A popular brunch spot with extravagant dishes and elegant decor in the heart of Little Italy

It has become very clear why Morning Glory is now the hottest brunch spot in San Diego.  Extravagant dishes, a hilarious menu, excellent cocktails, over the top decor, a friendly staff and amazing views in the heart of San Diego's Little Italy neighborhood are a few reasons that come to mind.  After several attempts, we finally got in to Morning Glory - so let me tell you how it's done.  It is crazy busy on the weekends and they don't take reservations.  Located on the second floor of the northwest corner of the Piazza de Famiglia, the line to just put your name in snakes it's way out the door and all the way down the long exterior staircase.  First timers are a bit confused on whether the line is to get in or put your name on the list.  After a 20-minute wait to get to the top of the stairs, you often find out it will be two to three hours before you can be seated.  They will take your cell phone number and text you when your table is ready.  So I suggest to go early to put your name on the list, grab some coffee in Little Italy and then do a little shopping or even visit the Maritime Museum on San Diego's waterfront while you wait. The estimated time they gave us was spot on, so we made our way to back to the Piazza about 15-minutes before our call time so we were ready to go when we got our text.  If you are a small party of two or three people, you can try to find a seat at the bar.  You can just bypass the line entirely and look for a seat at the wrap around bar where they serve a full menu.  This really is the best way to do it if you are dining with just one other person.  

The first thing you notice after walking in the door is the giant 30-foot electric pink neon flower that hovers over the coffee and pastry bar.  Most people don't even realize that inside the center of this flower is a rotating 3-D camera to keep an eye on diners to ensure no one is missed and everyone is well attended to.  The ceiling is polished copper and the wallpaper is straight out of the 80's. Speaking of the 80's, they have an old reel to reel stereo where they play the best hits from that decade.  I thought it was just on the day we went that they were showcasing a Whitney Houston record on display, but after seeing several other photos, that album seems to always be there.  The pink booths with cylinder backrests made from organic Douglas Fir make every diner feel special.  The main dining room features an open kitchen with more 80's pink and green as well as a backlit, hand-etched mirrored ceiling.  In the front room there are 24 articulated windows that that can be adjusted based on weather conditions.  The bar is on the left when first walking in and is completely open to the outside on the far west side.  Again, the bar seating is all available on a first come, first served basis.  So don't be surprised if you see people eyeing your plates and trying to estimate when you'll be leaving.  The second dining room has an atrium that brings in plenty of natural light or can also serve as protection during winter rains.  The description and photos don't do it justice, it is something worth seeing.  After all, they spent $4 million and three years of research to get everything perfect.  

All of that and we haven't even talked about the food yet. The menu itself is like reading a comic book.  As you make your way from left to right you'll see hints of Lord of the Rings theming and Disney fonts with some very humorous descriptions.  While the portions aren't crazy huge like some other brunch spots in San Diego, most options still pile on the calories.  So definitely come hungry.  I ordered the Egg McFunnin, which of course is a take on the McDonald's Egg McMuffin.  As the menu describes "We continue to work through the kinks of our inferiority complex by upending and improving one corporate classic at a time."     It's an English muffin with egg, Canadian bacon, and cheese. It was quite good and it was only $7.  So I also added a dirty scallop slice.  Which was basically a fried gratin hash brown drenched in sausage gravy.  I could have just eaten that! I loved it. Nick ordered the Shakshuka which is beloved all over the Middle East and the name means "all mixed up" in Arabic slang.  It has baked eggs, labneh, cumin, cilantro and it is served with toast.  

As long as I've already had my coffee or Red Bull before arriving, my go to cocktail for brunch is a classic Bloody Mary.  And the Bloody at Morning Glory is hands down the best I've ever had.  Don't expect to get a meal inside your Bloody Mary here.  If you want that, head downstairs to the Farmer's Table where they serve a half chicken along with an array of sides inside your cocktail glass.  The Bloody Mary at Morning Glory is simple and elegant.  You can order it with vodka, gin or tequila.  It is served with their homemade tomato juice, garlic bitters and celery foam.  The celery foam is awesome. The pickled garnishes are served on the side and include carrots, pickles and onions.  Nick ordered one of their speciality cocktails - the Lexington County.  This is bourbon, corn milk with a Kettle-corn rim.  It's not quite dessert, but certainly decadent.  That Kettle-corn rim was unique and made this drink stand out.