The Ultimate Guide to Charleston Brunch

You can, indeed, still get your pimento cheese downtown, but last fall, this all-day-breakfast hot spot added a second location on James Island. And yes, you can still get your pancakes and cinnamon buns, but with the addition of dinner, you can also get chicken parm, buffalo Brussels sprouts, and other indulgences. Don’t forget to check out the hot honey fried chicken bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich. Regardless of which location you hit up, take your pick from the handful of mimosas on offer. You’ll thank us later. 

One of the highest-profile openings of the past year, this homey spot tucked into a corner storefront in Cannonborough-Elliottborough remains one of Charleston’s hottest brunch Resys. Maybe it’s the luxurious crudo toast to start, or maybe the deconstructed cured salmon bagel served with accoutrements — the inviting weekend brunch is the perfect lazy morning treat or antidote to a late night out. 

Halls has one of the most popular brunches in Charleston for good reason. The King Street staple’s famous Gospel Brunch hits all the high notes for an indulgent brunch, with the addition of a local gospel choir setting the tone. Brunch might even be the best time to experience the Hall family’s warm hospitality. And where else is the house steak and eggs served with an eight-ounce filet mignon? Sweet potato pancakes and lavender French toast show up for those looking for something sweet. Omelets, Benedicts, and sandwiches round out the brunch offerings, with ace bloody Marys and morning cocktails at the ready.

Related: How to Get a Reservation at Halls Chophouse

The O.D. has been dishing out some of the best food on Sullivan’s Island for more than nine years. But on Saturday and Sunday, stop by for a few additions to your old favorites. Whether it’s specialty quiche, eggs in purgatory flatbread, or a decadent breakfast skillet, this island standby is going to impress. And from behind the bar, mai tais and bloody Marys with Charleston-made Natural Blonde await — and more.

Basic Kitchen serves one of Charleston’s best brunches — it just happens to be vegetarian- and vegan-friendly. BK’s popular buffalo cauliflower wings carry onto the brunch menu as well, alongside vegan nachos; “corn ribs;” and sweet potato pancakes topped with maple syrup, whipped tahini, and berries. A veg breakfast sandwich fills an English muffin with a mung bean falafel patty, harissa tehina, and a farm-fresh egg. Recharge for the day with a Surfer’s Delight bowl, with two eggs, citrus kale, sweet potatoes, avo, and toast. If it’s protein you seek, smoked salmon toast, burgers two ways (veggie and beefy), and a chicken sausage-grits-veggie hash bowl make frequent appearances. Relax inside or on the patio with a cocktail or house-made juices, coffee drinks, and craving-saver golden lattes, matcha, and chai.

It doesn’t get much more traditional Charleston than brunch at High Cotton. In the bright dining room overlooking East Bay Street, High Cotton remains a popular downtown spot for a leisurely Sunday brunch. But make no mistake, this is no run-of-the-mill brunch menu. Charleston standards, including she crab soup and shrimp and grits, dot the menu, along with light and indulgent options, depending on your mood. Omelets, sweet treats, and seafood specialties are also on offer.

The team behind the kitchen at Baker & Brewer has been doing farm-to-table since before it was cool. A collaboration between North Charleston’s EVO Pizza and Holy City Brewing, Baker & Brewer’s menu really shines for Sunday brunch. B&B’s go-to pizzas remain (two words: pistachio pesto), with the addition of a couple of brunch pies. Think: bacon, egg, and cheese, but on a pizza. But the sprawling indoor-outdoor pizza-brewpub brings a few powerhouse brunch plates as well. Reuben Benedict, iron skillet hash, and chimichangas have made appearances recently. Behind the bar, find Holy City favorites as well as house-brewed B&B originals. Fresh-baked EVO goods are also available from the menu or the walk-up bakery case.

Butcher & Bee does not mess around at brunch. Named a James Beard Foundation semifinalist in 2022, Butcher & Bee’s sweet spot is its Mediterranean and Middle Eastern-inspired mezze — flavor-packed small plates — but each Sunday, the kitchen flexes to craft rich, memorable dishes that diverge from its traditional fare. Don’t pass over the mezze, though; bacon-wrapped dates and whipped feta are highlights. Main dishes are punctuated by shakshuka, avocado toast, decadent semolina griddle cakes, and çilbir — Turkish-poached eggs. Handhelds are also a main attraction, with a signature breakfast English muffin, pulled squash sammie, and chicken schnitzel sandwich.

Chef-owner Nico Romo puts years of French cooking experience to good use during Sunday brunch at his Mount Pleasant raw bar and restaurant, Nico. A stone’s throw from Shem Creek, Nico gives a change of pace from the bustling waterfront bar scene. While the restaurant’s dinner menu offers a riviera getaway — bouillabaisse, trout almondine — Nico’s French brunch brings authentic classics, including croque monsieur and croque madame, each on croissants; Monte Cristo sandwiches; and silky baked French omelets. Even the eggs Benedict gets a continental touch, served atop potato tartine. Don’t forget the bubbles – by the glass or bottle at Nico. Bien sûr!

Jackrabbit Filly is serving the Charleston area’s only dim sum brunch every Sunday in the trendy Park Circle neighborhood. It’s dim sum, so you know you have to order a little of everything. A few Jackrabbit favorites show up, like dumplings, fried rice, fish tartare, and karaage, the restaurant’s signature Japanese fried chicken. Breakfast okonomiyaki — a flavor-packed pan-fried cabbage pancake — seasonal congee dishes, and specials highlight the frequently-changing menu. Sweet treats include warm chocolate banana bread and creamy mini egg tarts. Need a pick-me-up? Have the bar whip up The Ox, JF’s take on a michelada with a dash of tangy pineapple vinegar. Really feeling it? Hangover noodles may be in your future.

Chasing Sage offered brunch for the first time in February, but the restaurant’s farm-to-table ethos and carefully curated menus mean daytime tables may well be hard to come by once word gets out. Selections will change week to week, emphasizing local seasonality, but opening options included potato rosti and fish belly toast on the lighter side, while Japanese soufflé pancakes with lemon curd, French toast, and corned beef hash with a sunny-side-up egg hold down the main attractions. Fresh brunch cocktails include options like a carrot spritz, a house bloody, and a few creative concoctions on offer, along with NA options.

Post House is a picture-perfect setting almost any time of day, but its patio seems tailor-made for sunny brunches. In the heart of Mount Pleasant’s Old Village neighborhood, an early suburb opposite downtown Charleston on the Cooper River, the historic Post House is part restaurant, part inn. Grab a reservation in the cozy bar room, dining room or on the patio, you can’t really go wrong. Using locally sourced ingredients, Post House serves up solid breakfast standards and creative brunch go-tos. Of course, the restaurant’s standout Back Bar Cheeseburger and a handful of brunch cocktails make the menu as well.

There’s just something about being at the beach that makes brunch even more enjoyable. The Longboard is one of the newer additions to Sullivan’s Island, and it has built up a solid brunch game. Raw bar and seafood options anchor the island menu, but fresh and healthy brunch dishes will get you ready for a day on the water. (Or rocking on the porch, no judgment.) Avocado and smoked fish toasts get things started off right, and dishes like the pork belly bowl and a riff on traditional shrimp and grits highlight the menu. Need a little more? French toast and Belgian waffles are ready to land on your tables.