Dining

We’re all back in town – at least for a while – following a summer of adventure. What better way to continue to feel some of the carefree spirit of the season of vacations than by sipping fresh-squeezed orange juice and eating Eggs Benedict on a shady outdoor patio somewhere?

But where to go?

My hands-down favorite Orange County brunch is at Acme, the laid-back neighborhood bistro on Carrboro’s Main Street. I go for the yeasty homemade doughnuts, served warm with a thick, glistening layer of lemon or chocolate or maple glaze. You’ll need a fork for these guys. Or the Orange County Special, two fat steaming biscuit halves smothered in Soehner Farm’s sausage gravy and sharp cheddar – and capped with two eggs. Or the waffle, piled with a mountain of fluffy whipped cream and melt-in-your-mouth fried apples. It’ll put you back into a daylong food coma, but that’s OK. Unfortunately, Acme is only open for brunch on Sunday, and lines can be out the door. So either go early, or make a reservation.

Carrboro’s Panzanella and A Southern Season’s Weathervane both have weekend brunches, both with slightly lighter menus than Acme. Panzanella is only open for brunch on Sundays, with a rather ladylike menu of panini, salads and Eggs Benedict. The lemon ricotta pancakes with toasted almond butter are to die for, if anything is. (You can find the recipe at www.chapelhillmagazine.com.)  If it’s sunny, you can sip your iced teas on the small bricked-in patio. Weathervane is open for brunch both Saturday and Sunday. In keeping with their elegant vibe, quiche is a menu specialty. That might seem a bit restrained for a weekend brunch, but order it with a side of glorious hash brown casserole, and you won’t need to eat again until next Sunday.

North of Orange

Durham, with its booming downtown food scene, is also a rich vein for all things brunch-related.

Watts Grocery, the much buzzed-about nouveau Southern bistro on Broad Street, redefines the genre with offerings like a grits bowl (take stone-ground grits, and add your choice of toppings like bacon, cheese, chilis, even avocado). At $7, it’s the Durham brunch steal. But you can’t brunch at Watts Grocery without trying the churros – sugar-spangled stick doughnuts with a cup of velvety chocolate dipping sauce. YES. YES. Various creative egg dishes, a Sunday fried chicken and a pimento cheese sandwich round out the menu.