By night, this Wallingford bar serves things like fried chicken, brisket, and open-faced sandwiches. By day, you’ll find all of the above, only topped with an egg or alongside a big waffle. That makes Union Saloon a great last-minute option that doesn't feel like an afterthought. Their braised pork cheek on focaccia is only improved by a poached yolk, and if you’re more of a mix-and-match orderer, you can do no wrong with a side of bacon, fried potato, and quite possibly the city’s best biscuit.

This funky little bistro on Beacon Hill is the best spot in town for sparkling wine. Their brunch menu is a fantastic accompaniment to all of that carbonated grape juice, even if you only split an order of tempura-battered cream puffs and a round of passionfruit champagne punches. You won’t find three-egg breakfasts or pancake stacks here. Instead, you’ll find braised duck benedict with poached eggs and hoisin butter, griddled garam masala-kicked bread pudding, and roasted cauliflower frittata.

This rickety little ship in the ID solely serves Vietnamese fried chicken rice and waffles—a dynamic duo we’ve replayed in our minds over and over again. The fried cornish hens are super moist and topped with a crackly glazed exterior. On the side, there’s yellow rice, an optional runny egg, chrysanthemum greens, and phở broth. That’d be enough for the brunch of the century, but then they go and add crisp-and-fluffy pandan waffles with salted whipped coconut and a peanut sesame crumble.

If you got less vitamin D this winter than one of those organisms that live near the ocean floor, a brunch on Terra Plata’s rooftop garden should help you feel like a functioning human again. The Spanish-influenced menu is excellent across the board, though be sure to prioritize manchego biscuits with tangy chorizo gravy or tender green chili pork with hominy and feta. If there ever were a brunch worth getting a shoulder sunburn for, it’s this one.

For an easy special occasion brunch, or a daytime date powered by natural wine and herbs de Provence-infused omelettes, Fremont’s Le Coin is the French bistro you should seek out. Covered in a velvety mustard seed polka-dotted hollandaise, their eggs benedict with smoky thick-cut ham and a side of potatoes fried to the ideal shade of Pantone 18-0940 TCX is pretty mandatory. So is a round of mini apple fritters.

This counter-service operation serves everything from avocado toast and griddled pastrami egg sandwiches to shakshuka and apple butter oat pancakes with hazelnut dukkah. As for drinks, they range from fresh-pressed green juice to one of the best espresso martinis in town. It’s all done in a bright and airy space complete with a covered patio, high-end pantry staples for sale, and a surplus of calming sky-blue paint. If all of that makes this place sound popular, that's because it is.

If you find yourself craving savory things while everyone else is knee-deep in a stack of pancakes, head to El Moose. This Mexican restaurant in Ballard serves great food all day, but their brunch is the star of the show. Order the alambres, a hot plate of shredded beef, spicy chorizo, and grilled poblano peppers and onions, topped with slices of cheese that melt on contact. Add a fried egg on top to appease the brunch gods, and swaddle it all inside tortillas.

Brunch can be a way to enjoy something you might not have every morning, like crusty herb-loaded fried chicken on top of thin waffles slathered in Hennessy-infused butter. That’s why we love Fat’s. There’s something about the way that their sweet syrup swirls with bits of fallen breading and a bracing cognac bite that just improves a Saturday or Sunday. Reserve the sad bowlful of stale cereal for Monday through Friday.

This Fremont diner’s Dreamgirls Drag Brunch is probably the most difficult Seattle drag show to get into. You'll need to book well over a month in advance, but the hassle is worth it. There's the Xanadu-meets-Jurassic-Park patio, exemplary Jell-O shots, excellent caramel macchiato french toast, one of Seattle’s best burgers, and strawberry watermelon margaritas served in disco balls. Oh yeah, and the queens: Irene The Alien and Arietty are mainstays along with special guests that rotate.

If you like your waffles a little on the thicker side, you should make it a priority to visit Bebop Waffle Shop in West Seattle. Their belgian-style wedges are fluffy and yeasty on the inside, with a golden crust that still stands up to maple syrup and their phenomenal salted cinnamon butter. Their breakfast sandwich, layered with a thick patty of egg, cheddar, bacon, and a zippy turmeric mustard aioli, is also a great morning meal route to take.