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If you don’t go for brunch when in San Francisco, you’re doing things very, very wrong. Every weekend, a long lazy brunch is routine for locals in the city, so naturally, San Francisco is packed with cool and quirky weekend brunch cafes. The best thing about going for brunch in San Francisco is that you can find everything from traditional American-style brunches through to brunches with twists from countries all over the world. So, how do you like your eggs in the morning? Why not head to one of these cafes to sample some of the spots serving the best brunch in San Francisco.
1. Diane’s Bloody Mary Bar at Mina Test Kitchen
One of the best things about brunch is that you have a license to knock back ‘breakfast’ cocktails at 11 am. Diane’s Bloody Mary Bar serves up some of the best bloody mary cocktails in all of San Francisco. There are different variations of the classic Bloody Mary drink, alongside a great breakfast menu, including French toast, fluffy pancakes and a variety of egg dishes.
2. Kantine
Kantine is one of the best Scandinavian bakeries in town and serves up an excellent brunch spread. Order its famous brunch boards which come with five or seven small plates, so you can have a little bit of everything. The small plates include rye bread, trout salad, rye porridge, and homemade yogurt. They also have delicious sweet and savory pastries, Scandinavian-style rye bread and porridge options. Be sure to try the savory mushroom porridge or the poppy seed and almond Danish pastries. There can be a long queue, but it’s definitely worth the wait.
3. Comstock Saloon
If you’re looking for an Instagrammable brunch spot, look no further than Comstock Saloon. The cafe serves up French toast works of art, with colorful detailing and interesting flavors. Try the tres leches French toast which is made up of strawberry textures, hazelnuts, white chocolate, and Chantilly cream You can also find other delicious dishes on the menu, such as breakfast poutine, which is made from sausage, scrambled eggs, cheddar, and Szechuan gravy, or a delicious burger.
4. Morning Wood at Indo
With a cheeky name, it’s no wonder Morning Wood is the talk of the town. The restaurant, which is a weekend pop-up, serves brunch with a Hawaiian and Japanese twist at Castro Indonesian restaurant INDO. Be careful when searching for the restaurant — with a name like that it’s easy to end up on a page you didn’t want to see! Some of its top dishes include kalua pork loco moco and matcha mochi pancakes.
5. Besharam
For a brunch with a spicy twist head to Besharam. The Gujarati restaurant has brunch with Indian flavors, with some of its top dishes being a cheesy egg naan sandwich, breakfast samosas, and a delicious egg paratha flatbread.
If you need to walk off your brunch, exploring the city with these things to do in San Francisco.
6. Plow
At Plow, the lemon ricotta pancakes are guaranteed to have you salivating, with many people visiting just to try them. The restaurant prides itself on serving farm-to-table food, with fresh breakfast options including everything from eggs benedict to fried egg sandwiches, smoked salmon on toast, and pumpkin pancakes. There’s always a queue so be prepared to wait.
7. Benedict Brunch at Foxsister
Benedict Brunch at Foxsister is so popular it’s no longer a pop-up! The Korean brunch spot offers up dishes such as Korean fried chicken benedict, and a bao bun filled with pork belly, kimchi and sesame hollandaise. It also serves bottomless brunch drinks such as mimosas, Bloody Marys, and sangria.
After brunch at the hipster joint, continue your day in cool fashion at one of these Jazz Clubs in San Francisco and discover the city’s influential music scene.
8. Brenda’s French Soul Food
Brenda’s French Soul Food is a great place to head if you’re in need of a hangover cure. It’s home to some of the best brunch in San Francisco, with New Orleans inspired dishes. On the menu you’ll find takes on beignets, po’ boys and other big dishes that will fill up your stomach after a big night on the town. Order the eggs and bacon tartine, or the creole veggie omelet, which is made up of corn maque choux, veggies, and cheese. Another top dish is the hangover fry-up, a delicious plate of crispy oyster, bacon, and scallion scramble.
9. Flores
Flores is a Mexican spot serving up tasty breakfast options. If you’ve got a sweet tooth, try the churros, or pancake de elote, which is a corn pancake with maple cream. For those looking for substantial savory dishes, the incredible huevos poblanos feature traditional Mexican mole sauce drizzled over quesadillas with egg. Alternatively, the huarache eggs is a spinach and cheese tortilla dish with carnitas, sunny eggs, lettuce, and spicy onion, and is a drool-worthy mix of flavors.
10. Hong Kong Lounge
The Hong Kong Lounge is the perfect place to get dim sum if you fancy something a bit lighter than traditional heavy brunches. Be sure to try the crispy fried seafood dim sum!
11. Tartine Manufactory
The Tartine Manufactory is a bakery, coffee bar, and ice cream shop all in one. It’s an excellent place for baked goods if you’re looking for a smaller brunch. Other breakfast options include a herb omelet, an egg sandwich served on a soft bun, and an apple and cranberry tartine served with ricotta. Breakfast ends at 11 am, however, so it’s for the early birds out there.