in

20 Best Brunch Restaurants in Chicago

french toast served with banana slices at a brunch spot in Chicago

Welcome to the ultimate guide to the Best Brunch Restaurants in Chicago, where morning meets mouthwatering. Whether you’re a local looking for new brunch spots or a visitor eager to explore Chicago’s culinary scene, we’ve got you covered. From classic breakfast favorites like fluffy pancakes and perfectly poached eggs to inventive brunch creations that will tantalize your taste buds, Chicago’s brunch scene has it all. Whether you prefer a cozy neighborhood cafe, a trendy hotspot, or a scenic spot with skyline views, we’ve scoured the city to bring you a diverse selection of brunch destinations. Get ready to savor the flavors, sip on mimosas or bloody marys, and experience the joy of brunch in the Windy City like never before. Let’s embark on a culinary journey filled with brunch delights that will leave you craving for more.


Cobblestone

4337 N Lincoln Ave, Chicago, IL 60618
773-935-2255
Visit Website

Cobblestone Chicago
Source: Instagram

Located in West Ravenwood, a block away from the lovely Welles Gideon Park, Cobblestone is a friendly neighborhood restaurant and bar, offering American takes on European cuisine. The stylish yet cozy wooden interior, outdoor streetside seating, and old-English-looking brick and white French windows create an inviting yet refined atmosphere to enjoy a luxurious weekend brunch. If you’re looking for a boozy brunch, Cobblestone’s creative brunch cocktail menu offers interesting takes on classic cocktails, like the Mimosa Flights with four different combinations of fresh juices with champagne. My favorite brunch dish at Cobblestone is the Latke Benedict, with fried potato cakes, scorched ham, and poached eggs smothered in cider Hollandaise.


Verve Wine & Provisions

2349 N Lincoln Ave, Chicago, IL 60614
773-904-8536
Visit Website

Verve Wine & Provisions Chicago
Source: Instagram

Located in Lincoln Park, Chicago Verve Wine & Provisions is a wine and specialty grocery store and wine bar offering high-end dinners with wine pairings and decadent weekend brunches. The wine store has a wide selection of foreign and domestic bottles that run the price range gamut, and Verve’s knowledgeable waitstaff and the cooking team will recommend excellent wine and cocktail pairings for your meal. The brunch menu features Italian and French brunch cocktails along with fresh-squeezed juice and French press coffee. I recommend the perfectly delicate Poached Eggs with artichoke Tapenade, frisee, and sourdough croutons with a side of Slagel farms thick-cut bacon and crushed potato.


Apolonia

2201 S Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60616
312-363-2431
Visit Website

Apolonia Chicago
Source: Instagram

Located in an elegantly modern space in Chicago’s South Loop neighborhood, Apolonia is a high-end European eatery run by the same culinary team as Chicago’s award-winning S.K.Y. restaurant. While S.K.Y. is named for head Chef and owner Stephen Gillander’s wife, Apolonia is named for his grandmother. Weekend brunch at Apolonia features a vast wine list, draught and bottled beer, and the quintessential brunch cocktail duo of mimosas and bloody marys. I recommend starting with a small, shareable plate of deviled eggs with smoked trout roe and chives, followed by the Brioche French toast with seasonal jam and vanilla. 


Andros Taverna

2542 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, IL 60647
773-365-1900
Visit Website

Andros Taverna Chicago
Source: Instagram

Andros Taverna is a modern Greek restaurant in the Logan Square neighborhood where Chef Doug Psaltis honors his Greek heritage and combines classic Greek cuisine with the contemporary urban tavern concept. Chef Psaltis uses fresh and seasonal ingredients to elaborate his classic Greek menu, using a coal grill to cook wild seafood and responsibly sourced meats along with scratch-made pita bread, stretched to order. In addition to the classic Mezze collection, souvlaki, and gyros, Andros Taverna offers freshly baked Greek-style pastries and bread along with a full espresso bar. I recommend trying the olive and pistachio twist Danish and the Baklava bear claw with a shot of espresso. If you want a savory selection, try the spanakopita and the spicy whipped feta. 


Superkhana International

3059 W Diversey Ave, Chicago, IL 60647
773-661-9028
Visit Website

Superkhana International Chicago
Source: Instagram

Located in Logan Square, Superkhana International is an Indian fusion caféoffering world cuisine prepared with Indian flavors. Superkhana also hosts a slew of pop-up menus from other local world cuisine chefs, many of which also comprise the Superkhana cooking team. For example, Superkhana founder Cornelious Bouknight also owns a Roman-style pizzeria, and you can get it every Sunday at Superkhana. You can get brunch every day at Superkahana International, and the menu couldn’t be more unique. Indian and South Asian spices make traditional breakfast dishes into novel creations. Take, for instance, the Achari Pulled Pork Sandwich with tamarind chutney, aioli, and cilantro. I went for a more traditional Indian dish and tried the Uttapam, savory griddle cakes with peas, Thai chilies, and coconut chutney. 

See also  13 Best Burgers in Chicago

The Duplex

3137 W Logan Blvd, Chicago, IL 60647
773-697-4153
Visit Website

The Duplex Chicago
Source: Instagram

Another up-and-coming Logan Square favorite, The Duplex is an original concept restaurant that supports and showcases Chicago’s diverse culinary chefs. Every six months, The Duplex partners with a new Chef or set of chefs, offering a different menu that showcases each Chef’s specialties. Furthermore, The Duplex is a black-owned establishment with a mission that espouses inclusivity and community collaboration. The weekend Brunch at The Duplex is a boozy and hip party featuring a menu of refined comfort food classics from the American South and Southwest. I recommend the fried chicken and gravy sandwich with buttermilk fried chicken breast, house gravy, and a sunny side egg on a house-made buttermilk biscuit served with savory potatoes.


Diver at the Park

3475 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60657
773-687-8972
Visit Website

Diver at the Park Chicago
Source: Instagram

Located in Wrigleyville, a few blocks from the iconic Wrigley Field, Diver at the Park is a multi-level concept restaurant inspired by the mystical Mexican-Caribbean town of Tulum. The floor level has a giant dog-friendly patio filled with tropical plants, picnic tables, swings, and a bar located inside an old-fashioned camper. Diver at the Park offers a bottomless brunch on the weekends with all-you-can-drink mimosas and a colorful offering of Mexican food favorites like breakfast tacos, tropical fruit salad, and Chilaquiles. I recommend their authentic green chilaquiles with tomatillo, cotija cheese, crema, and two sunny side eggs. 


Land & Lake Kitchen

81 East W Wacker Dr, Chicago, IL 60601
312-253-2337
Visit Website

Land & Lake Kitchen Chicago
Source: Instagram

Land & Lake Kitchen is an upscale, yet casual traditional American restaurant located in a beautiful space right on the Chicago River in the North River neighborhood. The interior dining room has industrial chic wood and brick design with old-school metal chairs and luxurious tanned leather booths. This is one of my favorite restaurants in the city! You can get breakfast every day of the week at Land & Lake Kitchen, but on the weekends, they offer Mimosa Brunch, featuring an hour and a half of all-you-can-drink mimosas to accompany the breakfast and lunch menu. Their large breakfast menu is egg-centric with every manner of benedicts, scrambles, and omelets. I recommend the pesto scramble with housemade pesto and mushrooms scrambled to perfection and served with house potatoes.


Oooh Wee It Is

Multiple locations
Visit Website

Oooh Wee It Is Chicago
Source: Instagram

Oooh Wee It Is is a soul food restaurant with the original location in Burnham and a second location in the Chatham district of Chicago’s South Side. Oooh Wee It Is is a vibrantly colorful, trendy, adult-playground feel to it with leather-seated swings at one bar, and a second bar decorated with cereal boxes and bright yellow soda fountain bar stools. You can watch live music while eating dinner at Ooh Wee It Is, and their Sunday brunch menu is called Soulfood Sunday. However, you can get brunch every day, as they start serving meals at 11. They make the best shrimp and grits in town, and their jalapeno cheese cornbread is the perfect combination of sweet, spicy, and savory. 


Summer House Santa Monica

1954 N Halsted St, Chicago, IL 60614
773-634-4100
Visit Website

Summer House Santa Monica Chicago
Source: Instagram

Summer House Santa Monica is a sunny Lincoln Park neighborhood restaurant specializing in California-style cuisine with a California vibe. The bright and airy interior and outdoor dining areas are a great place to enjoy a colorful, locally-sourced meal. Head Chef Ben Goodnick offers a market-driven menu full of fresh vegetables and scratch-made pasta and artisanal pizzas. The weekend brunch menu has a wide selection of delicious salads, pizza, egg dishes, sweet breakfasts, and southwestern Mexican breakfasts. I recommend their Mexi-Cali menu, namely the Mexican Hashbrowns, with two sunny-side-up eggs, tomato salsa, Oaxaca cheese, avocado, cilantro, and crema.

See also  10 Best Oysters in Chicago

Lula Cafe

2537 N Kedzie Blvd, Chicago, IL 60647
773-489-9554
Visit Website

Lula Cafe Chicago
Source: Instagram

Located in Logan Square, Lula Café is a Michelin-bib award-winning neighborhood eatery run by James Beard-nominee Chef Jason Hammel. Lula Café’s menu is an ever-evolving New American fusion, and the friendly all-inclusive atmosphere has won Lula Café local and national praise as the best neighborhood restaurant in culinary write-ups from Food and Wine, Bone Appetit, and the New York Times. The brunch menu at Lula Café offers innovative breakfast and lunch offerings you won’t find anywhere else. There are also plenty of vegan and vegetarian options like tofu veggie scrambles and white cornmeal polenta cakes. I recommend their brioche French toast with golden apples, mascarpone, preserved mandarin, brown butter-ginger, and streusel. 


m.henry

5707 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60660
773-561-1600
Visit Website

m.henry Chicago
Source: Instagram

Located in Chicago’s Andersonville neighborhood, m.henry is a New American and world cuisine restaurant, offering a balance of healthy and nutritious and decadently luxurious dishes. Owner and jack-of-all-culinary-trades Micheal Henry Moorman uses his forty years in the culinary business to create a show-stopping menu. There is a seasonal brunch menu at m.henry along with a set vegan and vegetarian breakfast and lunch menu. I was there for the fall and tried the seasonal menu’s sopressata-wrapped baked eggs with crispy soppressata stuffed with creamy polenta, goat cheese, eggs, walnut pesto, and roasted plum tomatoes, then baked to perfection.


Etta Bucktown

1840 W North Ave, Chicago, IL 60622
312-757-4444
Visit Website

Etta Bucktown Chicago
Source: Instagram

Located in Bucktown, Etta is a high-end, yet affordable neighborhood eatery founded by the owners and chefs of the award-winning steakhouse Maple and Ash, which is another restaurant on my list. Their menus revolve around a traditional wood-burning brick oven delivering authentic Neapolitan pizzas and a wood-fired hearth where they grill and roast meats spit-style. Their brunch menu has a wide selection of New American dishes along with pastries and bread baked in-house. I recommend the duck hash with duck sausage, bacon, hearth roasted vegetables, mustard jus, farm eggs, and crusty bread. If you’ve saved room for dessert, try their ooey-gooey sticky cinnamon bun!


Batter & Berries

2748 N Lincoln Ave, Chicago, IL 60614
773-248-7710
Visit Website

Batter & Berries Chicago
Source: Instagram

Located in Lakeview East, a few blocks from the famous Lincoln Park, Batter & Berries is a black-owned and operated comfort food restaurant. The warm and cozy environment and charming service that combines Midwestern and Southern hospitality make Batter & Berries an utterly delightful establishment to enjoy a hearty and delicious breakfast. The signature dish at Batter & Berries is French Toast, with four main varieties and the option to order a French Toast Flight, which is a sample of all four. All French Toasts are made with brioche and served with maple butter. They also have an excellent selection of waffles that include both sweet and savory options. I loved the Cluck-N-Gaufre, a sweet potato waffle stuffed with bits of fried chicken and topped with fried chicken breast and hot sauce.


The Publican

837 W Fulton Market, Chicago, IL 60607
312-733-9555
Visit Website

The Publican Chicago
Source: Instagram

Located in Fulton Market, The Publican is a European gastropub specializing in pork, oysters, and beer. The Publican’s giant space looks like a 16th-century European banquet hall with rustic décor and features a large walnut communal table that can seat up to 100 people. All the meat, fish, game, and specialty beers are sustainably sourced from a large collaboration of foreign and domestic purveyors. Since they specialize in pork, I highly recommend trying their utterly decadent maple-braised, thick-cut bacon. They also make delicious breakfast pork sausage. My favorite pork dish for brunch is their grilled ham chop with collard greens, grits, cherry tomatoes, and hot pepper vinaigrette. 


Beatrix

Multiple locations
Visit Website

Beatrix Chicago
Source: Instagram

Beatrix is a coffee house and trendy New American restaurant with locations in the River North, Streeterville, Fulton Market, and Oak Brook neighborhoods around Chicago. The Coffee House roasts and blends its brand of coffee and uses the light and dark blends to make fresh and inventive espresso drinks. Their weekend brunch menu offers a wide array of brunch cocktails with all kinds of fresh juice mixers. I recommend trying their house-blended coffee. The hazelnut oat mocha is deliciously nutty and creamy. For brunch, I recommend their Shakshouka with spicy tomato sauce, poached eggs, kale, and feta, served with warm naan.

See also  14 Best Wine Bars in Chicago

Maple & Ash

8 W Maple St, Chicago, IL 60610
312-944-8888
Visit Website

Maple & Ash Chicago
Source: Instagram

Located in Chicago’s Gold Coast neighborhood, Maple & Ash is a modern American Steakhouse run by two-time Michelin Star winner Chef Danny Grant. They fire, roast and grill everything from a wood-burning hearth, and Wine Spectator calls their wine list one of the best on the globe. You can order from the wine list or enjoy a cocktail with your delectable fine-dining brunch meal. It’s hard to pick a meal from their amazingly delicious brunch menu that features high-quality seafood and meat. For a lighter option, I recommend the Hearth Smoked Salmon platter or the truffled omelet with ricotta, black truffle, and king trumpet mushrooms. You can also order a fire-roasted filet mignon and crispy breakfast potatoes for the table.


Yolk

Multiple locations
Visit Website

Yolk Chicago
Source: Instagram

Yolk is a national family-friendly breakfast chain with seven locations in Chicago. Yolk specializes in breakfast and lunch, offering both traditional favorites and innovative culinary creations. The atmosphere in any Yolk is bright and friendly and has become a favorite neighborhood breakfast spot for families and groups of friends. True to its name, Yolk has a huge egg-centric menu featuring benedicts, scrambles, omelets, egg sandwiches, and continental breakfasts. However, there is so much more than eggs on the menu. They offer French toast, crepes, waffles, and pancakes, not to mention an entire list of “fan favorites” that include comfort food favorites from around the U.S. like Chilaquiles, Croque Madame, and breakfast burritos.


Bongo Room

Multiple locations
Visit Website

Bongo Room Chicago
Source: Instagram

Bongo Room is an upscale American breakfast and lunch restaurant with two locations in the Wicker Park and Andersonville neighborhoods. Both locations have bright, colorful facades, airy dining rooms, and friendly waitstaff. Their fresh ingredients and hefty portions are beautifully plated, and their over-the-top pancakes are among the best in the city. I was tempted to get their smoked mozzarella and turkey sandwich on a pretzel roll with pesto scrambled eggs, but I couldn’t pass up their pancakes. They had the most creative and delicious combinations I’ve ever seen. I tried the caramelized apple pancakes with sugar caramelized apple-filled buttermilk pancakes, topped with butterscotch mascarpone mousse and cinnamon. 


Cafe Con Leche

2714 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, IL 60647
773-289-4274
Visit Website

Cafe Con Leche Chicago
Source: Instagram

Located in the famous Logan Square neighborhood, Café Con Leche is a Latin restaurant and coffee house serving mainly Mexican fare and Cuban-inspired coffee drinks. Head Chef Jose moved to the states from Michoacan, Mexico, at 13 and has worked his way through commercial kitchens, first as a dishwasher, climbing the ladder to executive chef in high-end Mexican fine dining restaurants. The breakfast menu at Café Con Leche features traditional Mexican favorites along with a few American continental breakfasts. I recommend their Papas and Chorizo, a spicy and savory stir fry of chorizo, peppers, onions, and potatoes topped with three eggs cooked however you’d like and served with homemade tortillas and avocado. 

Why Trust Us?

When it comes to local restaurant recommendations, we pride ourselves on being a reliable and trustworthy resource. Our suggestions are not just based on our personal experiences, ensuring a more authentic and well-rounded perspective, but also on extensive online research. We diligently searched the internet and reviewed 5 credible sites and blogs, including Chicago.eater.com and Timeout.com. 

We compiled all the findings in one location and sorted them by the frequency of mentions to ensure you receive top-notch recommendations. We strive to present you with a curated list of establishments that truly stand out, allowing you to enjoy the best dining experiences possible. 

Interested in the sources we consulted? Check out the list of all 5 sites we referenced below this paragraph, offering transparency and an opportunity for our readers to explore further. Our commitment is to deliver trustworthy and unparalleled recommendations, helping you make informed decisions on your culinary journeys.

https://chicago.eater.com/maps/best-new-chicago-brunch-restaurants-2
https://www.timeout.com/chicago/restaurants/best-brunch-spots-in-chicago
https://secretchicago.com/chicago-breakfast-brunch-spots/
https://www.opentable.com/features/best-brunch-restaurants-chicago-il
https://bucketlisters.com/inspiration/432-the-best-places-for-brunch-in-chicago

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Written by Brian Nagele

Brian attended West Virginia University, then started his career in the IT industry before following his passion for marketing and hospitality. He has over 20 years experience in the restaurant and bar industry.

As a former restaurant owner, he knows about running a food business and loves to eat and enjoy cocktails on a regular basis. He constantly travels to new cities tasting and reviewing the most popular spots.

Follow him on LinkedIn, Instagram, Quora, Google Guide and Facebook.