Guide: The Best Brunch in NYC Our Six Favorite Restaurants

The American brunch is a force to be reckoned with. An awe-inspiring thing, a weekend tradition so strong that restaurants will draw long lines of hungry (and hungover) hopefuls every Saturday and Sunday, eager to get their grub on. As passionate breakfast enthusiasts, we’ve done our fair share of brunching in the Big Apple. We’ve sipped on mimosas and sampled menu items both sweet and savory. But do be warned – if you’re looking for cheap brunch buffets or bottomless, all-you-can-drink affairs, this is not the guide for you. If you’re craving simple breakfast classics like pancakes, bacon, eggs Benedict, and avocado toast, we’ve got some suggestions. And if you’re looking for a brunch experience that’s more out-of-the-box, we’ve got recommendations for that too. Keep reading to see our guide to the very best brunches in New York City, from Manhattan to Brooklyn.

Looking for more great spots for food and drinks in NYC? Check out our city map of New York!

Chez Ma Tante

Pancakes are an item we rarely order at restaurants. We make a mean buttermilk pancake at home, so when we go out to eat we usually opt for other menu items. The opposite is true in this scenario – Instagram photos of these buttery hotcakes led us to book a reservation at Chez Ma Tante. And, excuse our French, but holy sh*t – these are the best restaurant pancakes we’ve ever had. They are thick and fluffy, absolutely soaked in butter (and maybe maple syrup, too), with a crispy ring around the edge. These pancakes live up to the hype and then some – this is breakfast food for the gods.

The buttery hotcakes at Chez Ma Tane is a must-order.
The buttery hotcakes at Chez Ma Tane is a must-order.
CHEZ MA TANTE

Address & Contact Information
90 Calyer St, Brooklyn, New York
Website
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Thai Diner

Why limit brunch to weekends? At Thai Diner, brunch is served until 5pm daily, so you can get your fix any day of the week. The must-order dish here is the Thai Diner egg sandwich. Scrambled eggs, sai oua (herbal sausage), American cheese, and Thai basil are wrapped together in a homemade roti and served with roasted chili nam jim (dipping sauce). This flavorful brunch item is the perfect blend of modern Thai and American cuisines. We also love the disco fries (crinkle cut fries topped with massaman curry, red onion, peanuts, and coconut cream) and the phat thai (rice noodles with peanuts, radish, and crispy dried shrimp in a tamarind sauce). Although it’s usually difficult to book a table online, there are typically seats available for walk-in.

The must-order dish here is the Thai Diner egg sandwich.
The must-order dish here is the Thai Diner egg sandwich.
THAI DINER

Address & Contact Information
186 Mott St, New York, New York
Website
Instagram

Sunday in Brooklyn

Sunday in Brooklyn is one of the best brunch spots in New York, and the home of the malted pancakes with hazelnut praline and brown butter. Maybe you’ve seen these gloriously glazed hotcakes on Instagram? When given the option to order 1, 2, or 3 pancakes, we obviously go for the triple stack. (Life is short, after all!) Other brunch classics include the breakfast scramble, biscuits and gravy, the steak and eggs platter, and various breakfast sandwiches – but don’t leave without ordering the maple cheddar biscuit. It’s sweet, salty, and our favorite thing on the menu.

Don't miss the malted pancakes with hazelnut praline and brown butter at Sunday in Brooklyn.
Don’t miss the malted pancakes with hazelnut praline and brown butter at Sunday in Brooklyn.
SUNDAY IN BROOKLYN

Address & Contact Information
348 Wythe Ave, Brooklyn, New York
Website
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Rule of Thirds

Japanese-style sandos have been all over menus the last few years, but Rule of Thirds’ tamago sando is perhaps the best we’ve had outside of Japan. A fluffy Japanese omelette is served on toasted milk bread with miso mayo and yuzu cucumbers. Creamy and fresh, with wonderful textures – this was a breakfast dream come true. Other must-order dishes here include the karaage (fried chicken with ginger, soy, and tartar sauce) and the hottokeki (a Japanese souffle pancake with honey maple butter, sesame, and soft serve). This is the perfect place for a sunny weekend brunch in Brooklyn.

Rule of Thirds’ tamago sando is perhaps the best we’ve had outside of Japan.
Rule of Thirds’ tamago sando is perhaps the best we’ve had outside of Japan.
RULE OF THIRDS

Address & Contact Information
171 Banker St, Brooklyn, New York
Website
Instagram

Cosme

Craving Mexican brunch and margaritas? Why not have brunch at one of the world’s best restaurants? Cosme was ranked no. 22 on The World’s 50 Best list 2021, but don’t expect a formal tasting menu here. Enrique Olvera’s NYC restaurant has a fun, chill vibe and a positive atmosphere. The team’s happy energy bleeds into the dining room, and into the food. The brunch menu takes a lot of the Cosme classics and puts a sunny spin on them. You’ll find a corn omelette with fresh herbs, chilaquiles with salsa, queso fresco, and an egg, and duck enmoladas, covered in that famously rich mole negro. Best of all, the signature desserts, the corn husk meringue with corn mousse and the churros with dulce de leche, are both on the brunch menu.

Why not have brunch at one of the world’s best restaurants?
Why not have brunch at one of the world’s best restaurants?
COSME

Address & Contact Information
35 E 21st St, New York, New York
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Win Son Bakery

One of our favorite bites in NYC is the scallion pancake egg sandwich at Win Son Bakery. It reminds us of a cheesy quesadilla on a flour tortilla, but with the wonderful addition of scallion. (Big fans of alliums here!) This dish is so good that we ordered seconds immediately after finishing our first sandwich. On the side is their signature Ginger Deluxe sauce (a blend of kewpie mayo, ginger, scallion, apple cider vinegar, soy sauce, garlic), which was so delicious we bought a bottle to bring home with us. We also adore the Fan Tuan (the rice roll with the fried dough and pork floss inside) and the mochi donut.

One of our favorite bites in NYC is the scallion pancake egg sandwich at Win Son Bakery.
One of our favorite bites in NYC is the scallion pancake egg sandwich at Win Son Bakery.
WIN SON BAKERY

Address & Contact Information
164 Graham Ave, Brooklyn, New York
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Where’s your favorite place to eat brunch in New York? Let us know in a comment below.

Kaitlin Orr

Kaitlin Orr and Anders Husa are food & travel bloggers and creative content creators. From their base in Copenhagen, they operate the largest and most influential restaurant-focused travel blog in Scandinavia.

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