The 20 Best Brunch Places in NYC That are Great for Groups

• Location: 199 Bowery (SoHo)
• Reservation: OpenTable or inquire for groups larger than 20

This SoHo hotspot is an absolute must-visit any time of year, but especially in spring and summer when the doors to the beer garden are open and you can fully enjoy the delights of warm weather without getting beat by the sun. From 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays, and noon to 4 p.m. on Sundays, Ainslie Bowery offers a $32 prix-fixe brunch menu with delicious picks like a pancetta and pecorino omelette, eggs baked in spicy tomato sauce and, the true star of the show, pancakes served with chocolate chip gelato. And, of course, no brunch would be complete without a large carafe of cocktails like mimosas or white peach bellinis. 

• Location: 320 W. Broadway (SoHo)
• Reservation: no reservations

This restaurant, inspired by old school diners of yore, has a reputation for hosting fashion types and other creatives, and is open 24/7 so you can get that French fry fix any time you like. Slip into a booth and pretend you’re in a Wes Anderson film (seriously, it’s that cute) while munching on brunch classics like bacon, egg and cheese, huevos rancheros and vegan banana pancakes. That said, Associate Editor Marissa Wu raves about the grilled cheese and tomato soup: “The soup to sandwich ratio is perfect!’

• Location: multiple locations (Upper West Side, Central Park South, Park Avenue South, Tribeca)
• Reservation: at sarabeths.com

This NYC staple has four locations across Manhattan, as well as a bakery where you can buy all their best preserves and baked goods. Brunch is served on Saturdays and Sundays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.—after all, brunch is more of a state of mind than a strict time period. There are breakfast classics like avocado toast, lemon ricotta pancakes and smoke salmon Benedict, as well as some signature delights like three-pepper home fries, adult grilled cheese and, my personal favorite, popovers. Plus, every location sets aside ample seating for walk-ins, so if you don’t want to make a reservation you likely won’t have to wait too long to dig in.

• Location: 400 1/2 W 54th St. (Midtown)
• Reservation: Open Table or call 646-726-4575

“Giardino 54 is great for if your parents are in town and you want to impress them with some tasty Italian food” says VP of News and Entertainment Phil Mutz. “The place ins’t overly crowded (though I recommend a reservation anyway). They have great brunch cocktails and delicious pasta dishes. The place feels a bit ‘tucked away’ so it’s great if you’re looking for something that isn’t teeming with tourists.” Brunch is served every Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., with a bottomless 90-minute brunch option for $38.

• Location: 210 Tenth Ave. (Chelsea)
• Reservation: Resy or call 212-335-2277

A true NYC classic, this Chelsea staple is usually pretty busy on weekends, but there’s also tons of seating, both indoors and outdoors, so you likely won’t have to wait too long if you don’t have a reservation. And don’t let the word ‘diner’ fool you, Empire Diner puts an elevated twist on the diners of old with upscale versions of old-school classics and decor that’s light, airy and oh-so chic. There’s no special brunch-only menu, instead diners can enjoy breakfast or lunch treats all day long, Monday through Sunday. I highly recommend the soft scramble eggs cacio e pepe, rye pancakes or parmesan polenta and greens, and don’t forget a side order (or two) of crispy artichokes for the table.

• Location: 853 Onderdonk Ave. (Ridegewood)
• Reservation: at rolosnyc.com for groups up to eight

Executive Editor Dara Katz shared this neighborhood gem as a favorite spot to visit with local friends, parents or anyone coming in from out of town. “It has great vibes, warm atmosphere, great service and amazing food.” She specifically called out the “Mrs. Crispy”, aka poached eggs, ham, cheddar and polenta bread, as a delicious twist on your usual BEC. Katz does recommend making a reservation, and brunch is served all weekend from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.. That said, they do reserve the 13-seat bar and multiple tables for walk-ins.

• Location: multiple locations (SoHo, West Village, Union Square, Chelsea, Williamsburg)
• Reservation: Resy for groups of nine or fewer, email events@jackswifefreda.com for groups of ten or more

I will never not be in the mood for the Madame Freda—a deluxe croque madame made with duck prosciutto, cheddar béchamel and gruyère—at any of the five Jack’s Wife Freda locations. Brunch is served all day long, Monday through Sunday, and while the OG SoHo location is definitely the largest, it also attracts the biggest crowds, especially during summer. My advice? Try the Chelsea or Williamsburg spots if you don’t want to make a reservation in advance.

• Location: 401 W 52nd St. (Midtown)
• Reservation: Open Table or call 212-933-4404

If you’re the type who loves dinner brunch and a show, Mutz highly recommends hitting up drag brunch at The Red Stache. “The shows are so fun and the space is fairly intimate,” he notes. As for food and drink, you can opt in to an unlimited drink option to accompany pastries, has browns and a salad alongside personalized mains like truffle scramble and breakfast flatbread. Shows start at 12:15 p.m. and 2:45 p.m. every Saturday and Sunday.

• Location: 30 W 18th St. (Chelsea)
• Reservation: Resy or 212-320-8111; must call for groups larger than eight

Newly opened in late 2023, the menu of this Chelsea spot (which, full disclaimer, is part-owned by Gary Vaynerchuck, whose company VaynerX owns PureWow) features classic flavors with a twist and highly Instagrammable maximalist decor. Brunch is served on Saturdays from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Sundays from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., with both sweet treats (like Cinnamon Toast Crunch French toast and Dutch baby) and savory delights (baked eggs shakshuka and steak and eggs). The menu changes frequently, but if you’re getting dessert, Assistant Editor Delia Curtis highly recommends getting the chocolate mousse: “It was something I’ll be dreaming about forever,” they say.

• Location: 34-02 Broadway (Astoria)
• Reservation: call 347-808-0290 for parties of six or more

With tons of indoor and outdoor seating and no reservations for parties under six people, Trestle is a great spot for large groups to pop in on the weekends. Brunch is served from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays, with a bottomless option for just $25 per person for 90 minutes. There’s also a live DJ to help set the party vibes, but don’t worry, reviews say it never gets so loud that you can’t still chit chat with your whole crew.

• Location: 380 Lafayette St (NoHo)
• Reservation: at lafayetteny.com

This trendy all-day French café and bakery in NoHo feels cozy and intimate but can seat up to ten guests without a special reservation. The brasserie-style spot gets an early-bird rush between 9 and 10 a.m. and another wave between 12 and 1 p.m., but the main dining room seats 150 inside, plus bar and counter seating. Enjoy your smoked salmon Benedict, lemon pancakes or croque madame on the 70-seat patio when the weather is agreeable.

• Location: multiple locations (NoMad, Lincoln Square, Midtown, East Village)
• Reservation: Open Table

With four locations across the city (East Village, NoMad, Midtown and Lincoln Square), the Smith has long been a secret weapon of brunch-seeking posses. The weekend menu features highlights like breakfast potpie with a cheddar biscuit top, Sicilian baked eggs with spicy tomato sauce, house-made hot potato chips with blue cheese fondue and more. Whichever location you land on, you’ll find a spacious dining room with big windows and ample space for walk-ins.

• Location: 156 Tenth Ave (Chelsea)
• Reservation: Resy

Buzzy yet down-to-earth Cookshop welcomes crowds with open arms (er, seats). It draws a trendy mix of locals and artsy tourists who clamor for the refined but approachable farm-to-table American fare in an open-air space. Think a pecan cinnamon bun with cream cheese icing, a grass-fed burger or a spinach and cheddar scramble alongside an appealing brunch cocktail menu (like the Beach Ball, with Lillet rosé, watermelon and basil). Its High Line–adjacent location means a steady stream of diners all day, but with 110 seats inside and 60 outside, large groups and walk-ins are sure to snag a spot.

• Location: multiple locations (Union Square, Williamsburg, Lower East Side, Prospect Heights, Long Island City)
• Reservation: no reservations

If chicken and waffles is your go-to order, you’d be hard pressed to find a better variation than those at Sweet Chick’s multiple locations. I’m a huge fan of the spicy honey butter biscuit as well as the scallion cheddar grits from the brunch menu, but the numerous sauce options—soy honey garlic, buffalo, Nashville hot, BBQ, salter caramel—on the regular menu are not to be missed. There’s ample seating at all five hotspots (both indoors and outdoors), and they don’t take reservations, meaning you have just as good a chance as anybody of snagging a table for you and your crew. Brunch is served daily from open to 4 p.m.

• Location: 298 Bedford Ave (Williamsburg)
• Reservation: Resy for groups up to six, email events@maisonpremiere.com for groups up to ten

This James Beard Award–winning restaurant and bar may be best known for its killer absinthe cocktails and oyster selection, but did you know it also serves a mean brunch? Executive chef Jacob Clark cooks up a Cajun-style menu each Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., featuring such offerings as dirty rice and eggs, shrimp and grits, duck confit hash and house-made biscuits and gravy. Peak brunch hours are roughly from noon to 2 p.m., and the space can typically accommodate parties of up to six people (particularly in the warmer months, when it gains an additional 35 seats in the garden).

• Location: 250 Vesey St. (FiDi)
• Reservation: at seamores.com for groups up to eight, email info@seamores.com for groups of nine or more

Michael Chernow’s seafood-centric hot spot draws major brunch crowds—so it’s lucky for us that its newest location in Battery Park City is also its largest. The space is complete with an outdoor patio and vintage Airstream that serves as a cocktail bar. Brunch highlights include a fried avocado Benedict and an LBLT (an open-faced toast piled with lobster, pork belly and heirloom tomato).

• Location: 2211 Frederick Douglass Blvd. (Harlem)
• Reservation: at vinaterianyc.com

No need to squeeze your party of six into a booth meant for four: Head to Vinateria, located on a historic stretch of Harlem, where groups can spread out on the 40-seat wraparound patio or inside at communal wood tables with room for 60. The menu is market driven, seasonal and locally sourced when possible, in dishes like black spaghetti with octopus and bread crumbs, grilled hanger steak and eggs, and bacalao (cod) croquettes.

• Location: 95 Church Ave. (Kensington)
• Reservation: call 718-436-5449

With a menu that combines Greek and TexMex comfort foods, there’s definitely something for everyone at this beloved Kensington establishment, located just a few blocks south of Prospect Park. Breakfast is served all day, seven days a week, with an extensive selection of both savory and sweet dishes. Larger groups wandering in on a whim should expect a short wait, but you don’t have to make a reservation very far in advance to snag a bigger table.

• Location: 67th St. and Central Park West (Upper West Side)
• Reservation: OpenTable

A Central Park staple since 1934, the historic tavern is the perfect stop before or after a weekend stroll around Sheep Meadow. And with a whopping 270 seats inside and 230 outside, you won’t have to fight tourists for a table (even during peak brunch time, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.). Groups of any size can feast on classic dishes like roasted figs with honey, goat cheese, bresaola and arugula, or smoked bacon and scrambled egg flatbread.

• Location: 635 Ninth Ave. (Midtown)
• Reservation: at boccadibacconyc.com

Bocca di Bacco in the Theater District has been a go-to brunch spot for Mutz years. “I’ve probably been there for brunch at least ten times” he says. “It’s great for large groups because you can be loud and lively, but it'’s surprisingly easy to get a reservation. The servers are friendly and the brunch menu offers both Italian dishes and brunch classics. They also have an unlimited drinks special for those who are so inclined.” Brunch is served on Saturday and Sunday 12 pm to 4 pm, and the bottomless option has atow hour limit and costs $26 per person.