Gardiner House in Newport is a study in what a successful phased roll-out looks like. The boutique hotel opened quietly in the fall of 2023, and a highly touted restaurant followed in June, 2024. Then, making good on its word, Flora made a splash nearly instantly under the direction of Spanish-born Executive Chef Miguel Somoza. Born and raised in Madrid, Somoza’s culinary career includes private chefing for British royals and media magnates. But in the past nearly two years, he’s settled seamlessly into the rhythm of Flora, finally introducing the restaurant’s much-needed Sunday brunch.
For someone regularly asked for brunch recommendations in Newport, Flora’s menu has been a welcome addition. Make no mistake – the island has a robust breakfast scene and copious coffee cafes… but Sunday brunch? Not as many choices. Here, as with many other destinations, Sunday “brunch” is much more a verb than a noun, and an elevated option designed for languishing is especially inviting. With its panoramic views of Newport Harbor and accordion windows that open flush against the walls to let in the salty breeze, Flora makes it easy to unwind from the moment you step into the top-floor restaurant.
Available on Sunday from 11am to 2:30pm, the brunch menu here complements the coastal Mediterranean fare of the dinner service. Our table starts with a mix of coffee and cocktails, but the menu offers more than a dozen specialty brunch cocktails, including a few Bloody Marys made with in-house bloody mix, and, in a nod to Somoza’s heritage, an Aigua de Valencia made with orange juice, Scarpetta Prosecco, Dry Curacao, and sugar.
It’d be a mistake to skip the scratch-made pastry and bread basket, especially because Somoza is passionate about baking, evident in the mini croissants, pain au chocolat, petite selection of breads with butter and jam, and chocolate chip cookies. (If looking for just a light bite, Gardiner Provisions, the design-forward coffee shop and bakery just around the corner on Thames Street, opened this winter offering many of these treats.)
I order the chicken paillard, which comes with a crispy green salad, and my friend orders the brunch salad with Frisée and mixed greens topped with guanciale lardons and croutons, crowned with a poached egg. But our server makes a suggestion that frankly, is a game-changer. Having worked in restaurants from coast to coast, including years in San Francisco, he declares Flora’s vanilla brioche French toast to be the best he’s ever had. We didn’t need much coaxing after that endorsement and ordered the dish “for the table.” It’s a big promise, but the golden, thick-cut, buttery brioche topped with plump blueberries and strawberries and dusted with powdered sugar (and served with vanilla Chantilly cream) overdelivers.
Other options include a steak burger, avocado toast, eggs Benedict, eggs Florentine, smoked salmon, a pounded fish filet, linguine carbonara, and pan con tomate, a popular Catalan tomato bread. While there is barely room for another course, the dessert menu here is too difficult to resist, and we share Flora’s signature burned Basque cheesecake with blueberry compote. A crustless, creamy, and fluffier rendition of traditional cheesecake, the recipe originates from Spain’s Basque Country and proves the perfect finisher to a memorable, visually stunning brunch.
One thing that’s definitely a must here? A reservation. The 21-guest room hotel is busy as-is, and though Flora accepts walk-ins, the restaurant already has loyalists and a buzzy reputation.
With crisp table linens, a thoughtfully composed menu, beautiful decor second only to the waterfront views, a server discreetly brushing away crumbs between courses, and an adjacent patio anxiously awaiting the warmer months, brunch at Flora presents a high-anticipated elevated experience.
24 Lee’s Wharf • 401-436-0400
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