Italian Mainstay Ava Gene’s Starts Serving Brunch Labor Day Weekend

After a temporary closure and revamp earlier this year, Italian classic Ava Gene’s will finally begin serving its very first brunch on August 31, Portland Monthly reports. Alongside produce-heavy items like gorgeous seasonal fruit bowls, Ava Gene’s will also get into decadent treats like dry-aged brunch burgers, Nutella custard buns, and chicken Milanese smothered with ‘nduja gravy.

Chef Joshua McFadden’s famously Oregon-produce-heavy, seasonal take on food will also apply to the brunch menu, from a granola bowl topped with carrot yogurt, dates, and bee pollen to a porridge-style Ayers Creek polenta with fresh corn, pepper butter, egg, and smoked trout. The restaurant will also pack seasonal vegetables into frittatas, including a BLT-style version with tomato, bacon, bibb lettuce, and hollandaise.

Still, Ava Gene’s new sweet tooth is playing a big role on the brunch menu as well: Pastry chef Nora Mace will send out sweeter pastries like Nutella custard buns, layered spumoni coffee cake, and babka waffles. Working alongside Mace, head baker Daniel Greene will handle breads like brioche, sourdough, and filone, as well as house-baked English muffins; that muffin is the foundation for a 30-day-aged, Laney Family Farms beef burger with cheddar, secret sauce, and local iceberg lettuce. A touch of red-sauce Italian flair also has a place on the morning menu, from a breakfast carbonara to a chicken Milanese with ‘nduja gravy and poached eggs.

At the bar, Stumptown will hit glasses and mugs throughout the morning, in traditional non-alcoholic espresso drinks and coffee cocktails. And, in true Ava Gene’s fashion, the bar will also serve a veggie-packed bloody mary and various seasonal fruit juices. Brunch will be served from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays, with an additional brunch service on Labor Day.

• Ava Gene’s [Official]
• Ava Gene’s New Brunch has an Opening Date: Labor Day Weekend [PoMo]
• Previous Ava Gene’s coverage [EPDX]