Rise, Shine, Eat, Repeat

Snooze, an A.M. Eatery, transforms the sleepy ritual of breakfast into a bright, buzzing affair.

Snooze sets its sight on brunch domination, one pancake at a time.

Big brunch vibes are back at Snooze, an A.M. Eatery in Chapel Hill. Snooze was forced to close in July 2025 after flooding from tropical storm Chantal swamped the entire Eastgate Shopping center, leaving the restaurant under 4 feet of water. Doors reopened March 1, 2026 and breakfast lovers are buzzing again about Snooze’s inventive morning eats and laid-back weekend brunch.

Snooze’s signature menu offers playful spins on classic breakfast and brunch favorites. Beloved Snooze staples like Pineapple Upside Down Pancakes and Juan’s Breakfast Tacos are back, alongside exciting new additions including house-made, smothered Biscuits and Gravy, a cozy Grilled Three-Cheese Sandwich and Fire-Roasted Tomato Soup, and a hearty Protein BLT Bowl.

OMG French Toast is all that and more.

When we couldn’t decide on a way to try both a sweet and a savory selection, our brilliant server Troy suggested a way I could get a sample of both. I started out with O.M.G. French Toast, a crunchy grilled brioche with custardy interior, stuffed with whipped marscapone and drizzled with vanilla cream and caramel. Add strawberries and top with toasted coconut and it was Fab.U.Lously De.Lic.Ious.

My sister had a single Pancake of the Moment, Blueberry Danish, and swooned at the sweet and tangy marriage of the lemon cream filling and blueberry coulis, topped with sweet cream drizzle and almond streusel.

Benny Duo of Bella Bella Benny and Ham Benedict III.

These sweet sensations were followed up with corned beef hash with a bite of spice–yes, tiny cubes of poblano peppers stepped up the flavor profile, projecting the hash into the 21st century. I chose what they called the Benny Duo, an effect which allows guests to select one egg bennies of two separate varieties. The only hard part about this was, which bennies to pair on my plate. I wound up with a classic style benny, the Ham Benny III, and an Italian style benny called the Bella Bella Benny. The eggs were poached perfectly—whites firm, but runny yolk—a feat many restaurants just can’t seem to get right the first time.

A bar stretching across the front of the restaurant offers counter seating as well as a wide range of boozy brunch cocktails, specialty mimosas, and spirited coffees.

Snooze strives to be a meaningful neighbor in every community it enters (there are 69 Snooze locations across 10 states) and that was obvious on the day I visited the Chapel Hill location for its soft re-opening. Meals were free to community members who RSVP’d to the soft opening “Community Days,” with proceeds from liquor sales going to the Snooze Compass Foundation (nonprofit offering support for Snooze employees) or Porch (non-profit servicing community food insecurity). An info card on each table offered guests the opportunity to make direct donations to these organizations.

Sustainability here is not a side dish, either. It is plated front and center. The team sources ingredients with care, trims food waste wherever possible, and leans into energy efficient practices that shrink the footprint without shrinking the flavor. From back of house routines to thoughtfully chosen to-go packaging, Snooze looks for ways to leave lighter footprints on the planet.

Whether you’re grabbing a cozy table with friends, ordering carry-out for a picnic, or treating your out-of-town guests to a Chapel Hill classic, Snooze’s return adds a delicious spark to weekend plans. Hours are brunch-friendly, with doors opening at 6:30 a.m. and serving brunch until 2:30 p.m. on weekdays and 3:30 p.m. on weekends. You’ll have plenty of time to enjoy everything from coffee and pancakes to creative eggy dishes and brunch cocktails.Celebrate good food, good company, and mornings worth waking up for at Snooze.

Troy made our visit extra special with his menu knowledge and can-do attitude.

Meghann Cleary from Snooze corporate ops.

Shout out to Troy, for A-1 service and Meghann Cleary for all the background info. Food pictured includes Pancake of the Moment, Blueberry Danish; Benny Duo; Corned Beef Hash and Eggs, and OMG French Toast. All photos by Carolyn Burns Bass.