17 Excellent Restaurants for Sunday Brunch

It’s rare to find a brunch spot in Manhattan that doesn’t feel like a cacophony of loud tables and clanging silverware. Which is why Lafayette, chef Andrew Carmellini’s bright and roomy bistro, feels like an antidote to New York’s brunch problem. The menu is extensive, a sort of choose-your-own-adventure of French cuisine that allows you to go sweet or savory, focus on pastries or oysters or steak frites—or go all in and distribute it all among friends. When the weather is nice, request a seat in the ample outdoor area for prime people watching. Be sure to pick up a few pastries or homemade breads on your way out; the front of the restaurant serves as a bakery and coffee shop for brunchers on the go. 380 Lafayette St.; 212-533-3000; lafayetteny.com. —Marian Bull 

Andrew Tarlow and his eponymous restaurant group (of Diner and Marlow & Sons fame) have been one of the greatest, long-time leaders of the Brooklyn restaurant scene, driving both the city’s rustic aesthetics (exposed brick, filament bulbs, reclaimed wood) and its farm-to-table, whole-animal-butchery, casual-yet-fancy approach to food. Reynard, a French brasserie by way of Williamsburg located in the stylish Wythe Hotel, is his most elegant spot yet. Think: a long marble-topped bar; tall, wide windows, white tiled floors, and very high ceilings. Brunch is perhaps the best time to get a table, when the restaurant is at its most calm, sun-soaked, and amenable to lingering. If you’re in the mood for a drink, don’t miss their wine list; it’s one of the best in the borough. 80 Wythe Ave.; 718-460-8004; reynardnyc.com. —MB

At Husk—which has locations in both Charleston and Nashville—James Beard Award–winning chef Sean Brock has stood as the standard bearer for the revival of southern cooking and champion of traditionally southern ingredients. (He’s as famous for his fondness for oft-overlooked benne seeds and heirloom grains as he is for his fried chicken.) At brunch, you’ll get all the comfort you’d expect from the country’s most-renowned “new southern” restaurant: a oft-changing menu that may include shrimp and grits, biscuits and gravy, country-fried steak, and eggs Benedict with fried bologna. The Nashville location is housed in a building that was once the Mayor’s residence, and a few choice tables overlook the restaurant’s carefully tended vegetable garden. Be sure to save room for pie; you are in the South, after all. 37 Rutledge St.; 615-256-6565; husknashville.com. —MB

For Sean Brock's top picks on what to do in Charleston, see our Hometown Guide »

French restaurants often get the lion’s share of our brunch attention, but Nico Osteria—opened in 2013 by James Beard Award–winning One Off Hospitality Group (Blackbird, Avec, Publican Quality Meats, etc.) and executive chef Paul Kahan on the first floor of the Thompson Chicago hotel—reminds us that Italian fare is just as deserving. Here, you can watch cooks preparing your meal in the open kitchen, separated from the long, slim dining room by a handsome bar that offers front-row seats to the action. Nico Osteria takes the best breakfast staples and reprises them with an Italian accent: buttermilk pancakes with farro, salmon-and-eggs Benedict with Prosecco zabaglione, or an orange-olive oil cake to start. The rest of the menu is mostly Italian classics, like a porchetta sandwich, spaghetti carbonara, or ultra-creamy burrata. Because this is Chicago, there’s also a few burgers and a raw bar to choose from. 1015 N. Rush St.; 312-994-7100; nicoosteria.com. —MB

See One Off Hospitality restaurateur Donnie Madia's guide to Chicago »

Just a stone’s throw from the beach, this casual Venice gem offers exactly what you need to start a weekend morning in L.A.: vegetable-forward SoCal fare; tons of bright, West Coast sunlight; and a coterie of good-looking people. Brunch here offers a wide range of fresh but comforting dishes, including two separate sections dedicated to salads and vegetables, a long list of pizzas, and fun takes on breakfast classics, like baked eggs with merguez, labneh on toast with jam and olive oil, and pancakes made with ricotta and buckwheat, served with blueberry compote and crème fraiche. Start it all off with a round of oysters and a bottle from the Champagne list. 1429 Abbot Kinney Blvd.; 310-450-1429; gjelina.com. —MB

An ideal spot for a brunch for two, Chez Nous is an intimate affair from head to toe (it seats just 30). Each day, chefs Jill Mathias and Juan Cassalett offer two appetizers, two entrees, and two desserts, many of which you can see on their carefully maintained Instagram page—where they often post their hand-written menus, too. For brunch, expect southern hospitality in the form of a bread and pastry basket with homemade jam, followed by a mix of dishes both eggy and sweet, with a focus on seasonal ingredients. Chez Nous is understated, warm, and chic—just what you’d want from one of the South’s most appealing culinary destinations. 6 Payne Ct.; 843-579-3060; cheznouschs.com. —MB

Recognizing that brunch is, at its best, a convivial and communal affair, the longtime Philly mainstay run by executive chef Eli Kulp has just recently revamped their weekend morning offerings to deliver hearty platters designed to share. On top of their à-la-carte menu, you can now order a continental breakfast for the table, or a seafood platter, fish and bagels, or a large-scale frittata for your party. Just don’t skip baker Alex Bois’ widely acclaimed bread; it’s some of the best in the country. 306 Market St.; 215-625-9425; forkrestaurant.com. —MB

This Big Easy institution (and the birthplace of Bananas Foster) recently received a fresh little makeover, reopening in 2014 after an extensive, $20 million renovation and the addition of a new head chef, Slade Rushing, to boot. But the 70-year-old restaurant hasn’t lost a bit of its old soul: the new dining rooms feature elaborate Gatsby-esque wallpaper in blues and greens, white tablecloths, round leather booths, and courtyard views. The overhaul seems to have attracted some positive attention: in 2015, '16, and '17 Rushing was named a James Beard "Best Chef: South" finalist for his cuisine. Located in the middle of the French Quarter, go for classic New Orleans elegance, with trellises; a courtyard; and hearty portions of Gumbo, blue crab salads, and eggs Sardou—plus Milk Punch galore. 417 Royal St.; 504-525-9711; brennansneworleans.com. —MB

Zuni has been a San Francisco classic since the late ’80s, when the late Judy Rodgers arrived as head chef and instated her own brand of rustic-yet-refined cooking fueled by the kitchen’s wood-fired oven. Her name is all but synonymous with the restaurant’s roasted chicken and bread salad—a whole bird served over hunks of crisp, crusty sourdough bread softened with chicken stock, like a more-structured stuffing. It’s on offer at brunch, when the restaurant’s wall of windows do their best work and glasses of white wine seem like a happy obligation, particularly when perched on the copper-topped bar. Brunch here is heavy on the lunch side of things, with a burger, Zuni’s famous Caesar salad, and pizza, but you can still order French toast if you’re looking for something sweet. 1658 Market St.; 415-552-2522; zunicafe.com. —MB

After a midday meal at London Plane, you’ll be asking yourself why more restaurants don’t share a space with a flower shop. What could be a better venue for an airy brunch of biscuits, sunchoke and chorizo hash, or polenta porridge with rhubarb? The London Plane is a café-cum-specialty grocer located on a corner of Seattle’s ivy-walled and cobblestone-lined Occidental Plaza, that’s about as picturesque as they come. While the menu doesn’t shy away from comfort food, don’t miss the thoughtfully prepared vegetable dishes on offer, including one featuring baby beets, pomegranate, pistachio, and “many herbs.”  300 Occidental Ave S; 206-624-1374; thelondonplaneseattle.com. —MB

Mistral offers old-Boston elegance without feeling stodgy: the understated, modern dining room has been serving up consistent, French-inspired food from the same menu (more or less) for past 20 years. At brunch, the Gallic influence is evident in a bevvy of omelets and well-executed white-tablecloth brunch staples like duck confit hash, steak and eggs, and baked-to-order cinnamon buns. 223 Columbus Ave.; 617-867-9300; mistralbistro.com. —MB

When in Richmond, you’d be wise to head to the Jefferson Hotel for their Champagne brunch in an opulent column-lined rotunda. It’s a prix-fixe and buffet-style affair of southern proportions, with plenty of seafood, grits, bacon, and made-to-order omelets to please even the most finicky diners. And, like, any lavish brunch, you’re encouraged to end things with at least one trip to the dessert table, full of mini tortes and cheesecakes. 101 W. Franklin St.; 804-649-4677; jeffersonhotel.com. —MB

Chef Jennifer Jasinski, Denver’s only James Beard Award-winning chef, put fine dining on the city’s culinary map when she opened Rioja in 2004. The menu slants Mediterranean—think eggs in purgatory (made with goat cheese grits and tomato olive ragu) and artichoke tortelloni—without straying too far from Denver’s low-key energy (for proof, see her “chronic breakfast sandwich” made with grilled jalapeño cheddar sourdough, poblano cream cheese, and bacon). Brunch cocktails abound, including a house Bloody Mary, but the restaurant boasts an extensive (and impressive) wine list that’s worth a look, too. 1431 Larimer St.; 303-820-2282; riojadenver.com. —MB

Opulence is what Miami does best, and a Champagne brunch in the courtyard of the Biltmore hotel, with plenty of caviar included, is good evidence of that. It’s an excellent place to go all-out on crab legs while soaking up the sun along with a few glasses of bubbly, and the staff is particularly friendly. Brunch buffet standards are well executed here—omelets, a seafood tower, and seemingly endless dessert options—but the wide array of tapas and salads make their spread far more special than your standard hotel fare. 1200 Anastasia Ave.; 855-969-3080; biltmorehotel.com. —MB

Our pick for the best brunch in the District belongs to Convivial, Cedric Maupillier’s 120-seat restaurant in Shaw. Maupillier’s cooking draws heavily on his French heritage, but he also incorporates plenty of American influences in his menu, which features dishes like leeks dijonnaise and socca (chickpea pancakes) but also shrimp and grits and fried chicken and waffles. The bread and pastry program is a particular draw here—any meal is incomplete without one of pastry chef Eva Kronenburg’s cinnamon rolls, which are a D.C. legend of sorts. The interior, by Peter Hapstak (who also worked on Rose’s Luxury and Fiola Mare), is modern but cozy, with warm red and purple accents and chairs that invite you to linger. 801 O St NW; 202-525-2870; convivialdc.com. —Laura Sant

While it can be difficult to snag a table here, Minneapolis’s best-known restaurant serves a brunch that lives up to the hype, with both sweet and savory offerings and a short but excellent selection of brunch drinks—think Salty Dogs, Bloody Marys made with aquavit, and Corpse Revivers made with peppered gin. Chef Gavin Kaysen, who worked for Daniel Boulud for many years and has traveled widely, draws from so many influences—the brunch menu boasts everything from ropa vieja to croque madames to smoked whitefish—might seem haphazard at first glance, but Kaysen manages to weave everything together into a seamless whole. There’s a reason the Michelin-starred spot has been a finalist for a James Beard Award and was one of only six North American restaurants chosen for the Diners Club’s “Discovery Series”—the food is damn good. 211 N. First St.; 612-224-9850; spoonandstable.com. —LS

Jessica Koslow’s popular, neighborhood-y Silver Lake spot began as a jam company, and their creative preserves, such as strawberry and rose geranium jam and Moro blood orange and vanilla bean marmalade, are still sold by the jar. In 2012 she expanded to a restaurant, and Angelenos have been lining up ever since. The food is so quintessentially Los Angeles—avocado toasts piled high with pickled vegetables; colorful rice bowls with sorrel pesto and bright slices of radish; pressed ginger and turmeric tonics, all of it colorful and highly instagrammable—that it might induce eye-rolling if it wasn’t so flat-out delicious. So delicious, in fact, that plenty of what Koslow is doing has crept into menus around the country, making a trip here feel like a pilgrimage to the source. 720 N Virgil Ave., No. 4; 323-284-8147; sqirlla.com. —LS