Chicago foodies are obsessed with brunch. It’s the one meal that breaks the rules. Omelets and shrimp cocktail; bacon and beef wellington; chicken and waffles; you can have your cake and eat it too. At brunch not only is day drinking allowed, it’s encouraged with drinks like bloody marys and mimosas that are made specifically for late morning/early afternoon consumption.
Because Chicagoans enjoy brunch so much Chicago restaurants have risen to the challenge. There are so many creative and delicious options you could eat brunch every day for a year and still not hit them all. But where to start? We’ve got some fun brunches in Chicago listed below. Some have live music, some have lavish buffets, and some offer the standard brunch fare that we’ve come to know and love.
Brunches in Chicago
Autre Monde Cafe & Spirits
This Berwyn restaurant has won a Jean Banchet Award, is a Michelin Bib Gourmand recipient, and is an OpenTable Diners Choice winner. Items like the Chicken and Chestnut pancakes (pictured) and the Pin Oak Farms lamb hash are why. Plus, they have a Chef Pancake. Seriously!
The Duck Inn
Chef Kevin Hickey’s elegant brunch menu features items like the lovely cured wild salmon with duck egg, and you don’t want to miss the duck confit hash with a duck egg and Wisconsin cheese mornay sauce.
The Florentine Restaurant
Those lucky weekend guests at JW Marriot. Their commute to The Florentine is from their rooms to the first floor lobby. Once there they can enjoy a traditional Italian breakfast of croissants, nutella, strawberry compote, and fresh fruit; or they can get almond brioche french toast or an MLT – mortadella, fried egg, provolone, lettuce and tomato (pictured). For just $15 more the mimosas, bloody marys, bellinis, and pomonas become bottomless.
Mercat A La Planxa
Chef Jose Garces has recently rolled out a new brunch menu at his popular tapas spot in the Blackstone Hotel. Mercat a la Planxa has supplemented its already delicious menu with items like arroz (sunny egg, Calaspara rice, artichoke, roasted tomato baguette, saffron aioli), Filet de Carnisser (Black Angus hanger steak, Manchego-bacon biscuit, sausage gravy) and Amanida Estacional (Pictured – Farro, spanish feta, watercress, hazelnuts, beet emulsion).
The Promontory
In addition to their boozy brunch cocktails, The Promontory also has booze-FREE cocktails. The Hyde Park Colada is a concoction of coconut water, pineapple, and orgeat. The Sunset is made with orange juice, passion fruit, fresh lemon juice, happiness. Yep – happiness. They know that real men – and women – do eat quiche, especially when it’s their butternut squash made with braised kale, fermented kimchi, black trumpet mushroom, pecan, buttered turnip, and pea tendril.
River Roast
Liven up your brunch at this Tony Mantuano restaurant. Each Saturday and Sunday their Blues and Brews Brunch features live blues from 12pm to 3pm, accompanied by Chef Hogan’s rabbit and waffles, Low Country Croque Madame, and foie and duck terrine. Definitely don’t miss out on their EPIC bloody mary.
ZED451
A perennial TLT favorite, there’s a reason we love ZED451’s brunch: unlimited bacon. We’re not talking the limp greasy stuff you find in chafing dishes in hotel buffets everywhere. This bacon is thick, sprinkled with their signature spicy sweet maple cajun seasonsing, and served fresh for as long as you want it. In addition to the bacon they’ll bring you smoked salmon benedict and buffalo chicken ‘n’ waffles, and you can make as many trips to the Harvest Tables as you’d like.
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