Best Bay Area Brunch



Ad Hoc
What if you could have one of the world’s top chefs prepare you breakfast? Well, you can. Thomas Keller’s Ad Hoc serves an outstanding 3-course brunch menu that will redefine your preconception of a morning meal.


Runners-up



Foreign Cinema

With one of the most appetizing brunch menus in the city, Foreign Cinema serves a good variety of carefully prepared dishes, savory and sweet. The restaurant has an ample, attractive space that includes a coveted outside patio.



Universal Cafe
The standing crowd outside may intimidate at first sight but the brunch at Universal Cafe is well worth the wait. The popular restaurant offers a carefully prepared, inventive morning fare. Don’t miss the doughnuts.


Honorable mentions



Maverick
Take advantage of the fact that the restaurant accepts reservations and enjoy the new American brunch menu that includes must haves like Andouille Sausage Benedict and Doughnut holes.



Zuni Cafe
In the morning light, this San Francisco institution offers a welcoming, bright atmosphere, whether you sit inside or outside. Zuni is the perfect place for a more mature, sophisticated brunch meal.



Canteen
Dennis Leary’s tiny TenderNob eatery serves a small selection of tasty brunch dishes but one deserves special attention. The Blueberry French toast with sweet cream cheese. I’d say the best in town.


Well worth a trip:




Prune, NY
At this small lower east side restaurant, The ambiance is charming, service is prompt and the food is simply delightful. But if this is not enough to convince you, there’s only one more thing I can say: Merveilles.

3 comments:

Patrick said...

Have you been to Brenda's on Polk Street? I think they do fantastic and fairly original brunch in a French Soul Food style. The fried catfish eggs benedict is out of this world and everyone raves about the fresh fruit pancakes (more cake than pancake). The problem is the line at this place gets insane on the weekends due to the tiny seating area. Try getting in on a weekday if you can, as early as possible. Word on the street is they'll be expanding soon.

Chung Nguyen said...

As a brunch-whore, I'm going to have to try all these places. Yum!

cT said...

Brunch spots I like in SF:

Elite Cafe - classic
2223 Restaurant - just right in every way
J's Pot of Soul - hearty
Butler & Chef - quaint/cute