Somewhere between 2025’s egg shortage and the great butter spike, eggs Benedict went from brunch staple to splurge.
Last March, as egg and butter prices climbed amid national shortages, restaurants faced a difficult choice: trim breakfast menus or raise prices. Most opted for the latter. Eggs Benedict, lavish in both butter and eggs, drifted into luxury territory, landing at $24 or more.
A year later, the landscape has shifted. Egg prices have fallen nearly 35% from a national wholesale high of over $6 per dozen during the avian flu outbreak to just over $2.50, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. California’s prices, which soared to $13 per dozen at one point, have also eased. Butter costs have moderated as increased production steadies the market.
So why, as brunch-goers scan menus across Sonoma County, are Benedicts still clocking in at $19 to $25?
Restaurants face many financial pressures, including rent, utilities, labor and insurance. Nearly everything costs more than a few years ago. Hollandaise, made properly from scratch, requires skill and a steady hand. Even so, the math doesn’t always add up.
At Petaluma’s Bijou, there’s no hand-wringing over the numbers.
“Although food costs have gone up significantly over the last few years — and like everyone else, we feel that — we’ve always made a conscious decision to keep our prices fair and approachable while maintaining our level of standard,” said chef Stéphane Saint Louis.
Finding one of the county’s best Benedict values at a year-old bistro known for polished French cooking, silken sauces and meticulous Parisian desserts was not on my bingo card.
Especially for $16.
Brunch favorites
Opened in late 2025, Bijou is the more casual sibling to Saint Louis and Steven Vargas’ Michelin-noted Table Culture Provisions. While the latter focuses on an elegant, multicourse prix fixe, Bijou offers a looser, neighborhood feel. Dinner might include boeuf en croûte, red wine-braised oxtail, grilled Cornish game hen, or savory French onion soup, each prepared with precision. Pastry chef Sylvain Parsy completes the picture with neatly layered opera cakes and delicate tarts.
“Bijou is meant to be a neighborhood restaurant with serious cooking behind it,” said Saint Louis, who is often framed in the pass-through window, expediting plates.
Brunch at Bijou feels easygoing but thoughtfully executed. Granola with Straus yogurt and fruit ($9) and a three-egg omelet with Gruyère and ham ($15) are polished versions of diner standards. Heartier plates — Saint Louis’ fried chicken and biscuit ($18) and a tidy Croque Madame ($17) — justify the drive.
“We want guests to feel comfortable ordering freely, without feeling like they are committing to an upscale dining experience,” Saint Louis said. “Our goal is to make sure the pricing reflects that balance.”
The dining room reflects the same mix of sophistication and down-to-earth style, with warm woods, an uncluttered design and natural light streaming through wraparound windows. Service is attentive without fuss. A full bar offers creative cocktails, including an elegant riff on the mimosa to start or finish the weekend deliciously.
Best bets
Eggs Florentine, $16: Crisp English muffins topped with smoked salmon and blanched baby spinach are capped with properly poached eggs and a glossy, well-emulsified hollandaise. There is no reinvention here — and none needed.
Croque Madame, $17: Petite and neatly trimmed, the sandwich makes an appearance from the dinner menu and layers creamy béchamel, sharp Gruyère and Black Forest ham beneath a fried egg, served with a modest pile of greens.
Fried Chicken and Biscuit, $18: Saint Louis built a following selling fried chicken by the order during the pandemic at Table Culture Provisions. Here, it arrives in brunch form, paired with a buttery biscuit and surrounded by hot sauce, gravy and honey.
Bubbles a L’Orange, $15: You’ll never look at a mimosa the same way again. This classy cocktail is a mix of fresh orange juice, dry Curaçao, vodka and Champagne. Anything else is barbaric.
Bijou Burger, $18: As close to burger perfection as I’ve come recently. A soft brioche bun cradles a well-seared patty with honey bacon and cheddar. Shoestring fries arrive hot and crisp. Order the extra aioli and thank me later.
Opera Cake, $12: Precise layers of chocolate ganache, coffee buttercream and sponge cake rest atop vanilla cream.
If You Go
What: Brunch at Bijou
Where: 190 Kentucky St. in Petaluma.
When: Brunch is served from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Dinner is served from 5-8:30 p.m. Thursday through Monday. A new happy hour, 4-6 p.m., features $10 appetizers, and lunch is offered from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Monday.
Good to know: A 5% service charge is added to cover staff costs. Reservations are recommended.
Information and reservations: restaurantbijou.com
Heather Irwin is the Dining Editor for The Press Democrat and Sonoma Magazine. Reach her at heather.irwin@pressdemocrat.com.