The best brunch spots in Boston to try right now

We envision a world where brunch is a thing the whole week through—and Rosebud is out there in Somerville making our dreams come true. The restaurant, whose hip space features an old diner car, serves brunch everyday from its Davis Square kitchen. From its stack of Plain Jane Pancakes to the Kitchen Sink Salad, Rosebud has a dish that will please every member of your party. Helpful tidbit: We recommend getting the Kentucky Iced Coffee, a deceivingly boozy cold brew that makes your morning caffeine hit even stronger.

Stillwater might be the only reason you’ll ever need to be in Downtown Crossing before 2pm on a weekend. The Kingston Street eatery offers craft comfort food with slightly Southern flair, and its brunch dishes are no exception. Take your pick from elevated down-home items like hot honey chicken and biscuits, Okie eggs benedict, Texas toast breakfast sandwich or smoked pork mac and cheese—just block off ample time to nap off that food coma afterwards.

You can laissez les brunch temps rouler at Buttermilk & Bourbon. Located across the street from the tranquil Comm Ave. Mall, this restaurant is an ode to New Orleans, bringing big Louisiana flavors to breakfast. Whether you’re chowing down on the crawfish étouffée hand pies, low country scramble or house special buttermilk fried chicken with cheddar-bourbon waffles, it’s going to be like Mardi Gras in your mouth. When in doubt, go for the freshly fried beignets and the warm honey biscuits because you only brunch once (a day).

The rare restaurant that offers brunch seven days a week, this welcoming Southie hangout has developed a reputation for deliciously sinful brunch treats. In addition to the restaurant's steady stream of daily specials, its regular mouthwatering eye-openers include Fruity Pebbles pancakes, dark chocolate waffles and hashbrowns loaded with bacon and cheddar. The weekday and weekend brunch menus vary, so if you have your stomach set on a certain dish, be sure to double check it'll be there beforehand. 

There’s no better way to say “bonjour” to the weekend than a bucket of bubbles and a perfectly crisp croque monsieur from Rochambeau. With French favorites like steak frites and tarte flambée (that’s an Alsatian bacon, egg and cheese pizza), this Back Bay bistro adds an air of sophistication to brunch while you casually chug a carafe of sparkling wine. We suggest grabbing a table on the patio for one of the best people-watching vantage points on all of Boylston Street.

Honestly, everyday should begin with a bowl of chips and guac, but we’ll settle for just the weekends at Cósmica. This South End spot breathes new life into tired guests with a menu of Mexican-inspired morning eats, like chilaquiles verde, egg quesadillas and breakfast tacos. For folks in dire need of a “hair of the dog” fix, there are plenty of alcoholic remedies offered, including its tequila-heavy bloody maria and on-tap house margarita. Vaya a Cósmica and vaya con Dios.

This South End institution is home to one of the city’s coolest dim sum scenes on the weekends. Local couples and packs of culinary enthusiasts gather to share small dishes from the lengthy brunch menu, much of which veers into veg-heavy territory. Inviting options run the gamut—from edamame and wasabi potstickers to tea-smoked spare ribs. Refreshing cold salads provide a cooling counterpoint to spicy dishes like the fiery tofu bao.

For more than four decades, this refined Harvard Square restaurant has set the local standard for farm-to-table dining. Sunday brunch service offers a decidedly grownup affair (no hangover hash here). Culinary gems include a strawberry rhubarb salad, salmon tartare tostada and fried chicken and foie gras waffles. Come summer, a seat on the garden terrace is one of the most coveted brunch options in Cambridge.

One word comes to mind when we think about the weekend brunch at this Greek wine bar: opa! Whether you're splitting a bougatsa (a sweet custard and phyllo pie) or demolishing the loukaniko sausage strata, you'll feel like you died and went to Mount Olympus. Because the name of this Back Bay joint literally means wine, it's almost imperative to order a cocktail featuring Greek bubbles—try the Krasi Mimosa with mango juice and dill or the Aphrodite Bellini with ouzo-infused apricots.

Chef-owner Michael Scelfo churns out some of Cambridge's most inventive weekend brunch offerings. Pickled corn pancakes jockey for attention alongside the likes of hickory smoked pig tails with cheese crisps, grits, and a soft poached egg. Lighter options include local burrata with spring onion jam, or what's billed as the "ubiquitous" kale salad, featuring shaved fennel, pistachio, and lemon. Plus, the bar's Szechuan Bloody Mary provides a textbook hair-of-the-dog option for those in need.

For Sunday brunch by way of Italy, stop by this South End hotspot. Located within the Ink Block complex, this restaurant specializes in coastal Italian fare. Menu highlights include spaghetti with prosciutto and lemon, polenta with mushroom ragù and poached eggs, as well as brioche toast served with an optional black truffle burrata accompaniment. When the weather allows, opt for a table on the sunny sidewalk patio and slurp down an affogato.

A beloved Somerville fixture for nearly 30 years, this family-owned restaurant is known for its huge portions of American breakfast favorites prepared with a Portuguese spin—all served on the cheap. The Union Square spot has developed practically a cult following for its cream of wheat, and we highly suggest you order anything that comes with linguica. The vine-covered patio makes it a popular choice when the weather is warmer.

Weekend brunch at Committee is all Greek to us, and we love it. This Seaport eatery serves Hellenic reinterpretations of brunch basics—think baklava oatmeal and Greek yogurt pancakes—as well as morning meze plates like zucchini crisps and sesame-crusted feta. The breakfast gyro—that's scrambled eggs, grilled halloumi, loukaniko and Florina pepper coulis wrapped in pita—is a house favorite. When the weather allows, the breezy outdoor patio is a great spot for people-watching.

This Inman Square haunt may be the only spot in town to offer brunch on Monday nights in addition to the normal Saturday-Sunday schedule. The odd timing might cater to restaurant industry workers, but anyone can stop by to enjoy scrambled egg rolls and pizza bagels. Other temptations: a brunch burger and weekly pop tart specials. The bar whips up a bevy of creative booze-forward drinks to accompany your brunch bites—morning or night.

Befitting a modern steakhouse, Boston Chops really leans into the meat for its Sunday brunch service. Carnivores have their pick of the menu with dishes like the steak and egg burrito, juicy 8-oz burger or linguini bolognaise prepared with beef, veal and pancetta. Guests who are looking to lay off the red meat can also find their fair share of options, including vegetarian huevos rancheros and the crab cake benedict.

For a historically-minded Sunday brunch, look no further than Loyal Nine. This East Cambridge kitchen is celebrated for its slew of longtime New England classics reinvented for modern-day palates. This approach provides eaters with the a rare opportunity to start the day with items like crispy fried steel-cut oats with seasonal vegetables, spicy baked beans with poached eggs, pesto and toast, as well as a fried oyster roll on a toasted potato bun.