Including casual spots and fancy foods, this delicious dozen of our favorite breakfast and brunch restaurants in Manhattan can’t be beat.
With an embarrassment of riches when it comes to brunch options, finding Manhattan’s very best can feel like an Odyssian undertaking. With choices oscillating between breakfast and lunch, caffeinated and boozy, uptown and down, choices are truly unending. Informed by years of intrepid brunching across the five boroughs (someone has to do it), I’ve consolidated this baker’s dozen of the best places for brunch in the city’s busiest borough (we humbly offer a lineup of the best spots across the river in Brooklyn, too), where you’ll find everything from griddle classics at casual cafes to fancy foods at some of the best restaurants in NYC.
RECOMMENDED: See more restaurants for the best brunch in NYC
New Yorkers crave a comforting breakfast and Clinton Street Baking Company is the ideal spot to satisfy even the most discerning New Yorker. The beloved Lower East Side hotspot co-owned by Chef Neil Kleinberg and DeDe Lahman offers eclectic takes on classic American food and melt-in-your-mouth pancakes well worth the two-hour weekend waits.
From traditional powdered and glazed to chai masala and sriracha-infused varieties—plus a lineup of dipping sauces to match—Doughnuttery knows how to hit the spot. When owner Evan Feldman changed his career from finance to doughnut making in 2012, he made quite the impact with his bite-sized eats, opening locations across the country and, eventually, the world. Now, you can get these mini-doughnuts hot and fresh right here in Dumbo!
There is not a single wrong decision to be made once you arrive at this Upper West Side staple. That said, consider your options wisely: which of the many biscuit sandwiches will best complement your choice cocktail – or beer, of which you can choose from literal dozens – the sausage, egg and cheese, or the southern BLT (of which there are several)? And if your sweet tooth is activated, the biscuit French toast has you covered.
What is it: A neo-soul restaurant from the famed Melba Wilson.
Why we love it: Simply put, brunch is a straight up vibe at Melba's. For 20 plus years, we've happily trekked to Harlem during the the early hours of the day to stuff ourselves with catfish, deviled eggs dusted with cornmeal and the chicken and waffles that beat Bobby Flay.
Time Out tip: Boozin' comes in the form of the Strawberry Henney with preserved strawberries, cognac, sparkling water and mint.
Address: 300 W 114th Street, New York, NY 10026
Hours: Mon–Wed 11am–10pm; Thurs–Sun 11am–11pm
What is it? An elevated gastropub in SoHo.
Why we love it: Step away from the chaos of SoHo’s bustling streets and into Odd Sister, a cafe that is at once cool and sophisticated and cozy and casual. Brunch, which is available every day of the week here, includes decadent takes like the fried chicken sandwich piled with pickled red cabbage slaw and spicy mayonnaise, a French omelet with tomato, caramelized onions and Gruyère and pancakes topped with brûléed bananas, candied nuts, caramel and vanilla cream.
Time Out tip: The Lilly and Lolly cocktails are named after the sisters Lily and Lolly Yeats who spearheaded the Irish cultural and literary revival of the 1920s.
Address: 45 Mercer Street, New York, NY 10013
Hours: Mon–Wed 11am–midnight; Thurs 11am–1am; Fri and Sat 10am–1am; Sun 10am–midnight
What is it: An indie-chic gastropub in The Upper East Side.
Why we love it: The Penrose is doing their part to single handedly change the Upper East Side’s reputation of being a no-man’s land when it comes to great brunch options. It’s as great for a date as it is for a group gathering, and its menu is equally refined and playful, including a perfectly poached eggs Benedict, and the cheeky and decadent “breakfast corndogs.”
Time Out tip: The Cinnamon Bun Sausage Egg & Cheese hits both sweet and savory notes.
Address: 1590 2nd Avenue, New York, NY 10028
Hours: Mon–Fri 11:30am–4am; Sat and Sun 9:30am– 4am
What is it? Andrew Carmellini's grand French cafe in NoHo.
Why we love it? Every detail in this NoHo café from Andrew Carmellini—the man behind perpetually crowded downtown spots the Dutch and Locanda Verde—is carefully considered to create the ultimate French bistro in NYC. The brunch menu includes indulgent classics like croque madame, a brisket burger comté and lighter niçoise salad or lemon ricotta pancakes.
Time Out tip: Save room for the pastries like the rotating Suprêmes.
Address: 380 Lafayette Street, New York, NY 10003
Hours: Dinner: Mon–Thurs 5–9pm, Fri and Sat 5pm–9:30pm and closed Sun; Breakfast: Mon–Fri 8am–11am, Sat and Sun 8am–10am; Lunch: Mon–Fri 11:30 am–3:30pm; Brunch: Sat
10am–3:30pm and Sun 10am–4pm
What is it? An island-inspired affair right on the edge of the East Village.
Why we love it: This downtown Caribbean corner joint playing a reggae-and-dancehall soundtrack offers island cocktails like the Bob Marley–nodding One Love bellini (Champagne, pineapple and peach puree) or a boisterous, tequila-based Roots & Culture (made with lime and house made ginger beer), plus West Indian–inspired platters like breakfast roti with soft-scrambled eggs and jerk pork sausage.
Time Out tip: You can find Wray & Nephew rum on the menu here, a Jamacian classic. Turn up by trying it in the Lily's Rum Punch.
Address: 109 Avenue A, New York, NY 10009
Hours: Closed Mon and Tues; Dinner: Wed and Thurs 5-10pm, Friday 5–11pm, Sat 4pm-11pm and Sun 4pm-10pm; Brunch: Sat and Sun noon–4pm
What is it? A retro eatery from the maker's of Jacob's Pickles where Americana classics get front row.
Why we love it: It feels impossible to determine exactly what we love most at this longtime Upper West Side spot that’s perhaps best known for their French dip sandwiches. Is it the interiors, reminiscent of the coolest cocktail bar in New Orleans? Or is it the cocktails, which are at once innovative and familiar, crafty-yet-unpretentious? We’d argue it’s their brunch with their all-star lineup of starters, a long list of French toast options, and of course, a selection of the French dips that put them on the map.
Time Out tip: There's a entire "break bread" section of the brunch menu, aka pull apart breads, from the Cinna’nut Bun and garlic and Parmesan.
Address: 2315 Broadway, New York, NY 10024
Hours: Mon–Fri 11am–10pm; Sat and Sun 9am–10pm
What is it? A sustainable American eatery from the mind of Jean-Georges.
Why we love it: If you're looking for a brunch spot well-suited for appetites great and small, this is the place. Though the extensive brunch menu does include standards like a hefty cheeseburger and a dutch baby pancake, there are market-table small plates like the peekytoe crab toast with lemon aioli and baked eggs with delicata squash, smoked bacon, fontina and dill. And if you can't get a table, luckily you have neighboring ABC Cocina and ABCV as backups.
Time Out tip: Cacio e Pepe pizza for brunch? Why not?
Address: 35 E 18th Street, New York, NY 10003
Hours: Lunch: Mon–Fri noon–3pm; Late afternoon: Monday–Fri: 3–4:30pm; Dinner: Monday–Wed 5–10pm and Thurs–Sat 5–10pm; Brunch: Sat and Sun 11am–3pm
What is it? A cocktail lounge and rooftop located on the 26th floor of the historic Beekman Tower.
Why we love it: Ophelia is both home to one of the most beautiful spaces in the city and boasts some of NYC’s most breathtaking views. The fact that it offers a cocktail brunch menu only adds to a weekend delight. The Sunday brunch is centered on the “Top of the Tower” fruit and tea sandwich platter offerings—a creative play on the lounge’s location at the top of the Beekman Tower—which include three options ranging in levels of indulgence.
Time Out tip: There’s also a vegetarian tower option that includes shakshuka, toasts and French toast sticks with vanilla, cinammon and pecan.
Address: 3 Mitchell Pl 26th floor, New York, NY 10017
Hours: Mon–Wed 5–11pm; Thurs 5pm–midnight; Fri and Sat 5pm–2am; Sun noon–11pm
What is it? The California-influenced restaurant that launched a microneighborhood.
Why we love it: 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.
Time Out tip: Looking for something hearty? Try The Encino Man, a bowl filled with sweet potato, bacon, escarole and a sunny side up egg topped with za’atar.
Address: 49 Canal Street, New York, NY 10002
Hours: Sun and Mon 9am–9pm; Tues–Sat 9am–10pm
What is it: Chef Mark Meyer showcases the bounty of the seasons a few steps away from the High Line.
Why we love it: 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, go for the buttermilk-cornmeal pancakes with caramel apples and whipped cream AND the poached eggs over polenta, spinach and a fontina cheese sauce.
Time Out tip: If you’re imbibing, the cocktail menu is a divine mix of traditional brunch favorites and seasonal specialties like the frozen espresso martini, Cold Brew State of Mind.
Address: 156 10th Avenue, New York, NY 10011
Hours: Lunch:Mon–Fri noon–3:30pm; Limited menu Mon–Fri 3:30pm–4:30pm; Dinner Sun and Mon 4:30pm–10pm; Tues–Sat: 4:30–11pm; Brunch Sat and Sun 10am–3:30pm
Whether you’re looking for fine dining or a casual hotspot, these are New York’s best Manhattan restaurants.
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