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For that magical meal between breakfast and lunch, these are Philly’s beloved go-tos
Philly loves its brunch, from French toast and bottomless mimosas to dim sum to Pennsylvania Dutch apple dumplings to Vietnamese pulled pork hash. Here are the essential brunch restaurants in Philly where you can make weekend plans with friends, catch up over coffee and cocktails, and get down with some serious daytime dishes.
Some of these gems only serve brunch on the weekends; for weekday breakfast options, check the guide to breakfast in Philly.
Read MoreNick Elmi’s all-day cafe in Bala Cynwyd is the ideal destination for brunch with a view. The Landing Kitchen outsources its pastries to formidable bakeries like Au Fournil and Crust and the daytime offerings here include everything from an array of toasts to seared pork belly sandwiches with Cooper sharp cheese.
In Fishtown, chic Lebanese destination Suraya wows weekend brunch crowds with its menu of pastries, egg dishes, and man’oushe (flatbread) with za’atar and labneh. Don’t leave without getting something sweet, like an olive oil cake with turmeric and apricot.
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This go-to Fishtown brunch spot keeps things fresh with a roster of rotating specials that range from roasted pepper and salmon deviled eggs to fried rice and Honduran chicken with cabbage salad and fried plantains. Those looking to keep their brunch more traditional will appreciate classics like eggs Benedict and a house-cured gravlax platter.
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This little Northern Liberties BYOB with a covered and heated outdoor patio marries French and Lebanese cuisines, making for some very real brunch magic seven days a week. Fava hummus with eggs and za’atar pita and a berry-topped pain perdu are just two examples of Cafe La Maude’s beautiful brunch synergy.
Honey’s brunch-time appeal includes influences from various regions’ morning eats, such as country-fried steak and eggs, bagels and lox, and huevos rancheros. This homey BYOB on N. Fourth Street in Northern Liberties occasionally has a line so expect a bit of a wait.
Brunch all day, every day might not be a mind-blowing concept these days, but the folks at Callowhill’s Cafe Lift keep their offerings fresh with a menu that goes beyond pancakes. Delicate Italian crepes come sweet with bananas and Nutella while a veggie Benedict features chard and delicata squash.
Never doubt the power of dim sum to keep you happy all day on a Saturday. At spacious Ocean Harbor, all the traditional Hong Kong-style dim sum dishes are on offer, from turnip cakes to steamed shrimp dumplings. Just don’t let your appetite get the better of you — those carts full of delicious, enticing dishes make it easy to fill up fast.
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Getting a stool at Dutch Eating Place, a tiny Reading Terminal Market luncheonette, might require a bit of patience, but the homey breakfast fare the Pennsylvania Dutch eatery serves is worth it. Don’t miss the apple dumplings with cream and the scrapple.
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Borekas, bagels, and babka are only the beginning of the brunch options at Mike Solomonov and Steve Cook’s daily daytime destination in Rittenhouse Square. The multifaceted Middle Eastern menu is full of topped toasts on Yemenite kubaneh bread, bright salads, and some lovely laminated pastries.
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The STARR Restaurants group offers Philly no shortage of brunch options, but the Love masters the weekend meal. The menu keeps things fresh with an appealing array of starters like hush puppies with salted honey butter followed by mains that tread the line between breakfast and lunch — think fried egg-topped turkey avocado melts and bowls of gulf shrimp and grits. Don’t sleep on brunch cocktails here, either.
While brunch is not technically on the menu at High Street, the breakfast and lunch options are undoubtedly worthy daytime options from early morning until afternoon. High Street serves an array of breakfast sandwiches on its own heavenly bread, and lunch sandwiches, salads, and soups are all hits. Pick up some perfect baked goods to go on the way out.
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Craving grits? Get them with shrimp or catfish and sunny-side up eggs at Booker’s in West Philly’s Cedar Park neighborhood. Other standouts on the modern Southern brunch menu at the inviting restaurant, which has a full bar, include chicken and waffles, a salmon burger, and, for a veggie option, green goddess hummus. Plus, it’s a great place to dress up and go people-watching.
Breakfast fare with a Northern European lean is what’s on offer at Winkel in Washington Square West. At this relaxed BYOB with outdoor space, Belgian waffles come sweet with seasonal fruit or savory with a one-two punch of fried chicken and scrapple gravy.
At the corner of 15th and South, the colorful, light-filled Breakfast Den serves a menu that brings Philly’s passion for Vietnamese cuisine to the usual brunch suspects. The result is a unique take on weekend eats that runs the gamut from Vietnamese pulled pork hash to banh mi filled with egg, bacon, and sausage, plus egg roll-topped breakfast bowls with crispy tofu and fresh herbs.
Want brunch to go? Thanks to New York-style appetizing shop Biederman’s in South Philly, you can order in advance and pick up everything you’d ever want for a delicious weekend spread — from smoked fish to sliced tomatoes and cucumbers to flavored cream cheeses, as well as the most essential brunch item of all: bagels.
Also featured in:
This sunny Italian Market BYOB with a great patio and gorgeous juices offers a menu of Mexican-accented brunch fare like tres leches pain perdu, a south-of-the-border tofu scramble, and monthly specials. True to its name — Spanish for soul of the sea — Alma del Mar’s menu also leans into seafood; try the grits finished with fish and scallops or a Benedict topped by shrimp, crab, or lobster.
You won’t find any French toast or mimosas at stripped-down Vietnamese stalwart Phở 75 but come early for generous bowls of pho that can restore anyone, especially after a particularly late night. Unlike at some of the more compact brunch spots in the city, waiting lists aren’t a thing at this Washington Avenue pho spot. As far as drinks go, iced coffee with a generous layer of sweetened condensed milk or salted lemonade is a solid choice for those in the market for an alcohol-free brunch option.
How much does La Llorona love weekend brunch? A whole lot. The lively South Philly restaurant’s pastry baskets, micheladas, and bottomless mimosas are all excellent, as is hangover-helping fare from chorizo and potato omelets to pancakes drizzled with hibiscus and maple syrup. You can also indulge in regular-menu stars like ceviche and aguachile.
Nick Elmi’s all-day cafe in Bala Cynwyd is the ideal destination for brunch with a view. The Landing Kitchen outsources its pastries to formidable bakeries like Au Fournil and Crust and the daytime offerings here include everything from an array of toasts to seared pork belly sandwiches with Cooper sharp cheese.
In Fishtown, chic Lebanese destination Suraya wows weekend brunch crowds with its menu of pastries, egg dishes, and man’oushe (flatbread) with za’atar and labneh. Don’t leave without getting something sweet, like an olive oil cake with turmeric and apricot.
This go-to Fishtown brunch spot keeps things fresh with a roster of rotating specials that range from roasted pepper and salmon deviled eggs to fried rice and Honduran chicken with cabbage salad and fried plantains. Those looking to keep their brunch more traditional will appreciate classics like eggs Benedict and a house-cured gravlax platter.
This little Northern Liberties BYOB with a covered and heated outdoor patio marries French and Lebanese cuisines, making for some very real brunch magic seven days a week. Fava hummus with eggs and za’atar pita and a berry-topped pain perdu are just two examples of Cafe La Maude’s beautiful brunch synergy.
Honey’s brunch-time appeal includes influences from various regions’ morning eats, such as country-fried steak and eggs, bagels and lox, and huevos rancheros. This homey BYOB on N. Fourth Street in Northern Liberties occasionally has a line so expect a bit of a wait.
Brunch all day, every day might not be a mind-blowing concept these days, but the folks at Callowhill’s Cafe Lift keep their offerings fresh with a menu that goes beyond pancakes. Delicate Italian crepes come sweet with bananas and Nutella while a veggie Benedict features chard and delicata squash.
Never doubt the power of dim sum to keep you happy all day on a Saturday. At spacious Ocean Harbor, all the traditional Hong Kong-style dim sum dishes are on offer, from turnip cakes to steamed shrimp dumplings. Just don’t let your appetite get the better of you — those carts full of delicious, enticing dishes make it easy to fill up fast.
Getting a stool at Dutch Eating Place, a tiny Reading Terminal Market luncheonette, might require a bit of patience, but the homey breakfast fare the Pennsylvania Dutch eatery serves is worth it. Don’t miss the apple dumplings with cream and the scrapple.
Borekas, bagels, and babka are only the beginning of the brunch options at Mike Solomonov and Steve Cook’s daily daytime destination in Rittenhouse Square. The multifaceted Middle Eastern menu is full of topped toasts on Yemenite kubaneh bread, bright salads, and some lovely laminated pastries.
The STARR Restaurants group offers Philly no shortage of brunch options, but the Love masters the weekend meal. The menu keeps things fresh with an appealing array of starters like hush puppies with salted honey butter followed by mains that tread the line between breakfast and lunch — think fried egg-topped turkey avocado melts and bowls of gulf shrimp and grits. Don’t sleep on brunch cocktails here, either.
While brunch is not technically on the menu at High Street, the breakfast and lunch options are undoubtedly worthy daytime options from early morning until afternoon. High Street serves an array of breakfast sandwiches on its own heavenly bread, and lunch sandwiches, salads, and soups are all hits. Pick up some perfect baked goods to go on the way out.
Craving grits? Get them with shrimp or catfish and sunny-side up eggs at Booker’s in West Philly’s Cedar Park neighborhood. Other standouts on the modern Southern brunch menu at the inviting restaurant, which has a full bar, include chicken and waffles, a salmon burger, and, for a veggie option, green goddess hummus. Plus, it’s a great place to dress up and go people-watching.
Breakfast fare with a Northern European lean is what’s on offer at Winkel in Washington Square West. At this relaxed BYOB with outdoor space, Belgian waffles come sweet with seasonal fruit or savory with a one-two punch of fried chicken and scrapple gravy.
At the corner of 15th and South, the colorful, light-filled Breakfast Den serves a menu that brings Philly’s passion for Vietnamese cuisine to the usual brunch suspects. The result is a unique take on weekend eats that runs the gamut from Vietnamese pulled pork hash to banh mi filled with egg, bacon, and sausage, plus egg roll-topped breakfast bowls with crispy tofu and fresh herbs.
Want brunch to go? Thanks to New York-style appetizing shop Biederman’s in South Philly, you can order in advance and pick up everything you’d ever want for a delicious weekend spread — from smoked fish to sliced tomatoes and cucumbers to flavored cream cheeses, as well as the most essential brunch item of all: bagels.
This sunny Italian Market BYOB with a great patio and gorgeous juices offers a menu of Mexican-accented brunch fare like tres leches pain perdu, a south-of-the-border tofu scramble, and monthly specials. True to its name — Spanish for soul of the sea — Alma del Mar’s menu also leans into seafood; try the grits finished with fish and scallops or a Benedict topped by shrimp, crab, or lobster.
You won’t find any French toast or mimosas at stripped-down Vietnamese stalwart Phở 75 but come early for generous bowls of pho that can restore anyone, especially after a particularly late night. Unlike at some of the more compact brunch spots in the city, waiting lists aren’t a thing at this Washington Avenue pho spot. As far as drinks go, iced coffee with a generous layer of sweetened condensed milk or salted lemonade is a solid choice for those in the market for an alcohol-free brunch option.
How much does La Llorona love weekend brunch? A whole lot. The lively South Philly restaurant’s pastry baskets, micheladas, and bottomless mimosas are all excellent, as is hangover-helping fare from chorizo and potato omelets to pancakes drizzled with hibiscus and maple syrup. You can also indulge in regular-menu stars like ceviche and aguachile.
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