From a rich croque madame to pistachio baklava French toast and brunch cocktails, Vidrio’s new weekend brunch brings Mediterranean flavor and a laid-back vibe to Glenwood South.
By Dathan Kazsuk
There are brunch spots, and then there are places that try to change your frame of mind the minute you walk in. Vidrio, the Mediterranean-inspired restaurant on Glenwood South, is aiming for that second category with its new brunch service, now offered on weekends from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The concept already centers on the flavors and shared spirit of the Mediterranean, and brunch feels like a natural extension of that—less rushed, more atmospheric, and built for lingering over cocktails before committing to the menu.
Sitting in the bar area, it was easy to forget we were in Raleigh for a minute. Between the bright colors, the open windows, and the soft rush of air sweeping in from Glenwood South, the space carried the feel of some tucked-away stop in Key West, helped along by tranquil, Ibiza-style music that set the tone without trying too hard. Jen ordered a Bloody Mary after hearing that the juice is made fresh daily, while I landed on the rum old- fashioned, and together we settled into that familiar brunch ritual: drinks in hand, glasses on perusing the menu, and a table full of possibilities still waiting to happen.
There were a lot of tempting choices on the menu, but we decided on the croque madame, made with thick-cut challah, ham, Mornay sauce, broiled Gruyere, a sunny-side egg, and a citrus-fennel salad on the side. This was one of the better croque madames we’ve had in a while, and rich enough that it made perfect sense for the two of us to split.
Our second entrée was the pistachio baklava French toast, which basically doubled as dessert, and we were not mad about it. Made with pistachio mascarpone, leatherwood honey, toasted pistachio, phyllo crisp, Chantilly cream, and a thick slab of challah that looked about a mile high, it somehow managed not to be overly sweet. The pistachio filling really pulled it together and made it another great dish to share.
With close to 20 items on Vidrio’s brunch menu, this is one of the more stacked brunch lineups we’ve come across lately. Beyond what we tried that morning, the “Eggs & Brunch Classics” section includes dishes like a spinach mushroom feta omelet, shakshuka, a lamb hash, and hanger steak served with a sunny-side up egg.
There’s plenty on the savory side, too, including the Bomba Crispy Chicken Sandwich with spicy bravas honey, basil aioli, turmeric pickled cucumber, and Za’atar home fries. That may be my move on the next visit, because I saw one hit the table next to us and immediately had food envy. There’s also Moroccan beef sliders, fettuccine carbonara, and shrimp saganaki with polenta.
And for those who like a good excuse to start drinking before noon, Vidrio has you covered there, too. Options include a Bloody Mary and the Carajillo rum old-fashioned, made with Licor 43 and coffee, which feels tailor-made for coffee lovers. But if you show up with a group, I would absolutely look at the tableside brunch punch. At $58, it serves four to six people and mixes Aviation gin, lemon juice, sumac, maraschino liqueur, sparkling wine, and florals into something that sounds like brunch showing off a little.
I’ll admit it—we’ve been on a serious brunch run these past few months and have probably hit close to ten spots in that time. What Vidrio is doing easily puts it near the top of our list. So if brunch is your thing, go ahead and put
this one on the calendar. You’ll be glad you did.
