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The 20 Best Brunches in Chicago (by Neighborhood)

What’s the difference between hotcakes, flapjacks and pancakes? We don’t know and we don’t care—as long as we’re getting some Sunday morning at brunch. To make sure that happens, we’ll be heading to one of Chicago’s 20 best brunch spots. Read on to find the one in your ’hood.

SO FOOD HALLS ARE THE NEW THING—HERE ARE CHICAGO’S 5 BEST


Logan Square: Jam

Our perfect Sunday: Malted custard French toast at Jam, strolling the Logan Square farmers' market and a late matinee at The Logan Theatre.

3057 W. Logan Blvd.; 773-292-6011 or jamrestaurant.com

Pilsen: Dusek’s

After a night at Thalia Hall and the downstairs Punch Room, we rise Sunday morning and head back to the very same address for crab cake Benedict and home fries at Dusek’s. If only the owners would just let us move in.

1227 W. 18th St.; 312-526-3851 or dusekschicago.com

Andersonville: M.henry

We didn’t think pancakes could get any better until we tried M.henry’s fluffy pumpkin and sweet potato hotcakes topped with warm apple slices, maple mascarpone crème and toasted pecans. Um, yum.

5707 N. Clark St.; 773-561-1600 or mhenry.net

Humboldt Park: Scofflaw

Gin-focused cocktails by night, tasty brunch (hello, breakfast tostada with mole-braised chicken) by day. We like where Scofflaw’s head is at.

3201 W. Armitage Ave.; 773-252-9700 or scofflawchicago.com

beatrix chicago best brunch by neighborhood
Beatrix/Facebook

Streeterville: Beatrix

Sure, you can buy Beatrix’s house-made granola to take home—but then who’s going to plate it all pretty with fresh berries and a sprig of mint?

671 N. St. Clair; 312-642-0001 or beatrixchicago.com

River North: Bohemian House

When you need a break from your standard eggs and pancakes, head here for a schnitzel sandwich with duck eggs or Bavarian pancakes with red plum and toasted meringue. Trust us, it’s next level.

11 W. Illinois St.; 312-955-0439 or bohochicago.com

Wicker Park: Dove’s Luncheonette

We love this cute little spot tucked between Big Star and Publican Anker. But don’t let the diminutive size fool you: Hearty Tex-Mex fare like the grilled pork chop with crispy potatoes, sausage and fried egg demands a big appetite.

1545 N. Damen Ave.; 773-645-4060 or doveschicago.com

Lincoln Park: Toast

What’s really “toast” is your diet, thanks to scrumptious Elvis pancakes made with peanut-butter-and-chocolate-chip batter and topped with bananas and pretzel. Everyone deserves a cheat day, right?

746 W. Webster Ave.; 773-935-5600 or chicago-toast.com

the publican chicago best brunch by neighborhood
@thepublican/instagram

West Loop: The Publican

A bed of French fries for our eggs and bacon as thick as our favorite glossy magazine. Now this is what we call brunch.

837 W. Fulton Market; 312-733-9555 or thepublicanrestaurant.com

Gold Coast: Original Pancake House

Blueberry pancakes, strawberries and whipped cream—nothing beats the original.

22 E. Bellevue Pl.; 312-642-7917 or originalpancakehouse.com

Ravenswood: Over Easy Cafe

The house specialty “sassy eggs” definitely lives up to its name. A mound of chorizo, pepper and potato hash gets topped with two eggs, cheddar cheese, ancho ketchup, sour cream and guacamole. Call us sassed.

4943 N. Damen Ave.; 773-506-2605 or overeasycafechicago.com

West Town: Breakfast House

It’s not hard to get good fried chicken and waffles in Chicago: just head to this unassuming spot. The tricky part is actually sharing the corn cakes you got for the table.

1800 W. Grand Ave.; 312-997-2400 or breakfast-house.com

Hyde Park: A10

The summer tartine tops a slice of ciabatta with seasonal produce, whipped Purple Haze cheese and honeycomb. Sure puts our basic toast with jam to shame.

1462 E. 53rd St.; 773-288-1010 or a10hydepark.com

cherry circle room loop chicago best brunch by neighborhood cropped
Cherry Circle Room

Loop: Cherry Circle Room

The culinary forces behind Longman & Eagle created this gem at Chicago Athletic Association Hotel. Good luck choosing between the surf-and-turf eggs Benedict with pork belly and nova salmon and the Belgian waffle with blueberry compote, mascarpone and roasted pistachio butter.

12 S. Michigan Ave.; 312-792-3515 or chicagoathletichotel.com

Lakeview: Batter & Berries

French toast? Try: brioche dipped in strawberry batter, served with fresh berries and sprinkled with powdered sugar and maple butter. Now that’s better.

2748 N. Lincoln Ave.; 773-248-7710

Bucktown: Hot Chocolate

Breakfast risotto is a thing—that is, an amazing thing filled with pancetta, leeks and Parmesan. Thank you, Mindy Segal.

1747 N. Damen Ave.; 773-489-1747 or hotchocolatechicago.com


South Loop: Meli Cafe

Get your pancake fix minus the sugar crash: Meli makes multigrain cakes with cranberries, raisins and chia seeds.

500 S. Dearborn St.; 312-834-0500 or melicafe.com

Southport Corridor: Southport Grocery

Sure, cheesy corn grits with chicken thigh and an egg sounds filling...until you spot the to-go cupcakes on your way out.

3552 N. Southport Ave.; 773-665-0100 or southportgrocery.com

tweet let s eat chicago best brunch by neighborhood
Tweet Let’s Eat/Facebook

Uptown: Tweet

From the vegan- and gluten-free-friendly dishes to the retro decor, there’s a lot to love about Tweet. But these little Danish doughnuts cooked hot in the owner’s grandmother’s vintage aebleskiver pan have pretty much stolen our hearts.

5020 N. Sheridan Rd.; 773-728-5576 or tweet.biz

Ukrainian Village: Milk & Honey

With layers of gooey cheddar, crispy tortillas and scrambled eggs, the casserole-style huevos rancheros deserve a spot on your Chicago brunch bucket list. Don’t have a Chicago brunch bucket list? Time to get your priorities in order.

1920 W. Division St.; 773-395-9434 or milkandhoneycafe.com



amanda nyren

Writer, yogi, mom to about a dozen houseplants

A lifelong Chicago resident, Amanda started covering the local scene for PureWow in 2016. She's a freelance writer and content strategist.