CHICAGO | Enjoying a leisurely brunch is one of our favorite ways to spend time on the weekends in Chicago. People are always asking us where we think Chicago’s best breakfast and brunch is so we thought it was time we shared our thoughts. Although it is tough to narrow down to a short list, we’ve chosen a selection across several of the city’s neighborhoods that fit a variety of tastes and budgets. Have any of your best Chicago breakfast spots made our list? Let us know your favourites in the comments section.
Hutch Bistro
It is rare to find a restaurant solely serving brunch and happy hour, however, Hutch Bistro and its sister venue Hutch Café have this concept down to a science. Hutch Bistro opened in Lakeview in 2013, followed by Hutch Café opening in 2016 in River North. The menu at both focuses on American comfort food and cocktails, made with quality ingredients.
The brunch menu includes breakfast staples such as the lox and bagel board, eggs benedict, and a daily quiche. For something a bit more adventurous, we like the fried chicken + corn waffle with bacon butter and maple syrup or the puled bacon and eggs flatbread with cheddar and red onion.
Hutch Bistro
3301 N Clark Street
Chicago
Illinois 60657
United States
Southport Grocery & Cafe
Southport Grocery and Café is a favorite on the corner of Addison Street and Southport Avenue. Don’t be discouraged by the big weekend crowd – tables rotate fast and it’s well worth the wait. All of the delicious options are made in-house from scratch with locally sourced ingredients when available. Some of our favorite morning breakfast choices include the chicken & cheesy grits from a hazard-free local farm, with a sunny side up egg and house-made strawberry rhubarb chili vinegar, or the breakfast salad made with locally grown kale and arugula, red quinoa, granola croutons, seasonal fruit, and a yogurt-poppy seed dressing. The bread pudding pancakes and cupcake pancakes are also fantastic.
Southport Grocery & Cafe
3552 N Southport Avenue
Chicago
Illinois 60657
United States
Little Goat Diner
Little Goat Diner, by Stephanie Izard is notable for many reasons, including their “cereal killers” – breakfast options served all day. You can’t go wrong with any of the top quality diner style breakfast options here, but we highly recommend going for one of the Sammies. The Los Drowned is particularly tasty, and contains braised beef, Havarti, avocado, pickled peppers & onions, spicy mayo served on a hoagie and is served with its delicious au jus. Coffee, which uses beans roasted by Portland’s Stumptown Coffee Roasters, is also fantastic.
Little Goat Diner
820 W Randolph Street
Chicago
Illinois 60607
United States
Longman & Eagle
Longman & Eagle was one of the first restaurants that paved the way for Logan Square being the food hot spot it is today. The motto at Longman & Eagle is “Eat, Sleep, Whiskey.” They have all the bases covered including a great brunch offering. The concept is farm to table with a nose to tail offering. The menu changes daily but we love that the brunch offering includes traditional breakfast fare, sandwiches, and lunch options.
Longman & Eagle
2657 N Kedzie Avenue
Chicago
Illinois 60647
United States
The Bongo Room
There is a reason why there is a line for the Saturday and Sunday brunch at The Bongo Room. With a breakfast and brunch offering that is divided into savory, sweet, and sinful sections, there is something to please every palate. The restaurant’s concept is to serve fresh and seasonal brunch and breakfast with some unique twists. The beverage offerings at brunch do not disappoint; some refreshing options to kick-start a weekend morning include: the raspberry and pear mimosa, orange creamsicle, caraway bloody mary, and godiva hot chocolate.
Due to the popularity of the original Bongo Room, which opened on Milwaukee Avenue in 1993, two additional locations have since been opened: one in Andersonville and the other in the South Loop.
The Bongo Room
1470 N Milwaukee Avenue
Chicago
Illinois 60622
United States
Beatrix
Beatrix is a favourite spot of ours for an early morning take away coffee and pastry on the way to work, and offers a menu that’s about ‘taste over trend’, featuring an array of interesting options that lean towards the mindful eating end of the spectrum. Coffee is one of the highlights here – the coffee bar at Beatrix serves up quality coffee using locally roasted Intelligentsia and Metropolis beans. If you’re after something more substantial than a pastry, then the dine in menu features a range of healthy, creative dishes such as quinoa cakes with poached eggs, cauliflower grits and eggs, and ten-grain oatmeal.
Beatrix
519 N Clark Street
Chicago
Illinois 60654
United States
Mindy’s Hot Chocolate
Mindy’s Hot Chocolate in Bucktown has been a brunch favorite since 2005, and has long been supportive of local producers who supply its seasonally changing menu. Founder Mindy Segal honed her craft by working at Chicago culinary institutions such as Charlie Trotter’s and Ambria and later went on to receive a James Beard Foundation award for “Outstanding Pastry Chef”. Mindy has now brought her sweet and savory offerings to the Loop at the recently opened Revival Food Hall on Clark Street.
Mindy’s Hot Chocolate
1747 N Damen Avenue
Chicago
Illinois 60647
United States
The Peninsula Hotel
When celebrating a special occasion or holiday with brunch you can’t go wrong with taking in the Sunday Brunch at The Peninsula Hotel. Brunch is held in the beautiful lobby of this classic Chicago hotel every Sunday from 11am-2pm. Brunch choices include a seafood station, sushi, carving station, and house specialties to impress any palate. Some of the decedent highlights of the brunch menu include: bone marrow toast, fois gras french toast, grilled triple cheese and tomato soup, and the lobster cobb. The Lobby, with floor-to-ceiling windows and seasonal floral arrangements, never lacks light nor atmosphere.
Stay after brunch for Peninsula Afternoon Tea. The afternoon tea menu features a selection of proprietary teas served alongside fresh pastries, sandwiches, and an optional glass of champagne which we never refuse.
The Peninsula Hotel
2207 N Clybourn Avenue
Chicago
Illinois 60614
United States
Yolk
Yolk has one of the larger breakfast menus in the city; there’s something for everyone, from traditional comfort foods to creative specialties. We recommend the smoked salmon benedict, red velvet french toast, apple blintzes, and the nutella crepes. Yolk also offers a lunch menu with a variety of soups, salads, and sandwiches.
Yolk opened ten years ago in the South Loop and has since grown to six restaurants in Chicago, three in Texas, and two in Indiana. The chain has won numerous awards over the years and has plans to continue to grow in the Chicago area and across the country. We’ll always have a soft spot for the original though.
Yolk
1120 S Michigan Avenue
Chicago
Illinois 60605
United States
Lula Café
Since opening in 1999, Lula Café has been bringing delicious farm to table fare to Chicagoans. Given its location around the corner from the Logan Square Farmers’ Market, it’s no surprise the Lula Café has continued to pave the way for fresh, seasonal fare. The menu is causal, yet enticing. Lula Café represents just what a neighborhood restaurant aspires to be: comfortable, yet sophisticated; reasonably priced and accessible.
Lula Café
2537 N Kedzie Avenue
Chicago
Illinois 60647
United States
Tuco & Blondie
Mexican and brunch? Yes, please. It’s not often that everything on a menu jumps out at you. Well, that’s the case at Tuco and Blondie, which opened in September 2016 in the former neighborhood bar Justin’s. We highly recommend the Chilaquiles and El Jefe’s Chimichananga but can’t wait to return to try the Tres Leches French toast and Huevos Divorciados.
If you need a hint of Mexico to get you through a long winter, definitely head to Tuco and Blondie for delicious food in a bright and lively space.
Tuco & Blondie
3358 N Southport Avenue
Chicago
Illinois 60657
United States
The Bristol
The Bristol in Bucktown covers all the bases. After making your way through its impressive wine list the night before, you can head back the very next day to cure your hangover. In fact, one the items on the menu is aptly named “Hangover Breakfast”- noodles, pork broth, and scallions. Overall, we love the diversity of the brunch menu. If you are looking for something sinful or healthy, there is a choice for you. It doesn’t matter if you are in the mood for a breakfast dish or quarter pounder, you’ll find something on the Bristol menu. The sides and pastries round out the offering with brunch staples like cinnamon rolls and Nueske’s bacon.
The Bristol
2152 N Damen Avenue
Chicago
Illinois 60647
United States