Several crispy pieces of fried chicken are in the foreground of the photo, with four pieces of powdered sugar-covered Belgian waffles in the back — Chicken and waffles at Mike’s City Diner

13 Top-Notch Brunches Around Boston

Stacks of pancakes, endless eggs, wood-fired pizzas, and more

by Dana Hatic, Rachel Leah Blumenthal, and Stephanie Carter Updated Apr 14, 2022, 9:45pm EDT

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Chicken and waffles at Mike’s City Diner

| Mike’s City Diner/Official Site

by Dana Hatic, Rachel Leah Blumenthal, and Stephanie Carter Updated Apr 14, 2022, 9:45pm EDT

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With a wide-open weekend and endless hours to linger over eggs Benedict, syrup-laden French toast, piping hot coffee, and boozy beverages, nothing suits the day better than brunch.

Boston readily embraces the weekend ritual with breakfast pizzas, baklava pancakes, and hefty plates of breakfast totchos. Here’s a sampling of excellent Boston-area brunch options, a mix of neighborhood mainstays and some newer spots worth exploring.

This map was originally published in February 2016; it is updated periodically, and the date of most recent update appears above.

The Neighborhood Restaurant

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Classic breakfast options and huge portions abound at this aptly named neighborhood restaurant in Somerville’s Union Square. Eggs, French toast, home fries, pancakes, omelets, and more are all on the menu at the family-run restaurant that has been around since 1983. The Borges family’s Portuguese roots show up in some of the dishes. A must-have is the Cream of Wheat, which comes as one of the appetizer choices with any breakfast selection. Venture onto the handwritten specials page of the menu for huge, flavor-packed pancakes, French toast, and more. Breakfast starts at 7 a.m. daily.

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25 Bow St, Somerville, MA 02143

(617) 623-9710

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A white bowl of Cream of Wheat sits on a dark background, topped with a generous sprinkling of cinnamon — Cream of Wheat at Neighborhood in Somerville.

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Monument Restaurant & Tavern

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Soaring ceilings; handsome, rustic wood; and brick walls make for a relaxing backdrop to one of the most loved brunches in Charleston. Saucy birria breakfast tacos, fluffy lemon and poppyseed pancakes, and breakfast pizza are all on offer alongside buckets of prosecco, cinnamon toast brunch cocktails with cereal milk, and more. Brunch runs from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.

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251 Main St, Boston, MA 02129

(617) 337-5191

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Slices of French toast sit on a plate, topped with dollops of whipped cream, strawberries, and granola — French toast at Monument

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Brewer's Fork

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Popular Charlestown pizzeria Brewer’s Fork has a little bit of everything for brunch, served on Saturday and Sunday: oysters, charcuterie, an ever-changing wood-fired frittata, a variety of pizzas, and more. Brunch runs on Saturday and Sunday from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

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7 Moulton St, Charlestown, MA 02129

(617) 337-5703

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overhead view of a pizza in a takeout pizza box topped with fresh basil, cherry tomatoes, and a meaty jam — A takeout pizza from Brewer’s Fork (the Bacon Jammy: bacon jam, cherry tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil)

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Brookline Lunch

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The name is a bit of a misnomer; Brookline Lunch serves breakfast and brunch all day in Cambridge (on Brookline Street, to be fair; and sure, there’s lunch too). Under the current ownership for over 30 years but dating all the way back to 1937, this old-timey spot has become especially popular in recent years for its pancakes, especially the baklava pancakes, which were originally meant to be a special but jumped to the regular menu. The rest of the breakfast menu is full of eggs: omelets, Benedicts, and such. Open six days a week from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Closed Tuesdays.

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9 Brookline St, Cambridge, MA 02139

(617) 354-2983

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A stack of pancakes topped with baklava and pistachio crumble — Baklava pancakes at Brookline Lunch

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North Street Grille

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Diners love this North End brunch destination for its over-the-top pancakes, among other options (think Nutella French toast sticks, chicken and waffle sliders, lobster Benedict, and more.) Even martinis come with a brunch theme: blueberry muffin martinis, maple waffle martinis, and more. Open hours are Thursday through Sunday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

229 North St, Boston, MA 02113

(617) 720-2010

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A stack of thin pancakes are covered with a thick, shiny, dripping layer of chocolate ganache — Boston cream pancakes at North Street Grille

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Cafe Luna

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This Cambridge restaurant is known for its weekend brunch, offering a large menu that includes a variety of cinnamon swirl French toast options, numerous fancy omelets, pancakes (try the lemon ricotta or Oreo), eggs Benedict, and more. An abbreviated selection is available for weekday breakfast, too. Weekend brunch gets started at 9 a.m.

612 Main St, Cambridge, MA 02139

(617) 576-3400

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Stack of pancakes topped with mixed berries, whipped cream, powdered sugar, and a lemon sauce — Cafe Luna’s lemon ricotta pancakes

Branch Line

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This Watertown standby, known for its rotisserie chicken (and killer beer list and bocce on the patio), serves a weekend brunch full of favorites: the restaurant’s essential sugar snap pea salad, half and whole rotisserie chickens, breakfast sandwiches, a hash featuring rotisserie cauliflower and corn, and more. Grab a pint of ice cream or sorbet, too. Brunch runs Saturdays and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Closer to Cambridge? Find similar offerings at sibling spot Shy Bird in Kendall Square.)

321 Arsenal St, Watertown, MA 02472

(617) 420-1900

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Rotisserie chicken on a plate in a pool of sauce — Rotisserie chicken at Branch Line

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Lulu's Allston

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Available seven days a week until 3 p.m., Lulu’s brunch menu features a lot of booze, draft cold brew, and hearty food options like breakfast totchos, a “meaty masterpiece” omelet, short rib mac and cheese, “white trash hash,” a variety of Benedicts, burgers (including the vegan Beyond Burger), and more. Brunch runs

421 Cambridge St, Allston, MA 02134

(617) 787-1117

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Poached eggs, hollandaise, and braised short ribs served over a pile of tater tots — “White trash hash” at Lulu’s Allston

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Stillwater

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Stillwater’s Sarah Wade was previously known for her comfort food-laden brunches as chef at Lulu’s Allston (see above). With her own restaurant, she carries on the tradition with dishes like tater tots smothered with pulled pork, poached eggs, chile oil, and hollandaise; brunch sandwiches on Texas toast; and fluffy stacks of pancakes. Brunch starts at 11 a.m. on the weekends.

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120 Kingston St, Boston, MA 02111

(617) 936-3079

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A white bowl full of empanadas topped with fluffy scrambled eggs sits on a restaurant bar. There’s a pink cocktail beside the dish. — Empanadas rancheros at Stillwater (not on the current takeout menu)

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Myers & Chang

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This sleek self-described “Asian-ish” neighborhood restaurant dishes tea-smoked pork spare ribs, chicken congee, crispy tofu, fried pork and chive dumplings, braised pork belly buns, spicy papaya salad, and more during its knock-out dim sum brunch. Brunch runs Friday and Saturday from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

1145 Washington St, Boston, MA 02118

(617) 542-5200

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A large aluminum rectangular tray holds lines of pan-seared, Chinese-style dumplings — A catering-sized tray of Myers + Chang’s dumplings (the takeout order comes with five dumplings)

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Lincoln Tavern & Restaurant

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With both weekday brunch and weekend brunch, this South Boston cafe’s menus are jam-packed with sweet and savory options. From the griddle, the fruity pebble pancakes — which have become somewhat of a signature dish for the restaurant — are doused in a cereal milk anglaise, and there are brioche French toast topped with berries and cream. There are plenty of options leaning in the lunch direction as well, from entree-sized salads to wood-fired pizzas, not to mention lobster rolls and burgers.

425 W Broadway, Boston, MA 02127

(617) 765-8636

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Thick French toast topped with strawberries, blackberries, bananas, and powdered sugar — French toast at Lincoln in South Boston

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The Broadway

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Keep an eye out for the Broadway’s ever-changing doughnut specials, like this boozy s’mores doughnut. Also on the takeout brunch menu: cinnamon roll pancakes, French toast sticks, wood-fired pizzas, burgers, and more, not to mention espresso martinis and other brunch-friendly cocktails. Brunch runs Saturdays and Sundays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

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726 E Broadway, Boston, MA 02127

(617) 307-6480

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A doughnut / chocolate chip cookie sandwich oozing with chocolate chips and cream sits on a patio table. A flyer behind it advertises a touch-free ordering process. — A Chipwich boozy doughnut special at the Broadway

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The Ultimate Boston $1 Oyster Guide, Spring 2022

Brassica Kitchen & Cafe

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At Brassica, dinner is an innovative affair — cheffy experimentation in a casual atmosphere. Lots of fermented goodies. Weekend brunch is a little bit more classic but equally worth enjoying: bagels with smoked salmon, drop biscuits with excellent fried chicken or chicken-fried tofu, duck Benedict, and an asparagus and gruyere omelette rich with a blanket of bearnaise. Brunch runs 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, and from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday.

3710 Washington St, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130

(617) 477-4519

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A Belgian waffle is topped with pieces of crispy fried chicken and a green herb garnish. A small metal cup of bright red-orange hot sauce sits on the plate. — Brassica’s chicken and waffles

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13 Top-Notch Brunches Around Boston

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The Neighborhood Restaurant

Monument Restaurant & Tavern

Brewer's Fork

Brookline Lunch

North Street Grille

Cafe Luna

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Branch Line

Lulu's Allston

Stillwater

Myers & Chang

Lincoln Tavern & Restaurant

The Broadway

Brassica Kitchen & Cafe

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The Neighborhood Restaurant

Monument Restaurant & Tavern

Brewer's Fork

Brookline Lunch

North Street Grille

Cafe Luna

Branch Line

Lulu's Allston

Stillwater

Myers & Chang

Lincoln Tavern & Restaurant

The Broadway

Brassica Kitchen & Cafe

All sharing options for: 13 Top-Notch Brunches Around Boston

All sharing options for: 13 Top-Notch Brunches Around Boston