When you want to head out to one of Chicago’s world-class eateries for a brunch feast, it can be hard to choose. Whether you live in the Windy City or are just visiting, you’re going to love these twelve picks. We’ve selected options that are favorites all around town, and all with no reservations required. So without further ado, below are our picks for the top brunch restaurants in Chicago.
Top Brunch Restaurants in Chicago
Fresh Seasonal Brunch at Bongo Room
Photo Courtesy of Zagat
When you want brunch done right, why not go to a spot that only does breakfast and lunch? The Bongo Room has locations in Wicker Park, South Loop, and Andersonville. They serve up a menu full of brunchy faves all week long. But things really get special on the weekend when they break out their “Sinful” brunch menu featuring faves like a chocolate tower french toast or deconstructed lobster roll benedict. Want something a little more classic? No worries. You can choose from breakfast options like their croissant sandwich, also available in a vegetarian version, or a crowd-pleasing breakfast burrito. If you’re more in the mood for lunch staples, they have all sorts of sandwiches and salads with enough variety to please any palette.
Bakery Brunch at Cafe Selmarie
Photo Courtesy of Winnie
Cafe Selmarie features a contemporary American menu, but on the brunch menu, it’s really the pastries that shine. Their Sunday Brunch offerings change each week, but expect the usual options like benedicts and scrambles, each with a unique twist. Normal pancakes are punched up with walnuts and cherries. Enjoy a roasted mushroom benedict featuring feta and caramelized onion hollandaise. Or top off your eggs with fresh mozzarella, sliced tomato, and housemade basil pesto. But the real star of the show is the pastry case at the front, which you can browse while you wait. From sour cream coffee cake to housemade granola, it’s got options to suit any taste.
Gastropub Brunch at Farm Bar
Photo Courtesy of Eater Chicago
Head to Lakeview this weekend and stop in at Farm Bar for an authentic gastropub experience. On the brunch menu you’ll find down-home breakfast goodies like their pasture-raised steak and eggs or strawberries and cream ricotta pancakes. There are snack options like wisconsin cheese curds or Bavarian style pretzels. And if you’re in a lunch mood, their burgers and fried chicken sandwiches are amazing. Wash it down with their crowd pleasing cold-brew coffee or one of their delightful cocktails. They have four versions of the mimosa to choose from plus sangria, bloody marys, and a featured drink they call the alco-chino.
Pizza Brunch at Frasca
Photo Courtesy of Flickr
Eggs, bacon, and toast are great, but sometimes you want your brunch with a bit of a twist. If this sounds like you, you’ve got to try Frasca pizzeria + wine bar. Here you can still get all of those brunch staples like eggs benedict, omelets, and pancakes. But they’ll also be happy to make you a delicious wood-fired pizza for your brunch delight. Can’t choose between the two? You’re going to love the breakfast pizza featuring 3 over easy eggs, sausage, bacon, and cheese. For an extra special treat, add some prosciutto and hollandaise. And don’t forget their mimosa bottle service, peach bellinis, and award-winning bloody marys.
Vegan Brunch at Majani
Photo Courtesy of Majani
Looking for soul food minus the meat and dairy? Majani serves up a soulful vegan brunch that won’t disappoint. Scrambled tofu, lentil sausage with tomato gravy, cheese grits, collard greens, and delicious pancakes are on offer. And it’s all made from the freshest ingredients sourced from local gardens, so you can feel good about eating this decadent and delicious fare.
Organic Brunch at Nana
Photo Courtesy of Nana
For another healthy twist on delicious brunch staples, head over to Nana for local, sustainable, organic food that’s totally crave-worthy. The selections are seasonal, but look for delicious staples like chilaquiles and breakfast sandwiches mixed in with options like avocado fries, dulce de leche pancakes, and cauliflower salad. And be sure to grab a side of one of their house-made sausage patties or hose smoked bacon. Everything that comes out of their scratch kitchen is free from additives hormones, and other undesirables. It’s clean eating that tastes sinfully good.
Patio Brunch at Paradise Park
Photo Courtesy of Paradise Park
Outdoor dining is a big deal in warm, sunny locations like Los Angeles, Miami, and Houston. But Paradise Park manages to bring a bright spot of sunshine to the windy city with their take on the pizza brunch. You’re sure to love standards like avocado toast and chicken & waffles. But for the more adventurous diner they’re also serving up dutch baby tacos, pulled pork hash, and all sorts of pizza options. Wash it all down with their delicious bottomless mimosas or bloodys, or try out a hangover coffee topped with a Do-Rite Donut!
Fried Chicken Brunch at Parson’s Chicken and Fish
If fried chicken is your favorite brunch food, you’ve got to head to Parson’s in Logan Square or Lincoln Park. For those not in a fried chicken sort of mood, they also offer delightful dishes like their pimento cheese scramble or a smoked salmon veggie club. Want something sweet? Their seasonal cobbler is made with fresh local fruit and topped with fluffy whipped cream. While you’re there, be sure to grab some of their signature beer, brewed in partnership with Revolution Brewing.
Brazilian Brunch at Sinhá
Photo Courtesy of Eating the World
Head for the tastes of South America with Sinhá, a Chicago eatery serving up elegant Brazilian cuisine. The Sunday brunch buffet features farofa, a cassava meal dish, and delicious fried plantains, plus whatever delicious Brazilian delights the chef has chosen to make this weekend. You can expect a variety of dishes made from chicken, beef, seafood, and veggies, paired with mouthwatering hot sauces and chutneys. You’ll also get complimentary desserts, juice, and Brazilian coffee and tea. But if you’re looking for a boozy brunch experience, you’ll need to BYOB.
Foodie Brunch at Southport Grocery and Cafe
Photo Courtesy of Southport Grocery & Cafe
At the Southport Grocery and Cafe you can enjoy an amazing scratch made brunch and then bring home delicious and fresh award-winning groceries to create your own foodie feast. This European style cafe offers amazing pastries like scones, cupcakes, cruffins, and savory hand pies. Their all-day breakfast favorites include a veggie quiche or their very own “grown-up pop tart”. Lunch options include the Southport Cuban, chop salad, or a grilled cheese featuring pickled green tomatoes and local apples. Wash it down with kombucha, housemade soda on tap, canned wine, or a beermosa. Southport Grocery and Cafe also happens to be a NextME partner, so even if there is a waitlist when you arrive, you can feel comfortable that it will be managed with ease.
Filipino Brunch at Uncle Mike’s Place
Photo Courtesy of Fab Food Chicago
Looking for something with an island flair? Uncle Mike’s Place serves up their famous Filipino breakfast all day every day. Try the Longaniza, a sweet anise-wine chorizo sausage. Or devour their Tocino, an annato and anise cured pork shoulder. They’ve also got a variety of egg dishes and omelettes to chose from, plus pancakes, breakfast sandwiches, and authentic Filipino breakfast combos. For lunch dishes, there are all the usual sandwiches, soups, salads, and fruit plates. Plus sample the free homemade Lugaw rice soup that’s so good it’s also available to go. This place is a little slice of Pinoy heaven, on Grand Ave in West Town.
Louisiana Style Brunch at Wishbone
Photo Courtesy of Bitches Who Brunch
You may not think of finding a farm-fresh Cajun brunch menu in Chitown, but at Wishbone West Loop, you’ll get just that. Enjoy a jambalaya omelette or crawfish cake benedict. The cajun shrimp and grits and chicken andouille hash will remind you of a lazy Sunday morning in the French Quarter. And of course they’re serving up southern favorites like chicken and waffles, corn cakes, and buscuits and gravy. Brunch cocktails on offer include the bloody mary or an irish coffee, as well as unique concoctions like the corpse reviver #312 and the mud bone.