The 10 best brunch spots in Manhattan

Everything in this Noho café from Andrew Carmellini—the man behind perpetually crowded downtown spots the Dutch and Locanda Verde—is considered to create the ultimate bistro. The brunch menu incliudes indulgent classics like croque madame, a brisket burger comté and lighter niçoise salad or lemon ricotta pancakes. Save room for the pastries.

If you're looking for the brunch for appetites great and small, this is the place. Though the extensive brunch menu does include a hefty cheeseburger and buttermilk pancakes, there are market-table small plates like the peekytoe crab toast with lemon aioli and baked eggs with broccolini, smoked bacon, fontina and dill. And if you can't get a table, luckily you have ABC Cocina and ABCV as backups.

Roughly translating to “home away from home,” Bessou is possibly the best Japanese-style brunch available in NYC. Expect savories like shakshuka in a Japanese curry packed with blistered eggplant with thick-cut milk toast for ample dipping, and sweets like the banana hotcakes Foster, prepared with black sesame, black sugar syrup, and salted miso caramel ice cream.

This popular West Village eatery serves a 90 minute $30 bottomless brunch (with the purchase of a entrée – think huevos rancheros and lobster Benedict) until 4pm on Sundays. Although it takes reservations, be sure to book at least a week in advance as tables fill up quickly. Drink service ends promptly at 4 for tables sat after 2pm. 

Harlem staple Amy Ruth's is a true soul-food institution and a fried chicken-and-waffle paradise. The cheery, laid-back spot serves dishes named for famous figures, many of whom have stopped by over the years. Traditionalists will love the Rev. Al Sharpton—crunchy fried chicken and waffles.

Nestled next to the High Line, Cookshop is perfect for seasonal, locally sourced dishes and an array of fresh cocktails. For an especially decadent brunch, order the buttermilk-cornmeal pancakes with cranberry whipped cream AND the egg sandwich (don’t skip the house-smoked ham if you eat meat.) If you’re imbibing, the cocktail menu is a divine mix of traditional brunch favorites like bloody Marys and seasonal specialties lBlack Tie Optional, a mix of gin, pear, maraschino, and tonic.

A “California-inspired” ethos is behind the menu at Upland, including donuts drizzled with salted vanilla glaze, raspberry and chocolate hazelnut crunch, and a pappardelle prepared with spicy sausage ragú, kale and parmigiano. If you’re hosting or just would rather indulge at home, you can order ahead for pick up and the entire menu travels well.

The fare at this bright, Instagram-ready Lower East Side shop stays true to the SoCal-inspired ethos from which it was born. Frozen bowls of acai are blended with nature’s sweet and creamy treats: berries, dates, and nut butter. The Encino Man, a bowl filled with sweet potato, bacon, escarole, a sunny side up egg, and topped with Za’atar.

This downtown Caribbean corner joint playing a reggae-and-dancehall soundtrack offers a brunch power hour for $45 per person. Guzzle island cocktails like the Bob Marley–nodding One Love bellini (champagne, passion-fruit puree) or a boisterous, soju-based Hotstepper (spicy Bloody Mary, Scotch bonnet pepper) while feasting on West Indian–inspired platters like breakfast roti with soft-scrambled eggs and jerk pork sausage.

The brunch fare at this classic Ukrainian diner is worth waking up (relatively) early for. On the sweet side, the eponymous breakfast combo comes with a combination of pancakes (with an option to add blueberries, bananas or chocolate chips) and your choice of bacon, sausage or kielbasa. Those seeking something more savory can tuck into the eggs Benedict served on potato pancakes instead of English muffins.

Whether you’re looking for fine dining or a casual hotspot, these are New York’s best Manhattan restaurants.