Brunch is on at 2 of Olympia’s prime morning spots, but you’ll have to get out of bed

Even when they have to stay at home, it turns out people still crave brunch.

Of course, you could make your own brunch, but the word evokes mouthwatering memories of restaurant specialties: eggs Benedict, breakfast burritos and other items many people might not attempt at home. It’s also practically synonymous with mimosas, and you can get those to go, too.

“People want their breakfast,” said Johnny Atlas of New Moon Cooperative Café, which reopened for takeout breakfast and lunch April 17. “They want their brunch.”

At west Olympia’s Hash, also best known for its breakfast, weekends are the busiest times, and people are craving comfort, said owner Dean Damitio.

“Our basic breakfast items are doing really well,” he told The Olympian. “And we’re noticing people seem to be coming in for comfort foods, meat-and-potatoes stuff.”

One popular item at the Harrison Avenue eatery is the loco moco, a Hawaiian dish of sticky rice topped with a ground beef patty, brown gravy and eggs any style.

Speaking of ground beef, burgers are on the menu at both breakfast-focused restaurants.

“One day, we actually had an order for six burgers at 8:03 in the morning,” Damitio said.

Hash’s pared-down menu also offers orange chicken and waffles, corned beef hash, a breakfast version of the Canadian classic poutine — and mimosas in kit form (just combine the split of sparkling wine with the OJ at home).

At New Moon, the full menu is available, except the mimosas, which the tiny downtown Olympia café might begin offering again soon.

Among the options are such customer favorites as four types of eggs Benedict, fried-egg sandwiches with a variety of toppings, and the Blue Moon omelet, with bacon, spinach, apple slices and blue cheese.

Particularly popular is New Moon’s signature blackberry jam, Atlas said. In addition to featuring it in such dishes as blackberry French toast, the café is selling it by the jar.

“We’re definitely flying through it,” he told The Olympian.

Although New Moon is known for its long weekend waits when it’s open for dining in, the flow of customers picking up orders has been smooth and steady.

“We are letting just one person come in at a time to pick up the food,” Atlas said. “We moved our counter pretty much right to the door, so you open the door and the counter is right there.”

At Hash, Damitio added a walk-up window and lines on the sidewalk to encourage people waiting to stand 6 feet apart.

“We’re trying to take all the safety precautions we can,” he said. “This has just been a really, really rough time.”

Hash

• Where: 1807 Harrison Ave. NW, Olympia
• Current hours: 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday; check the website or social media for Wednesday-Friday hours
• Want some? Order and pay at the walk-up window, or order and pay by phone for pickup at the window.
• More information: 360-489-0163, http://www.hasholympia.com

New Moon Cooperative Café

• Where: 113 Fourth Ave. W., Olympia
• Current hours: 8 a.m.-noon Friday and 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday
• Want some? Order and pay by phone for pickup.
• More information: 360-357-3452, http://www.newmooncafe.coop

This story was originally published May 1, 2020 at 5:45 AM.