To celebrate my Mom’s birthday, and also our engagement, my fiance (I’m so excited to get to say that now!) and I joined my family in Westfield for brunch this past Sunday. We went to my family’s favorite restaurant, Xocolatz.

Most restaurants can be classified into different categories; based on food, overall vibe, type of restaurant, or other factors. Every so often, however, there are restaurants that don’t fit a particular mold. Xocolatz in is one of those places.

The restaurant itself is adorned with historic pictures of Westfield as well as other cute and spunky décor, like a placard letting patrons know that if their children run rampant, they’ll be served espresso and promised a pony.

Serving breakfast, lunch, dinner, and brunch on Sundays, the restaurant is always crowded. Reservations are recommended, but despite the crowd, you never wait long. Because it’s such a local favorite, it isn’t quiet and intimate; it’s bustling and bright.

The waiters and waitresses all wear black and don’t write down your orders. Although they don’t have a paper and pen crutch, the waiters and waitresses seem to be spot-on. Your orders are served in a timely manner and are always correct, and they’re quick to make sure your beverages are at a comfortable level.

The ambiance is great, but the stand-outs are their dishes, as the menu is expansive for a small to mid sized restaurant. Often times restaurants that boast larger menus have mediocre food; a jack of all trades but a master of none, if you will. This isn’t the case with Xocolatz. While their menu isn’t pages long, the different types of food that are offered really do have something for everyone. The dishes often combine a Spanish flair (fried plantains, chili, etc.) but they also have other favorites including daily quiches, quesadillas, chicken parmigana sandwiches, tropical hamburgers, seafood dishes, and daily specials. The specials rarely repeat, and you can count on something new and exciting every time.

The food itself is extremely fresh; the salsa tastes like the tomatoes and onions were just cut and combined, the bread tastes freshly baked, and seafood dishes are far from “fishy.” The combinations are different, so don’t be afraid to try something new!

They serve a special brunch menu on Sundays, and while they’re BYOB, if you bring the champagne, they’ll provide the orange juice for mimosas. And though you might be dining at the restaurant during their specified brunch hours (11am to 3pm), you can always order off of their lunch menu if brunch isn’t your thing. Since they are open Monday thru Sunday, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to try everything!

While we were there, I went for the Oaxaca breakfast burrito, filled with chili, onions, peppers, cheese and eggs. It was served with a simple green salad and avocado. It was absolutely delicious! My fiance, also an avid Mexican/Spanish food lover, went with the Tex-Mex omlette, so we could share. The omlette was stuffed with onions and peppers, cheese, and jalepenos.  The omlette was served with breakfast potatoes and toast. Each of the dishes were served with some sliced fresh fruit as well. The other notable dish ordered by our group was my mom’s dish. She ordered savory crepes that were stuffed with onions, goat cheese, and spinach with eggs served over them.

Everything we ordered was absolutely delicious. I’ve had brunch, lunch, and dinner at Xocolatz and have been extremely impressed every time.

Check out the delicious nomz below, and head over to their site to look at the menu and their daily specials. If you’re in the area, definitely go!!