The name “Brezo” implies a breezy, light meal, and for the most part that’s what you’ll get during brunch at this charming new restaurant on bustling Solano Avenue.

Chef Heather Mervine grew up on a farm in Mendocino County and has been cooking in one form or another since age 4. She operated Brezo out of Point Richmond before moving this year to the former Rendez-Vous Cafe spot. She likes to describe her restaurant as being modern Californian with a Latin flair: Fresh and local ingredients are prioritized, flavors are bright, and dishes are often tied together with bold and satisfying sauces.

The restaurant has an older-European feel with rows of wine bottles above the central counter and fake windows with silhouettes of dancing people. There’s also a charming parklet for al fresco dining. During weekend brunch hours, there’s usually a crowd noshing on chilaquiles verdes ($17), blueberry buttermilk pancakes (which can be made gluten-free) and healthy salads like the Quinoa Kale with Romaine ($15), pecans, golden raisins and lemon dressing.

The Latin flair comes out in dishes like the Alma Breakfast Sopes ($15) with two perfectly poached eggs topped with zingy guacamole and cotija on crunchy sopes with warm, alluring masa interiors. A drenching of deeply flavorful black beans and bright-red “Brezo sauce” gives the dish a pleasant depth. Another popular dish is the Mt. Tam Potatoes ($15), which are just that — a veritable mini-mountain of home fries, jack and cheddar cheeses, avocado, salsas verde and roja and two eggs of any style.

Brezo in its Point Richmond incarnation was known for its tri-tip ($18), and here it takes the form of a huge sandwich with smoky meat, melted cheese, basil aioli and a fresh ciabatta roll that soaks up all the tasty juices. A Frida Fried Chicken Sandwich ($16) is another indulgence with crispy free-range bird with aioli and a bracing jalapeno slaw.

For drinks, there are the obligatory mimosas but also sangria with seasonal fruit ($9) and non-boozy options like pots of hot tea and Mexican hot chocolate. And Mervine makes all the pastries in-house: Don’t miss out on the vanilla scone with Devonshire cream and fruit preserves ($9).

Details >> Brunch is served 8:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Saturday-Sunday (lunch and dinner served daily except Monday) at 1111 Solano Ave., Albany; brezorestaurant.com.