Stop wasting time debating where to go to brunch. This is the best spot for French toast, Bloody Marys, and Benedicts in your Chicago neighborhood.
LessThis sunny Lincoln Park outpost continues to serve up Cali swag via a full bill of brunchtime favorites. Hass avocado BLTs, loaded cobb salads, housemade English muffins, breakfast burritos stuffed with fluffy scrambled eggs and sausage, and Guiliana Prosecco-fueled mimosas keep the grown-ups humming while junior takes on a heap of silver dollar pancakes crowned with fresh fruit and maple syrup.
Buttermilk biscuits slathered in duck fat whipped butter; sopes layered with chili braised duck, salsa verde, refried beans, cotija cheese, and eggs; smoked salmon on toast with curried avocado, spiced mango, and a crisp radish—these unfathomably enticing inventions represent a mere fraction of this famed Bridgeport gastropub’s totally bonkers brunch offerings. A whopping four different gourmet hot dog options (elote corn dog, anyone?) add to the mouthwatering madness.
Top Chef alum CJ Jacobson’s Mediterranean hotspot has been stepping up and crushing the brunch game since day one, spoiling weekenders with a bounty of hummus, spreads, kebabs, and other mezze shareables. And while their take-out and delivery program remains solid as ever, these handsome West Loop devils have officially reopened their magical rooftop patio and breezy dining room so you can enjoy your AM feast in style.
Take a bite out of the Big Easy courtesy of this festive Wicker Park Michelin Bib Gourmand recipient. New Orleans native Chef Brian Jupiter’s weekend lineup showcases his deep love for all things Cajun cuisine with craveworthy dishes like crispy chicken wings and salted praline pancakes, BBQ shrimp with stone ground grits, and a Grand Slam platter stacked with eggs, alligator sausage, fruit, and homestyle grits leading the parade.
Kick back and soak up the BoHo vibes at this loungey greenery-strewn eatery where updated takes on global fixtures and sweeping waterfront views woo boisterous brunch crowds on the regular. Expect colorful shareables like roasted butternut squash and Beluga lentil soup studded with Spanish pimentó, delicate hamachi ceviche in coconut Leche De Tigre, steamy shakshuka served in a Berber tagine, and mezze platters stocked with avocado shatta, harissa carrot hummus, & Aleppo pepper-spiked tzatziki.
This Ukrainian Village outpost is coming in hot with an ambitious all-day menu of cheffed-up Filipino comforts like housemade longganisa sausage with garlic fried rice and fried eggs and plump pork-stuffed lumpia Shanghai complemented by deliciously offbeat pastries like palm-sized Basque cakes laden with ube and huckleberry and aromatic cardamom Kouign-Amann. Throw in some locally roasted coffee, handpicked natural wines, and picturesque sidewalk seating.
Chef-owner Carlos Gaytán pulls out all the stops when it comes to this swank River North destination’s full-service weekend brunch. Rev up with inspired starters like a chorizo crepe bubbling over with Chihuahua cheese, pico de gallo, and creamy chipotle or an order of orange-infused French toast topped with spiced Mexican chocolate before embarking on the joint’s famous duck waffle, a clever take on the fried fowl standard layered with unctuous duck leg carnitas, chipotle-hibiscus glaze.
Robust Lebanese flavors breathe new life into expertly prepared Mexican fare inside this splashy Lincoln Park newcomer where each thoughtful dish arrives just as Instagram-ready as the spot’s sunny, pastel-hued decor. Brunch, of course, is primetime here, a never ending cascade of belly-warmers like the inimitable hashbrown sandwich (two waffle hashbrowns slathered with chipotle mayo, salsa verde, gooey cheese, and bacon).
Logan Square’s dapper Italian enclave is back in action, dishing up a reinvigorated menu of head-turners fresh from the glossy tile-lined wood-burning oven. It’s hard to resist the breakfast pizza, a best-of-both-worlds production marrying velvety ricotta, bold preserved tomato, and black trumpet mushrooms with a sunny side egg, while a country toast tartines with toppings like shaved turkey with lemon aioli, hass avocado with salty sunflower seeds, and porchetta.
This new kid on the South Side block has officially stepped into recently-departed neighborhood institution Monnie Burke’s shoes as Pilsen’s latest Latin-inspired charmer. The patio is even more welcoming this time, a mass of exposed brick, soft lighting, and rustic exposed beams setting the tone while the poured cement floor radiates heat beneath diners’ feet. Food-wise, you’re looking at equally warm and cozy options like concha toast jazzed up with tres leches cream.