The Faithful Take Sides in Ball Square Brunch Wars

UPDATED AT 1:48 p.m. 

Brunch is by far my favorite meal of the week. Whether I'm meeting a group of friends, bleary eyed and starving, or well rested and dining solo, a hearty breakfast delivered straight from the griddle is a comfort I often seek. 

Luckily, I live close to Ball Square, which could also be called Brunch Central--or the Brunch War Zone. Here, those of us looking to start our day with eggs any way or pancakes--cooked by anyone but ourselves--have five breakfast choices: Ball Square Cafe, Kelly's Diner, Sound Bites, True Grounds and the Yak and Yeti.

What you'll also find here is lines--long lines that spill into the street. And each of the lines is filled by diners with allegiances that run as strong as the coffee sold inside. This weekend I stopped to talk to a few of these dedicated brunchers.

Many echoed what they know about the "brunch wars" between the owners of Ball Square Cafe and Sound Bites. They are a thing of legend. Competition between the two spots is more than fierce. It's tribal.

Many diners have taken sides--some for philosophical reasons, some out of habit, and others simply simply because they prefer one or the other's homefries. For the owners, the battle spurs from a very complicated backstory that includes at least one fist fight and a legal battle. (I'm not going to go there, but feel free to Google it.) 

Rather, here's a snippet of what customers were saying about the two places this weekend:

"I prefer Ball Square. I'm the kind of person who likes to get the same thing all the time, usually the asparagus and Boursin omelette, and I've had it at both places, and Ball Square is better." -Aaron Greenwald

"Sound Bites is awesome, I really like the garlic mashed potatoes [and] it's really nice that they bring fresh fruit over to the table." -Tony P. 

"I like Ball Square Cafe better. The food's better and the owner is a good guy. He'll bring out hot chocolate samples to those waiting in line during the winter." -Todd Yezefski

"Sound Bites has a varied menu. I've been here before several times, and typically the line goes quickly." -Rebecca Storo

In my book, each place serves up a spectacular brunch. So, pledge your allegiance to one, or the other, or if you're like me, just head for the shorter line. 

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COMING SOON: 

Local author Ethan Gilsdorf, will be at the Boston Public Library on Wednesday to talk about the journey he took across the world for his book, Fantasy Freaks and Gaming Geeks. For more information, click here. I got a chance to sit down with Gilsdorf to talk about the book and his journey. Check back with me tomorrow morning to hear more about his epic quest. 

Seven Somerville Fire Fighters will be honored for their bravery this week by Liberty Mutual Insurance. We'll have their stories right here at About Town. 

Plus, the Young Somerville Advisory Group will be presenting their annual report to the Mayor this week. We'll hear what they have to say and be sure to share it with you.