Brunch in New York

photo Ryan Charles

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Back Forty might be one of those unusual places that does a better brunch than dinner. The limited selections that can be kind of frustrating at an evening meal are welcome at brunch when it’s just a little harder to make a decision. There are no drink specials or prix fixe options – everything is a la carte (including $3 coffee – little things like these can easily make your bill creep up if you’re not paying attention). In general, the food is good: The line cooks at Back Forty understand that how eggs look is even more important than how they taste: Poached eggs are just firm enough, and sunny side up are perfectly prepared and presented. Read the rest of this entry »

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Café Colette is a small café located on North 9^th Street and Berry Avenue very in the now famous and trendy area of Williamsburg, Brooklyn. The place is cosy and well decorated with some black and white pictures and contemporary paintings ; some may say that you could almost feel like you are somewhere in Europe. Read the rest of this entry »

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You should be wary of an Upper West Side brunch spot with a dining room only half full at noon on a Saturday. Indeed, Arte Café’s first impressions are less than impressive – a disorganized front of house; out of date décor; stale muffins tossed carelessly on the table. They advertise $12 unlimited brunch cocktails; but in reality it is $14 – and the Bloody Mary we ordered took 20 minutes and a nudge to our server before it appeared Read the rest of this entry »

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The Lodge is one of the best spots in Williamsburg to ogle hungover hipsters in their bloodshot, flannel, unshaven Sunday best. Catering to hard-drinking late risers, brunch is served until 5 pm on Saturdays and Sundays and includes 2-for-1 Bloody Marys.

If you arrive before noon, expect to have the place almost completely to yourself. Otherwise, expect very slow, inattentive service – the staff is more interested in socializing amongst themselves than catering to your every whim. Read the rest of this entry »

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Just a few meters from the noisy St Mark’s Place, welcome to a cosy place to brunch in a sumptuous garden. One of the most beautiful in the city ! On a sunny day, impossible to resist to a table in this perfectly arranged patio with paving stones, a little fountain, abounding vegetation on wall and above you. It’s gorgeous and lovely.

Inside, it’s not bad either. When you penetrate in the main dining room, you also understand why the restaurant is called The Cloister Cafe. Its stained glass windows procure a real sensation of peace… You don’t have other options : you just fall in love with the place. Read the rest of this entry »

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Across from the Museum of Natural History, Ocean is the perfect brunch spot to bring visiting parents (or even grandparents!). But just because it’s safe for grownups doesn’t mean it’s stuffy.  It just means that you might encounter fewer screaming children than you will elsewhere on the Upper West Side on a Sunday afternoon. And you can make a reservation ahead of time, skirting the interminable brunch lines. Read the rest of this entry »

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The name means hugs and kisses in Italian, but Baci & Abbracci is not your grandmother’s home-cooked Italian. On a slightly weathered stretch of hip South Williamsburg, it is mostly a destination for locals, but some Manhattan folks will cross the East River for the award-wining pizza.

Unfortunately, the brunch menu only offers a single pie, the Margherita Festiva ($12): a breakfast “spin” on the traditional fresh mozzarella, basil and tomato pizza; with eggs and your choice of breakfast meat. It is more substantial than it looks – chew slowly, or share. Read the rest of this entry »

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A taste of Brazil and Japan on your plate – that’s the concept of this attractive West Village restaurant. The main room is bright and colorful but has begun to show its age. However, its rooftop offers a nice view of bustling Seventh Avenue and a pleasant, relaxed atmsosphere. For that alone, it’s worth it ! Read the rest of this entry »

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Your mission: to land a table on the sidewalk. On a sunny day, perusing the menu under a canopy, soaking in the scenery on this lovely stretch of West Village, you’ll feel like you’re in a Mediterranean country.

Varieties of olive oils from all around the world are the speciality of this restaurant, which offers an amazing brunch. Our favorites dishes are the caramelized bananas with french toast and mascarpone ($11) and the roasted artichoke provencal with poached egg and pancetta ($12). Read the rest of this entry »