Sunday Brunchin’… Brunch Destinations to Satisfy Your Soul
By Karen Hendricks
This article is published in the May/June 2020 issue of Susquehanna Style… but it’s one of the last foodie articles I reseached pre-COVID-19, by visiting restaurants in January, February and early March. I submitted it to the magazine as Pennsylvania’s stay-at-home order was going into effect. There was no telling what would be happening in May/June when it published, but I took a stab at a prediction, by rewriting the intro.
Foodie articles, in light of COVID-19, feel superficial–except when it comes to supporting the hard-working, outstanding small business owners who own local restaurants. Please support those that are open, espcially for Sunday brunch carryout.
It’s “An Ode to Sunday Brunch.”
As we’re working on this issue, we’re in the middle of the stay-at-home order during the coronavirus crisis. By the time this issue reaches your hands, we’ll hopefully have come out on the other side. While our future “life as we know it” hangs in the balance, one thing is certain: We need Sunday brunch more than ever before.
Because Sunday brunch is much more than a meal—it’s a state of mind, a respite, a soul-quenching experience that powers us through the rest of our week. And it supports local small businesses, many of them highlighted in this piece. They’ll need and appreciate our support more than ever before. Sundays offer a chance to slow down and savor life—savoring not only great flavors, but time with friends and loved ones. Sunday is a time to linger. During the week, lunch starts precisely at 12 noon. But on Sundays, brunch blurs the lines between 10 a.m. and 2-ish. Brunch is not simply a meal to eat. It’s savoring and indulging.
What’s on the menu? The better question is—what’s not on a brunch menu? Brunch is fun, playful and creative. If you’re going to indulge once a week, brunch is your chance. And it’s not just about food. Cheers to brunch beverages, whether it’s a beautiful boozy brunch or a creamy coffee brunch. Over the gorgeous brunch plates, crystal flutes and cozy coffee cups, comes conversation. Real, personal connections happen over Sunday brunch, whether it’s a chatty girlfriends’ gathering or a big boisterous family brunch.
Now let’s merge Sunday brunch with another Sunday classic: a Sunday drive to a Susquehanna Valley destination. Taking a Sunday drive, a little jaunt or journey, is a lost art that perhaps we all should rediscover. Here are 10 Sunday brunch destinations—some are hidden gems off-the-beaten-path, others offer a respite in a gorgeous location, some are within walking distance of additional attractions, and some will transport you to another place in time—but all will nourish your soul.
Karen Hendricks 