Bonefish Grill regulars have fond memories of enjoying Sunday brunch before the pandemic—and they wanted it back.
“Loyal guests like to come to Bonefish for different occasions, and they were clamoring for us to reopen for brunch,” said Michael Healy, president of the Tampa, Fla.-based casual-dining chain.
But the 2019 brunch menu got a refresh. “We brought it back reimagined, with shareable pitchers of sangria and margaritas, new brunch cocktails and special entrees,” said Healy. The menu rolled out nationally to all 174 locations earlier this year.
On the food side, the menu showcases three frittatas that are described as “egg souffles.” The Crab and Fontina Cheese Frittata is topped with lump crab meat and fontina cheese, while the Caprese Frittata includes blistered tomatoes and mozzarella fondue, finished with fresh basil and pesto. Rounding out the trio is a self-explanatory Bacon and Cheddar Frittata.
The Caprese Frittata is one of three savory brunch entrees, /Photo courtesy of Bonefish Grill
Sweet offerings are a brunch must-have, and the Grand Marnier French Toast Sticks were developed to meet that demand. The fluffy pieces are coated with panko batter, fried and served with real maple syrup, strawberries and whipped cream.
Potatoes and bacon are available as sides.
“The items are easy to execute and that’s a clear win,” said Healy. “It’s ironic that we launched brunch in the middle of surging egg prices, but I think we’ll see the egg challenge lessening in the weeks ahead.”
Prices for brunch dishes run from $14.99 for French toast sticks to $17.99 for the crab frittata.
The pitchers of sangria and margaritas, a first-time addition for the chain, are priced at $24 and are designed to be shared—a popular trend at brunch. Choices include Blackberry Red Sangria, Sparkling Mango White Sangria and Parker’s Margarita with orange juice and Grand Marnier, all offering slight twists on the usual components.
Traditionalists can order a bottle of Prosecco for the table ($32) to make their own mimosas, and Bloody Marys and espresso martinis are available by the glass for $8.
Along with the maple syrup for the French toast sticks, the vessels for the shareable cocktails are the only new SKUs purchased for brunch.
“There’s a lot of excitement and energy around brunch from our teams, and some managing partners have even asked if we can start earlier,” said Healy. Currently, brunch starts at 11 a.m. on Sundays, but a few locations are opening at 10 a.m. to try it out, he added.
Running concurrently with the targeted brunch menu is Bonefish Grill’s full menu with lunch-style items to offer guests a good mix.
“We created an experience-driven occasion by reintroducing brunch,” said Healy. Bonefish Grill aims to offer more “occasions” to entice guests—perhaps a reimagined happy hour—"but we’re not ready to announce anything yet.”
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