Chicago’s top brunch restaurants
Get your pancakes, eggs and bacon in one spot with our top morning hangouts
In Chicago, brunch is two things: a chance to replenish and a mandatory social experience. Whether you're catching up over short stacks or battling a nasty hangover with more booze, the beloved morning meal has something for everyone. Chicago's top restaurants pull double duty to offer decadent morning dishes that are sure to perk you up—no matter what time you roll out of bed. Looking for bottomless mimosas and Bloody Marys? Check. A good mix of savory and sweet options? Check, check. Instagram-worthy surrounds? Got it. We rounded up our favorite brunch options—the ones we return to weekend after weekend for excellent service and restorative bites. If you're planning a weekend brunch in Chicago, check out our go-to spots.
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1
Restaurants, American
Cellar Door Provisions
If there is a lovelier place to grab brunch in all of Chicago, we have yet to find it. Cellar Door Provisions is so tiny that if you blink, you might just miss it. We recommend keeping your eyes wide open so that you can taste the delicious treats coming out of the kitchen. The menu changes daily, but expect loads of super seasonal ingredients, soul-warming preparations and some of the most daring fare in the city.
Logan Square
2
Bars, Breweries
Band of Bohemia
For a touch of bohemian glam in the morning, this is the weekend revival you need. Start with a spicy Bloody Mary or go for a flight of beer and order a Bohemian creme donut straight away—it's topped with chocolate stout glaze and stuffed with decadent malted cream. From there, it's a battle of sweet vs. savory with tough choices like lavender French toast with roasted pear or tempura fried chicken atop a nori biscuit. The delightfully unexpected flavors throughout the menu will wake up your senses in no time.
Lincoln Square
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3
Restaurants, Eclectic
Lula Cafe
Lula Cafe isn’t a vegetarian restaurant, but with dishes like a tofu-veggie scramble with ginger-miso sauce and a grain bowl with hazelnut vinaigrette, Jason Hammel’s menu appeals to vegetarian diners. Breakfast and brunch are available daily (except Tuesday), which means if you’re an ambitious Logan Square–ite, you can pop in for coffee and a vegetarian burrito before work. On weekends you’ll likely wait, but the house-made pastries, gingerbread French toast and a gin Bloody Mary are worth the trouble.
Logan Square
4
Restaurants, Cafés
Café Marie-Jeanne
This no-frills Humboldt Park café is serious about its French-inspired eats, and brunch is the best time to dabble in a little bit of everything. We recommend ordering from the a la carte menu, where you can piece together a well-rounded spread of caviar toast, sauteed calf brains, griddle cakes and seared foie gras. If you're looking for something of the Americana variety, there's a customizable breakfast sandwich on the menu, too. Do save room for the expertly crafted pastries or take a few to go.
Humboldt Park
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5
Restaurants, American
The Publican
This West Loop spot is crowded during every meal, so you should probably make a reservation to cut the wait time and get right down to sharing orders of thick maple-syrup-braised bacon, egg scrambles and brunch pastries like coffee cake. Round out your meal by splitting orders of egg-topped frites and spicy pork rinds. The drinks, like a chipotle-tequila Bloody Mary and a $5 blend of Montenegro, beer and grapefruit juice, turn brunch into a party.
West Loop
6
Restaurants, Pan-Asian
Mott St.
It's time to change up your brunch routine, and Mott St. is the perfect place to do it. The West Town restaurant offers an enticing lineup of Asian-remixed brunch classics. Try the kimchi fried rice, black bean shrimp and grits or the eggplant Benedict. Looking to hit the reset button after an indulgent weekend? Our favorite menu item is the Bowl of Awesome, a serving of creamy yogurt topped with all kind of healthy goodies including raw honey, bee pollen, hemp seeds and seasonal fruit.
River West/West Town
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7
Restaurants, Contemporary American
Cherry Circle Room
Brunch is served daily at Cherry Circle Room, where food from Peter Coenen and cocktails from Paul McGee combine for a wonderfully delicious meal. While you peruse the menu, start with the CCR Milk Punch—coffee mixed with bourbon, rum and milk—then try a smoky Red Snapper alongside baked eggs with prosciutto. By the time the egg-topped ham sandwich with gruyere or gooey triple cheeseburger arrives, you’ll be ready for a refreshing gin fizz made with Earl Grey tea. Once you’re done, spend the afternoon playing bocce and, yes, sipping cocktails in the adjacent Game Room.
Loop
8
Restaurants, British
Pleasant House Pub
When calories don't count (every Sunday), book it to Bridgeport for hearty English-influenced eats at Pleasant House Pub. Craving something savory? Opt for the Royal Breakfast Butty, house-cured pork belly topped with a sunny-side up egg, cheddar, arugula and special sauce on a brioche bun. Or cure your sweet tooth with the vanilla bread pudding French toast, which is soaked in custard and adorned with seasonal fruit, maple syrup and chantilly cream.
Lower West Side
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9
Restaurants, Italian
Monteverde
By now, you've probably visited Sarah Grueneberg's pasta palace for dinner. (If not, stop whatever you're doing and make a reservation already.) Now it's time to venture back to the West Loop spot to try the lunch menu, which is available on Saturday and Sunday starting at 11:30am. You'll be able to enjoy many of the same dishes that appear on the dinner menu—octopus spiedino, 'nduja arancini and egg yolk raviolo—and try Grueneberg's take on brunch fare. The ricotta crespelle with roasted peach, cashew milk and oat granola is a good place to start, but purists will love the tigelle egg sandwich with bacon, broccoli schmear, tomato and parm fonduta.
West Loop
10
Restaurants, American
m. henry
At this adorable, sunny, daytime-only café, health food is tasty enough to eat. The owners are committed to organics and offer meat-free options, but they’re okay with a little cheese, butter and sugar every now and then. Case in point: thick, dense breakfast bread pudding and a heaping breakfast sandwich of fried egg, Gorgonzola, applewood-smoked bacon and fresh thyme. If that’s too good and gooey for you health nuts, there’s always the Vegan Epiphany, an organic tofu scramble that just may live up to its name.
Edgewater
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11
Restaurants, American
The Duck Inn
Live large and head to Bridgeport for Sunday brunch at chef Kevin Hickey's neighborhood spot. The Duck Inn specializes in all things savory with menu items like chiliquelles with scallion crema, duck confit hash and fried cheese curds served with Bloody Mary ketchup. If you must, toss in a side order of beignets or a sticky bun to satisfy your sweet tooth. There's a short list of brunch cocktails to choose from, too—from mimosas and Bloody Marys to The Devil's Tongue, a mix of cachaça, blackberry liqueur, habanero shrub, lime and ginger beer.
Bridgeport
12
Restaurants, Contemporary American
Longman & Eagle
This Logan Square whiskey bar already blends high- and lowbrow with its menu of whiskey shots and fancy plates. The brunch menu does, too—you can dig into a plate of eggs and bacon with a cold PBR on the side, while your date noshes on granola with smoked blueberries and horchata gel. But no matter what you get to eat, you can come together over Dark Matter coffee and excellent drinks. If you still have room after your meal, go next door to the OSB and grab one of Longman's gourmet doughnuts.
Logan Square
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13
Restaurants, Cafés
The Allis
Brunch at Soho House? While it sounds uber exclusive, locals know that the hotel's lobby is open to the public and serves fantastic brunch bites. Grab a seat at a long communal table or settle into a cozy nook and order a round of breakfast-friendly cocktail. From there, you'll peruse menu options like house-made pastries, basil-studded avocado toast, breakfast pizza and house granola with Greek yogurt and berries. Bring your laptop and plug in or get lost a copy of the day's paper, which are scattered throughout the space.
West Loop
14
Restaurants, Contemporary American
Elizabeth Restaurant
This is the brunch to save for an extra special occasion (or when mom's in town), but rest assured it's worth every penny. Guests are treated to four courses that regularly change, and you’ll see some of chef Iliana Regan’s signature items throughout the meal—think whiskey-glazed doughnuts, boules and owl-shaped foie gras. Drinks can be ordered a la carte or as a pairing (three full cocktails if you’re looking to get your morning going). We loved the rosewater mimosa concoction and their take on a Bloody Mary with tomatillo and jalapeño.
Lincoln Square
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15
Restaurants, Mexican
Dove's Luncheonette
When was the last time you had eggplant enchiladas, avocado toast accented with green almond vinaigrette or Dark Matter nitro coffee on draft at a diner? Dove’s Luncheonette, the Southern-tinged Tex-Mex spot in Wicker Park, is not your average greasy spoon. If you overdid it last night, make your first order the Back to Life cocktail, a sundae glass crammed with marinated seafood and peppers, a.k.a. your magical hangover cure.
Wicker Park
16
Restaurants, American
3 Arts Club Cafe
If you prefer your brunch with a side of scene, there's no better spot than 3 Arts Club Cafe inside Restoration Hardware in the Gold Coast. The tree-filled, glass-topped space is decked out in chandeliers, expensive furniture (of course) and an epic fountain. Be prepared to wait it out before you're able to get your hands on proper bites like a lobster roll, toast and jam, granola and a pristine scramble. A glass of champagne makes the perfect accessory here.
Gold Coast
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17
Restaurants, Mediterranean
Beatnik
Mornings are an otherworldly experience at this uber-cool West Town hideaway from the folks behind Celeste. If you can, nab a spot toward the front of the restaurant, where sunlight pours in from the atrium-style ceiling and lush greenery fills the room. The morning menu is a global affair with dishes like chai cinnamon rolls, smoked baba ganoush, shakshuka with duck eggs and Spanish tortilla with uni. Stay cool with a boozy slushie or opt for one of the no-proof concoctions; we're big fans of the Wagon Wheels with carrot juice, lemon, cardamom, hoja santa and rosemary.
East Village
18
Restaurants, American
The Winchester
Good news for weekday brunch seekers: The Winchester serves its morning menu Friday through Sunday, making it all too easy to kickstart the weekend a day early. Feast on fan favorites like the burrata scramble, avocado toast or Slagel Farms beef burger. Before delving into those tough choices, order a Danish coffee—a boozy blend of herbal liqueur, espresso-barley liqueur, coffee and nutmeg. Things get much easier from there, we promise.
East Village
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19
Restaurants, Seafood
GT Fish & Oyster
This River North seafood haven offers a sunny, reliable weekend brunch with a variety of sweet and savory menu items. If you can, grab a table near the window to catch some rays and enjoy ample people-watching. Don't skip the fried chicken and waffles—they're light, crispy and perfectly balanced. Seafood lovers should opt for the crab Benedict, clam chowder or shrimp and grits (you've gotta have some fish while you're here).
River North
20
Restaurants, Juice bars
Left Coast Food + Juice
Judging by its name, you might assume that this spot is a Cali import, but Left Coast is a Chicago original that pushes the boundaries on what healthy food should be. Skip your usual coma-inducing brunch routine for fresh, tasty options like the Montecito hash—two poached eggs atop a bed of tender garnet yams, red bell pepper, kale, spinach, queso fresco and lemon yogurt—or the buckwheat pancakes topped with seasonal fruit, yogurt and granola. With locations in River North and Lakeview, it's easy to eat well every day of the week.
Lake View
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21
Restaurants, Soul and southern American
Luella's Southern Kitchen
Chef and owner Darnell Reed taps into his grandmother Luella's southern roots and the recipes he learned as a child with this Southern restaurant. On the brunch front, that translates to soul-soothing dishes like sweet potato pancakes with allspice butter, Nashville hot chicken and waffles, shrimp and grits and kale ambrosia. Psst: Luella's is BYOB, so don't forget to bring some bubbly for mimosa-making purposes.
Lincoln Square
22
Restaurants, Bakeries
Baker Miller Bakery & Millhouse
For those days when you don’t want to wait in line or just want a light brunch, head to Baker Miller for freshly milled grain dishes and biscuits. Think perfect grits topped with seasonal ingredients, oatmeal with sweet-cherry jam and cream, and warm sourdough cinnamon rolls. Be a peach and take some sprinkle sandwich-cookies home to your roommates.
Lincoln Square
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23
Restaurants, American
Beatrix
Brunching doesn’t have to derail your commitment to healthy eating—Beatrix offers dishes that are flavorful but light. Quinoa cakes with poached eggs come with a fresh tomato-basil sauce, 10-grain oatmeal gets a boost from dried cherries, and a menu of fresh-squeezed juices includes energizing power greens like kale, plus add-ins like pineapple and mint. After such a virtuous meal, reward yourself with a stop at the cookie bar for a perfectly sinful chocolate chip treat.
River North
24
Bars, Sports Bars
Old Town Social
If you can't decide between sweet (caramelized French toast) and savory (buffalo chicken sliders), Old Town Social is the place to be for brunch on Saturday and Sunday, starting at 11am. The Old Town sports bar boasts an under-the-radar brunch menu, plenty of TVs for your sports-watching needs and a fully stocked Bloody Mary bar with 99 ingredients. We're big fans of the cloud-like beignets, the BLT Benedict and the classic grilled cheese and tomato soup. No matter who you're dining with, they're bound to find just the right thing on this extensive menu.
Old Town
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Bars
The 11 best Bloody Marys in Chicago
Chicago kicks ass when it comes to Bloody Marys—clearly, because we're also stellar at brunch. Whether you're looking for a light cocktail to help slowly cure your hangover alongside a cup of coffee or need a big Bloody Mary that could practically function as its own dinner to go with a side of fries, Chicago's got you covered.
