Photo by Christie Behot ‘16 | The Lafayette

Sette Luna is a favorite dining staple among Lafayette students for their incredible dinner selection of gourmet pizzas, fresh pastas, and homemade sauce pairings. This past Sunday I explored a different side of Sette Luna, their Sunday Jazz brunch.

Arriving on Ferry Street, I could hear the strumming of a classical guitar and that signature sound that indicates a busy restaurant – the clashing of forks and plates. Like an authentic Italian bistro, families were sitting outside soaking in the last remains of the summer sun, children were occupied with coloring books, and parents people watched with mimosas and Bellinis in hand. The atmosphere was perfect for a Sunday morning – relaxed, slightly melancholy, and begging for gluttony.

Aside from the atmosphere, the Sunday Jazz Brunch menu stayed true to its Italian roots. You will not find a single pancake or French toast special on the menu no matter how hard you search. Most of the dishes on the menu are egg dishes served with home fries, Wolferman’s muffins, or ciabatta bread. I was able to sample each of my fellow diner’s plates and I can tell you that nearly everything I ate was flawless.

We began with the Salmon Pizza, a Bianca style pizza with ricotta, smoked salmon, capers, lemon, and onion. As a native New Yorker, I must say that this was one of the best pizzas I have ever had and it was the better than any lox and cream cheese bagel combo out there. The Tuscan Benedict had pancetta and sautéed Swiss chard. Combined with the bleeding poached egg, each bite of the Tuscan Benedict simply melted in my mouth.

If you want to feel really Italian, I would suggest the Bologna with Italian sausage, sautéed broccoli rabe, and a roasted grapefruit (yes, this is still the brunch menu.) This dish was incredible. It is probably the most rustic thing you can get on the menu. A real peasant’s dish – each bite was homey and warmed my insides.

Other highlights included the Frittata that came to the table hot. With its relatively traditional fixings like tomato, spinach, and ricotta, it was pretty standard, but still delicious.

I ordered the dish called “Eggs in Purgatory” (the title intrigued me.) The dish had poached eggs bathed in a spicy Marinara. And although my eggs were a little over cooked for my taste, I was still able to enjoy scooping up every bit them with the Marinara on warm pieces of ciabatta bread.

If you are ever craving a delicious Sunday escape, I highly recommend Sette Luna. Its Sunday Jazz Brunch transports you 4,166 miles away to beautiful Tuscany and it is a great fit for any college budget (dishes range from $10 – $15). Though Sette Luna offers similarly delectable dinner options, there is something very unique about the taste of Sunday Brunch.