The best brunch spots in Chicago

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The best brunch spots in Chicago

34 Best Brunch Spots in Chicago to Try This Weekend

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A variety of brunch dishes on a tablePhotograph: Courtesy of Maple & Ash

Rise and shine! The best brunches in Chicago includes delicious eggs, syrup-covered waffles, bottomless mimosas and more.

Thursday March 28 2024

Photograph: Courtesy of Maple & Ash

Samantha Nelson

The origins of this glorious medium between breakfast and lunch may be contested, but there’s no questioning Chicago’s admiration for brunch. From standards like pancakes and French toast to Southern staples like shrimp and grits to creative fusions such as royal breakfast pies, you’ll find brunch dishes at the best Chicago restaurants for every craving—or hangover. And whether it’s cozying up inside with close friends on a cold winter day, enjoying a Sunday Funday with a bottomless brunch or fueling up before exploring the city, there's a spot that has exactly what you need. So read on to discover our picks for the best brunches in Chicago.

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At Lizzy J Cafe, the menu boasts all-day specialties like a crab cake Benedict, lemon ricotta pancakes and roasted lamb chops served alongside eggs and breakfast potatoes, complemented by a selection of refreshing teas and lemonades. No matter the hour, come in for a leisurely sit-down experience that satisfies with an array of comforting dishes.

Best brunch in Chicago

At this sweet, sunny, daytime-only café, healthy food is tasty enough to crave. The owners are committed to organics and offer meat-free options, but they’re okay with a little cheese, butter and sugar every now and then. Case in point: thick, dense blackberry pancakes and a heaping breakfast sandwich of fried egg, Gorgonzola, applewood-smoked bacon and fresh thyme. If that’s too good and gooey for you health nuts, there’s always the Vegan Epiphany, an organic tofu scramble that just may live up to its name.

Just hearing the name of this restaurant makes us crave brunch—no matter the time of day. That feeling isn't unfounded, as Batter & Berries deals in omelets, pancakes, waffles and breakfast sandwiches. But the star of this menu is the French toast, which comes in four distinct flavors: blueberry, strawberry, caramel and lemon. Regulars know that the best way to order is through the French Toast Flight, which affords you a taste of each.

Though Uncle Mike’s Place is known as one of the best Filipino breakfast spots in the city, favorites like longganisa, Filipino sausage, and bangus (the unofficial national fish of the Philippines) didn’t make it to the menu until around 2008. When the economic recession pushed them to innovate, owners Michael Grajewski (the Uncle Mike) and Lucie Grajewski leaned on Lucie’s Filipino heritage. Among old-school leather seats and steaming griddles, you’ll find both American and Filipino dishes, including tocino with eggs and spam and egg sandwiches.

On the weekends, this sweet Pilsen pub serves a superb royal breakfast pie that's loaded with sausage, egg and melty cheese. It pairs nicely with a gin Bloody Mary and a pilsner beer back. Round out your meal with an order of curry chips or a Scotch egg, the latter of which comes wrapped in pork sausage, coated in breadcrumbs and fried to perfection. If you’re really hungry, get the royal English breakfast featuring fried eggs, bangers, rashers, black pudding, baked beans, grilled tomato, roasted mushrooms, sourdough toast, butter and jam (yes, that's a lot of food).

A family-run, BYOB Puerto Rican staple in Humboldt Park’s Paseo Boricua, this bright, naturally-lit restaurant serves Chicago creations like a jibarito breakfast sandwich—a fried plantain sandwich with eggs, ham, lettuce, tomato, and garlic served with a side of coconut oatmeal. Breakfast is available daily, but you can head here Saturdays and Sundays for the city’s only Puerto Rican brunch buffet. Grab a café con leche and savor the pastelon de huevo, a Puerto Rican egg casserole, along with pancakes, sweet plantains and breakfast potatoes. 

Former Gioco vet Gaetano Ascione opened this Hyde Park bistro in 2019, bringing an authentic taste of Italy to the neighborhood. Indulge in the savory flavors of the bistro's weekend brunch program, where Italian and classic brunch fare collide. Breakfast burgers, eggs benedict and "pancakes al cioccolato" make it difficult to settle on one single dish. The $18 bottomless mimosa deal may have you stumbling out of the restaurant, but the eats and ambience are sure to have you running back for your next brunch. 

Located right by the United Center, this unique Brazilian concept is housed in a Victorian three-flat. Although Sinhá—which translates to “lady of the house”—focuses primarily on its catering arm, owner Jorgina Pereira also offers a magnificent brunch buffet on Sundays. You’ll feel like part of a family mingling with strangers over plates of traditional Brazilian staples, like fish stew and shrimp bobo. Don’t overdo it on the mains though—the red velvet flan cake for dessert is a can’t-miss.

When it comes to brunch, Esencia keeps it sweet and simple. The humble menu features brunch with a strong Mexican flair—chilaquiles, breakfast tacos and chorizo (in any form) take center stage as the restaurant's savory dishes while churros and lemon ricotta pancakes satisfy any sweet tooth. Feel free to build your own omelet or give the hibiscus enchiladas a try.

Been there, done that? Think again, my friend.

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Been there, done that? Think again, my friend.

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