Who doesn’t love waking up on Sunday morning and heading into town to enjoy a delicious brunch? Mimosas, Bloody Marys, bacon—do I have to say more?
I’ve had my fair share of brunches in West Chester, and definitely one of the best can be found at Split Rail Tavern. The restaurant opened July 2015 and has earned its reputation as one of West Chester’s most popular spots in town. Located at 15 N. Walnut St., it’s at a prime location right in the middle of all the action.
Split Rail specializes in craft beer in addition to a number of wines and cocktails, but let’s not forget about the food!
The restaurant serves lunch, dinner and, my personal favorite, the main reason for this review: brunch, which is served every Saturday and Sunday from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Naturally, to start the meal off, I ordered a Bloody Mary and I was already impressed. The Bloody Mary mix they use is delicious and had the perfect kick to it, which is one of my favorite parts about getting a bloody.
The brunch menu features a variety of different options. They have a smoked salmon platter, shrimp and grits, pancakes, French toast, eggs Benedict, omelettes and so on. I opted for a sweet potato hash and believe me when I say I was in no way disappointed.
The hash had sweet potatoes, pastrami, red and green bell peppers, braised sour cabbage, a mustard cream sauce and two sunny-side up eggs on top, plus a side of toast. Everything worked so well together, and the runny yolk from the eggs was the perfect touch to really unify all the ingredients.
I went with two other friends, so I got to sneak a bite of their meals as well! One of my friends got the eggs Benedict and the other got the shrimp and grits.
The eggs Benedict was awesome! The shrimp and grits was delicious for a dish I have never had before so I really didn’t have much to base it off, but nonetheless I thoroughly enjoyed both dishes.
I also enjoyed the atmosphere, which in my opinion is just as important as the drinks and the food. There is some really cool architecture inside, and I got good vibes from the place overall.
We sat at the bar and had a good conversation with the bartender as well. He was friendly, conversational and it felt as if I was talking with a friend.
Next time you wake up on a Sunday morning and have a yearning for mimosas and a delicious meal, definitely give Split Rail Tavern a try—it won’t disappoint, I promise!
Melissa Storey is a fourth-year student majoring in communication studies with a minor in journalism. She can be reached at MS803010@wcupa.edu.