Forget the most important meal of the day. Brunch is the most important meal of the weekend, and with the start of the spring season, we thought it was the perfect time to revisit our roundup of brilliant Philadelphia brunches. Especially since we’ve added an entirely new “alfresco” section, featuring our top picks for where to brunch outdoors.

And with this weekend’s gorgeous weather, it’s the perfect opportunity to get out and do exactly that.

Happy brunching!

Note: Prices mentioned are accurate as of the published date, always check with the restaurant for the latest prices.

**Update: As of September 2013, we’ve published a brand new best brunch in Philadelphia guide, which you can check out right here.

Brunch Newcomers



• Red Owl Tavern: Adjacent to the gorgeous new Hotel Monaco and overlooking Independence Mall, Red Owl Tavern offers a perfect perch for brunch on Saturday and Sunday. Snag a seat on the new sidewalk patio or in the airy dining room to choose from chef Guillermo Tellez’s feel-good dishes like build-your-own oatmeal or granola pancakes and indulgent eats like Denver-cut steak and eggs or huevos rancheros.

• Honey’s Sit ‘n’ Eat on South: The long-awaited second location of Honey’s opened on South Street, and the Graduate Hospital neighborhood rejoiced. Believe the hype and go for weekend brunch, which might include challah French toast, enfrijoladas or biscuits with gravy.

• Ela: Refined dining extends to Sunday brunch at Ela, the stylish Queen Village restaurant from chefs Jason Cichonski and Chip Roman. Dine indoors or out on elevated morning makers like biscuits with bone marrow, short rib eggs Benedict and French toast with hot chocolate chip cookie dough. The brunch cocktail list deserves attention, too; try a truffled or kimchee Bloody Mary.

• Miles Table: With just a handful of tables, this intimate Graduate Hospital eatery keeps things simple and fresh. Serving breakfast all day, everyday, folks can stay or take-away eggs sandwiches, bagels and whitefish and omelets with a side of Miles Sriracha turkey sausage.

• The Cambridge: With all the furnishings and fittings of a traditional pub, The Cambridge invites diners to kick back and settle in either indoors or on the backyard patio for its weekend brunch. Start with a house-made Bloody Mary before digging in to pork-belly sliders with a quail egg or a Taylor pork roll and chorizo egg sandwich.

• The Mildred: House-made and local are the mantras at this Bella Vista neighborhood spot, which recently debuted alfresco seating. On Saturdays and Sundays, The Mildred dishes an accessible-yet-sophisticated brunch, serving plates like beetroot-cured wild salmon and ricotta pancakes.

• SoWe: In Graduate Hospital, hungry brunch-goers already know newcomer SoWe will satisfy with hearty fare and casual digs. Served up both Saturday and Sunday, menu standouts include piled plates ranging from sweet (carrot-cake waffles, bacon beignets) to savory (Kentucky hot brown, house-cured lox). Vegetarians will do well here, too, with veg-friendly dishes like vegan Ruebens and vegetable hash.

• Sophia’s: Chef Christopher Lee’s contemporary American bistro, Sophia’s, began brunch service in April with a curated menu of breakfast stars like brioche French toast and classic eggs Benedict, and lunch bites like Virginia ham and Gruyere pressed sandwiches and meatballs with polenta. Don’t miss the Smokin’ Mary cocktail — a Bloody laced with smoked poblanos.

• Metropolitan Cafe: Though a meal may be made solely of Metropolitan Bakery’s fantastic just-baked breads and pastries, at Metropolitan Cafe daily brunching options reach beyond baked goods with a modest menu spanning house-cured salmon to creative grilled cheese.

• Bainbridge Street Barrel House: This Queen Village pub maintains its bar-appropriate menu through Saturday and Sunday brunch with heavy-hitters like bourbon-banana pancakes and a French toast burger with bacon cream cheese whiskey maple syrup. Lighter fare features prominently too, though, with smoked-salmon eggs Benedict, quinoa salad and nice selection of omelets.

Alfresco Brunches



• Milk and Honey Cafe: Along the Benjamin Franklin Parkway in verdant Sister Cities Park, an outpost of West Philly-staple Milk and Honey keeps families and museum-goers well fed. On Saturdays and Sundays, a $10.95 per person prix-fixe brunch includes coffee or tea and from-scratch waffles or made-to-order eggs. Snag an alfresco table for an exceedingly pleasant experience.

• Alla Spina: Marc Vetri’s Alla Spina on North Broad Street has an Italian Sunday brunch that’s a must-try. The pig’s head hash poutine is a winner, especially washed down with one of the excellent brunch cocktails. When the weather is fine outdoor tables fill quickly and floor-to-ceiling garage doors open widely.

• Morgan’s Pier: Morgan’s Pier is set to open its doors on Thursday, May 9. The Delaware River waterfront spot boasts outdoor seating for more than 400, a beer garden, spectacular river views and casual fare. In short, its an awesome brunch destination. For the 2013 season, the Pier’s new chef, George Sabatino (formerly of Stateside), is set to release his take on what’s best to eat in the great outdoors.

• Rittenhouse Tavern: Saturday and Sunday brunch at Rittenhouse Tavern, combines deliciously fresh plates (we love the heritage turkey schnitzel with redeye gravy) with sophisticated environs. Venture inside the Philadelphia Art Alliance for restaurant access, and whether you’re in the mural-adorned dining room or outside in the picturesque courtyard, you’ll feel transported.

• Bar Ferdinand: This popular Northern Liberties spot has brunch on both Saturdays and Sundays, with a good deal of outdoor seating for sunny days. The menu offers decadent Spanish dishes like an open-faced grilled chorizo sandwich paired with a fried egg, spinach and pine nuts and churros loaded with chocolate. You can also get in on the awesome brunch special, $3 a glass or $12 per pitcher of mimosas or Bloody Marys.

• The Industry: On Saturdays and Sundays, this Pennsport bar from the folks behind Good Dog aimed at restaurant industry members dishes up brunch to the masses. There is a whole section of the menu devoted just to Hangover Cures, and bottomless coffee for three bucks.

• Sidecar Bar & Grille: Graduate Hospital’s popular Sidecar Bar & Grille serves a priced-right Saturday and Sunday brunch with a great range of options for any appetite, whether you’re craving Bloodies or bellinis, burritos or Benedicts.

• Cantina Los Caballitos: This East Passyunk staple offers an extensive fiesta of a brunch every weekend. Cantina’s comprehensive Mexican menu offers all manner of empanadas, tostadas and tacos, plus a full suite of brunch beverages like tequila-laden Mexican favorites and Bloody Marys infused with garlic and basil.

• Silk City: It may look like a typical diner on the outside, but inside Silk City serves up anything but standard brunch fare. And what better to go with smothered chicken and waffles, cider-braised pork belly hash or shrimp and grits than one of the specialty lunch cocktails (the options change weekly) or a beer from the 35+ option suds list?

• Parc: Oui, monsieur, we will take another of those delicious bread baskets. Parc’s brunch menu just gets better after the freshly baked bread, with a perfect quiche Lorraine, chicken paillard, pommes frites and other French plates that pair perfectly with prime Rittenhouse Square people-watching.

• Talula’s Garden: Stephen Starr and Aimee Olexy’s Washington Square spot offers elegant plates starring local ingredients during its Sunday brunch, like seared scallops and farro salad with market veggies and an omelet with local Kennett Square mushrooms. And for those who prefer garden views (which are aplenty) with a splash of liquor, there are cocktails like The Optimist featuring citrus vodka, sweet tea, huckleberry and lemon.

• Water Works Restaurant: You can’t ask for a better view for Sunday brunch than the gorgeous waterfront vistas visible from Water Works Restaurant on the Schuylkill River. The Sunday brunch buffet is worth getting dressed up for, and perfect for special occasions. It’s $40/person, kids 12 and under $17.50.

• Pub & Kitchen: If you find yourself in Graduate Hospital on the weekend, head directly to Pub & Kitchen for brunch, where there is great outdoor seating along 20th Street. P&K has just launched a brand-new brunch menu with a lot of awesome-sounding choices — a grilled cheese with duck rillette on sourdough, bourbon butterscotch French toast, a maple bacon sticky bun, etc. And be sure to try one of their award-winning Bloody Marys.

• Varga Bar: Chef Evan Turney’s spot in Washington Square West offers creative, kicked-up American food by night, and equally compelling brunch dishes by weekend day. Cheese fries come topped with truffle oil and jumbo lump crab meat (but don’t call them “Crab Fries”); grilled cheese comes with the most velvety, decadent tomato soup imaginable; and with a knowledgeable bar staff to guide you through the more than a dozen beers on tap, there’s no way you’ll go thirsty during a meal here.

• Frankford Hall: Nothing says brunch like $3 Bloodies or Rattlers. During Sunday brunch, the eye-openers are just $3 until 2 p.m. at Fishtown beer garden Frankford Hall, where the adult beverages pair well with a handful of breakfast items — including fluffy pancakes and a tasty egg sandwich with German sausage and Gruyere. When the weather is fine, the alfresco courtyard is an ideal spot to sip away the afternoon.

A lot more brunch picks below.

• Continental Midtown: Nighttime revelers keep the party going at The Continental Restaurant and Martini Bar and its sibling The Continental Mid-town, with brioche French toast, bananas foster belgian waffles or a turkey club with caramelized apple mayo, all of which can be accompanied by a bacon-infused Bloody Mary. Take the elevator the rooftop for open-air dining.

• Standard Tap: The burgers, fried smelts and chalkboard omelet specials at Northern Liberties’ Standard Tap can chase any hangover away, though a pint of local microbrewed beer won’t hurt, either. Take it outside, too, on the second-floor patio.

• Square 1682: We just love Chef Guillermo Tellez’s food. Brunch at Hotel Palomar’s Square 1682 means locally sourced, sophisticated American fare with excellent cocktails to boot. Dog lovers, take note, pet-friendly during the summer months.

• The Food Trust Farmers’ Markets: As purveyors of farm-fresh food, The Food Trust Farmers’ Markets are excellent destinations for weekend grazing, with locations across the region. Open year-round every Saturday, the Clark Park market in Spruce Hill and the Fitler Square market deliver grab-and-go foodstuffs from vendors and food trucks. Come May, the Headhouse Market will bustle will fresh-food lovers every Sunday.

• Farm To City Farmers’ Markets: In 2013, Farm to City rolls out 18 farmers’ markets around town, including the always-bustling year-round Rittenhouse Square market every Saturday. Plenty of brunch-appropriate goods abound — from fresh breads to lovely lemonade and more.

Brunch Staples



• The Gold Standard Cafe: A West Philly institution, The Gold Standard Cafe keeps its faithful crowd full and happy with a menu of hearty homemade fare during its busy weekend brunch. Go for one of the three preparations of eggs Benedict, all served on homemade English muffin, and for those who want to BYOB, pitchers of Bloody Mary mix are standing by. When the weather is fine, outside tables pop up.

• Green Eggs Café: Specializing in eco-conscious fare with local and sustainable ingredients, Green Eggs (in South Philly, Northern Liberties and Midtown Village) makes socially responsible breakfast super tasty (and BYOB) every day with peanut butter crunchy French toast with blackberry coulis; scrambled eggs over homemade biscuits with sausage gravy; and quinoa porridge with fresh berries.

• Sabrina’s Café: At all three of its locations (in Bella Vista, Fairmount and University City), Sabrina’s redefines brunch all day, every day, with creative dazzlers like the blue cheese and bacon frittata, polenta fries and, of course, its famous thick slices of French toast stuffed with all manner of sweets.

• Café Lift: The Callowhill neighborhood’s sleek Café Lift specializes in European-style delicacies like a banana and chocolate hazelnut crespelle and a pesto and tomato frittata with thick home fries.

• Jones: Stephen Starr’s take on the The Brady Bunch living room delivers on the brunch front in a way that would make Carol proud. You must order the shareable monkey bread, served gooey and hot, followed by any of the delicious egg dishes (spinach and feta omelette with tater tots, smoked salmon Benedict). And don’t forget the brunch cocktails.

• Morning Glory Diner: The lines out the door never lie: Sam’s Morning Glory Diner is a favorite spot for its homemade ketchup and creative pancake specials served with a side of hot biscuits (really, try the biscuits) and greasy-spoon attitude. Brunch happens on weekends, but the daily breakfast menu features many of the favorites.

• Day By Day: A Philadelphia catering institution since 1981, Day By Day at 21st and Sansom Streets also serves a mean brunch to a dedicated local following Fridays through Sundays. The stuffed challah French toast is seriously good (even though it’s not the size of your head, as at Sabrina’s — which may be a good thing), and make sure you order at least one thing from the specials menu.

• Trolley Car Diner: In lovely Mt. Airy, the uber-charming Trolley Car Diner sits right on Germantown Avenue and beckons with daily served-all-day breakfast offerings. It’s a gimme to head here for weekend meals, too, which could include malted Belgian waffles, homemade corned beef hash or cornmeal-dusted catfish with cheesy grits. A trip to the Trolley Car wouldn’t be complete without a stop at the adjacent converted 1948 trolley car for ice cream or water ice.

International Brunches



• Chhaya: Open for breakfast daily and a weekend brunch, Chhaya is an East Passyunk Avenue go-to for fair-trade coffee, homemade pastries (including vegan cupcakes) and a lengthy menu of decadent waffles, which can be laced with sweet or savory toppings from classic macerated berries and maple syrup to veggie chili and cheddar cheese.

• Aksum: On Baltimore Avenue in West Philly, Aksum brings bright Mediterranean flavors to the brunch table. The extensive menu includes such reliable Medi standards as a fattush salad and a chicken pita wrap, but also goes beyond basics with Moroccan-style eggs with spicy ground beef, sweet corn griddlecakes topped with blueberry compote and caramelized fig crepes with red onion and cinnamon cream cheese.

• Birra: At East Passyunk’s Italian kitchen Birra, brunch has an appealing Italian-American accent. Dig in to the brunch calzone filled with house-cured pancetta, scrambled eggs and mozzarella, or go the dessert-for-brunch route with tiramisu waffles. Go ahead, add a side of locally sourced and house-cured meat — especially the Fiorella’s sausage made in the nearby Italian Market.

• Route 6: Stephen Starr’s most recent culinary contribution to the city incorporates seafood favorites from its dinner menu into a versatile brunch menu. Go the breakfast route and try the salmon, crab or traditional eggs Benedict, or if you’re more in the mood for lunch, try the irresistible chicken fried lobster tails. Hint — a basket of the cinnamon sugar donuts with raspberry dipping sauce is a crowd pleaser.

•Rex 1516: This Southern-inspired eatery on South Street offers weekend brunch to complement its Southern-style dinner and drink offerings. Highlights include shrimp and grits and — get ready for this — a duck confit and chaurice omelet. They bake the bread onsite daily, but they also offer a gluten-free menu. Beverages are plentiful as well, with a menu of Southern-inspired cocktails like the Deep South and the Mint Julep.

• Ants Pants Café: Australian-style coffees (flat white or long black, anyone?) accompany “brekkie platters” of eggs, bacon-stacked sandwiches and French toast with sour cream sauce every day at this South Street favorite in Graduate Hospital.

• El Vez: Stephen Starr’s Mexican spot in Midtown Village has a Mexi-style Sunday brunch. Pair your crab and corn omelet, breakfast burrito or steak and egg chilaquiles with a blood orange mimosa — the a.m. take on the super-popular blood orange margarita.

• The Dandelion: Stephen Starr’s English-style pub in Rittenhouse Square is known for fish and chips, but the brunch menu is its hidden gem. Scotch pancakes, with gooey, glazed apples and cinnamon-tinged cream, are a sweet start to a weekend day. But once you get one of the Dandelion Pub’s signature cocktails in hand — like the Beer Flip, with chocolate stout, marmalade and a whole egg — you may not want to do anything at all.

• Cochon: French fare typically dominates the kitchen at Cochon, a cozy BYOB spot in Queen Village, but the Sunday brunch menu is a pan-national meat-lovers’ affair with eggs Cochon (poached, over slow-roasted pork shoulder with a bacon cheddar biscuit) and deep-fried oysters served with fennel slaw, french fries and bacon mayonnaise. Do not fear; vegetarian and gluten-free options can also be made available here.

• Kanella: Take a mini vacation to the Greek isle of Cyprus at this Washington Square BYOB, where the brunch menu features flavorful goodies like crepes stuffed with manouri cheese and drizzled with carob syrup; eggs stewed in tomato and pepper with grilled bread; and ground lamb flatbreads with pistachios. Kanella serves brunch Friday through Sunday.

• Mixto: Every day feels like Sunday at Mixto, a Cuban/Columbian hotspot on Pine Street’s Antique Row. The daily breakfast offerings include Argentinean steak and eggs, frittata Colombiana and huevos rancheros. Bonus: sunny outdoor seating in the warm months.

• Amis: Brunch at Amis is a little under the radar, but that’s actually a good thing. The Sunday brunch menu transports you to Italy with perfect pastas and other fare: baked pecorino with almond honey, salumi misti, rigatoni with breakfast sausage and egg yolk, braised san marzano tomatoes with farm eggs and basil, and house-made polenta scrapple. Also, don’t sleep on the Cannonball.

• Garces Trading Co.: If you haven’t tried Jose Garces‘ GTC for brunch, you haven’t tried it at all. The Saturday and Sunday brunch menu is a bite right out of the Mediterranean with cheese, charcuterie, eggs, sandwiches and so much more. The $28 prix-fixe menu option includes your choice of one main, one side, and one cocktail plus unlimited Garces Trading Company Coffee. And did we mention it’s one of the best brunches in America? Done and done.

• Cuba Libre: Cuba Libre Restaurant & Rum Bar’s fresh juice mimosas, pastries featuring fruity spreads and ropa vieja hash creates a tropical brunch paradise in Old City. An unlimited small plate menu is also available for those who prefer to draw out the brunch experience.

• Kennett: This cozy Queen Village restaurant and bar specializes in locally sourced fare and offers an awesome brunch on weekends. Try the Italian Breakfast, with to-die-for house-made gnocchi and a variety of local veggies, or the butter beans, braised with tomato and ale and served on brioche toast. There are also plenty of local brews and a cocktail menu featuring drinks like an all-organic Bloody Mary. And don’t sleep on the wood-fired pizzas; especially the porchetta.

• Supper: Never mind the name. Supper serves a superb brunch with chilaquiles navidad replete with homemade chorizo; red velvet waffles with cream cheese mousse (oh, those red velvet waffles); a cereal bar; and six-ounce dry-aged custom La Frieda Blend burger on a house baked Pullman loaf served with duck-fat fries (an egg can be added for extra brunch effect).

• Cafe L’Aube: Crepe craving? Located in Fairmount, Graduate Hospital and coming soon to Rittenhouse Square, the cozy French Cafe L’Aube offers breakfast and lunch (i.e. brunch) seven days a week. L’Aube serves its own micro-batch roasted L’Aube Torrefaction coffee and has free wireless. What’s not to love? The Rittenhouse Square location is opening its doors on May 15.

• Distrito: Iron Chef Jose Garces does an expert Mexican brunch at his University City restaurant Distrito. You have two options: for $10, get “Kegs & Eggs” with your choice of one of four beers and one of three egg dishes; or for $21, get the prix-fixe brunch, which includes a selection of two courses (with tons of options for each) along with Garces Trading Company coffee.

Boozy Brunches



• Hawthornes: Brunch-goers generally overflow onto the sidewalk at Hawthornes, a Bella Vista-neighborhood standby. A beer cafe with more than 1,000 single bottles, 12 growler fills and eight rotating drafts, an excellent selection of brews often fills tables alongside brunch dishes hailing from around the world — think traditional Welsh rarebit, Mexican-style breakfast nachos and Southern fried chicken and waffles.

• Lemon Hill: Lemon Hill is a neighborhood favorite, located right by the Philadelphia Museum of Art offering a delicious brunch with serious cocktails. Dishes like brown sugar soaked French toast, with vanilla whipped cream cheese, chocolate maple syrup, pretzels and mint, can be chased with creative cocktails from The Franklin Mortgage & Investment Co. folks, like the Blues Explosion, with whiskey, fresh grapefruit, maple and angostura.

• South Philly Taproom: Weekend brunch at SPTR in South Philly is a great deal. You can get in and out for a cool 12 bucks, and if you want to start your day off with a cold one (no judgement), you’re at the right place. Also, it’s worth noting that the vegan options are delicious even for meat-lovers.

• Johnny Brenda’s: Aside from its strong local beer program and awesome live music upstairs, a hallmark of Fishtown’s Johnny Brenda’s is its focus on fresh and seasonal fare. In fact, the menu is written on chalkboards around the restaurant since it changes so often, in tune with what’s in season. Even when they’re not hosting one of their awesome brunch events, Johnny Brenda’s is a brunch go-to.

• National Mechanics: Bloody Mary fan? Go no further. This Old City spot has one of the most impressive Bloody Mary bars we have ever laid eyes on, a perfect quaff to match the veggie-friendly brunch offerings. There are more than 11 egg dishes, French baguette toast and both plain and blueberry pancakes on offer, all great.

• Smokin’ Betty’s: Sister restaurant to Devil’s Alley in Rittenhouse, Smokin’ Betty’s in Washington Square West has a solid weekend brunch that changes with the seasons. The menu is sparing, which makes it easy to order, and the drinks; oh, the drinks. Whatever the seasonal sangria is, order it. And don’t forget they’ve got a whole second floor, with bright and airy windows and comfy booths.

• Local 44: West Philly beer bar Local 44 serves brunch on weekends that includes a fried-egg-topped burger. No matter what you order, you can wash it down with any of the 500+ bottles in the Local 44 beer bottle shop.

• Valanni: Valanni has Saturday and Sunday brunch, and the offerings are unbeatable. Think caramelized apple and mascarpone stuffed french toast; and the “Valanni Hangover,” two eggs any style, pancakes, chorizo or bacon and home fries accompanied by a virgin Bloody Mary.

Sophisticated Brunching



• Cake: Set in the Robertson’s Flowers’ beautiful solarium, Cake offers a Sunday brunch that’s unrivaled for its sunny, family-friendly atmosphere, smoked salmon and gold dill potato latke plates, brunch pizza and to-die-for baked goods.

• Fork: A longstanding Old City haute destination for dinner, Fork does a brilliant Sunday brunch, too. Chef Eli Kulp’s deft take on morning fare includes small plates like kale salad with crème fraîche, citrus-cured salmon and an everything bagel, lobster Benedict and a smoked pumpkin tortelloni with brown butter, sage and walnuts.

• Lacroix: Housed in the tony Rittenhouse Hotel, Lacroix serves a superb Sunday brunch prix-fixe menu ($69 per person) featuring appetizers, raw-bar specialties, a chef’s table hot buffet and wine pairings. This is a special-occasion brunch that surely will not disappoint. A decadent dessert table rounds out the offerings.

• Nineteen: The morning buffet at chic Nineteen (XIX) at the Park Hyatt Philadelphia at the Bellevue begins with continental pastries, an extensive raw bar; continues with egg and waffle entrees; and includes mimosas and Bloody Marys along the way. The sweeping bird’s-eye city views elevate the whole experience.

• Swann Lounge: One of the city’s most elegant places to have Sunday brunch is the Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia’s Swann Lounge. The sumptuous $73 buffet — stacked with caviar, smoked fish, lobster tartlets and endless desserts — includes plated entrees. In all, a relative bargain for an unforgettable experience.

• Russet: The freshest ingredients come together at one of Philly’s favorite farm-to-table BYOBs. Russet provides a lovely brunch for locavores every weekend. The menu is ever-changing to keep up with the freshest ingredients, but look for tasty updates on classics like pancakes, omelets and other brunch standbys. There are also classic European pastries to go along with Counter Culture coffee, a carefully curated selection of tea, homemade seasonal sodas and fresh-squeezed juice.