I always try to book one of the first flights out of O’Hare to whatever destination I’m going to as much as humanly possible. This usually means an on time departure and fewer headaches traveling in general. This also means that you usually get to your destination way before check-in time. This was absolutely the case for our trip to Coronado, as we arrived at San Diego’s airport at 9:30am. I booked a brunch at The Henry figuring that there was no way that our room would be ready by 9:30! I was right!

The Henry is a cute, hip, and very “California” place to have brunch. The weather was San Diego perfect, and so it was lovely to sit outside. They have a huge outdoor space with a ton of tables, and it was jammed on this Saturday afternoon, as expected. My one small note is that the chairs are a bit small and uncomfortable for those of us larger folks, so just bear that in mind. They do have large comfy booths and tables inside – but who wants to sit in there on a perfect afternoon?

Considering how busy this place was, our server was super attentive, we were never really waiting long for anything except Brian’s bloody mary which was simply overlooked at the bar. He said the drink was a pretty average bloody mary which was super heavy in the spice department. I ordered a Thai Grapefruit Smash with vodka, thai basil and grapefruit, and it was one of my favorite drinks of the week! So yummy!

The menu is pretty standard brunch fare on the weekends, though we started with the pretzels & provolone fondue which were to die for. We were definitely fighting each other for each piece!!

I had a deliciously light grilled chicken caesar salad, which was really fresh, and the sauce was not glooped on, which I appreciated. Brian got the California bowl, which was filling and looked great.

We had to try dessert too, because we were all still hungry since we hadn’t eaten since like 5am California time, and Eli and I split the most amazing and warm croissant bread pudding. I don’t think I had ever had bread pudding using a croissant as the bread, but it was a revelation – so buttery and delicious! Brian and Clara, the chocolate people, split the double fudge cheesecake, and they really loved it too! You definitely need to save room for dessert here, because they are super good.

The Henry is a great spot for a nice brunch in the heart of Coronado. They have a take out window as well, but I highly recommend making a reservation and enjoying the atmosphere, people watching, and the delicious food!