Best brunch places on the Lower East Side: The weekend starts here

Alias

• Price band: 2/4

The cheesy Vegas-style signage that announces Alias’s presence on Clinton Street belies the elegant, seasonally inspired eats found within. Roasted hen-of-the-woods mushrooms are served with a runny egg, okra and creamy Anson Mills grits, while delicate striped bass—roasted with swiss chard and scallions—is topped with local radishes and drizzled with shrimp jus. The magic extends to the vibe: The modern-diner, glass-walled space attracts die-hard regulars, and the waitstaff is

The Bowery Diner

• Price band: 2/4

The Francophone greasy spoon, love child of bistro and diner, has become its own New York restaurant genre. This newcomer lacks the scruffy charm of predecessors like the late Florent, but Belgian chef Mathieu Palombino brings his obsessive eye for detail to bear upon a whole roster of short-order classics. The show-stealer is a classic Reuben made with house-smoked corned beef and piled high with just enough melted Swiss and tangy kraut. There’s traditional Gallic fare, too,

Clinton St Baking Company

The warm buttermilk biscuits and fluffy plate-size pancakes at this pioneering eatery are reason enough to battle the brunch-time crowds. If you want to avoid the onslaught, the homey LES spot is just as reliable at lunch and dinner, when locals drop in for fish tacos and a $10 beer-and-burger special (Mon–Sat 6–8pm): eight ounces of Black Angus topped with Swiss cheese and caramelized onions, served with a Brooklyn Lager, Stella or Red Stripe. And if you must order them, the

88 Orchard

• Price band: 1/4
• Critics choice

The location across from the Lower East Side Tenement Museum leads to a lot of tour-bus traffic, but somehow, the bright café stays tidy and mellow and never feels overcrowded. Two walls of windows (open on warm days), a white pressed-tin ceiling and pale mint-colored walls contribute to the pleasant atmosphere. Tasty edibles—buttermilk waffles for breakfast, crisp pressed sandwiches for lunch—do the rest. Lattes are particularly delicious; muffins come from nearby Clinton Street

Essex

• Price band: 2/4

A slick, sexy refuge for subscribers to the “I am where I eat” school of dining out, Essex can be surprisingly intimate on weeknights, when the lull provides a little breathing room. The corner location is prime and the brunches are mimosa-soaked. The food is not really the point, but it’s fine: Upscale takes on LES staples like potato pancakes strive to give the menu some local cred, and Wednesday’s lobster night is a reliable crowd-pleaser. It’s not the cheapest place on the