New ‘brinner’ destination Rise N Shine comes to Westcott area

New 'brinner' destination Rise N Shine comes to Westcott area

The diner specializes in breakfast-for-dinner favorites from immense omlettes to heaping piles of French toast.
Published: September 30, 2019

There’s no mistaking the new building that sits on the corner of Dell and Westcott Streets, about a mile from the Syracuse University campus. The rooster logo donning Rosie the Riveter’s headband is plastered on the entrance’s walkway. As visitors pass through the front doors, the illuminated Rise N Shine neon light greets them, as well as the bustle of the all-day breakfast eatery.

A series of large airy windows line the left side of the building, flooding the room with warm sunlight. The green room, as the staff likes to call it, is brightened up by a row of cushy yellow banquettes, crystal chandeliers, and strategically placed foliage to give it a natural vibe. The open concept restaurant transitions into a rustic and modernized central room, which is complete with a full bar and a mural of the rooster logo that stretches from floor to ceiling.

“The atmosphere is clean and nice,” said Briana Villavicencio-Carette, who has been with Rise N Shine for more than a year. “A lot of people come in, especially people from [our other location on Thompson Road] and it’s always good to see familiar faces.”

For Melissa Geherin, who’s been to Rise N Shine several times, its atmosphere sets the eatery apart from other area establishments.

“I think it’s very eclectic,” she said. “It’s not anything that Syracuse has seen before.”

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This trendy breakfast spot has already created a buzz with menu items like the Rainbow Cake Milkshake, the Cauliflower Breakfast Pizza, and the Rise N Grind burger, which ranked third in NYup.com’s 2018 best burger list. If you live a meatless or dairy-free lifestyle, owner Danielle Mercuri kept you in mind too with vegan milkshakes and the popular Beyond Meat burger.

Mercuri prides herself on ‘brinner’ – breakfast for dinner, that is. She wants to free brunch from its restrictive Sunday-only position.

“There’s not one thing on this menu that I do not like,” said Mercuri. “I would never serve anything I don’t like. The French Press is one of my favorites.”

A traditional plate of French toast pales in comparison to the towering portion of the French Press, which is topped with strawberries, filled with hazelnut ganache and topped with dulce de leche.

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The seven-page food menu includes options like  the “immense omelets” that run about $9 a plate. There’s also a Surf & Turf Brinner with steak and lobster macaroni and cheese for $15. Kids’ menu prices range from $3 – $7.

Mercuri, who helps operate both the location near SU and the one on Thompson Road, got involved and took over the Thompson location when the previous owner, Peter Hennessey, passed away from leukemia in 2012. It took some time for her to see the businesses really come together, she said.

“At first, I hated everything, I just couldn’t get it right,” Mercuri said “Then I sat down and it just fell together,” said Mercuri. “This whole place has a little bit of everything, and the food is as creative and unique as possible.”

Rise N Shine Westcott Hours:

Mon.-Thurs. 7 a.m.-3 p.m., 5 p.m.-10 p.m.

Fri. and Sat. 7 a.m.-3 p.m., 5 p.m.-midnight

Sunday 8 a.m.-4 p.m.