Whether you are a night owl and late riser or just one that has an equivalent admiration for both breakfast and lunch food, brunch is a favorite for everyone. The world is aware that New Orleans is deserving of the "best" title in many culinary categories, and we certainly have some of the best breakfasts in New Orleans here, but brunch is no exception. From Uptown to Mid-City, Downtown to the Marigny, and everywhere in between, NOLA is filled with some of the best brunch spots.
(in no particular order)
Toast
With a name like "Toast," it's no surprise that this breakfast spot with two locations (one Uptown and one near the Fair Grounds) specializes in breads, jams, custards, and curds which are made in-house, daily. In addition to delicious baked goods, visitors can select from a list of savory items such as the hangar steak with eggs, tarragon aioli, and lyonnaise potatoes, or sweeter items like the chocolate, marshmallow crème, and graham cracker crepe.
5433 Laurel St., 504-267-3260; 1845 Gentilly Blvd., 504-351-3664, toastneworleans.com
Canal Street Bistro
Located in the 3000 block of Canal Street—the heart of Mid-City—Canal Street Bistro offers an upscale brunch each Saturday and Sunday. The menu is filled with jaw-dropping, uniquely crafted delicacies such as the Bayou St. John, a dish with a stacked potato latke, a crab cake, wilted spinach almandine, sunny-side-up quail eggs, and poblano cream sauce.
3903 Canal St., 504-482-1225, canalstreetbistro.com
House of Blues
Gospel singer Kirk Franklin teamed up with the House of Blues to offer "Gospel Brunch," a weekly event hosted at House of Blues locations throughout the country. The HOB located on Decatur Street opens its doors to welcome guests for brunch every Sunday at 10 a.m. Enjoy live gospel music performed by local musicians along with an all-you-can-eat buffet which includes breakfast selections, Southern classics, carving stations, and dessert options.
225 Decatur St., 504-310- 4999, houseofblues.com/neworleans/gospelbrunch
Riccobono's Panola St. Café
Open daily from 7 a.m. until 2 p.m., Panola Café is a quaint neighborhood restaurant located Uptown near Tulane University, on the corner of Panola and Burdette Streets. Its menu features traditional breakfast favorites such as a variety of Eggs Benedict options, three-egg omelets, pancakes, and Belgian waffles. Make sure you check out their Pollo Rancheros, a plate layered with corn tortillas, black beans, salsa, grilled chicken, melted cheddar, sour cream, and guacamole. Yum!
7801 Panola St., 504-314-1810, panolastreetcafe.com
The Ruby Slipper Café
Founded here in 2008, the award-winning chain has five locations throughout New Orleans (in Mid-City, the Marigny, the Central Business District, Uptown, and the French Quarter), along with three locations in other cities. Ruby Slipper is a NOLA favorite known for putting a unique twist on brunch items. For example, the Catfish Coubion is thin-fried catfish over a French bread crostini, with sautéed spinach, tomatoes, artichoke hearts, and pork tasso, all topped with a Creole tomato courtbouillon. Drooling yet?
Multiple locations, therubyslippercafe.net
Coulis
Chef James Leeming, the former chef of Commander's Palace and Dick and Jenny's, along with his wife, Heather, opened Coulis Café in 2009. Although James passed unexpectedly about two years after the restaurant's opening, Heather continues to operate the Uptown establishment. Offered daily from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. are affordable and satisfying breakfast and lunch items. Their Eggs Benicio, which consists of two jalapeno-cheddar corn cakes topped with pulled pork, poached eggs, and hollandaise sauce, can be enjoyed for just under $10.
3625 Prytania St., 504-304-4265, coulisnolas.com/breakfast
Surrey's Café and Juice Bar
At Surrey's, you can start your brunch off with a fresh-squeezed juice blended from ingredients such as kale, carrots, apples, pineapples, grapefruit, and ginger. Their menu also features delicious picks such as the Bananas Foster French Toast, a New Orleans-style French toast stuffed with banana cream cheese and topped with powdered sugar and a Bananas Foster sauce made with rum, brown sugar, and butter. Surrey's has two locations: Uptown and in the Lower Garden District.
1418 Magazine St., 504-524-3828; 4807 Magazine St., 504-895-5757; surreysnola.com
Apolline
Located in the 4000 block of Magazine Street, this shotgun home was renovated into a dining venue that offers brunch Tuesdays thru Fridays from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. Who doesn't love a good mimosa or Bloody Mary? At Apolline, bottomless ones are offered to be paired with satisfying items from the menu, like the Confit Duck Bowl or the smoked pork enchiladas.
4729 Magazine St., 504-894-8881, apollinerestaurant.com
Atchafalaya
Located Uptown near the corner of Louisiana and Magazine Streets in a building that originated as a local eatery dubbed Louisiana Restaurant and Bar, there now stands a restaurant with quite the reputation (a good one): Atchafalaya. The sophisticated establishment offers a brunch menu loaded with traditional New Orleans dishes such as Shrimp and Grits and the Etouffee Omelette. Make sure to also visit their Bloody Mary bar!
901 Louisiana Ave., 504-891-9626, atchafalayarestaurant.com
High Hat
On Freret Street—a strip filled with establishments of culinary delights—is High Hat, offering brunch on Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. Patrons can select from a list of brunch items to be paired with two eggs for $11. The brunch menu includes dishes such as Chicken and Waffles, Cornmeal Pancakes with Apple-Smoked Bacon, Corned Beef Hash with Rye Toast, and Roasted Pork Debris over Creamy Grits with Poblano Sauce.
4500 Freret St., 504-754-1336, highhatcafe.com
Jimmy J's Cafe
Are you a slow riser but still want breakfast or brunch when you rise? No worries, head to the French Quarter and pop into Jimmy J's. They offer a variety of breakfast items all day from 7 a.m. till 9 p.m. on weekdays and until 10 p.m. on weekends. Make sure you check out their French Toast Monte Cristo, a brunch spin on an American classic, which has shaved ham and American cheese.
115 Chartres St., 504-309-9360, jimmyjscafe.com
Caribbean Room at Pontchartrain Hotel
This is the spot to go for that special brunch date, and jackets are required for men. Whether you go for the Crab and Chanterelles or the Buttermilk Fried Quail, do not end your meal without an order of the famous Mile High Pie. Reserve a later brunch time so that you can visit the wonderful rooftop Hot Tin Bar when it opens at 2 pm.
2031 St. Charles Ave. 504-323-1500, theponchartrainhotel.com
Café Navarre
Located in Mid-City, Café Navarre continues to be a delicious and reliable brunch spot. Like Benedicts? Feel like experimenting? Try some of their unique variations on the Southern classic. In addition to traditional Eggs Benedict, they offer Spinach and Artichoke Benedict, Eggs Cochon (a pulled-pork Benedict), Eggs Blackstone (an Applewood smoked bacon and grilled tomato Benedict), Turkey Avocado Benedict, and Sausage Jalapeño Benedict.
800 Navarre, 504-483-8828, cafenavarre.com
Mr. B's Bistro
If you ask any local for a list of their favorite eateries, there's a good chance that Mr. B's Bistro will be included. Located in the heart of the French Quarter, this higher-end restaurant is well-known for signature items such as their Gumbo Ya Ya, Barbeque Shrimp, and bread pudding with Irish whiskey sauce. Every week, Mr. B's hosts Sunday Jazz Brunch with live music from 10:30 a.m. till 2 p.m.
201 Royal St., 504-523-2078, mrbsbistro.com
Another Broken Egg Cafe
Another Broken Egg Café is a brunch food chain with two locations in New Orleans: one Uptown and another in Lakeview. Warning: scan the menu beforehand to avoid being overwhelmed; everything looks good and you will not know what to choose! Their eclectic menu includes tempting items like a Crab Cake Benedict and Cinnamon Roll French Toast as well as brunch beverages such as the Smokey Sriracha Mary and the Mango-Kiwi Mimosa.
2917 Magazine St., 504-301-2771; 607 Harrison Ave, 504-301-4667; anotherbrokenegg.com
Red Gravy
With a menu like theirs, it's no surprise that Red Gravy was named the #1 Brunch Spot by both Open Table and New Orleans Magazine and is listed among the "top brunch places" by The Culture Trip. The Italian restaurant's popularity can possibly be attributed to the homemade pasta, the local ingredients used, and the passed-down family recipes closely followed by the bistro's staff. Don't leave without testing out the canola pancakes!
125 Camp St., 504-561-8844, redgravycafe.com
Biscuits and Buns on Banks
Your biscuits must be good if you include them in your restaurant's name. In fact, Biscuits and Buns on Banks made USA Today's list for best biscuits. But that's not all they have to offer; seven days a week, from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m., they offer a menu that consists of various American and Creole brunch favorites. For example, their boudin balls with remoulade sauce are absolutely mouthwatering!
4337 Banks St., 504-273-4600, biscuitsandbunsonbanks.com
Café Amelie
Located in the French Quarter in the 150-year-old Princess of Monaco Courtyard and Carriage House on Royal Street, Café Amelie provides a blissful and romantic venue to enjoy brunch. The menu is just as pleasing as the location, with New Orleans and Cajun favorites such as Chicken Andouille Gumbo and Cajun Country Poutine. Dining reservations can be made online.
912 Royal St., 504.412.8965, cafeamelie.com
Café Degas
Café Degas: another restaurant likely to land on a local's "favorites" list. As the longest-running French restaurant in New Orleans, they have built quite the reputation. Located on Esplanade Avenue near City Park, they provide a charming, intimate environment. Café Degas offers brunch every Saturday and Sunday from 10:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Their brunch menu includes dishes like their L'Omelette de Crevettes au Fine Herbes (an omelet with shrimp, mushrooms, Applewood smoked bacon, and herbs) and $5 mimosas.
3127 Esplanade Ave., 504-945-5635, cafedegas.com
