The Ultimate Resy Guide to Brunch in New York

Best Overall

For an innovative take on traditional diner food, head to Chinatown, where Golden Diner refracts classic dishes through an Asian lens. The locally sourced menu includes items like the Chinatown egg and cheese sando: scrambled eggs, American cheese, and hash browns, but served on a sesame-scallion milk bun. Their brunch cocktails are also not to be missed, especially the Soju Bloody Mary. Pro tip: Do save room for a slice of the green tea coffee cake or the Thai tea tres leches cake.

A relocation couldn’t keep Virginia’s down. She’s back and better than ever, especially for brunch. The choices here run classic, with something for everyone. Go for the crab cake benedict with spicy dill hollandaise, the brioche French toast with whipped cream, or the burger (add egg and avocado), and don’t forget that house made banana bread for the table. Wash it all down with a pitcher of mimosas or Aperol spritzes, and let the day get away from you.

The pancakes with warm maple butter and your choice of wild Maine blueberries, banana walnut, or chocolate chunks at this LES mainstay remain legendary for a reason. But what makes this one of the best brunch spots in the city extends far beyond those pancakes, thanks to the warmth and hospitality of owners Neil Kleinberg and Dede Lahman, who’ve run this beloved restaurant since 2001. Brunch here also means buttermilk biscuit sandwiches with the fluffiest of scrambled eggs, a can’t-miss latke eggs Benedict, and fried chicken paired with Belgian waffles, among many other choices. And to round it all out, you can’t go wrong with one of their seasonal cocktails, either.

P.S. Consider stopping by here later in the day for dinner, too, when you can still get those pancakes, a killer classic mac ‘n’cheese, and a stellar salmon burger.

A stalwart of the neighborhood, this farm- to-table spot has an ever-changing brunch menu, depending on what’s in season in the area. But you can’t go wrong with any of the pastries, from the pillowy buttermilk biscuits topped with orange marmalade and butter, to beignets served alongside local Di Palo’s ricotta. For a main course, don’t skip the buttermilk-cornmeal pancakes with caramelized apples and whipped cream, if it’s on the menu, or the supersized huevos rancheros.

Read on for a profile of Cookshop owner Vicki Freeman.

Few places feel more like Paris in New York than this petite café located on a charming side street in the West Village. The brunch menu here, unsurprisingly, is unapologetically French: diners can choose from three types of croque monsieurs; soft, steamed eggs (made with the espresso machine behind the bar!) and toast; and a delightfully fluffy pain perdu drizzled with crème anglaise. We also recommend grabbing tons of pastries for the table, especially the chocolate croissants and financiers.

At this charming Williamsburg spot, two restaurants operate out of the same space; one during the day, and the other at night. Fans of Japanese-style breakfast will want to check out Okonomi, which serves a traditional ichiju-sansai or Japanese set breakfast seven days a week. Options for the $30 prix-fixe often include roasted fish, miso soup, and tamagoyaki (rolled omelet).

Leland Eating and Drinking House knows how to do the simple things right — something that’s not always easy to accomplish. We love their weekend brunch for its deliciousness, as evidenced by the hash updated with pork shank, the honey toast that gets brûléed and served with housemade ricotta, and the sausage, egg, and cheese served with an addition of za’atar chips. Don’t forget a sourdough cinnamon bun for the table and a Bloody Mary. Sit outside, if you can.

What began as a Soho must for weekend brunch has turned into a little empire dotting Manhattan and Brooklyn, just over a decade in the making, and Jack’s Wife Freda still has it when it comes to an ideal brunch. It’s the perennial favorite time to visit this lovely all-day café. Don’t sleep on the rosewater waffles, green shakshuka with challah toast, or the duck bacon egg and cheese.

Best for Groups

Whether you’re seated on the rooftop or in the light-filled dining room downstairs, you’ll want to order one of everything on the brunch menu at this Peruvian restaurant from chef Erik Ramirez, so we highly suggest coming here with a group. Brunch is back, and you don’t want to miss out on trying their take on a breakfast burrito, complete with bacon and tacu tacu (Peruvian-style rice and beans), or Japanese sweet potatoes served with chermoula and egg. And whatever you decide to get, you must order some ceviche to share, too.

With bright, airy dining rooms and a fresh, farm-to-table Italian menu, Rosemary’s is a wonderful choice for a daytime birthday brunch, or to simply gather a group to sample all three varieties of their pillowy focaccia. Eggs are the main star of this brunch menu, whether in purgatory with puttanesca or Benedict style, but we’re also big fans of the Boozy Brunch, which provides unlimited mimosas or frizzante wine for an hour, along with your choice of entree.

When chef Jonathan Waxman’s paean to roast chicken shuttered in 2020, the city mourned one of its finest convivial Italian spots. Luckily, it’s since reopened in a new location and with a daytime weekend menu that’s even better than before. We suggest grabbing a few pizzas to share with your friends, like the Pizza Uovo served with farmstead eggs, pancetta, and salsa verde; the ever-changing seasonal pastas; and of course, the signature JW Pollo al Forno for everyone to sample.

Known for its extended hours (they’re open until midnight or later every night) and its fantastic people watching, this Chelsea institution also serves breakfast every day until 4 p.m., making it especially fun for extended, boozy brunches. The lively atmosphere is ideal for groups; and the menu has plenty of dishes everyone at the table will want to share, like the lemon ricotta pancakes, or the crunchy croissant French toast.

When it’s from the team behind 886, you know it’s going to be good. We love Wenwen for its unabashedly Taiwanese classics, cheeky names (try the BDSM chicken sandwich, served only at brunch), and its staff, who certainly knows how to have a good time. They’re open for brunch on Saturdays and Sundays, serving up dishes that you can find on their regular menu and some ever-changing specials. Wash it all down with some Baiju shots if you please.

You say “Tex Mex,” we say “when and where?” Yellow Rose knows how to do Tex Mex splendidly, with breakfast tacos that satisfy the nostalgia you have for the ranch you’ve likely never lived on. Try the barbacoa, the bean and cheese, or the potato and egg. Order the Lone Star Beer queso for the table, and one of each of the donuts. They keep it simple in the cocktail department, so be sure to order mimosas and roasted tomato Bloody Marys all around.

There’s something for everyone at this PLG hot spot for all things seafood, making it an ideal brunch destination on the weekends. Think fried chicken and shrimp on a crisp cornbread waffle, or a comforting Benedict served with crab cakes and perfectly poached eggs. If you show up with a crew, do order some Chesapeake crab dip for the table to share, and don’t sleep on a carafe of the mimosa. They’ve also got a bottomless option for $60 per person, which includes an entree and 90 minutes of mimosas or bellinis.

World-class people watching and classic brunch fare make this standout New York brasserie a prime choice for a weekend brunch, especially when you’ve got a group. Do indulge in any of the raw bar selections, and do consider ordering the lobster roll or the burger, too.

It’s the collab you didn’t know you needed. At Shalom Japan, Jewish and Japanese culinary traditions meld perfectly. Their brunch menu is creative, fun, and most importantly, delicious. Try the wagyu pastrami sandwich, the thick sesame temomi mazemen, and the matzo ball ramen for a meal you could only get in New York. Bring a crew so you can share and try as many dishes as possible.

You and your crew can settle in at KYU, where the round tables are plentiful, and the lighting is sultry (even in the morning). They serve an Asian-inspired brunch menu from noon to 3 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays, with choices like a ssamjang chicken sandwich with grilled jalapeno aioli and fluffy Japanese skillet pancakes with matcha cream. Order a lot for the table to share, and don’t skip the Zodiac Killer cocktail, which serves up to eight people with tequila and a ton of fruit juices.

Best for Boozy Brunches

For a taste of the Caribbean without leaving the five boroughs, head to this cheerful spot in Williamsburg. Even better? They run their all day “Drunch” parties on Sundays, serving dinner and brunch menus.. We also love their tasty signature cocktails like the Plantini (made with roasted plantain puree and Bacardi), as well as their unique daytime dishes. Start with one of the savory flatbreads, like the Yardie Shrimp, followed by some sweet plantain pancakes topped with coconut whipped cream.

Read on for an interview with Kokomo co-owner Ria Graham.

As its name suggests, this uptown restaurant specializes in a specific meal, and its menu also includes a robust selection of daytime cocktails. Diners have their choice of the classics, like mimosas or bellinis; as well as sangria or espresso martinis; and spiked lemonade served in retro-style pouches. Pair your drinks with entrees like lamb chops, or fried catfish and pancakes served with spicy butter.

Considering they bill themselves as the world’s most awarded pub, this revered watering hole in FiDi is certainly a must-visit for a daytime tipple and nosh. The cocktail menu is inspired by the traditional spirits and flavors of Ireland — think Irish coffee and an Irish coffee martini — but there are also lighter and fresher mixed drinks like a milk punch with pineapple and Calvados. And, as should be no surprise, the weekend brunch here boasts one of the best Irish breakfasts in the city.

Although perhaps best known as a destination-worthy bar, this tiny spot in Williamsburg is also a Michelin-starred and James Beard Award-winning restaurant, making it a perfect gathering spot for oenophiles and hard-to-please food lovers. The biggest draw here is the enormous selection of natural wines, from skin contact and pet-nats to bottles from nearly every region of France. Pair your tipples with dishes like the butter beans en brodo or the boudin blanc with cripsy potatoes and curry. They’ve also got a pretty great collection of merch.

For a later weekend brunch (they open at 2 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays), head to this cocktail and seafood-focused bar. Start with the happy hour oyster special, then chow down on dishes like the lobster roll with Kewpie mayo. You really can’t go wrong with any of the thoughtfully crafted cocktails here, but the current “Mean Girls” themed menu is both hilarious and excellent. (We’re partial to the You Go Glen Coco, with mezcal, pineapple, and “magic”).

This gastropub in Astoria is the very definition of a hidden gem and on weekends, you’re in for a real treat. On Saturdays and Sundays, Mar’s offers a late lunch service starting at 2 p.m. Think brunch standards like omelets and burgers topped with applewood smoked bacon, plus standouts like escargot with a garlic herb baguette and a gouda and gruyere grilled cheese. The drinks menu here features a dizzying array of classic cocktails, from Manhattans and Negronis to Daiquiris and the Last Word, and you’ll want to pair them with selections from the raw bar, for sure. Pro tip: Their weekend happy hour goes from opening until 7 p.m., with choices like an oyster mignonette martini and $2 clams.

Who can resist a bottomless brunch deal? Not us, that’s for sure. Try the two-hour (!) bottomless brunch from Balvanera, with sangria and mimosas for $30 if you purchase a main. That’s the easy part; the hard part will be deciding which one. Go for the huevos a caballo (eggs and steak), the housemade chorizo sandwich, or torrejas lola (sweet cream brioche, dulce de leche, and caramelized banana). When the weather is nice, sitting on the patio makes those two hours fly by faster than you can say “One more, please!”

We love the option for boozy brunch here, with an hour of bottomless mimosas for only $25. Pair those with the skillet lamb hash with perfectly poached eggs, the spiced French toast covered in persimmon marmalade and date and pistachio crumble, or the signature hot chicken sandwich.

Come for the lumache with pork rags and ricotta, or the sourdough waffle served with blueberries and whipped cream, and stay for the bottomless drink specials ($19 per person) that include bellinis, mimosas, and spritzes.

Best for Sweets

With Camari Mick in the kitchen, you know the baked goods are going to be excellent. There are candied orange almond croissants, cacio e pepe scones, and gorgeous amaretti cookies. You’re obviously getting the pastry basket for the table, but you can come down from your sugar high with their more savory choices, too, like a ricotta and oyster mushroom sourdough tartine and eggs in purgatory.

This all-day restaurant and pastry counter takes inspiration from both Jewish and Eastern European traditions — think dishes like the palacsinta made with lemon curd and brown butter, or paprika pork sausage with sunny-side up eggs and grits. The baked goods here are one of the biggest draws: make sure to grab a slice or two of the seasonal coffee cake or, if you’re there on a Sunday, the doughnuts.

One of the most welcoming spots in the neighborhood is this sunny and cheerful all-day cafe, which has made a name for itself with its housemade bagels and pastries. The bakery menu includes many of New York’s most famous treats, including a chocolate babka and black-and-white cookies. Larger dishes for the sweet tooth in your party include the blintz-cake filled with lemon ricotta, berries, and syrup; or a classic challah French toast.

If you’re looking for the pancakes that broke the internet, your search ends here. The restaurant’s now-trademarked pancakes look a bit like the emoji: they are absolutely slathered in hazelnut-maple praline and finished with an adorable pat of brown butter. They’re also enormous, so if you’re eyeing that triple-stack, bring your appetite. Other sweet treats include the mixed berry tartine served with ricotta and mixed berry toast, and the salty-sweet maple-cheddar biscuit.

Don’t let the name mislead you: This brunch is a party. It’s an extremely tough Resy to snag, since they only serve their famous Comfortlandia brunch once a week (on Sundays) but, if you do manage to grab one, you won’t be disappointed. The four-course menu changes every month and has featured dishes like fried green tomato Benedict, king cake French toast sticks, brioche bread pudding with rum sauce, and a surprise amuse bouche. Drinks can run from classic (bloody Mary) to whimsical (Fruity Pebble Bourbon Milk Punch), DJs are bumping the whole two hours, and it’s cash only. Set that Notify!

Best for Special Occasions

While Eunji Lee’s Lysée easily qualifies for being one of the city’s best spots for sweets, period, you should also know it happens to have a truly splurge-worthy brunch. Every Saturday and Sunday they offer a three-course pre-fixe brunch for $60 a person with your choice of leek quiche or a smoked salmon and avocado sandwich. It also comes with housemade granola parfait, and Lee’s acclaimed viennoiserie (kougin amann and warm babka with butter and housemade jams and spreads included). Pair it with an espresso martini made with Lysée’s signature brown rice milk or a calamansi mimosa.

For a splurge-worthy meal in an emblematically classy and intimate setting, Hūso has you covered. They’re housed right inside the Marky’s Caviar shop, so of course they have a traditional caviar service available for lunch that rivals any in the city. There’s also a foie gras and black truffle terrine, beef tartare topped with (you guessed it) Osetra caviar, and capellini pasta with Maine lobster. Do note that they ask you to dress accordingly; no flip-flops or shorts allowed, please.

The reopening of this French bistro in 2019 signaled that the reign of the Meatpacking District as a brunch destination is far from over. Pastis 2.0 maintains what made the original so iconic — the people watching, the classic French menu — but with a soupçon of energy and friendliness. The brunch options here are plentiful, from gruyere omelets to chicken paillard, not to mention the celebratory pitchers of mimosas and refreshing cocktails.

Located on a quiet stretch of waterfront near Dumbo, Vinegar Hill House has long been the area’s go-to spot for celebratory meals. The weekend brunch menu may not be long, but what’s there is delicious: yogurt and granola served with blueberry jam, smoked steelhead trout and toast, and sourdough apple pancakes. Make sure to ask for a table in the garden when the weather is nice.

While New York doesn’t have many Austrian restaurants, it doesn’t matter much when Wallsé knocks it out of the park every time. The Saturday brunch here includes a few dishes that are hard to find in the city, including the delightful kaiserschmarrn (essentially fluffy pancake bits) and Wiener schnitzel served with lingonberries, and potato and cucumber salad. Definitely save room for the brunch dessert menu, which includes a wonderful apple strudel topped with a mound of schlag (whipped cream).

If brunch is an excuse to indulge, Le Crocodile is the pitch-perfect use case. Go for the velvety cheese omelet, the incredible patisserie selection (honey butter scones, pain au chocolat), and the ham-and-cheese croque madame. Wash it down with their generously lovely bellinis, and relax knowing that your problems are still hours away.

Best for Kids

This rapidly expanding group of dim sum specialists has something for everyone. Bite-sized dumplings, are, of course, perfect kid finger food and it can be fun for little brunchers to guess the fillings before sinking their teeth into one. Save room for a few sweet treats, like fried sesame balls and egg tarts.

Shuka’s Mediterranean menu is meant to be shared, which makes it an ideal spot for kids to try a bit of everything, from the subtly sweet whipped feta to the crowd-favorite baklava cinnamon rolls. We recommend ordering all of the brightly colored dips (the labne with rose petals and pink peppercorn is particularly superb) and letting the kids go to town with tons of pillowy pita.

Read on for a Resy Questionnaire with Shuka chef Ayesha Nurdjaja.

Westville has been a brunch gold standard in the city for more than a decade, and now that they’ve grown, chances are there’s not one far away no matter which neighborhood you find yourself in. They also have plenty of kid-friendly dishes on the menu, like the baked challah French toast and the crispy hashbrowns. Pro tip: This is also one of the few spots in town to eat a choice hot dog sitting down.

Il Buco’s more casual little sister has been one of the neighborhood’s best spots for little diners since it opened over a decade ago. At brunch time, head for one of the tables upstairs, which offer kids a bit more room to roam. Favorites among the younger set here include the excellent classic breakfast sandwich with pillowy scrambled eggs, as well as the carbonara pasta made with house-cured pancetta. And don’t forget the pastry basket for the table, either: everyone goes crazy for the chocolate bombolone.

The brunch menu at this American comfort food spot almost seems tailor-made for kids: pull-apart, frosted cinna-nut buns; five styles of challah French toast; and enormous portions of extra-gooey macaroni and cheese. And, while your little ones enjoy their sugar high, the adults can sip on an ample selection of daytime cocktails, including the Passion Fruit Bellini orThe Razzle, made with elderflower liqueur and vodka.

One of The Seaport’s best spots for little brunchers is California-import Malibu Farm, which serves farm-to-table dishes with a dash of West Coast cool. The weekend brunch menu boasts many kid-centric dishes, including a skillet coconut French toast topped with a mound of whipped cream, and avocado toast with poached egg.

Old John’s is a classic for a reason. They’ve been open in one location or another since 1951, an achievement in any city and a miracle in this one. Their weekend brunch is equally classic, with plenty of kids’ options like burgers, pancakes, waffles, eggs Benedict, and omelets. It’s the kind of restaurant you can go to without looking at the menu beforehand; instead, let your heart tell you what you want for brunch because, chances are, they’ll have it.