Everyone of a certain age knows the feeling. You wake up bleary-eyed with aching muscles. The sun’s doing what it can to beam harshly through your bedroom blinds. You sit up, and you’re hit with a pounding headache as you try to recollect what happened last night – or earlier this morning, rather. You feel ravenous for something – anything – to get you up and going and feeling better.
We’ve gone over the raging parties and glamorous nightlife of the Biggest Little City’s weekends a few times, but we haven’t stopped to think about the raging headaches and decidedly unglamorous hours of the morning after. You’re hungover, and whether you’re the type who needs a cup of coffee, a greasy breakfast or maybe the hair of the dog that bit you last night, we have the cure.
Breakfast and brunch are enormously popular in Reno, perhaps even more so than our farm-to-table dinners or fresh-sliced deli lunches. And there are just so many options, ranging from quick pastries to sizzling crepes to perfect pour-over coffees. But, again, you’re hungover; you need something extra.
What you need are the hearty, homemade, super-speedy dishes of Peg’s Glorified Ham & Eggs. One of Reno’s longtime favorite breakfasts has franchised all over town, meaning wherever you wake up you’re not far from Peg’s.
If you’re starving, there’s only one real option: the Glorified Huevos Ranchero. The diner’s version hits all the sweet spots – savory, spicy and served in a huge skillet, so there’s enough for even the hungriest hungover man or woman. These Mexican-style eggs are doused in ranchero sauce and veggies and served with hot pinto beans, golden hash browns and warm tortillas. For the even more adventurous, there’s the Hawaiian Loco Moco bowl of rice stacked with ground chuck, gravy and eggs.
Did you wake up from a restless slumber only to check the time and see that it’s well past 11 a.m.? You might be in need of a quick, hearty and delicious brunch. Look no farther than Midtown’s Two Chicks.
The breakfast-lunch restaurant evolved from Reno’s famous Gourmelt food truck, the be all, end all grilled cheese sandwich. They say a great hangover cure comes in sandwich form, a buttery crust filled with sizzling bacon and gooey cheese to get you back on your feet again. Two Chicks has everything from a BLT with avocado to the Wiseguy melt of fontina, salami and artichoke hearts. Your imagination is only limited by your appetite. And for the wildest among us, go straight for the King, Elvis’s favorite sandwich of peanut butter, bananas and bacon. And it’s never too late in the day for coffee.
The famous Squeeze In has been featured in all kinds of national publications, from the Food Network to the New York Times. The super-eclectic breakfast joint started from humble beginnings in Truckee and now has multiple locations around Reno and Sparks. If you wake up craving an omelette or maybe a stack of banana pancakes and probably a mimosa, the Squeeze In is where you must go.
The menu is huge, but don’t overthink it. Pick something that sounds good and trust that it will taste amazing (and instantly make that hangover a thing of the past). The Racy Tracy, for example, combines mushrooms with jack cheese and bacon, folded into an omelette and topped with avocado. Or Reno’s own Biggest Little Omelette folds together sauteed shrimp, zucchini, mushrooms and cheese. Or maybe you just came for something simple like the Manly Morris meal with two eggs any style, bacon, toast and biscuits with gravy and the mouthwatering home-style potatoes! You’ll feel so much better by the end of it, you might have to have some chocolate-covered bacon for dessert.
If there were ever a list of 100 things to do in Reno before you die, brunch at the Depot is surely one of them. The brewery/restaurant’s weekend brunch is definitely for those of us so hungover that the only cure might only be more alcohol. This is because the Depot is on hand with a Bloody Mary made with its own crystal clear silver corn whiskey – served in a liter mug. The Ranch Hand American ale is also served in a liter mug. So is the Man-mosa, an entire bottle of champagne stirred with orange juice – that’s right, also in a liter mug.
Try those plus some incredible brunch snacks, such as the jalapeno cornbread fritters, the syrup-slathered fried chicken and waffles or the lobster roll. Halfway through that liter mug, you may as well go all in and order the unforgettable Depot Burger. Then, I suggest, head home and nap the afternoon away.
So this weekend, hit the town and hit the town hard. Find the best parties, dance the night away at the clubs or gather with your friends around a bar’s fire pit with a few drinks. Do it without worry, because we’ve got the next day covered.
For more events this weekend, visit our Daytime, Nightlife and Community pages.
About the Author Bryan Akerley
Bryan was born and raised in Northern Nevada and is a graduate of the University of Nevada, Reno. When he’s not writing, he’s keeping up with pop culture as a lover of movies, TV, music and books or out exploring the area through its restaurants, bars and nightlife. Then he’ll unwind by playing the drums or piano or spending time with his corgi, Teddy. 
