First Watch is one of my favorite vegetarian friendly brunch spots in Charlottesville, VA. Being a chain, I was a little skeptical at first but First Watch delivers every single time. All of their dishes are packed with flavor and loads of fresh and healthy ingredients creating the perfect balanced meal. They also have so much variety that you can try a different dish on the menu each time until you find your favorite. My favorite dishes to date are the Lemon Ricotta Pancakes (seasonal) and the Market Veggie sandwich. The Lemon Ricotta Pancakes are seasonal, so check online or call in before hand if you want to try them! They're some of the fluffiest pancakes I've had and pair so well with the lemon ricotta cream and strawberries. The dish holds the perfect amount of sweetness and is super filling. The Market Veggie Sandwich also always satisfies. It's made up of house-roasted crimini mushrooms, zucchini, spinach, pesto, mayo, and mozzarella cheese on grilled artisan whole grain. The sandwich is light yet filling and pairs super well with their basil backed tomato soup! If you're an egg person and are looking for a sandwich alternative, I recommend trying out the The Elevated Egg Sandwich. It's made up of over-easy eggs, gruyere cheese, smashed avocado, mayo, and lemon-dressed arugula on a brioche bun. The sandwich is egg-tastic but not as filling as other options. It does come with a side of First Watch's house seasoned potatoes though. I have yet to try The Elevated Egg Sandwich at the Charlottesville location, so I'm excited to do that soon! Highly recommend First Watch to anyone looking for a solid brunch spot on a mid-range budget. read more

First Watch - Market Street Veggie w Tomato Soup (top left), Lemon Ricotta Pancakes (bottom left), home fries (right) - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

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We love a chance to go to a Firstwatch Restaurant... been going to them for several years now and they never disappoint. Food and menu is always creative, fresh and excellently executed. On this trip, food was great as usual. Service was OK, nothing special. The lady's room was a mess and had no paper towels. They were moderately busy when we went, but we had no wait. Not much else to mention about this joint. read more

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I was SO pumped about this opening because my roommate kept raving about the million dollar bacon. The menu is huge and it's hard to decide where to start, but so far so good on all the things I've tried. This place has been very busy for the first few weeks of opening so I recommend getting there earlier on for breakfast/brunch.I didn't realize there was outdoor seating because it's in the back, but there is a cute little Patio area. It only fits like 3 parties, but great if you can snag it. Both times my waiters were attentive and ready to take my tables orders. The second time however, things were pretty busy and our food took longer, but the waitress was kind enough to let us know. The Lemon Ricotta pancakes have been my favorite so far. The lemon curd on top is a really nice finish to the dish. The multigrain pancakes are pretty big--so head their warning. I had the banana granola crunch, which I really enjoyed--just not as much as the lemon ricotta! I also recommend the market hash--very delicious. I'm obsessed with the cinnamon toast cereal milk beverage they have, which is made of coconut milk rather than dairy--love it. read more

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Beautiful location and great vibe!! We loved having our own coffee carafe for the table! We ordered 2 omelets- the bacado(bacon and avocado) and the chorizo- both were okay- the chorizo was clearly the better choice... the bacado was bland. They have great coffee here- we really enjoyed it! The best part of our meal was the carrot cake pancakes!! I will come back just for these!! Our service was fast and friendly. read more

First Watch - Bacodo omelet - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

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Things I like about first watch: -super fast service if you're wanting a quick breakfast -huge menu with great options ranging from healthy to hungover choices -you always know the quality food and service you'll get. They're very consistent and run the place very efficiently. -always enjoy the meal and love coming and trying new things Things I'd change: -the price of the meals is a little steep for the portion sizes -they will sometimes weirdly charge for extra things (example- I ordered a side of scrambled eggs w cheese and was charged per egg and charged for cheese. It was a kind of expensive side) Tried the morning meditation juice for the first time it was bomb read more

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Nice breakfast spot in Cville! I loved the juice! I went on a hot day and mine was very refreshing. I had the seasonal drink and I thought it was OK, but my friend had the morning Meditation and it was sssooo refreshing! My food was fine but I chose the most basic thing, fancy ham and cheese lol! I got though because nothing else on the menu really grabbed my attention. I wasn't wowed by the options. However I will go back! The service was fast and our waiter was helpful, I was there in the middle of a weekday so it wasn't too crowded anyway. read more

First Watch - Ham and grueyre sandwich with side of breakfast potatoes. At the top is a breakfast bowl - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

I ordered a lot. Brunch with my sisters. Asked the waited to surprise me with a pancake choice and it was a perfect choice. But he seemed distracted. Didn't follow up after food was dropped by runners. Didn't refill our drinks or remove plates when we were done even though they were all stacked and just waiting for him. BUT the food was delish! The BLT Benedict, sausage and blueberry pancake. read more

First Watch - BLT Benedict, side Sausage and Blueberry Pancake. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

Our server Ashleigh was awesome! Super friendly and helpful. Definitely keep her here!

FIRST TIME AT FIRST WATCH! A business partner of mine wanted to meet somewhere for lunch and we settled on Panera. As I was driving around for a parking space, he pulled up next to me and asked how I felt about going to First Watch instead. I had never heard of the restaurant and wasn't really in the mood for Panera, so I said sure. I love trying new places and he hadn't let me astray with our food choices for the week. First off, they were practicing social distancing and constantly cleaning. Made for a safe eating experience. My associate ordered the Breakfast Tacos and I got the Chile Chorizo Omelet. Wow! When I say I was blown away by how simplistic and good the food was, I mean it. It had been a minutes since I had some mentionable food because of the pandemic and this made me feel right at home. The omelet was seasoned just right and the salad was very very yummy. They warn you that the salad will be lightly dressed and that's all it needs. The flavor of the greens stand out when they're allowed to be the star and not drenched in dressing. His tacos and beans were great. I mean, his plate was sparkling clean when he was finished, so I think that's a testimony of how good the food was. They also didn't kick us out when my coworkers arrived and we decided to have an impromptu meeting 30 minutes before closing. Yes, we were those customers and we apologize. Thank you again, First Watch, for adhering to social distancing and safety standards and making for a very enjoyable meal for all of us. read more

First Watch - Chile chorizo omelette - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

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This place took our breakfast to the next level and everyone left full and satisfied. First, they only do breakfast and lunch, which I'm a huge fan of because I love breakfast so much. The inside is really nice and airy and they had every other table for safety reasons. The server greeted us with a fresh pot of coffee for the table. For food the kids had (kid size) bacon and egg and (adult sized) breakfast tacos. I was impressed with the size of each portion. The tacos came with a side of black beans that were super delicious. He had the Elevated Egg Sandwich and I had the Power Breakfast Quinoa bowl. My bowl was so good and I loved the salty Parmesan that countered the savory mushrooms and sausage. We both said we would get each again. We didn't try and special juices or cocktails, but next time for sure! read more

First Watch - Power Breakfast Quinoa Bowl - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

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Always great food and lovely service! We will be returning in the future. Can't wait to try their juices!

First time at First Watch with my elderly father this morning. We were seated, were offered and given drinks by someone we thought was our server. Twenty minutes went by and nobody took our order. Another five minutes, I flagged down the guy who brought our drinks and was told that he was not actually our server and though apologetic, grudgingly took our order. I ordered the eggs Benedict BLT which was cold. But I'd been waiting long enough, so I snarfed it down. Doubtful I'll return. read more

Do call ahead seating. The two at the hostess desk do an amazing job of keeping it all straight and organized. Good breakfast food choices. The breakfast tacos and the Tri-Fecta were both very good. The Chickachanga was a very disappointing...first of all, its more like a enchilada than a chimichanga that the name hints at. There was no chorizo, avocado, or onions and very little cheese and eggs. The sauce over the top was a lemon sauce...it didn't go with the rest of the meal. What happened to the vera cruz sauce? Yucky. Hope to go back next time we need a quick, call-ahead breakfast but now I know what not to order. read more

My frittata was outstanding. We also had the French toast and eggs Benedict and both were delicious. The bacon was outstanding. The granola bowls were delicious. We will definitely be back! And the service made everything perfection! read more

My boyfriend and I ate at First Watch. I ordered a breakfast sandwich that was incredible and pumpkin pancakes that were ok. The hash browns were absolutely out of this world! I also enjoyed the hot chocolate. Our server at the bar was attentive. My boyfriend had a different experience. He thought it was overpriced at $80 for a breakfast for 2. He didn't believe the flavor of the food was enough for what he paid. He ordered apple cinnamon pancakes and a mimosa. The pancakes were bland. If prices were more reasonable and his food seasoned better, we'd return in the future, but the cost of breakfast was definitely too high for what we received. read more

Zeff is the best server hands down, friendly outgoing and just the best! Makes you feel welcomed. The food was good too! Even though they serve salad with eggs Benedict read more

I was very impressed with First Watch! I went when it first opened (and having never been to another First Watch location). We didn't make a reservation, but they still fit us in very quickly even at 11 on a Saturday. The wait staff was very friendly, and the food was great. The menu had great options, mostly breakfast foods. I really enjoyed the syrup with the blueberry pancakes, they had fantastic blueberry syrup. There were great options for any dietary restrictions, which is tough for a brunch place to accomplish. I really appreciated the affordability as well, since this is typically a more highly-priced cuisine. Overall, this is a place I will go to again. read more

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The pros: the restaurant is pretty large so even though there may be lots of people waiting, the wait probably won't be that long. In addition, you can now put yourself in line via yelp which is very convenient. The cons: The million dollar bacon wants to be like San Francisco's were maple "millionaires bacon" and it comes up short. Ordered a ham sandwich and there was a ton of ham. But not very memorable. It is conveniently located for me but, I probably won't come back. read more

Wow, what a pleasant surprise since you don't feel like your in a strip mall once you set foot in the door! The decor is gorgeous with stained glass hanging from a huge skylight and lovely designs and soft tone metalwork on the walls. We were greeted and seated with a smile right away with our toddler in tow. He was also our server and was so wonderful asking what we wanted for drinks right away and grabbing a high chair. He told me not to worry about cleaning up as a mama that it was my time to enjoy which I thought was so sweet!! We ordered eggs Benedict Florentine, an omelet, side of bacon and one pancake with strawberries on top. Our drinks came quickly along with meals and everything was on point. We never have brunch out so this really set the bar high and we'll be back!! read more

First Watch - Eggs Benedict Florentine, strawberry pancakes - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

Don't like to do this and wasn't going to do this but I contacted the store multiple times and never got a reply from my last takeout that was horrible!!! I want to do 0 stars. This place is going down hill fast!! Food quality is at its lowest. Dine in is horrible and take out is even worse. Nobody wears hats anymore. I repeatedly find hair in my food every time I come here. If it's the weekend and the bald head guy and that Ann girl is in the kitchen, prepare to wait extra long only to receive poor food. Then you can hear them complaining about food being sent back that was incorrect or just looked like **** when we got it. Even though I just waited 40 min to a hour for very poor food they are the ones mad. They are always out of something. Whoever is doing ordering is not very good. Very unprofessional. What happened to the old management? I know one was pregnant. Kitchen hasn't been the same since I stopped seeing the tall guy with the long hair back there. He seemed very annoyed the last couple days I did see him so I assume he quit?.?. Servers seem to fight over their tables all the time. If you get a male server you'll just be waiting while they chase after and flirt with the female servers even though they seem uninterested. I gave this place many chances after they made a "management change" or whatever just happened and all I can say is this place has really changed for the worse and I think I may have visited here for the last time. read more

First Watch - What kitchen employee feels comfortable sending food out like this!! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

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Breakfast was delicious. I ordered the French toast with a side of bacon! French toast tasted so good. It was light fluffy not dense at all. It came with a side of what looks like fruit purée and hot syrup. The bacon was a nice thick sliced bacon- cooked perfect. Not too crispy and not to soft. My husband got the works omelet filled with sausage bacon mushrooms onions cheese. Probably a few things I may be missing. The potatoes on the side were so good. Tasted like they were fried in just a bit of bacon grease with onions. It's just so good. If you get a chance to try them- please do. For the fall/pumpkin lovers- they have options for you too! We ate before we could take pictures. The food looked pretty too! read more

This is an amazing little spot for breakfast and brunch and always has different seasonal specials throughout the year! I used to go to another one where I'm originally from but this location is just as great! My husband and I visited ona Saturday and it was pretty busy so we waited for about 30 minutes until we opted to sit at the bar (instead of waiting for the table). The bartender serves food and non alcoholic drinks at the bar area in addition to mimosas and a couple other brunch drinks. I ordered a fresh squeezed orange juice with a boost as did my husband. The juices were good and so was the food! I ordered a side of biscuits and gravy before my meal and they were delicious! For my meal I ordered the "lunch" salad and sandwich combo that was super delicious! The chicken Cobb salad is amazing if you are thinking about that salad! My husband had banana pancakes along with bacon and eggs. It was all very delicious and we will return soon! read more

First Watch - Monterey Turkey Club and Chicken Cobb Salad - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

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AM Superfoods Bowl was delightful! Extremely full from coconut chia seed pudding that I had leftovers of it. You can really taste the coconut flavor from the pudding and the fruit jam in the pudding tasted very yummy. I will say that the bread with almond butter tasted dry to me and that the slices of bread were thicker than I would prefer. read more

First Watch - AM Superfoods Bowl - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

First Watch Charlottesville complements the breakfast brunch chain. It's not the usual chain or box restaurant, personal service and welcoming experience is something very much needed in CVille and they ha e both here. Food was exceptional, ordered the summer crab omelet. Pleasantly surprised the crab was real and fresh, the sauce was mildly spicy contrasting the sweet corn and papers of the omelet. Picture below. read more

First Watch - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

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So this place is a Florida favorite! Was super happy to see it here too. The first time we went in it was really slow. The second time, we got a place in line by using the app! This helped a lot more. Their food is always great. The tri fecta is my favorite. Chicken sausages are actually pretty nice here. The waffle is airy and super nice to eat. My husband got a hash skillet and it was the best! Every mouth was super flavorful! The berries toast, a special for now, is rather average to be honest. Wouldn't order it again. read more

First Watch - hash something. Can't rmbr - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

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A very good First Watch experience ! I've been to several First Watches at this point and can honestly say this one is just as good as the rest. A really great mid-tier brunch place that is worth its price. Came in this past Sunday and barely waited (thank you Yelp waitlist!!!) to be seated. I love how the place has several UVA decorations. Otherwise the place is super clean and well decorated. There is a decent amount of space so large parties can definitely fit here. The food was also pretty good! I love the elevated egg sandwich, the flavor is always great and the bun wasn't soggy at all! Will say that even though I love potatoes I did find them a little bland. My friends got the Hash skillets and the trifecta breakfast and also loved their meals. The size is massive, although it did take a bit for our food to get to us. I also got a hot chocolate that was a bit too sweet for me, but I recommend getting their specialty drinks (they are much better). Overall good stuff, I recommend in lieu of iHop haha read more

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Love first watch. New location in Charlottesville, I'm sure they are working out the kinks. It took over 45 minutes to get our food, our food could have been a little hotter. The service was good our waiter did a nice job taking care of us. My son and I ordered the healthy turkey omelet, I will not order this item again really not much to this omelet small and not very hearty. I will stop in again in the fall and finish this review. read more

Food is always very good. Service was great. It was quite noisy but we were there at peak lunchtime. Will go back again.

Joined the waitlist using Yelp. Got a table after 5-10 mins of the estimated wait time. Food was okay, like a normal brunch place. Service was good. Surprisingly had a queue to pay the bill! read more

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This has been my go-to place for awhile, but lately the quality just isn't what it used to be. The last 2 times I went the million dollar bacon (a signature item) hardly had any seasoning or syrup, and the bacon was too crunchy to enjoy compared to the normal amazingly chewy texture. I also had to send back my breakfast potatoes twice as both times they were raw in the middle. What got me was that my eggs came out with the whites still very raw and watery, my sever said upon bringing them out that he didn't like the presentation (props to him), but the solution was to have the cook bring out some eggs in a bowl of water...? Dunno if there was a chef change or what but I'll wait awhile before coming back and giving them another chance read more

I do not like to be completely negative, so I will start and end with positive. The hot coffee was hot..sorry that is it for the positive. We walked right in and after about 5 minutes were seated and my wife made a comment to the waitress that we would sit in the otherwise vacant area but please do not forget us like they did last time. Unfortunately that was not the case. The waiter walked off and it was 15 minutes before another waitress came over for our drink and food order. As it is my wife's birthday, she was excited about the Eggs Benedict and I ordered the traditional breakfast. Within 15 minutes the food was coming out...we thought we were good. Some how, they "hard poached" her eggs? Literally, she cut through the egg and the yoke was hard like a hard-fried egg. They had to bring back her avocado as it was left off as well. How do you hard-poach an egg? She made mention to the waitress and was generally brushed off and not offered to have it fixed. Yum, nothing better than a chalky, non-seasoned, chunk of glazed over yoke to make you feel like you are special. So now we turn to the traditional breakfast, 2 scrambled eggs, "seasoned" potatoes, bacon, and toast...no difficult, McDonald's can do this in minutes. Well, the scrambled eggs were over cooked with crispy flakes and browned on the bottom, nothing "fluffy" in these eggs. Add to the fact that they were cold, not room temperature but cold. The potatoes were "seasoned" with burnt onions, blackened parts of the potatoes, hard parts, and without exaggerating, half of them were not edible because of the blacked, crispy, burnt parts. The bacon was room temperature at best and floppy with grease "chilling" or solidifying on it. We did see our waitress once, after bringing back my wife's avocado, she asked if we needed anything or just ready for the ticket. She brought the ticket and said, we took 20% off because of the wait and all. That was a gesture but I would have appreciated good food and I would have given 5 stars and happily paid full price and tipped well. Please, I get it and I feel for the economy as the continued supplements for unemployment and now the child tax credits have people sitting at home eating bonbons instead of wanting to work; I truly understand, but this was unacceptably poor service and quality of food. Sorry, wish I could do more, but as promised, I will end with a high note, the hot coffee was hot. read more

Stopped in for brunch which was excellent. Even though very busy, the service was excellent. I'll be back.

Great food and are very accommodating when it comes to food allergies. The waiter Miguel is great at his job and the manager is super nice as well. Love the look inside the business as well. Service is pretty fast but I would suggest going online to get on the waiting list before arriving!! read more

If you like waiting a real long time to get in, then waiting a real long time to get served and just above average food, then you will love this place! read more

Good food but the gals working the front cash register could not be more unpleasant: both when Checking in and when paying. Not even a smile. Sorry I'm inconveniencing you by trying to spend money at First Watch. You read more

I ate at a 1st watch years ago in Columbus OH. We were there for the Solhiem Cup and so impressed we went back 3 days in a row. That was about 17 years ago. When I saw the one in Charlottesville, I was there. It is still that good. Had smoked salmon eggs Benedict with side of greens. Presentation as beautiful as it was tasty. Get a 4$ drink from the juice bar and you won't regret that either. Joint was jumping but service good. read more

First Watch - Morning meditation . - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

Everything about First Watch is fantastic! The food was incredible, the service was speedy, and the workers are all so nice! I tried the ham and gruyere with a superfood kale salad, which was so delicious. The others at my table ordered more breakfast-style foods, which all looked amazing as well. If you're looking for a brunch spot, you need to head over to First Watch!! read more

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Oscar was an amazing sevrver! Couldn't ask for anyone better he was very attentive and helpful! If you're looking for a good breakfast spot with a great server definitely go to First Watch! read more

First Watch has great service and a very efficient system however not my favorite spot in town food wise. You can't really go wrong with anything on the menu because you get exactly what you ask for...but it's definitely nothing special or nothing you can't make at home. The restaurant has a very chain-y feel, which is why the food comes out very basic. Not bad, but not good. A great place for a simple stack of pancakes or scrambled eggs, but then again, you might as well go to a cute diner or more unique spot. I do appreciate that they include nutrition facts on the menu such as calories and have healthier options. read more

First Watch - Egg White Omelette with Tomato and Feta & Loaded Omelette with a Bagel on the Side - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

Can't be beaten for modern updates to classic American breakfast dishes. Always clean with friendly service.