Brunch has always been more than just a meal. It’s a state of mind (and one that often requires designer sunglasses). It’s as much about where you eat as what you eat (and what you’re wearing while doing so).
Of course, there’s always Bubby’s, Five Points, Norma’s and Balthazar, which will still gladly take your name at the door and make you wait hours for a fabulous not-breakfast, not-lunch meal. But we’ve decided to assemble a critical list (in no particular order) of a few less legendary spots serving the weekend’s most delicious dishes.
Whether you’re a student on a budget, a nervous dude looking for the perfect first-date (or morning-after) spot, a group of gossipy gals or a pack of urban hipsters, you’re sure to find your perfect oasis right here.
1. Morandi
211 Waverly Place; (212) 627-7575
Keith McNally’s extensive Italian brunch menu is based on familiar breakfast ingredients (eggs, fruits and starches), but you won’t find the standard eggs benedict or pancakes here.
Ideal for: a date, large groups and families; outdoor dining
Menu musts: fagottini con prosciutto (baked crepes with ham and fontina, $15); frittelle di ricotta (ricotta fritters, $5)
Brunch hours: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. (all listings are for both Saturday and Sunday unless otherwise noted)
2. Good
89 Greenwich Ave.; (212) 691-8080
Chef and owner Steven Picker serves American comfort classics kissed with pan-Latin influences. The restaurant’s small patio overlooks Greenwich Avenue, making it a perfect spot for people watching. Try one of the exotic fruit-juice cocktails.
Ideal for: solo diners, groups or a “morning- after” date; outdoor dining
Menu musts: green chile macaroni with jack cheese and tortilla crumbs ($14); batidos (a mixed fruit drink, $4); and the good bread basket (choice of three breads for $8.50)
Brunch hours: Sat., 11a.m.-3:30p.m.; Sun., 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
3.The Smith
55 3rd Ave.; (212) 420-9800
The duo behind Jane and The Neptune Room opened The Smith in November, and ever since, its reasonable prices, casual, lively vibe and American brasserie specials keep folks coming back for more.
Ideal for: solo diners, hipsters, NYU students, large parties, “morning-after” dates and families
Menu musts: Alsatian pizza with bacon, onions and crema ($8); French toast with maple butter and caramelized bananas ($11); and the Croaker sandwich (their take on the traditional croque monsieur), with smoked ham, gruyere cheese, sourdough rye and fried eggs ($12)
Brunch hours: 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
4. Nolita House
47 E. Houston St.; (212) 625-1712
Owner Marc Matyas turned this charming one-room schoolhouse into a bustling neighborhood restaurant and bar specializing in upscale comfort food at decent prices. The high, lonesome sound of live bluegrass music accompanies your meal.
Ideal for: hipsters, students and fashionable NoLIta folk
Menu musts: macaroni and cheese (four cheeses topped with Panko breadcrumbs, $11); an omelet with fries and a green salad ($11)
Brunch hours: 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
5. The Stanton Social
99 Stanton St.; (212) 995-0099
This bi-level space from chef-owner Christ Santos, Tao owner Richard Wolf and Peter Kane of Happy Ending evokes a lounge-y, chic and dramatic aura that puts diners in the mood to nosh on small plates. If you’re looking for a quiet meal, sit downstairs.
Ideal for: scene surfing, hipsters, socialites, treat/meet the parents, bachelor/bachelorette parties and people watching
Menu musts: warm doughnuts ($9); ricotta fritters with raspberry jam ($8); French onion-soup dumplings ($11); a sausage, biscuit and gravy sliders ($6)
Brunch hours: 11:30 a.m.-4 p.m.
6. Community Food and Juice
2893 Broadway; (212) 665-2800
The folks behind Clinton Street Baking Company offer this similar, home-spun spot that’s four times the size (with 100 seats) and built “green” to feature locally farmed ingredients.
Ideal for: Columbia students and their friends and families; outdoor dining
Menu musts: a seven-grain waffle with sautéed stone fruits and crushed pistachios ($14); the Farmer’s Plate (soft scrambled eggs with farmhouse cheddar, roasted tomatoes and fresh herbs, accompanied by a whole wheat baguette, $14); the strawberry lemonade (above, $5)
Brunch hours: 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
7. Public
210 Elizabeth St.; (212) 343-7011
Public’s atmosphere arrests your senses withlittle details – vaulted ceilings, bare bulbs over the bar, vintage accessories like gilded post office boxes (used as wine lockers) and library shelves with mid-20th century magazines.
Ideal for: dates, large groups or a serene meal with the parents; street-side dining
Menu musts: coconut flapjacks topped with ginger-lime syrup, fresh ricotta and mango salad ($11); French toast stuffed with bananas and topped with bacon and maple syrup ($11); poached eggs topped with tea-smoked salmon, spinach and yuzu hollandaise ($14).
Brunch hours: 11 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
8. Hundred Acres
38 Macdougal St.; (212) 475-7500
Hundred Acres is like three restaurants in one: The front café and bar feel like a chic butcher shop; the middle room is more like a farmhouse in style; and the enclosed back garden (with a retractable roof) makes you feel like you’re dining in the countryside.
Ideal for: dining with parents, in-laws, friends, couples; outdoor dining
Menu musts: poached eggs on fried green tomatoes with thick-cut bacon and Tabasco butter ($15); crunchy buttermilk-fried chicken with wedge salad dressed in buttermilk (above, $16); and the Georgia Smash (bourbon, peach, limoncello, mint leaves and angostura bitters, $11)
Brunch hours: Sun., 11 a.m.- 4 p.m
9. Cookshop
156 10th Ave.; (212) 924-4440
If you can resist the Cookshop scramble – a buttermilk biscuit split open and stuffed with scrambled eggs, caramelized onions, chives, créme fraiche and smoky bacon ($13) – you’re in line for sainthood.
Ideal for: a date, friends and a pre- or post-gallery meal; outdoor dining
Menu musts: baked eggs rancheros with ranchero sauce, black beans, jack cheese and red onion-jalapeno salsa (above, $15); semolina-raisin French toast with mascarpone cream, toasted almonds and blueberries ($14); on Sundays, try the Kossar’s bialy with smoked fish ($16)
Brunch hours: 11 a.m.-3 p.m.
10. La Palapa
77 St. Marks Pl.; (212) 777-2537
359 Sixth Ave.; (212) 243-6870
These sister restaurants offer two different visions of Mexico: The St. Marks’ spot feels beachy with terracotta tiles and thatched roof accents, while the Sixth Avenue location is more modern with low lighting and walls covered in rich dark colors.
Ideal for: groups and anyone in need of a hangover cure.
Menu musts: huevos en chalupas (“little boats” of corn masa topped with chorizo, poached eggs and poblano crema, $11.95); and huevos tapatios (two eggs any style with a fresh tomatillo salsa, spicy chorizo, grilled cactus and more, $11.95).
Brunch hours: 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
11. Clinton Street Baking Company
4 Clinton Street; (646) 602-6263
This snug bakery-turned-32-seat café feels like a local coffee shop in a college town. Coffee is ground fresh and served at the take-away counter, where biscuits and scones fill the room with the intoxicating aromas.
Ideal for: friends, couples and early birds with a lot of patience
Menu musts: Maine blueberry or banana-walnut pancakes topped with warm maple butter ($12); the buttermilk biscuit sandwich filled with soft scrambled eggs, melted cheddar and homemade tomato jam (above, $9); and fresh-squeezed Lynchburg lemonade, with a dose of whiskey and seltzer ($8).
Note: No parties of six or more; cash only
Brunch hours: 10 a.m-4 p.m.
12. Petrossian
182 W. 58th St.; (212) 245-2214
At this Midtown throwback, the specialty of the house is smoked fish, caviar and vodka – all the ingredients fit for a czar’s morning meal. And at $31 for three courses, you don’t have to shell out a lot of dough to experience this art deco classic.
Ideal for: a date, large groups, out-of-towners and sugar daddies
Menu musts: the smoked fish and bagel platter; a caviar omelet with créme fraiche and fingerling potatoes ($8 supplement)
Brunch hours: 11:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
13. Centro Vinoteca
74 Seventh Ave. S.; (212) 367-7470
Centro Vinoteca breaks away from the usual farmhouse tables and exposed brick walls with glossy surfaces, crystal chandeliers and a sleek modern black-and-white motif that evokes La Dolce Vita. Get away from the bustle with a table upstairs or people-watch through the tall windows that face Seventh Ave.
Ideal for: groups, parents and dates
Menu musts: an egg, fennel sausage and fontina on a fennel raisin roll ($11); the “Chef Anne Sparkler,” a mix of aperol, prosecco and lemon juice ($11)
Brunch hours: 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
14. Resto
111 E. 29th St.; (212) 685-5585
You’ll think you’ve died and gone to pork heaven at this Belgian gastro-pub, where the casual tavern setting is perfect for pigging out on fatty fare made from farm-fresh ingredients.
Ideal for: beer snobs, solo diners, “morning after” dates and groups
Menu musts: “Belgian hangover pasta” (above, spaghetti with Vermont ham, gruyere cheese and sunny-side-up egg, $14); and the framboise mimosa ($12)
Brunch hours: 10:30 a.m.-3p.m.
15. Westville
173 Avenue A; (212) 677-2033
210 W. 10th St.; (212) 741-7971
While it can be cramped, the mostly organic fare is served with a cozy, friendly vibe.
Ideal for: families, groups (at the East Village location), solo diners and vegetarians
Menu musts: oversize baked challah French toast with strawberries ($7.50); the signature “make-your-own” egg scramble ($8).
Brunch hours: 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
With reporting from Carla Spartos
16. Jolie
320 Atlantic Ave., Brooklyn; (718) 488-0777; 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
Airy and pretty with a sweet French vibe, Jolie is a neighborhood gem. Try the oversize chocolate and banana crepe ($7.50), the croque madame (above, $9.50) or the “La Jolie” omelet with chorizo, roasted peppers and sun-dried tomatoes.
17. OLEA
171 Lafayette Ave., Brooklyn; (718) 643-7003; 10 a.m.-4 p.m
Located on a pretty tree-lined block, this Mediterranean spot in Fort Greene offers a comfy, airy setting complete with palm fronds, mahogany accents and throw pillows. The Turkish breakfast (scrambled eggs with herbed Greek yogurt and grilled pita bread, $10) is a standout.
18. Farm on Adderly
1108 Cortelyou Rd., Brooklyn; (718) 287-3101; 11 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
This pioneering Ditmas Park eatery with a fresh-from-the-farm menu is a cozy neighborhood bistro. The eggs are amazing whether they’re scrambled with chicken sausage ($8) or poached in a brilliant take on eggs benedict ($9.50).
19. Le Refuge Inn
586 City Island Ave., The Bronx; (718)-885-2478; noon-3 p.m.
Enjoy a $25 prix-fixe brunch, including a fruit salad and your choice of entrée (like oeuf Florentine – poached eggs with smoked salmon and spinach), plus a beverage, at this beautifully restored sea captain’s house. Cash only.
20. Tournesol
50-12 Vernon Blvd., Queens; (718) 472-4355; 11 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
From Pascal Escriout, the former maitre d’ at Artisanal, comes this casual spot in Long Island City, where the French onion soup ($7) is divine and the croque monsieur sandwich ($8.50) has a certain je ne sais quoi!