Brunch is a religion for some people, myself included. Some people will do hours of research to find the best brunch place in a new city they are visiting, and real brunchers also have wish-lists of must-go-to places. This is why the absolutely worst thing to happen is to either have a wait time that feels like a century or not be able to get a reservation at an essential place. Depending on what city you live in, these are the best times to brunch so you don’t get antsy waiting for that perfect egg sandwich.
1. New York City
Even though it’s supposed to be the city that never sleeps, New Yorkers value their sleep very much. Brunch typically doesn’t start until 12:00 pm (aka when alcohol is allowed to be served) and goes as late as 4:00 pm. But NYC is also home to some of the best brunch spots in the country, so it might be worth having a mini breakfast if you’re an early riser and then waiting it out for brunch.
Try these places: Sarabeth’s, by Chloe, Jack’s Wife Freda, Buvette, or Good Enough to Eat
2. Los Angeles
Despite those ~chill~ LA vibes, brunch tends to be on the earlier side around 10:00 am. But the tradeoff of getting up earlier to eat is that you can find a countless amount of places that are directly on the beach, so you can start your day with a dose of sun and sand while having a mimosa in hand.
Eat here: Farmshop, Sqirl, the Butcher’s Daughter, Golden Bull, and Blu Jam Cafe
3. Washington D.C.
DC people seem to not enjoy the luxury of sitting at brunch for hours on end every Sunday, or maybe they just have more important issues to tackle #politics. Most DC brunch places stop serving brunch at 1:00 or 2:00 pm, which if you’re trying to fully take advantage of bottomless brunch, is not that many eating hours.
Brunch here won’t disappoint: Fruitive, Central Michel Richard, Vinoteca, Blue Duck Tavern, or Convival
4. Chicago
The Windy City seems to have the right idea, as many Chicago brunch places serve brunch ALLLLL DAY LONG. So when it’s 9:00 pm and all you’re craving is French toast, Chicago is the city for you. And that means you don’t have to wake up to start brunching at a ridiculously early hour of the morning, because we all know brunch does not equal 9:00 am.
Go here to eat: Batter and Berries, Whisk, Azul 18, Wildberry, and Sweet Maple Cafe
5. San Francisco
As much as the Bay Area doesn’t like to be associated with SoCal, the two have the same ideas about brunch. They value the early start time (more time to eat if you want to look at it positively) and they take their eggs very seriously. So if you’re looking for the best eggs Benedict of your life, hop on a plane to San Francisco.
Brunch here: Stacks, Griddle Fresh, Zazie, Mama’s on Washington Square, and Crepevine
6. Atlanta
Atlanta is living in the year 3000 by having a whole festival dedicated to just brunch foods. That’s right, a brunch festival really does exist. But if you couldn’t book your flights fast enough, and sadly can’t go back in time for the brunch festival, you can still enjoy Atlanta brunch like a regular person in a restaurant between 11:30 am and 3:00 pm.
Don’t miss these places: Bread & Butterfly, Sun in My Belly, West Egg Cafe, Folk Art, and Buttermilk Kitchen
7. Boston
With so many colleges and floods of broke college kids willing to spend their last $10 on avocado toast, Boston is just about busting with fun brunch places. They can even direct you to the right place based on what food you are craving. And just like everything else in a college town, you can get what you want at the oddest times (hello waffles at 2:00 am).
Best brunch spots: The Friendly Toast, Brownstone, Lincoln Tavern & Restaurant, 3 Little Figs, and Tatte Bakery
8. Philly
Philly is the wildcard city on this list (Is it a big city? Is it a major city? Do we like Philly?). But, it is a hipster-y, young city with many, many trendy brunch places open to eat at. And you don’t even need to break the bank on a flight to Philly, as it’s pretty centrally located on the Northeast, which means you have more money to spend on fancy food.
Top 5: Sabrina’s Cafe, The Little Lion, Honey’s Sit ‘n Eat, Cafe Lift, and Fork
9. Austin
Austin is another up and coming city that is filled with hundreds of millennials who only care about pictures of their pancakes. This is why the next time you find yourself in Austin, you should use this ultimate brunch guide so you don’t miss any key places. You might be standing in line for a while—most of the cutest places tend to be smaller and don’t take reservations. But you can always divide and conquer with friends to see which places have the shortest wait.
Sweet and savory reqs: Forthright, Hillside Farmacy, Perla’s, Snooze an A.M. Eatery, and Pitchfork Pretty
If we’re thankful for anything, it should be the plentiful brunch options across the country. So no matter what city you find yourself in, do your research to find the best bites.