy but kind of just eh, alright. I cannot attest to any of the other coffee, tea, or alcoholic beverages, but I would say you for sure can find a better chai tea latte elsewhere in Austin.
Overall
All in all Snooze An A.M. Eatery is a great option for gluten-free breakfast and brunch. There are many menu items that are either naturally gluten-free, or can be modified to be gluten-free. The staff are excellent and knew the answers to my questions and seemed to take dietary needs seriously. I definitely will be eating at Snooze again. The biggest downfall for me, a young professional not making a lot of money is the price. It is a bit pricier than I would like to pay regularly, but pretty comparable to similar restaurants in the area. I do suggest Snooze as a safe option for the gluten-free community and hope you have a great experience when you get the chance to visit them too!
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