At Holy Roller, Callie Speer and her all-female team serve up unexpected indulgences with an anything-goes attitude.
By Sarah Holcomb, Photos by Robert Lerma
“I think brunch, in general, lends itself to being comforting and very fun,” Speer says. “You can’t take yourself too seriously when you’re eating brunch, right?”
Guests will find plenty of nostalgic comfort food at Holy Roller, like fried chicken and brisket, but these dishes have been recreated in surprising ways. Take the meatloaf sandwich, Speer’s personal favorite. Using her grandmother’s meatloaf recipe, she created a patty-melt-style sandwich with horseradish cream and house-made bread-and-butter pickles. Other offerings include the Tex-Mex-inspired migas kolache bathed in queso, and a brisket biscuit sandwich with green-apple shavings and cheddar cheese.
The bar serves up beer, cocktails, wine and plenty of bubbly.
Each Sunday, the Sunday School menu features special pastries and drinks dubbed the seven deadly sins.
The religious wordplay and over-the-top menu capture the experience Speer hopes to create with the diner.
“I want people to feel like they’re being a little bit bad,” she says. “Prepare to be a bit surprised, feel adventurous, feel a little gluttonous and just hang out and have a good time.”