Nestled less than a mile north of Brown’s campus, Frank & Laurie’s serves a delicious brunch on the corner of Camp Street and Doyle Avenue. The restaurant calls itself a “neighborhood affair,” an apt nickname for this homey eatery bustling with locals.
On Sunday, the New England weather gods smiled upon me and my friends as we trekked up Hope Street. Orange leaves floated down through the cool air. Upon entering the Frank & Laurie’s dining room, our hungry trio walked up to a wooden table large enough to seat 15. For warmer days, the restaurant also offers outdoor seating. Inside, wooden shelves were scattered across the space, organically decorated with wine bottles, wildflowers and cutlery. The warm sunlight peeking through the windows added a warm glow to this picture-perfect scene. I was transported to a cottage in the English countryside, but my mind snapped back to reality when our food arrived.
Up first was the biscuit with homemade peach jam and whipped butter ($7). It was a sight to behold, glorious in all its golden hues. And it tasted even better than it looked. The biscuit was extraordinarily crispy, inviting me to break it apart by hand and feel its fluffy interior — still warm, of course. With a good portion of the jam and butter, it was truly a perfect bite. The slight acidity from the baking soda cut through the richness of the spreads. I would honestly walk the 20 minutes from my dorm just for the biscuit alone.
Then came our sandwiches — a patty melt ($17) and a croque madame ($19). The patty melt was two thick slices of evenly toasted white bread packed with a thick, juicy beef patty, beer cheese — melted sharp cheddar — and roasted cabbage tossed in a vinaigrette. The crunch from the first bite was heavenly. The croque madame, on the other hand, was dressed up head to toe in melted gruyere, accompanied by a fluffy souffle egg. Paired with a tender roasted pork shoulder, it was a simple sandwich elevated to its highest potential, all while being relatively unpretentious — no truffle or caviar was harmed in the making of this croque madame.
We ended the meal off with a special — a lamb belly and sausage stew ($20) with potatoes, carrots and kale all soaked in a warm consomme. It was surprisingly light compared to the rest of our meal, with a subtle sweetness from the carrots and a peppery taste from the lamb. While not as standout as the rest of the dishes, it was a welcome finale to an already delightful meal.
This was supposed to be a short brunch before a Sunday lock-in session, but unfortunately, Frank & Laurie’s is a food coma-inducing experience. I lost all motivation to do work, and continued basking in the restaurant’s soft indie pop. I wish I could’ve stayed to lounge around and stare at the gorgeous deep blue ceiling, but alas, economics homework doesn’t do itself. That’s all to say: If you make the trek to Frank & Laurie’s, come hungry and clear your schedule. I will definitely be back for more.
Service: Warm, casual
Sound level: Conversational
Recommended dishes: Biscuit, ask for their specials
Hours: Wednesday through Sunday 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Friday 5 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Price Range: Appetizers $6-12, Entrees $15-26.
Wheelchair accessibility: Accessible entrance
★★★★★/5
Christian Yeung ’29 can be reached at christian_yeung@brown.edu. Please send responses to this column to letters@browndailyherald.com and other opinions to opinions@browndailyherald.com.
Op-Ed Contributor
