The Sage Mule

 

Located at 608 Battleground Avenue on the LoFi section of Greensboro near Joymongers and Machete, The Sage Mule serves up breakfast and lunch Wednesday through Sunday with a brunch offered on Sundays and small bites until 8 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Patio seating is available and chalkboard specials change regularly.

 

Prior to visiting, I really had no idea what to expect from this place. I appreciate good wordplay (sage mule = green burro), and the restaurant’s concept seemed intriguing, but a limited menu and high-ish prices gave me pause. Saturday morning hunger and an ultra-long wait time at Scrambled were reasons enough to set skepticism aside, and I’m glad that I did so.

 

While the Sage Mule is closed for indoor dining during the COVID pandemic, the patio offers plenty of room. Servers are attentive and welcoming, and all told, the Sage Mule offers a very inviting atmosphere.

 

The “official” menu here is somewhat scant: a few breakfast items, a few salads, and a few sandwiches. The various chalkboards, however, reveal far more offerings, ranging from burger and dessert specials to a variety of pastries and baked goods. All of the pastries and breads are made in-house and there are gluten-free options as well. Coffeephiles will be glad to know that the Sage Mule uses Counter Culture beans.

 

My wife and I opted for the blue plate special (eggs, sausage or bacon, toast or biscuit, and hashbrowns) and the breakfast burrito (chorizo, scrambled eggs, black beans, fries, avocado, cheddar, jalapeno vinaigrette, cilantro sour cream, and cheese grits to share as the side) respectively. Neither dish disappointed. The burrito, despite its abundance of ingredients, was structurally very well-composed. It held together and offered a taste of everything in each bite. The flavors and textures balanced nicely with the fresh avocado preventing the chorizo’s saltiness from overwhelming the palate and the fries adding a bit of chewiness. This is definitely one of the better renditions of a breakfast burrito in the area.

 

As mentioned above, prices, on paper, seem high. The burrito plus one side was $12 while the blue plate special was a more reasonable $10. Both portions were generous, so the Sage Mule isn’t exactly a poor value in practice.

 

I don’t know if the weekday lunch experience is any different here, but as a breakfast option, the Sage Mule made a great first impression. Quality ingredients well-prepared, affable service, and a comfortable environment tend to do that.