Bell Tower Cafe, founded in 2011, is a popular brunch spot in downtown Saratoga serving French-inspired cuisine. It offers breakfast benedicts, croissants and omelets while also offering lunch menus like salads, burgers and sandwiches.
In 2014, Danny Shafazand took over the family business and transformed it into a quaint neighborhood cafe. The cafe is open from 8 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday.
When we arrived at Bell Tower Cafe for a 10:30 a.m. brunch on a Sunday, the indoor seating was nearly empty, while the outdoor patio with diners.
We were welcomed with a charming and cozy atmosphere, featuring an open kitchen and chandelier-style ceiling lights hanging from the decorative tile ceiling. Its dog-friendly outdoor patio dining included heated lamps, cute booth-style seating and warm wall light scones, all surrounded by leafy greenery that made the patio feel homely.
As we looked around for a table, the perfect weather made outdoor dining an easy choice, although it was less spacious than the inside.
We learned that it offers a commitment to locally grown food from local farmers in addition to making their own bread, sauces and chips.
We ordered the Buttermilk Waffle for $15, a side of bacon for $5 and the Smoked Salmon Eggs Benedict for $20. The dishes arrived in 10 minutes.
Photo by Sasha Prasad
Grace Lin gets ready to dig into her Smoked Salmon Eggs Benedict in the outdoor patio.
The Smoked Salmon Eggs Benedict provided a savory counterpart that perfectly contrasted with the sweet Buttermilk Waffle.
The Smoked Salmon Eggs Benedict features two delicately poached eggs with silky Hollandaise sauce, rich smoked salmon and sliced avocado atop a toasted English muffin. While the muffin was slightly soggy, the poached eggs were cooked to perfection: smooth and warm with the perfect amount of seasoning.
The Smoked Salmon Eggs Benedict also allows for an option of either potatoes or hashbrowns on the side. We recommend the hashbrowns, but make sure to ask for them cooked extra crispy.
When we first laid eyes on the Buttermilk Waffle, we were convinced we would not be able to finish it. But after the first bite, we could not stop eating. The outside was perfectly crisp, while the inside maintained its soft and fluffy texture. The airy quality of the waffle made it easy to finish.
Photo by Sasha Prasad
Grace smiling happily while finishing her meal.
Throughout our meal, servers stopped at our table a couple times to offer water and coffee refills. Once we had finished, they promptly handed us the check.
The cafe had a charming and warm atmosphere, with most dishes being $15-20 and worth the extra cash. The menu had all kinds of mouth-watering waffles — ranging from red velvet waffles to the classic chicken waffles. We also highly recommend grabbing a seat outside if the weather’s nice as it truly elevated our experience and made the meal even more enjoyable. If you’re looking for a quaint café that serves delicious brunch, look no further — Bell Tower Cafe is the place to go.
Rating: 5/5 Falcons
