Top 10 NOLA Brunch Spots
New Orleans is home to dozens of brunch restaurants that serve a wide range of options, from traditional Southern comfort food to lighter, plant-based meals. These 10 restaurants stand out for their food, drinks, and overall dining experience.
1. Bearcat Cafe
Multiple Locations
bearcatcafe.com
Known for its split-personality menu, Bearcat Cafe offers a standout brunch experience with something for every appetite and dietary need. The café's "Good Cat" menu focuses on lighter, health-conscious options, while the "Bad Cat" menu delivers rich, indulgent dishes. Bearcat accommodates vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, and paleo diets across both menus.
Popular dishes include the crab scramble, cat daddy biscuit, and bison sausage, alongside vegan-friendly plates like the vegan quesadilla and tofu ranchero. Bearcat's beverage program features coffee from Equator Coffee Co., loose-leaf teas, house-made bottled drinks, and a full-service bar.
2. Willa Jean
611 O'Keefe Ave., (504) 509-7334
willajean.com
Willa Jean is a modern Southern bakery and restaurant in New Orleans' Central Business District that is known for its creative take on traditional comfort food. The restaurant offers an array of breakfast, brunch, and lunch options alongside a full bar and bakery counter.
The menu features house-made biscuits, pastries, and hearty entrées with inventive twists on classics. Standout items include the fried chicken with Tabasco honey biscuit, WJ shrimp and grits, and the hangover bowl with short rib debris and cheesy grits. Open daily from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., Willa Jean combines a bakery, café, and bar into one inviting space, known for its attention to detail and consistent quality.
3. Surrey's
1418 Magazine St., (504) 524-3828
surreysnola.com
Surrey's Café & Juice Bar is a long-standing Lower Garden District favorite, making Southern, Creole, and Latin-inspired flavors in a quirky and colorful setting. Opened in 2001, it is New Orleans' oldest organic juice bar and is known for its fresh-squeezed juices and hearty breakfasts. Seating is first come, first served, with no reservations accepted, and the café is open Thursday through Monday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Surrey's menu features standout dishes including shrimp and grits, crab meat omelette, and the Bananas Foster French toast, alongside vegetarian options and Latin-inspired plates such as huevos rancheros and the Costa Rican breakfast. Surrey's has earned recognition from Zagat, GQ, and the Food Network's Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.
4. Atchafalaya
901 Louisiana Ave., (504) 891-9626
atchafalayarestaurant.com
Atchafalaya is a refined yet relaxed Creole restaurant located in a historic cottage in the Irish Channel. The building's history dates to 1924 when Italian immigrants Sam and Mary Petrossi opened Petrossi's Restaurant, which their children later ran before it evolved through decades of ownership into today's Atchafalaya. The restaurant features dishes such as crab cake Benedict, shrimp and grits, and fried oysters, alongside craft cocktails, a curated wine list, and live music during Sunday brunch.
Brunch highlights include their creative Bloody Marys such as the signature green Bywater Bloody Mary and absinthe-spiked Bloody Fair. With live jazz, dinner service features dim lighting, white linens, and premium ingredients in dishes like blue crab ravioli, duck confit, and seared Gulf fish, with both indoor and outdoor seating available.
5. Elizabeth's Restaurant
601 Gallier St., (504) 944-9272
elizabethsrestaurantnola.com
Elizabeth's Restaurant in the Bywater serves breakfast and lunch with dishes like praline bacon, shrimp and grits, eggs Florentine with fried oysters, duck waffles, and Bananas Foster French toast. The menu also offers po-boys, pork chops, smoked salmon, grilled cheese, and house-made condiments.
The restaurant is open daily from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and takes reservations for parties of 10 or more. Chef Bryon Peck, a California Culinary Institute graduate, leads the kitchen, ensuring that you'll have a delicious meal while at Elizabeth's.
6. Molly's Rise and Shine
2368 Magazine St., (504) 302-1896
mollysriseandshine.com
Molly's Rise and Shine serves breakfast and lunch on Magazine Street with dishes such as fried chicken biscuits, the Grand Slam McMuffin, collard greens with grits, and crispy rice salad. The menu also includes tamales, Caesar salad with hot dog bun croutons, and house-made biscuits with miso pork gravy.
The restaurant is open Wednesday through Monday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. and does not accept reservations. Drinks include iced chai, fresh-squeezed orange juice, and celery lemon soda.
7. Brennan's
417 Royal St., (504) 525-9711
brennansneworleans.com
Brennan's, a French Quarter landmark since 1946, is home to iconic New Orleans traditions including "Breakfast at Brennan's," table-side dining, and their world-famous Bananas Foster, invented there in the 1950s. Guests can also experience specialties such as eggs hussarde, flambéed desserts, a celebrated wine cellar, and even a courtyard of resident turtles known as "The Muthas and the Othas."
The restaurant is open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 417 Royal St., with reservations available and seasonal events, including happy hour at the Roost Bar, cellar tours, and signature table-side presentations.
8. Crack'D Brunch
1901 Sophie Wright Pl., (504) 381-4678
crackdbrunch.com
At Crack'D Brunch in the Lower Garden District, diners can enjoy a creative, pork-free brunch menu with dishes like smoked salmon rosti, crab cake Benedict, lemon ricotta pancakes, and bottomless mimosas. The restaurant offers gluten-free, vegetarian options, a bright dining room with floor-to-ceiling windows
The restaurant also offers catering, group packages, and a menu with gluten-free and vegetarian options for any occasion. Crack'D is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.; reservations are recommended, but walk-ins are welcome.
9. The Vintage
3121 Magazine St., (504) 608-1008
thevintagenola.com
At The Vintage, you'll find inventive beignet flights in flavors such as matcha, blueberry cheesecake, and s'mores, alongside classic powdered beignets, craft coffee, wine, and cocktails. The retro-inspired space offers charcuterie boards, flatbreads, sandwiches, truffle fries, and even late-night snacks in a casual, stylish setting.
The café is open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. and weekends until 10 p.m., with outdoor seating, no reservations required, and breakfast, lunch, and happy hour options served throughout the day.
10. High Hat Cafe
4500 Freret St., (504) 754-1336
highhatcafe.com
High Hat Café serves Southern staples including fried catfish, smoked roasted chicken, BBQ shrimp, slow-roasted pork, and fresh Gulf fish, all in a neighborhood atmosphere with a full bar, craft cocktails, and local beers.
The restaurant, housed in the former Long's Bakery building, has been a Freret Street favorite since 2011, known for U.S. farm-raised catfish, local shrimp, and updated classics such as pimento mac and cheese, hush puppies, and house-made pies. High Hat is open daily from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., does not take reservations, and offers both dine-in and takeout options.
Top New Orleans Brunch Spots
Each of these restaurants provides a dependable brunch option with a variety of menu choices, consistent service, and settings that accommodate both locals and visitors looking for a quality meal in New Orleans.
