Cafe Aurora serves the best brunch on Orcas Island - Review - Seattle - The Infatuation

"We’re all for ravaging a bakery like flour-crazed raccoons, but sometimes a sit-down mid-morning meal is the move. Enter Cafe Aurora, the Orcas Island diner that reigns supreme between 9am and 2pm. They cover the basics, and they cover them well. There's a reliable breakfast burrito kicked with sambal aioli, a bananas foster belgian waffle toeing the line between brunch and dessert, and a smashburger with such a powerful gravitational pull it could almost compel us to forgo a trip to Buck Bay Shellfish Farm. (Almost.) The expansive, dog-friendly patio is also a big plus. Especially if the occasional tater tot brings your pup great joy. Food Rundown Breakfast Burrito It’s stuffed with everything you want, and nothing you don’t. Submerge in the provided roasted tomato salsa and consider the day made. photo credit: Makena Yee Bananas Foster Waffle Banana slices are caramelized but still keep their freshness, rum-spiked caramel drizzles have a nice sweetness-to-booze balance, and the whip is fortified with mascarpone for added tang and durability. A communal order for the table is the best way for everyone to nab a bite or six. photo credit: Makena Yee The Smash Burger Burgers belong at brunch, and Cafe Aurora’s double-stack is Exhibit A. With a perfectly griddled bun, two layers of seared beef and good ol’ processed american cheese, and a house sauce that lubricates with a light touch, it’s the finest burger on the island. A side of tater tots sweetens the pot. photo credit: Satya Curcio" - Aimee Rizzo