Restaurant Review(11): The Zocalo (Courtenay)


 Zocalo Cafe is one of those places I always see while driving through Courtenay, but had never stopped in before. In my opinion this place hits everything I look for in a great breakfast joint. The large space is very inviting, with lots of tables and places to sit if you're in the mood for people watching.

 The breakfast menu is served 8am - 2pm, with an assortment of great breakfast options! Pancakes, french toast, an assortment of different bennies and even a breakfast quesadilla (which I would have tried if I wasn't getting the benny). They also serve a delicious looking lunch menu complete with a wide array of salads, wraps and sandwiches. At 3pm they start serving some tapas with a few main entrees to top off the day. The menu wasn't huge, but I think it was the perfect size and when you are whipping everything up fresh and homemade it can't be too extensive! 

 They are located at the corner of 5th and Cliffe Avenue, hard to miss if you're cruising downtown. They also have live music (awesome!). 

The Zo was somewhat busy when we stopped in around 11am, this often equates to good food! You go up to the counter to order and the service is friendly and quick. We ordered a couple caramel macchiatos to accompany our eggs bennies.



We sat down and took in the mellow, easy-going environment while sipping on our macchiatos. The high ceilings and local art created a very cool ambiance. Our eggs bennies were out in no time, brought to our table by the same polite man that took our order.
Spinach & Tomato Eggs Benny

Blackstone Eggs Benny


The menu stated the hollandaise sauce was house made. I was definitely not disappointed, the sauce was an absolutely perfect consistency and mixed well with the medium poached eggs. The hash browns were a delightful mixture of regular potatoes and sweet potatoes, perfectly seasoned. Would I come back for another meal? Darn rights I would! I would highly recommend Zocalo Cafe is you're looking for a delicious breakfast. 

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