THE BEST BRUNCH IN (ALMOST) EVERY BOSTON NEIGHBORHOOD
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Who doesn’t love brunch? Nobody, that’s who. There’s absolutely nothing better than waking up on a weekend and realizing that the only thing you have planned is eating a massive amount of bacon. While still drinking! So that you don't have to struggle too far from your bed, here are our top brunch picks for (almost) every Boston neighborhood:
Allston-Brighton
The Breakfast Club
(address and info)
A little off the beaten path down Western Ave, this popular John Hughes-themed diner serves dishes based on the eponymous movie. We like the Basket Case (two eggs any style with home fries/toast AND your choice of meat or French toast/pancakes) and the Bomblette. Factor in a million flavors of milkshake and a host of sweet seasonal specials (like this month’s pumpkin coffee cake French toast), and you should be all set. Plus, parking is always free on the surrounding streets.
Back Bay
Bistro du Midi
(address and info)
When you’re looking to class things up but aren’t quite feeling the Taj, make reservations for Bistro du Midi’s shiny new brunch spot overlooking Boston Common. Not only do they offer a snazzy take on basic breakfast foods -- the salmon Benedict is house-cured with citrus tea and comes with caviar -- but their Bloody Mary is based on bouillabaisse and includes saffron-scented seafood broth, fresh anise, horseradish, and a jumbo prawn.
BONUS: Back Bay Harry’s
(address and info)
If you’re going for more fun than fancy, Back Bay Harry’s monthly Super Fan Brunch is a worthy way to wrap up the weekend. The themed brunches celebrate pop music icons from Beyoncé to Michael Jackson (with upscale menu items specially made to match). For $35, you get a glass of champagne, coffee, a huge shareable appetizer for the table, a main course, and dessert -- all while “Thriller” plays in the background and fully-costumed women at the next table sing along. (We left with confetti stars stuck to our sweaters, and we’re not sorry.)
Beacon Hill
The Paramount
(address and info)
The Paramount has been popular since the 1940s for a reason -- it’s consistently good. They’ve got breakfast basics down to an affordable (and delicious) science, serving breakfast/lunch until 4:30pm on weekends. 4:30! So you practically have all afternoon to drag yourself out of bed.
Charlestown
Grasshopper Cafe
(address and info)
This cute little spot doesn’t offer a huge menu, but it doesn’t need to. Brunch includes all the bacon and eggs you can handle for $14, and you can always add more à la carte. It’s definitely a community space, so expect to see regulars and families crowding in on weekends.
Chinatown
Hei La Moon
(address and info)
It’s almost always packed during brunch hours, but if you can get there before the mid-morning rush, you can enjoy some of the city’s best dim sum. Food carts roll by frequently, and the service is prompt. Don’t expect to get much conversation in, though; it’s usually loud enough that hearing is difficult. Just stuff your face instead.
Downtown
Saus
(address and info)
We already told you about the glory that is Saus’s beer floats, but what we didn’t mention is the meals. Belgian brunch is just as delicious and full of waffles as it is in your dreams. Live a little and get your Liege with the works: bananas, ice cream, dark chocolate hazelnut sauce, and Biscoff cookie crumble.
Dorchester
Dbar
(address and info)
Neighborhood hotspot Dbar has six -- yes, SIX -- different Bloody Mary variations, all of which claim to turn your hangover into an appetite faster than you can say “house-infused peppercorn tequila.” Pair one with the Drunk and Naked lobster omelet (champagne butter glaze with sweet corn, Gruyere, and home fries) or the Dorchester Brunch Grinder (homemade sausage patty, bacon, braised pork shoulder, cheddar, fried egg, and hollandaise on a croissant) for an unusual take on your usual Sunday dining.
East Boston
Angela’s Café
(address and info)
We love Angela’s because it’s one of the most authentic Mexican places in Boston (like, one of the only ones where a michelada is on the menu), and it’s supremely unpretentious. You can get steak and eggs for under $10, or spring for a more Mexican option like the Chilaquiles, huevos rancheros, or caramel pancakes. Plus, there’s always horchata or Jamaica to wash it all down.
Fenway
Eastern Standard
(address and info)
Eastern Standard never fails us, and their brunch is no exception. A gorgeous setting for a sloooow Sunday, ES offers strong brunch standards, a full raw bar, and “hangover soup” (jalapeño-cilantro broth chicken, yesterday’s bread), plus a cocktail menu that extends way beyond the Bloody Mary. It’s a little on the fancy schmancy side but manages to avoid any aggressive chicness -- so you can roll in wearing last night’s best and still feel welcome.
Jamaica Plain
Tres Gatos
(address and info)
If Centre Street Cafe is been-there-done-that, go for Tres Gatos tapas and amazing chickpea pancakes (with chorizo, fennel chili whipped butter, and maple syrup). Since brunch is mostly about splitting and sharing anyway, tapas are a no-brainer.
North End
Pomodoro
(address and info)
This itty bitty North End restaurant has a loyal following in the area for its authentic Italian dishes like pane al forno (toast with date butter and rum glaze) and breakfast risotto with seasonal fruits and honey. Other more lunch-like items, such as panini and classic zuppa di pesce, also pepper the menu. Just go early if you want a seat -- it fills up quickly.
South End
Gaslight
(address and info)
There are million great brunch spots in the South End but Gaslight takes the cake for its prix-fixe fare and antique-y ambiance. It’s the kind of place that’s cute and French enough to convince your girlfriend you really tried, but also affordable and tasty enough to justify throwing on a blazer on a Sunday at 11am.
Fort Point/Seaport
Outlook Kitchen and Bar
(address and info)
This new restaurant at the Envoy brings a strong brunch game that runs the gamut from sweet to savory and light to hearty: their self-professed signatures include 10-grain pancakes, Lobster Bene, egg-topped oatmeal, and a BLT twist with egg.
Southie
Local 149
(address and info)
It made our best date restaurants feature and it holds true for brunch, too. Even if you don’t live there, the Lobster MacMuffin, chicken and waffles, or biscuits and gravy are well worth the trip.
Harvard Square
Park Restaurant & Bar
(address and info)
You’ve got so many options in Harvard Square, but Park’s bacon Bloody Maryand chilaquiles with roasted ancho salsa, chorizo, and queso make it an excellent brunch decision. Not to mention the fact that there's never a line.
Kendall Square
Area Four
(address and info)
Sure, you can’t get famous for your breakfast pizzas without making awesome breakfast pizzas but this hot spot for trendy Cantabs and MIT students alike also serves tasty brunch specials like the Hot Mess (two sunny-side up local farm eggs, home fries, bacon, breakfast sausage, caramelized onions, cheddar, scallions & pickled banana pepper relish) and a Messy Ranchero with roasted pineapple salsa.
Inman Square
Puritan and Company
(address and info)
The variety of pastries alone is staggering: Boston cream donuts, griddled cardamom pound cake, smoked mushroom pinwheels, hazelnut & milk scones, orange monkey bread, orange hibiscus donuts... we could go on. The entree menu’s a little leaner but equally as delicious; just don’t miss the Berkshire pork hash and the sourdough griddle cakes with preserves, honey butter, and pecans.
Central Square
Veggie Galaxy
(address and info)
A massive retro-vibed, crowd-pleaser with a cool staff, Veggie Galaxy offers all sorts of food for all sorts of people. And meat-eaters will hardly even notice that it’s vegetarian.
Porter Square
3 Little Figs
(address and info)
This tiny Mediterranean-influenced café is easy to miss if you don’t know where to look. Just a short walk from Porter, it’s perfect for those days when you’d prefer sandwiches and small bites to a sprawling brunch feast. They bake all their pastries from scratch, showcase a rotating selection of coffees from various specialty roasters, and on weekends (when the place is also laptop-free, so it’s easier to get a table) serve fresh breakfast pies with local pork sausage, egg, potato, Vermont cheddar, and sun-dried tomatoes.
Davis Square
Five Horses Tavern
(address and info)
The food at this stand-out brunch spot smack in the middle of Davis falls somewhere between Continental, Southern, and Mediterranean, and includes interesting touches like three different kinds of balsamic vinegar Bellinis.
Union Square
Neighborhood Restaurant
(address and info)
In addition to the solid brunch lineup, NR is inexpensive and serves plenty of extras -- OJ, coffee, cream of wheat, fruit salad, and often ice cream are all included for no extra cost. It's pretty ridiculous. Expect to wait.
Roslindale/West Roxbury
Harry’s All-American
(address and info)
Anything you order at Harry’s is $8 or less. Most breakfast options, plus coffee, will run you a fiver. What more could you want?
Final note: if you’re in the service industry, then you probably already know about these, but it’s still worth mentioning the top-notch Monday brunches at Ames Street Deli and JM Curley.
Final note: if you’re in the service industry, then you probably already know about these, but it’s still worth mentioning the top-notch Monday brunches at Ames Street Deli and JM Curley.
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Kim Prosise is a Boston-based travel and lifestyle writer who likes brunch more than she likes most people.
OUR BEST STORIES, DELIVERED DAILY
1. The Breakfast Club
270 Western Ave, Boston2. Bistro du Midi
272 Boylston St, Boston3. Back Bay Harry's
142 Berkeley St, Boston4. The Paramount
44 Charles St, Boston5. Grasshopper Cafe
229 Bunker Hill St, Charlestown6. Hei La Moon
88 Beach St, Boston7. Saus
33 Union St, Boston8. dbar
1236 Dorchester Ave, Dorchester9. Angela's Café
131 Lexington St, East Boston10. Eastern Standard
528 Commonwealth Ave, Boston11. Tres Gatos
470 Centre St, Jamaica Plain12. Pomodoro
319 Hanover St, Boston13. Gaslight Brasserie du Coin
560 Harrison Ave, Boston14. Outlook Kitchen and Bar
70 Sleeper Street, Boston15. Local 149
149 P St, South Boston16. Park Restaurant & Bar
59 Jfk St, Boston17. Area Four
500 Technology Sq, Cambridge18. Puritan & Company
1166 Cambridge St, Cambridge19. Veggie Galaxy
450 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge20. 3 Little Figs
278 Highland Ave, Somerville21. Five Horses Tavern
400 Highland Ave, Somerville22. The Neighborhood Restaurant
25 Bow Street, Somerville23. Harry's All-American Breakfast
1420 Centre St, Roslindale
1. THE BREAKFAST CLUB
This small corner diner serves a old-fashioned breakfasts that their restaurant go-ers live for. Be sure to get there early for breakfast. It's limited seating and you don't want to have to wait to eat any of their delicous breakfast items.
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