The Best Brunch Spots In Los Angeles

Is there anything better in life than weekend brunch? Yes, in fact, many activities surpass the brunch experience. But sometimes your Sunday mood simply calls for an egg you didn't poach or an unhinged meal where one round of mimosas leads to three and suddenly you’re Facebook messaging your high school math teacher thanking them for never giving up on you. No matter what your brunch aspirations include, let this guide be your compass as you navigate a world of mediocre waffle experiences. These are the best of the best brunches in LA. And if you clicked in specifically looking for breakfast burritos, bagels, or bottomless brunch, or outdoor brunch, we've got ideas for those, too.

THE SPOTS

Gjusta makes the city's best bialys, as well as beautiful tuna conserva on sourdough, and baklava croissants that are the crossover pastry we didn't know we needed. The problem: you and every micro-influencer and lifestyle blogger from Ohio will be trying to get their mitts on some this weekend. To avoid the lines at this bakery/deli/restaurant in Venice, come on a weekday when you can leisurely walk up to the counter, order a chewy housemade bagel topped with salmon roe and labneh, and sit on the patio sans out-of-town influencer zoo.

The Serving Spoon in Inglewood has been serving the epitome of a Southern comfort brunch since the early ‘80s, and it's still incredible. There's almost always a line of people waiting to eat grits, fried catfish, chicken drumettes, and waffles (our favorite version in town). Trust that the tremendous compilation of deep-fried and golden brown dishes that are named after Black celebrities are worth the wait—as are the adorable husband-and-wife team who own the joint.

At the DTLA location of Pine & Crane, you won’t have to deal with long waits or mimosa-fueled brunch crowds. Stroll right up to the counter at this casual Taiwanese cafe starting at 8am to order fan tuan or a chive-and-egg pocket, then seat yourself in the comfortable dining room or covered patio. After 11am, the menu expands to noodle dishes, dumplings, and a full list of cocktails. The only thing that might distract you from your meal is a brown labradoodle running in the park next to the restaurant. We consider this a perk.

Brunch at Gjelina resembles an egg convention for Wilhelmina models. But there's no denying the joy of eating labneh toast, slab bacon, and fluffy lemon buckwheat ricotta pancakes on their breezy back patio. That’s why Westsiders with laminated eyebrows flock to this Abbot Kinney restaurant on the weekends. Expect at least 30 minutes for walk-ins. And if you prefer your brunch on the lunchier side of the spectrum, order the lamb sausage pizza.

Ardor is our first choice for a special occasion brunch that involves caviar deviled eggs, dressing up, and feeling like you’ve stepped onto a Miami mega-yacht. This restaurant on the ground floor of the West Hollywood Edition offers an over-the-top $85 prix fixe menu that begins with a pastry basket and raw bar sampler, and ends with an all-you-can-eat dessert station full of macaroons, cream puffs, and mini soufflés. They have a full cocktail list, but most people here share bottles of sauvignon blanc and talk about who showed up at Soho House the night before.

Think of this upscale Southern restaurant as one big brunch party in the heart of the Arts District's candle shops and specialty cafes. Despite being located inside Hauser & Wirth, Manuela feels like a world unto itself: loud, unstuffy, and overflowing with locals in intricate tank tops sitting in the charming courtyard. As far as the food goes, order the shrimp and grits, a popover benedict, and as many beignets as you deem reasonable.

If we didn’t have anything better to do, we’d spend every Saturday morning for the rest of our lives on Superba’s citrus tree-filled patio, picking at perfectly poached eggs, and reading novels under yellow-striped umbrellas. The food is serviceable—they’ve got vegetable-focused breakfasts, good sandwiches, and warm almond croissants that remind you why the restaurant’s full name is Superba Food + Bread. But that patio. That’s why you come here. 

For some, brunch that isn’t bottomless isn’t brunch at all. If you fall into that camp—or are in your 20s—head to Bacari. The food at this small plates American spot is not remotely special. That's fine. Nobody here cares one bit. If you’re at Bacari for brunch, it’s because of the $30 bottomless deal that includes any mix of mimosas, bellinis, beer, sangria, red and white wine, and bubbles for 90 minutes straight. There are locations all over town, but you won't find a better (and by better, we mean more chaotic) drunken brunch scene than the courtyard at the West 3rd location.

To the uninitiated, Ryla appears to be just another spot serving brunch bait like breakfast sandwiches and fluffy pancakes. But the Taiwanese and Japanese food at this Hermosa Beach spot will turn around an otherwise boring weekend morning. Expect pork belly benedict with yuzu hollandaise, a crispy katsu sando, and breakfast fried rice studded with sweet Chinese sausage. If you’re fine with indoor seating, you’ll have no trouble walking in on Sunday morning. Otherwise, make a reservation for their sleek sidewalk patio.

Brunch at Cha Cha Cha in the Arts District will make you feel like an extra in a sun-soaked travel ad by LA's tourism board. Their menu highlights Mexican dishes like chorizo eggs in purgatory and a sope benedict, but the real draw is the rooftop dining space filled with palm groves. On your way to your outdoor table, you’ll catch glimpses of the Downtown skyline and remember how badly you need a tropical vacation. Bring a group for a fun birthday or sit at the bar with a good book and some smoky, crunchy chilaquiles.

Not only is this Monterey Park institution one of a handful of dim spots that still offer cart service, its ballroom-esque dining room functions as one the biggest social gathering spots in the SGV. Expect freshly steamed Cantonese staples like siu mai and silky cheung fun, and the endless giddiness that comes with ordering from a passing cart. Wait times on the weekends can be counted by the hour, so if you’re short on time, order from their takeout shop next door. It’s the exact same menu.

Yummy waffles! Hollandaise that hurts your tummy! Wholesale champagne! Let's not kid ourselves, the institution of brunch is objectively senseless. Sorry, but it’s true. So instead of trying to take the meal seriously, lean into the silliness of it all and go to Eveleigh. This sceney Sunset Strip spot has been a Weho brunch standby for over a decade and still gives the brunch people exactly what they want: a cutesy patio that looks like you’re in the backyard of a Provencal poet’s house, a crowd decked out in questionable sun hats, and a solid French-ish menu filled with goat cheese omelets, farro bowls, and obviously, lots of rosé. 

Loupiotte Kitchen in Los Feliz serves French-ish cafe food in a knick-knack-filled space all day long, but breakfast is their best meal. The menu has simple dishes like fluffy scrambled eggs and a pesto-slathered vegetarian sandwich, but the best replacement for a boring bowl of oatmeal is the cheesy polenta with a deep-fried egg. It’s not quite a scotch egg and definitely not hardboiled, either. Whatever you call this crispy boy, it’s delicious and very runny once you cut into it. 

Don’t write off brunch at this all-day restaurant inside North Hollywood’s Garland Hotel as sleepy. The fireplace-adorned courtyard fills with studio workers sipping wine during their lunch hours and retirees getting day drunk because they can. But the place really comes into its own during weekend brunch. Valley locals and excited hotel guests eat dishes like short rib hash and egg-topped breakfast burgers. $28 mimosa pitchers garnish every table. If you’re looking to get a little day drunk, but not go completely off the rails, The Front Yard works well as a middle ground. 

If you're looking for a gorgeous restaurant patio where the cocktails are just as memorable as food, head to Alta on a Sunday. This West Adams restaurant specializes in Southern brunch classics: shrimp and grits, cornbread with honey butter, and oxtails smothered in a thick, glossy gravy. It’s never too packed, so you can get in and out quickly if need be. But expect things to run long if you take part in Alta's daiquiri or sweet iced tea situation.