The Best Brunch In NYC

There's so much we love to eat at this uber-popular Nolita spot, but at brunch, our #1 must-order is the buttery egg-and-cheese roti. Every bite delivers the perfect balance of herby sai oua sausage, a mash of mayo and scallions, a soft egg crepe covered in oozing american cheese, and a few slivers of fresh thai basil. The thai tea babka french toast is a close second.

New York’s it-pancake is found, not at some scenester spot downtown, but at this little couple-owned Mexican restaurant in Hamilton Heights. The masa pancake at Cocina Consuelo is crisp along its honey-soaked edges, and soft like corn pudding in the center. Round out your meal with tortilla con huevo, a croissant grilled cheese with salsa macha, and a café de olla.

Unlike the food at whatever place comes up when you search “diner near me,” the classics at Golden Diner in Chinatown are unexpected: honey butter pancakes, a breakfast sandwich on a soft milk bun with cheese, eggs, and a crunchy hash brown, or a chicken katsu club. A counter with chrome stools reminds you that, despite the cocktails and orange wine, this is indeed a diner. But don’t forget to make a reservation ahead.

This tavern-like corner spot shines during the day, when sunlight pours in through the large windows, onto Brooklyn Heights locals and their impeccably dressed toddlers. The brunch menu is fairly egg-forward, though we’re happy to report that the beloved nighttime cheeseburger is also available. It pairs excellently with a soft scramble or some chilaquiles—and a Bloody Mary.

Every neighborhood needs an Ánimo. But for now only Midtown East has one. The pastel-colored Mexican cafe is a wonderful place for a quick and easy brunch. Order at the counter, find an open booth, then eat a concha, a simple quesadilla, and some huevos rancheros with two thick and tangy salsas.

This East Village Texan spot is great at any hour, but we especially like coming for brunch, which feels like a collab between IHOP and Dolly Parton with floral wallpaper and mismatched old lamps. Get a cocktail and a few kolaches to start, then stock up on tacos, like the smoked bacon and carne guisada on fresh flour tortillas. They also serve a rotating menu of incredibly light and fluffy doughnuts on weekends.

Would you wait in line for brunch? If so, Bubby’s in Tribeca is a great, classic choice. The portions are large, the pancakes are fluffy, and the biscuits and grits will erase any mistakes you made the night before. Unfortunately, there’s always a line down the block for brunch. Check out this casual American spot at least once. The line moves fast.

It’s hard to pinpoint what exactly makes New Lake Pavilion such a superior dim sum destination. Maybe it’s the retro facade left over from the diner that previously occupied the palatial space on the southern edge of Flushing. Or maybe it’s the energy of the room packed with families and roving carts. Just make sure you order the crispy shrimp rice rolls when you go.

This Fort Greene restaurant is destination dining disguised as a humble neighborhood restaurant, and weekend brunch is no exception. At Sailor, menu items that sound simple, like a tomato grilled cheese or omelet with aged comté, tend to have subtle but surprising twists. That grilled cheese, for example, is served with little pickles on top. There are only 10 tables, so reserve ahead or try for a walk-in bar seat.

There’s a good chance you'll see some tourists on a weekend at Sylvia's. This Harlem soul-food institution is internationally famous for good reason: Just about everything here is very satisfying. Fresh, warm cornbread? Check. Thick waffles, crispy chicken, and gooey mac and cheese? Check, check, check. Sylvia's also hosts a gospel brunch every Sunday, so reserve ahead and bring your live music-loving friends.

This counter-service Taiwanese-American cafe in East Williamsburg (from the people behind Win Son across the street) has fan tuan, mochi doughnuts, and one of the city's best breakfast sandwiches. That BEC comes by default on a milk bun, but for an extra $6, you can—and absolutely should—get it served on a warm, chewy scallion pancake instead.

Even more than all the other carby deliciousness on this list, brunch at Agi’s might put you to sleep. This Crown Heights restaurant serves Hungarian and Austrian-inspired takes on Jewish-American classics: think tuna melts, aged cheeses, and brisket served with thick, buttery pieces of toast. Try to snag a seat at the counter, and ask about their special Hungarian donuts.

When watery diner eggs won’t do, head to Kellogg’s for guajillo short rib hash, or maybe a piece of fried chicken on a biscuit dripping with honey butter. Besides the zhuzhed up Tex-Mex/Southern dishes sprinkled among the breakfast classics, this glammed-up Williamsburg diner also serves orange wine and cocktails (and fantastic desserts). But the booths are loose and easy enough for your comfiest loungewear.

There are few things more exhilarating than trying to get a table at Buvette on the weekends. As you peek through the windows on Grove Street, you’ll see people enjoying brioche french toast and impossibly fluffy eggs, and think to yourself, “That could be me.” And it could, if you put your name in with the host and wait a while. Go for it—brunch at this charming French spot from the Via Carota people is a West Village rite of passage.

Ask a Williamsburg resident for a brunch recommendation and they’ll probably tell you to go to Baby Blues Luncheonette. Listen to them. The all-blue spot on Montrose is sort of Greek and sort of a new-age diner, which means they offer things like the Zooba Plate, with fried eggs, grilled halloumi, and Greek potatoes, but also a classic tuna melt. Expect a long wait on weekends.

The conservatory-like rooms of this Hotel Chelsea restaurant are an oasis of green plants and warm globe lamps. Fuel up on bottomless black coffee while you eavesdrop on guests conversing in European languages—and bring your own visitors here: the mirrors around the banquettes reflect an impressively artsy NYC scene. Keep it simple with a perfect, herb-infused omelet, or indulge in a cocktail and a pain perdu that tastes like Christmas morning.

If you’re not really a brunch person, the shrimp tacos at Colonia Verde in Fort Greene might change that. Shrimp, avocado, and refried beans are folded into tortillas so soft that they could double as a pillow for your post-brunch nap. Sip a mezcal cocktail, and spend a few hours lounging in the greenhouse-like dining room or plant-filled backyard.

Barney Greengrass is Upper West Side brunch royalty. This 1908-established Jewish deli has plenty of room to sit and eat, which sets it apart from a lot of other classic smoked fish spots. It's also conveniently near the Museum of Natural History. Barney Greengrass—or BGG, as we like to call it—opens at 8:30am, and you should get here by 10am unless you’re ready to wait. Bring cash, and get some scrambled eggs, oblong latkes, and near-translucent nova.

If you’re looking for a midmorning bacon fix, then this inventive, perpetually packed vegetarian spot in the East Village isn’t the place for you. But if a spongy, crisp waffle served with guava butter and syrup, grits, or a tofu scramble sound like a good way to start the day, then game on. Plus, it’s easier to walk in for brunch than dinner.

There's a special place in our Spam-loving hearts for Hong Kong-style cafes and their comforting blend of Cantonese and Western cuisines. At this cash-only cha chaan teng in Flushing, the sub-$11 breakfast sets come with a hot drink, like creamy milk tea, and a main, like satay beef with instant noodles. Supplement that with an order of oozing salted egg french toast. There's another location in Chinatown.

For brunch with a helping of Upper East Side scene, head to EJ’s Luncheonette. The diner with the blue awning has been privy to countless “Wait, that’s what happened last night?!” conversations since it opened in 1990. Come with a group and split some pancakes in a big, cozy booth, or sit up at the counter. Either way, make sure there’s a matzo ball soup on the table—it’s one of our favorites.

Established in 1989, Golden Unicorn is one of the most atmospheric dim sum brunches in town, with big round tables spread over two floors, carts at brunch, and extremely photogenic pig-shaped custard buns. (Resist the too-dry minion-shaped ones.) Bring a large group, then wave carts over until you can’t possibly eat another dumpling. There will almost definitely be a wait once you get your numbered ticket.

We love the soufflé-like quiche at this intimate Dumbo restaurant, where the backyard sparkles with string lights. But Vinegar Hill House’s most essential brunch dish is the incredible sourdough pancake. Cooked in a wood-fired oven, it’s custard-like in the middle, and might come with strawberries, apples, or peaches, depending on the season. No matter the month, you should order it.

With some of the best sidewalk real estate in Harlem, and possibly Manhattan, Archer & Goat is the obvious choice for a sunny brunch on Lenox Ave. (It also has a tiny backyard.) You’ll find a mix of interesting, flavorful dishes—like breakfast arepas with steak, or shrimp curry with turmeric rice—that reflect the owners’ Ecuadorian and Bangladeshi roots. There’s a bottomless mimosa deal, and an unmissable french toast with seasonal fruit.

This old-school luncheonette and Jewish deli in Flatiron, run by various owners since 1928, has tons of greasy charm and a killer patty melt. Order the Lil’ Shonda (a pastrami egg and cheese), latkes, and an egg cream, however early it might be. You’ll likely find yourself in line for a seat, pressed against the wall to make room for the servers barreling by to deliver bowls of matzo ball soup—but S&P is worth the short wait.

Chez Ma Tante’s pancakes are one of the very few things guaranteed to get us out of bed on a Sunday. They’re fried in clarified butter in a cast-iron skillet to give them crispy fritter edges, then served with loads more butter, and enough maple syrup to get you interrogated by customs if you were crossing the border from Quebec. Make a brunch reservation, because you’ll have competition.

If your preferred potato preparation is latke, then your upcoming brunch should go down at Gertrude’s in Prospect Heights. The Jewish-American restaurant from the team behind Gertie serves open-faced bagel sandwiches and larger plates like brisket hash and babka french toast. Or, go all out and get Le Grand Gertrude—an appetizing tower complete with smoked whitefish salad, lox, and other toppings, plus a latke and a bagel for everyone.

This LA transplant is, hands down, home to some of the most unique and delicious pancakes (technically griddle cakes) in the city. They’re creamy in the middle and crisp around the edges. Hence the line outside. If you arrive at this West Village cafe after 10am on a weekend, expect to wait a minimum of 45 minutes. Alternatively, try the less busy Carroll Gardens outpost.

This Long Island City institution is beloved for the sweet, complex heat of their mole de piaxtla. At brunch, you can get it with chicken enchiladas or with eggs. Leave room for the excellent tres leches cake with goat’s milk caramel; one reason brunch is superior to breakfast is that it’s societally acceptable to order dessert. And also margaritas, available here in at least a dozen flavors.

This menu at this quirky little counter spot inside Essex Market on the LES is like a fever dream, but the kind you’d refuse a dose of NyQuil to keep on living in. They make delicious, gonzo breakfasts here, with dozens of pancake varieties, including ebelskivers (Danish pancake balls), and ones stuffed with mac and cheese. Parties of more than four are strictly forbidden at Shopsin’s—yes, even if you split up.

Chez Nick on the Upper East Side with easy reservations and a few big tables is a reliable brunch option for bigger groups—especially if you want to get boozy. Their $12 bloody mary has enough horseradish to unclog your nose, and everything on the fairly standard brunch menu is really well made. Make sure their big, fluffy pancake with crunchy edges is on your table, and get either the breakfast burrito with mushroom al pastor, or chilaquiles loaded with barbacoa.

Leland Eating & Drinking House in Prospect Heights is a pretty low-key spot on a pretty quiet corner, so it’s great for a last-minute brunch when you wake up on a Sunday and realize you absolutely need some pork shank hash. The only non-negotiable order is the sourdough cinnamon bun, but other worthy offerings include a porchetta sandwich and honey toast brulee.

Brunch doesn’t have to mean eggs. It can also mean lasagna al ragú, or costoletta—a breaded pork chop filled with fontina and prosciutto cotto. That’s what you’ll find at Briscola, a charmingly laidback Italian restaurant in Crown Heights that pours house wine at any time of day. There are still egg dishes for the traditionalists—like frittata di pasta, which is exactly what it sounds like. A frittata with spaghetti in it.

Maison Pickle is the sister restaurant of another Upper West Side staple, Jacob’s Pickles, and it serves food that Scooby Doo would eat in one gulp. We’re talking patty melts, pull-apart cinnamon buns, and stacks of french toast topped with hot honey chicken cutlets. Bring the kids or some out-of-towners. They’ll love it here.