When you think about it, the concept of American brunch is one of the world’s greatest ideas. A meal where you can eat huge portions of food and where it is socially acceptable to drink cocktails and beer before lunch time? We’re big fans.
So, after revealing the 50 best steaks, burgers, sandwiches, coffee shops and pizzas across America we thought it was time to tackle the next most important meal of the day: brunch. This not-quite-breakfast and not-quite-lunch beauty is the shining beacon of our weekends.
Let us know in the comments how many of these places you have tried and/or if there’s any local brunch spots we need to check out. We’re already hungry for a feast looking through these…
1. Yo’ Mama’s – Birmingham, Alabama
They only serve brunch twice a month (9am-1pm every second and last Saturday of each month) but it is an experience that should not be missed. Along with some of their regular breakfast items they have insane waffles with fried chicken. Once you taste these you’d drive across the entire state to get them again.
2. Simon & Seafort’s – Anchorage, Alaska
Simon & Seafort’s is a fine dining restaurant that everybody knows for their great steaks and seafood, but they take things up a notch when it comes to weekend brunch. Dishes like this Prime Rib Benedict with horseradish hollandaise show what they are all about. Not to be missed.
3. Mother Bunch Brewing – Phoenix, Arizona
Mother Punch Brewing is the best of both worlds because you’ll get to combine some of the best craft beer in the state with one of the best brunches going. Big, bold dishes with huge portions that are perfect to wash down with one of the in-house brews.
4. The Buttered Biscuit – Bentonville, Arkansas
An honest breakfast with high quality ingredients that people will come from miles around to get their hands on. Case in point? Their black bean benedict has black bean cakes topped with basted eggs, grilled tomato and avocado and it’s topped with a hollandaise sauce and fresh cilantro.
5. Nopa – San Francisco, California
Nope specialises in organic wood-fired cuisine and is super popular – this is as much a gathering place as it is a restaurant or bar. Their brunch offering is world-class with the green eggs and ham below showing the originality and simplicity of their cooking. They make the most skilful of dishes seem simple.
6. Garden of the Gods Market and Cafe – Colorado Springs, Colorado
They open at 7am daily and are a gourmet daytime eatery, fresh market, catering service, bar, and even do delicious take-home meals. There is something for everybody here. The brunch is the perfect time to enjoy the pretty space and people watch in this foodie haven.
7. Rooster Co. – Newington, Connecticut
Their dishes are simply sublime. Take their Bloody Mary for example, which has a fried chicken slider, shrimp cocktail, bacon, salumi, cheddar, hard boiled egg, salt rim, bleu cheese stuffed sweet cherry pepper, celery, lemon, lime, olives, cornichon and cucumber. Quite simply a work of art. And yep, it’s a meal in itself.
8. 8th and Union Kitchen – Wilmington, Delaware
This spot is consistently voted as one of the best brunch spots in town. Dishes like the one below with smoked ham, cheddar cheese, peach jam and potato strips on a buttermilk biscuit (gluten free!) are what set them apart. All of the brunch classics are on the menu, alongside delicious curve balls like Pho (Vietnamese soup).
9. B Bistro + Bakery – Miami, Florida
B Bistro + Bakery is an urban oasis from Miami star chef Henry Hané, who takes foodie influence from around the globe. The brunch at the weekends is the stuff of legends so you may have to wait in line. All of the dishes have wonderful flavours which complemented with delicious cocktails. The sort of restaurant you’ll never want to leave.
10. Folk Art Restaurant – Atlanta, Georgia
They say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, so we guess that’s why Folk Art Restaurant serve it non-stop throughout the day. What a dream. Delicious dishes include pulled pork, sandwiches, BBQ, blackened flounder and daily specials that you should keep an eye out for.
11. Koko Head Cafe – Honolulu, Hawaii
The inventiveness and originality of the cooking is what you need to look out for here. Take this local grass-fed beef, homemade brown mushroom gravy, crispy garlic rice, local Ka Lei eggs, and tempura fried kimchee, all served up in a mini skillet. One bite of this and you’ll see why brunch here is always such a rewarding experience.
12. Breakfast Club – Moscow, Idaho
Breakfast Club is an incredibly popular brunch spot, so on weekends and busy weekdays, when you check in with their hosts, they will ask for your name, party size and cell phone number and they will text you when your table is ready. It will be worth the wait because all the buzz is justified. This is simply the best brunch within miles.
13. Lula Cafe – Chicago, Illinois
Lula Cafe does some of the most inventive cooking in the city throughout the week and they take brunch to another level at the weekends. There’s none of the boring classics you see in every other restaurant but rather their own spin on dishes that will blow your mind. The perfect example? The fried sunchokes with charred Chinese broccoli, garlic & soft boiled egg below. Mouthwateringly good food.
14. Nada – Indianapolis, Indiana
Nada combines two of the greatest types of food in the world: Mexican and brunch. Their flavours are big and bold, the food super colourful and if you slip in a couple of their house cocktails with a group of friends you are in for a very special experience indeed.
15. Americana – Des Moines, Iowa
There’s a wide variety of traditional breakfast items here, with a real focus on classic comfort food. They even have their own custom grilled cheese station and a loaded mashed potato bar. Throw in the fact you can build-your-own breakfast taco and there’s also bottomless mimosa and bloody mary bars; this is the place that has everything you could ever want from brunch.
16. Reserve Restaurant & Lounge – Kansas City, Kansas
Located downtown in the spectacular Ambassador Hotel Kansas City, locals and travellers alike will love the urban style and sophistication of Reserve’s superb dining experience. Their brunch dishes and cocktails are super refined. Add in the fact that there’s live jazz every weekend and you’ll see why it’s the perfect place to come with friends or family.
17. Wild Eggs – Louisville, Kentucky
Wild Eggs is a simple brunch place that gets it right every single time through the quality of their ingredients, the service and the diverse menu. Look out for their signature sweet home apple Bourbon crepes as a real treat. The perfect place to bring the family to enjoy a proper American brunch.
18. Commander’s Palace – New Orleans, Louisiana
Nestled in the middle of the tree-lined Garden District, this has been a New Orleans landmark since 1893. It’s the sort of place that you wish the walls could talk. There’s great food all week long but the weekend brunch menus offer super diverse and exciting dishes. Throw in some great people watching in a wonderful old room and it’s not an experience you will forget in a hurry.
19. The Front Room – Portland, Maine
For brunch here, your senses will be met with the sweet aromas of your favourite home cooked meals including Biscuits & Gravy and Savory Brioche French Toast. Friendly service and a superb Bloody Mary round off this classic American brunch experience.
20. Iron Rooster – Annapolis, Maryland
Whether you’re looking for breakfast all day, lunch, supper or drinks, at Iron Rooster you’ll find a new twist on traditional comfort food, legendary hospitality, and a real sense of community. Their portions are massive and packed full of flavour with gorgeous sides and sauces, so do make sure you arrive with an appetite.
21. The Friendly Toast Restaurant – Boston, Massachusetts
Fabulous food, a funky bar and some of the best decor you will ever see in a restaurant. They focus on sourcing the freshest ingredients and are also environmentally friendly. The portions are big and the combinations bold; if you are suffering from a hangover at the weekend this should be your first port of call. Perfection.
22. Toast – Ferndale, Michigan
The walls at Toast are lined with vintage toasters and the room has a classic diner feel to it. As soon as you walk in you’ll be greeted by friendly staff and made to feel right at home. The menu is so extensive that you’ll easily find something for everybody, with the only tricky part singling it down to just one or two items.
23. The Lynhall – Minneapolis, Minnesota
The Lynhall is a market-style restaurant, event space, kitchen studio, and incubator kitchen. Their weekend brunch is the highlight of the week, so do book ahead as it is always in serious demand. Sublime cooking. They also teach classes, bake goods, cook rotisserie meats, make thoughtful cocktails and coffee, and always have something new and nourishing to share.
24. Saltine Restaurant – Jackson, Mississippi
This is a modern oyster and seafood bar for most of the week and then transforms into a lively brunch spot at the weekends. Take their homemade cinnamon rolls as an example. Something so simple yet so utterly delicious that you savour every last mouthful. Easily one of the best brunch menus in the country.
25. Southwest Diner – St Louis, Missouri
This is a proper diner where brunch is served on both Saturdays and Sundays and you’d be foolish to miss out. Brilliant, big, dishes like these crispy hash browns topped with chorizo or veggie chorizo, scrambled eggs, longhorn cheese, sour cream and pico de gallo.
26. Jam – Bozeman, Montana
They have unique twists on your familiar breakfast and lunch fare as well as delicious breakfast cocktails. Their bright and energetic atmosphere is a great way to start the day and keep the good times rolling with an American brunch.
Their food is also super inventive like this pickle fried chicken on Val’s house-made biscuit with pepper jack cheese, fried egg, pickles, & Cajun aioli. Droolworthy.
27. 11-Worth Cafe – Omaha, Nebraska
Good, honest cooking for both breakfast and lunch so in theory you could have brunch here every single day of the week, which is something we like the sound of. There’s lots of great dishes but the club sandwiches and omelettes with hash browns top the list. A simply great American brunch spot.
28. Egg Works – Las Vegas, Nevada
If ever there was a town made for brunch then it has to be Las Vegas. That is, if you get out of bed in time for it. Egg Works was established in 1988 and have expanded to become the flagship brunch spot in the Las Vegas area. If you want to spice things up, go for their famous chilli and eggs.
29. Firefly American Bistro & Bar – Manchester, New Hampshire
Firefly is a casually upscale American bistro in the heart of Manchester’s historic downtown district. They do classic brunch dishes that are served all over the USA but it is worth coming here just for their legendary shrimp and grits served with eggs. Incredible flavours.
30. Urban Griddle – Elizabeth, New Jersey
Located in the heart of New Jersey’s earliest urban community, Urban Griddle serves fresh, homemade American fare in a casual urban-rustic setting, cooking up breakfast, brunch and lunch every day. One of their best dishes has to be the grit cakes & maple pork belly topped with a sunny-side-up egg. American brunch Perfection.
31. Michael’s Kitchen – Taos, New Mexico
Michael’s Kitchen has been operating since the 1970s and even has some of the original opening staff. They go through about 330 dozen eggs preparing their popular breakfast dishes, including bacon and eggs, huevos rancheros, breakfast enchiladas and our Poor Man’s Eggs Benedict, smothered with red, green or veggie-green chile.
32. Jack’s Wife Freda – New York
We could easily have picked about 50 places for an American brunch in New York so to limit it to just one seems unfair to so many other great NY restaurants. But hey, there can only be one. The cooking here is fresh, inventive, colourful and the plates just the right size for sharing and lingering over with good friends. An absolutely magical brunch experience.
33. Brigs at the Forest Restaurant – Wake Forest, North Carolina
They’ve won over 180 awards since they opened our doors in 1988 which tells you something about their longevity and the standards they keep. Their cooking is consistently delicious, the staff always friendly and you’ll always leave here after brunch with a smile on your face.
34. The Shack on Broadway – Fargo, North Dakota
Family friendly, homestyle cooking. Home made buttermilk pancakes, mashed potatoes and gravy with breakfast served all day, along with awesome burgers. There’s rotating special three times a day. Warm atmosphere, lovely staff and everything you could possibly want from an American brunch menu.
35. Pier W – Lakewood, Ohio
Primarily known as a fine dining restaurant that focuses on seafood, they wow their customers all week long. It’s when Sunday comes around though, that things go to another level with their seafood brunch. Love seafood and love brunch? You will have reached Food Nirvana by coming to eat here.
36. Kitchen No. 324 – Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Kitchen is all about bringing the OKC downtown neighbourhood fresh food choices and authentic hospitality. Looking out their huge windows you have great views of the city – where old meets new. The brunch dishes are fresh, inspiring and perfect for sharing with friends. Try the chorizo sausage and black bean purée sopes, with fire roasted poblano salsa.
37. Brunch Box – Portland, Oregon
The perfect combination of great sandwiches, burgers, loaded fries and an all-day breakfast menu. Throw in some great craft beers and drinks and this is the sort of place where you will quickly become a regular. Portions are big and just what you need to blast through a busy weekend.
38. Paladar Latin Kitchen & Rum Bar – Pennsylvania
This funky place has a Latin-themed menu where their rum cocktails complement the menu perfectly. Brunch is pure party time: this is when the place really shines with dishes like their maple-glazed pulled pork (served with fried egg and a yucca cake) stealing the slow.
39. Rogue Island Local Kitchen & Bar – Providence, Rhode Island
Rogue Island offers “approachable farm to table” cuisine in an informal atmosphere. The regularly changing menu highlights the ingredients of the local food system. Brunch is a delight; not only is the food wholesome and delicious, their craft beers and cocktails are the perfect partner.
40. Famous Toastery of Rock Hill – Rock Hill, South Carolina
These guys were quick to see the all-day breakfast trend early and oh-boy are we glad they did. They believe food should be both “decadent and nutritious”, super fresh, and served to order quickly with service that’s as satisfying as the menu. Some stellar dishes with the French toast sticking out as a winner.
41. All Day Café by Minervas – South Dakota
The All Day Café only serves recipes from scratch, using the best possible ingredients and adding a modern comfort food twist. Edgy, healthy, fresh and fun, their food is an experience and their friendly servers always go the extra mile. While the food is always superb, you’ll also be staying for a couple more cups of their great coffee.
42. The Garden Brunch Cafe – Nashville, Tennessee
The Garden Brunch Cafe does unique styles of Eggs Benedict, seasonal variations of pancakes, and a healthy take on Southern favourites, like fish and grits and steak and eggs. Every now and again they will even entertain you with spoken-word or jazz inspired days. An upscale eatery with incredible grub.
43. Jack Allen’s Kitchen Oak Hill – Austin, Texas
Since 2009, their restaurant has been bringing Southern-inspired flavours infused with the spice of Southwestern cuisine to four locations in the Austin area. Brunch dishes are light and fun and made for sharing with friends, as are their signature cocktails. A wonderful place to start the weekend.
44. Penny Ann’s Cafe – Salt Lake City, Utah
Penny Ann’s Cafe is a family affair. The restaurant’s namesake, Penny Ann, and her sister, Cindy, can often be found seating patrons and serving tables. The one dish to try is the Corned Beef Hash – home made east coast style – finely chopped fresh corned beef blended with potatoes, served with two eggs and your choice of toast or their “heavenly hot cakes”. Truly original and truly delicious.
45. Maple Sugar & Vermont Spice – Mendon, Vermont
A proper old-school American brunch experience where the staff welcome you in with open arms, the food is honest and wholesome and you’ll leave a happy customer every single time. American brunch lovers should watch out for the amazing waffle breakfast sandwich seen below…
46. Carlyle – Arlington, Virginia
Their food is unpretentious, locally sourced and utterly wholesome. It’s exactly what you want to eat when you wake up and picture ‘brunch’ in your head. Throw in friendly service and impeccable standards and this is a home run, every single time.
47. Portage Bay Cafe – South Lake Union – Seattle, Washington
In a city with so many great brunch options it is pretty hard to choose just one. They serve up organic breakfast, brunch & lunch in Seattle seven days a week and the sheer perfection as well as health benefits of it make it a winner every time. Food this healthy isn’t supposed to taste this good, yet here it does.
48. Bluegrass Kitchen – Charleston, West Virginia
Bluegrass Kitchen prides themselves on live music, cocktails and brunch, which is a pretty good combination if you ask us. Fresh farm-to-table comfort food with a modern edge. Their specialties are vegetarian and omnivorous dishes made from ingredients naturally sourced within West Virginia and the Appalachians.
49. Mimosa – Franklin, Wisconsin
Named after possibly the best known brunch drink all, you know the mimosas here are going to be good. They are open daily from 6am until 3pm and even let you “pumpkinize” your griddle favourite dishes with pumpkin cream cheese and pumpkin seeds. A menu that ticks every single box for brunch lovers; the perfect American brunch.
50. Cafe Genevieve – Jackson, Wyoming
Cafe Genevieve is a restaurant located half a block from the Town Square in Jackson Hole. Serving home cooked classics in a historic log cabin since 2010, their brunch is served from 8am to 3pm daily and is the stuff of local legends. Big, honest portions of food cooked to absolute perfection.
