Five Innovative Waffle Dishes for Your Weekend Brunch Fix
Duck confit and fried lobster—on waffles? As chefs give the breakfast staple a spring makeover, it’s suddenly hip to be square in Boston.
Styling by Chantal Lambeth / Photo by Nina Gallant
1. Fried-Chicken-and-Waffle Tacos, Citrus & Salt
Baja California meets the Back Bay at chef Jason Santos’s destination for coastal Mexican cuisine. Brunch service, recently expanded to Saturday and Sunday, features tequila-spiked blue-corn waffles that wrap around crispy birds like taco shells. They’re smothered with spicy agave syrup and avocado butter, then topped with a cooling watermelon pico de gallo.
142 Berkeley St., Boston, 833-324-8787, citrusandsaltboston.com.
2. Fried Lobster and Waffles, Saltie Girl
How to put a Yankee spin on a southern staple? Swap fried chicken for lobster, of course. The crustacean’s sweet meat is transformed into golden nuggets, which adorn light, fluffy waffles soaked in spicy maple syrup and melted sweet-corn butter. The best part? It’s an all-day offering, so you can get your fix anytime.
281 Dartmouth St., Boston, 617-267-0691, saltiegirl.com.
3. Duck-Confit “Foieffles,” Bistro du Midi
Opening chef robert sisca returns to this Public Garden–side Provençal stalwart with a refreshed brunch menu that reinterprets duck confit for the early birds. The bistro classic adorns waffles with a decadent scoop of Hudson Valley foie gras butter, plus seasonal garnishes such as rhubarb compote for spring.
272 Boylston St., Boston, 617-426-7878, bistrodumidi.com.
4. Liège Waffles, Trillium Brewing Company
Belgian breakfast 101: Distinct from their Brussels-style counterparts (which are more common stateside), Liège-style waffles are made with brioche-like dough that yields a denser, chewier, sweeter result. Find them during brunch at Trillium’s just-opened Fort Point brewpub, where they’re crowned with whipped brown butter, apple jam, and candied pecans.
50 Thomson Place, Boston, 857-449-0083, trilliumbrewing.com.
5. Scallion Waffles, Bancroft & Co.
Chef-partner Mario Capone’s sleek new steakhouse is attached to the Northshore Mall, but trust us: Food-court fare this is not. At this spinoff of the Bancroft in Burlington, the James Beard Award–nominated chef reimagines scallion pancakes in waffle form, then tops them with smoked salmon, avocado slices, citrus-mascarpone foam, and brûléed whiskey sugar.
210 Andover St., Peabody, 978-817-3670, bancroftandco.com.
