I’ve been a fan of Dig Inn for years. Founder/CEO Adam Eskin and Culinary Director Matt Weingarten’s special approach to wholesome, locally-sourced, and vegetable dominant dishes sets them apart from other fast service restaurants. I say “fast service” because this certainly isn’t fast food, and the service from the folk behind the counter is genuinely kind. When i was a personal trainer, I would tell clients that this was one of their best options for quick dining out. The meals are nutrient rich and because they are made of whole, quality ingredients (you easily identify what everything is on your plate) it was simple for them to log the food they were eating. The food is delicious too, with a homecooked look and taste, you won’t feel you have abandoned your kitchen, but simply visited it elsewhere.
When i heard that Dig Inn was opening a new location on the Upper East Side, at 1297 Lexington Avenue, and that this location would be the first in New York to serve not just lunch and dinner, but breakfast as well, I jumped at the chance to check them out. I wondered what the options for breakfast would be and imagined a better way to start the day. I wasn’t disappointed. The menu is varied and offers food to satisfy every dietary need.
This location of Dig Inn is serving breakfast Monday through Friday from 6:30am until 10:30am and then on the weekends from 8am until 11am. The menu is broken down into 4 sections, catering to a wide range of tastes and appetites.
Looking for something filling and energy packed to get your day started? Look into the Bowls section of the menu. Here, they offer The Harvest Bowl, made up of a combination of seasonal grains and veggies, a soft-boiled egg, tomato apricot relish and a superseed crunch. Or you could opt for The Autumn Bowl, of Greek yogurt, pumpkin and its seeds, popped quinoa, banana, dates, groats, and autumn spices. I was feeling more adventurous today, however, and opted for The Rainbowl. Kale yogurt, with its little flecks of green, provides a sweet and savory backdrop to all the good things served in The Rainbowl. Roosted carrot, curried chickpeas, chia seeds, a soft-boiled farm egg, rosemary, and EVOO, mix wonderfully together and made it difficult for me to not wolf down this breakfast. A little coconut on top added a sweet kiss of flavor to the bowl. If that doesn’t seem like enough for you, you can opt to add avocado, housemade breakfast sausage, or Niman Ranch bacon to your bowl for a small additional charge.
If you are looking for more traditional breakfast fare, check out the Eggs & Toast section of the menu. Here you will find The Egg Sandwich, that good old favorite served with an over easy egg on brioche with lemon zest ricotta sets itself apart from other hand held breakfasts you’ve had. There is a Seasonal Vegetable Frittata of the Day, and Almond Butter Toast, or if you prefer to stay on trend, Avocado Toast, dressed with that delicious lemon zest ricotta and seasoned with kale salt. The amazing stand out on this part of the menu though is the Gluten-Free Quinoa Waffle. Don’t turn your nose up at it because it is gluten-free. This waffle was delicious, hearty, and satisfying, also served with the versitile ricotta and Square Deal Farm maple syrup.
The last two sections of the menu supplement your meal to make it a complete (or as complete as you wish) breakfast. Coffee, tea, Matcha Latte, espresso drinks, will caffeinate you and the Extras can provide you with the essentials like Farm Eggs, ½ Avocado, or even a House Pastry.
I was delighted by Dig Inn’s new location and look forward to stopping there again sometime soon. More information about Dig Inn and their mission and approach to wonderful, wholesome food, can be found on their website at http://www.diginn.com. Nutritional information for most of their foods is also provided there. Future locations of Dig Inn include Midtown, Dumbo, and SoHo, with plans to serve breakfast at all new locations.