What’s not to love about brunch? It combines the best parts of breakfast and lunch, you get to sleep in late without missing it, and nobody looks at you sideways for enjoying champagne at 10:00 in the morning. There are tons of great places to go for brunch in the Heights area, but these are a few of our favorites.
Cedar Creek
This family-friendly spot offers plenty of indoor and outdoor seating, a full bar, and a delicious brunch menu consisting of fan favorites like breakfast tacos, chicken and waffles, and pancakes. It’s an informal affair and prices are reasonable. Their frozen mimosas are the stuff of legend. If you’re in the mood for something with southwestern flavor, be sure to try the 20th Street Migas.
Down House
No list of the best brunch places in the Heights would be complete without mentioning Down House. Choose from classics like fresh baked popovers with homemade jam, house-made yogurt and granola, and biscuits and gravy, or branch out a little and sample the shrimp and grits or fresh duck eggs. We’ve yet to have anything here that wasn’t delicious, so you can’t lose. Arrive on the early side or risk waiting in line for quite a while for a table. While brunch-approved cocktails are available, we haven’t ever tried them because the coffee is so fantastic. Prepare to leave with a major caffeine buzz from all the free refills.
Shade
If you’re in the mood for a fancier brunch replete with well-heeled ladies-who-lunch and nary a kid’s menu in sight, look no further than Shade on 19th Street. The eggs benedict are absolute perfection, and their quiche is rich and delicious. If you’re in the mood for something simpler, go for the homemade challah french toast, served with eggs and bacon. The blood orange mimosa is a lovely twist on a classic and can be ordered by the glass or pitcher.
Lola
Lola is another family-friendly option where you can bring the kids without getting serious side-eye. Their classic brunch menu consists of all the usual suspects like pancakes, omelets, and bagels, but out favorite is the home skillet, which is a giant chicken fried steak topped with cream pepper gravy and served with three eggs, cheese grits, and toast. There are no boozy options at Lola, but they serve Katz’s coffee, so we’ll call it even.
Happy Fatz
Hot dogs for brunch? Why not? The “clucker” at this popular hot dog joint is topped with hash browns, bacon, an egg, grilled onion, and secret sauce. It’s basically an entire breakfast on top of a gourmet hot dog, and it is a heavenly remedy if you had too much fun the evening before. If you’re not able to wrap your brain around a hot dog for breakfast, there are also plenty of other tasty options, like breakfast tacos, egg sandwiches, and french toast. A full coffee and espresso bar is sure to put a little extra pep in your step.
Glass Wall
Those looking for a ritzy spot for brunch with girlfriends will love Glass Wall on the weekends. The menu includes decadent twists on classic brunch dishes, like the lobster and eggs benedict, short rib breakfast tacos, and crab cakes and eggs. Their famous cornflake-crusted chicken fried steak with cream gravy is one of our favorite dishes in the Heights, period, even if we aren’t limiting the competition to brunch dishes. Don’t miss the scratch made bloody mary with pickled okra, or the mimosas made with freshly squeezed orange juice. Either one can be had for a measly $5, making this luxurious brunch surprisingly easy on the wallet.