Time for a new brunch ranking in NYC! As I said previously, Brunch on Sundays is a very convenient moment for my family to get together. It’s also a good time for the kids to invite friends, girlfriends… I’m not mentioning boyfriends because my daughter is only 13!
This is my second personal ranking from one to ten. You can click here to visit the previous ranking. In all the listings below, the $ sign gives you an idea of pricing.
I love this place! Without any doubt this is one of my favorites. Featuring a beautiful décor from the art nouveau period, the restaurant has a French, elegant style. On the day we went, the servers were all very pleasant. Everything we ordered was just excellent. The croissant was crispy and buttery, among the best croissant I have tried in NYC. We ordered the basket of bread and pastries for $22. Everything in it was delicious.
The ricotta pancakes and the French toast with caramelized apple were very good and had the right texture. The eggs Benedict were well prepared: my eggs Sardou with spinach melted in my mouth, and it came with a choron sauce, a powerful addition to the dish.
Price range: $$$$
5 Beekman St, New York, NY 10038
📞1 212-375-0010
Make a reservation
Located in Clinton Hill Brooklyn, this restaurant was surprisingly good. The décor is quite simple, reminding me of casual restaurants on the ocean in Key West. It’s mainly a seafood restaurant but they also serve beef and chicken.
The granola French toast with lemon ricotta and blueberry compote was delicious. The bread was well soaked and cooked to perfection. The poached eggs with crab cakes were tasty and a little bit spicy. The shrimp & grits with kale and mushrooms was a good representation of the Southern cuisine. The brown butter crepes with bourbon apples were extremely good!
A dish I highly recommend: the brioche toast with crushed avocado, a true delight!
Price range: $$
285 Grand Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11238
📞+1 718-638-9500
Balaboosta features Mediterranean cuisine in NoLita, in a laid back, friendly atmosphere. A few North-African and middle-eastern dishes are served, such as matbutcha (Moroccan), shakshouka (Tunisian), and of course, labné, hummus, and za’atar from the Middle East.
Both The burger and the Mediterranean samplers were very good, even the hummus was well prepared – and you know how picky I am about hummus! I ordered the poached eggs with roasted pepper hollandaise sauce, the eggs were overcooked but they brought me another dish with them cooked correctly. It was delicious, paired with shallah bread.
The coconut French toast stuffed with cream cheese was absolutely delicious! Highly recommended by my daughter!
214 Mulberry St, New York, NY 10012
📞1 212-966-7366
Make a reservation
Housed in a modern environment, The Untitled is found in the Whitney museum. The menu is very original, a good representation of the museum. Everything we ordered was tasty but quite far from a traditional American brunch.
We ordered the ginger raisin scone, pear coffee cake, cornbread pancakes, soft eggs, and duck rillettes, and all of them were frankly delicious. These are small plates and the portions are small.
From the appetizers we ordered the goat cheese toast, the butterball potato hash, and from the main dishes, the pulled pork. I don’t recall anything left on the plates!
Recommended by Michelin guide
Range price: $$$$
Whitney Museum
99 Gansevoort St, New York, NY 10014
📞+1 212-570-3670
Make a reservation
On the border of Williamsburg and Greenpoint, Reynard is part of the Wythe Hotel. It’s described as a New American eatery offering seasonal eats. The bar at the entrance, the black and white tile on the floor, the white marble tables, the black bistro chairs, the brick walls and the very high ceilings provide a warm and charming atmosphere to the restaurant.
The menu changes seasonally and is quite sophisticated; you will not find traditional American brunch dishes. I ordered the pancakes but they came in little Madeleine shapes. The pancakes were accompanied by rhubarb, whipped cream, and toasted quinoa: excellent!
The poached eggs with faro, nettles, and bok choy were tasty, the yolks runny. The Mimosa was made with Prosecco and freshly squeezed orange juice, which definitely makes a difference!
The burger was a bit disappointing; too dry without tomatoes – not the season apparently – and not enough lettuce.
Price range: $$$
80 Wythe Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11249
📞+1 718-460-8004
Make a reservation
The Gander is an upscale restaurant in the Flatiron District. The place is elegant and yet friendly and warm, and the service pleasant. We went there to celebrate Mother’s Day. Each mother received a rose at the end of the meal.
The braised pork served with salsa and fried eggs was definitely the highlight of the menu. The meat was juicy and blended very well with the rest. The scrambled eggs with sausage and cheese were very tasty. Given the restaurant’s standing, the last dish could’ve been better presented, I feel.
I ordered the French toast and I regret it. The taste was good at the beginning but because they were fried, there was an unpleasant buttery and oily aftertaste.
15 W 18th St, New York, NY 10011
📞+1 212-229-9500
Make a reservation
The pork bun with hoisin sauce is always a delicious way to start a brunch at Má Pêche. The menu has an Asian bent, with matcha pancakes and a brisket rice bowl. Both were delicious and very well prepared. The croque madame served with béchamel sauce and a sunny side up egg is definitely a good choice.
I ordered the chicken & waffles; a strange combination I agree but works quite well. The breadcrumb coating was a bit spicy which I personally like.
15 W 56th St, New York, NY 10019
📞+1 212-757-5878
Make a reservation
You almost forget that you’re in Lower Manhattan when you open the door of Cherche Midi: the decor, the stools, the chairs, the pink tablecloths, and the hexagon shape tiles feel as if you just stepped into the south of France. In addition, the croissant and the pain au chocolat show it is a French brunch!
All the dishes with eggs were well prepared but nothing justified the high price tag. I admit the poached eggs were perfectly cooked: runny yolks, as they should be! The lobster scrambled eggs dish was tasty with big lobster pieces but the portion was a bit small.
The beignets were excellent. The waffles were good and not too sweet but unfortunately had a quite boring presentation.
282 Bowery, New York, NY 10012
📞+1 212-226-3055
Make a reservation
This place is certainly a chill place in Greenpoint, Brooklyn: fusion American/Aussie flavor. They don’t take reservations so upon arrival you are put on the waiting list. We went for a walk for an hour and when we came back our table was ready. The weather was very nice so we sat outside. Five Leaves is a laidback and popular restaurant in the area.
I wasn’t impressed by the cleanliness of the place or by the food. The pancakes were too dense and thick. I ordered the poached eggs with mushrooms and avocado; the mushrooms were canned! Really?! To my knowledge, fresh mushrooms are not a rare or difficult to find ingredient.
In the restaurant’s defense, the blueberry friand and the Moroccan scramble were quite tasty.
Price range: $$
18 Bedford Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11222
📞+1 718-383-5345
Located near Columbia University on the Upper East, Friedman’s features American style cuisine at a reasonable price. They don’t take reservations, so first come, first served. It’s often packed and you might have a 45 min to an hour wait. It’s a friendly and laidback restaurant; most of the customers are Columbia University students, making for a very diverse public. Because of the clientele, the price is very affordable.
Unfortunately I was not impressed by the quality of the dishes: everything was okay but nothing was outstanding. The pancakes were thick and dense and the chicken Chilaquiles had too much cartilage. The chicken and bacon Swisswich and the wild mushroom toast were good. But again the price is extremely reasonable which is a quality in itself in NYC!
Price range: $
1187 Amsterdam Ave, New York, NY 10027
📞+1 212-932-0600
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