Where to Eat Brunch in Chicago Right Now

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Brunch, not quite breakfast nor lunch, is one of the best parts of the weekend — even during a pandemic. The Eater Chicago Brunch Heatmap is here to help by highlighting the newest options for a delicious midday meal.

The latest additions to the list below include José Andrés’s Spanish institution Jaleo, Italian newcomer Segnatore, and New Orleans-inspired restaurant and bar Storyville. They join a growing number of places that are dedicated to offering exciting brunch menus. So start the day off right with eggs (and much more) at these 16 destinations.

As of January 3, the city has mandated that those ages 5 and up be fully vaccinated and masked at public places indoors when not actively eating or drinking. For updated information on coronavirus cases, please visit the city of Chicago’s COVID-19 dashboard. Health experts consider dining out to be a high-risk activity for the unvaccinated; it may still pose a risk for the vaccinated, especially in areas with substantial COVID transmission. The latest CDC guidance is here; find a COVID-19 vaccination site here.

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Note: Restaurants on this map are listed geographically.

The owner of a Cold Stone Creamery franchise in Chicago is serving customizable brunch dishes on the weekends at this Rogers Park spot. Inspired by Cold Stone, Another Bite lets customers add an assortment of toppings and fillings to their waffles, pancakes, omelets, French toasts, sandwiches, burritos, and more. Online ordering is available here.

A new restaurant has taken over the space in Logan Square that was previously occupied by Masa Azul. Owner Areerat Potikul and former La Luna chef Carlos Gonzalez present classic Mexican fare and brunch specials such as pistachio pancakes, fried French toast with maple cream, and breakfast tostadas. Online ordering is available here.

After years of slinging slices out of the kitchen at Lone Wolf, Heisler Hospitality found a standalone home for its New York-style pizzas in 2020. Chicagoans can head to Logan Square for stellar thin crust pies topped with exciting ingredients, but those who drop by during brunch hours will have extra choices like cinnamon rolls, a carbonara pizza, a breakfast sandwich, and beermosas. The spacious patio, which is heated and partially covered, is a bustling destination when weather permits. Online ordering is available here.

New-York-based bottle shop Verve Wine expanded to the Midwest last year with an outpost in Lincoln Park. The business, which is the brainchild of master sommelier Dustin Wilson and veteran merchant Derrick Mize, offers a curated selection of artisan wines sourced from around the globe. The space also houses a restaurant and bar where customers can pair pours with bites from executive chef Ryan Epp. Sunday brunch has options such as Kusshi oysters dressed with preserved ramp mignonette, brown butter ricotta pancakes, and cheesy grits with forest mushrooms.

What started off as a virtual restaurant running out of Amaru has bloomed into a lush and airy full-service establishment in Wicker Park. Chef Rodolfo Cuadros crafts healthy plant-based dishes that appeal to both vegans and meat eaters alike. Diners who stop in for Sunday brunch have options such as maitake mushrooms and waffles, avocado huarache, kimchi pancakes, and Baja tacos filled with banana blossom tempura and fermented cabbage. The entire menu is also gluten-free.

There’s a new place for Jamaican food in Chicago, and it comes from western New York. Co-owners and brothers Hakim and Changa Lee, whose parents opened the original Dr. Bird’s in Buffalo 40 years ago, have brought Caribbean specialties to West Town. Customers can order patties — flaky pastries filled with a variety of ingredients — jerk chicken, and brunch favorites like lobster and shrimp rundown, crab fritters, and jerk fried chicken and waffles or cheese grits. The menu also has a large list of rum-based desserts and drinks. Online ordering is available here.

Italian cuisine meets Midwestern ingredients at West Town newcomer Segnatore. Chef Matt Troost puts contemporary twists on his recipes, and the menu features a hearty dose of housemade pastas, cured meats, fried chicken, and more. On the brunch front, diners can enjoy items like a porchetta sandwich and hash browns with foie gras, truffle crème fraiche, and smoked trout roe. Pastry chef Hillary Grossman crafts delights like chocolate sourdough cake with candied orange zest. Online ordering is available here.

Take a trip down south at this River North restaurant and speakeasy-style lounge. Named after New Orleans’ infamous red light district of the late 1800s and early 1900s, Storyville offers a romanticized recreation of the city’s rich past. The dimly-lit space is decorated with Empire chandeliers, big red leather booths, and digital photos of the Big Easy, while the menu boasts comforting fare like blackened shrimp and grits, biscuits and gravy, beignets, and breakfast jambalaya. Live jazz performances round out the charming experience.

The fifth location of celebrity chef and humanitarian José Andrés’s flagship tapas restaurant opened last summer in River North. Perfect for group dining, Jaleo evokes the spirit and flavors of Spain through shareable small plates. Brunch dishes were recently introduced to the menu, giving guests new weekend options like flauta de tortilla de patatas, baked eggs with sobrasada ibérica and veggies, and carne asada with fried egg. Online ordering is available here.

Upscale Southern cuisine is the focus of River North’s Kitchen + Kocktails. This is the second outpost of the black-owned eatery from restaurateur Kevin Kelley, who opened the original Dallas location in 2020. The chic and energetic space hosts brunch on the weekends where guests will find refined versions of classic comfort foods. The dishes include a lamp chop breakfast, shrimp and grits, lobster and waffles, oxtails, steak and eggs, biscuits and gravy, and more. Be aware that the restaurant enforces a dress code.

DineAmic Hospitality overhauled popular River North spot Public House last summer after a decade of operation. The reboot is similar to the company’s other retro-themed bar, Bandit, and features nostalgic pop culture references, live musical performances by DJs, and elevated pub fare. Brunch offers items such as housemade beignets, banana bread pudding French toast, spicy shrimp and grits, breakfast quesadilla, and fried chicken and biscuit waffles. Bottomless mimosas, Bloody Marys, or micheladas are an extra $30 per person. Place online orders here.

Colorful décor, fun vibes, and a lively atmosphere draw people to this nature-themed restaurant and bar in River North. Chef Marco Colin dishes out modern Italian fare and for weekend brunch. Expect Neapolitan- and Detroit-style pizzas alongside go-tos like avocado toast and chicken and waffles flecked with gold flakes. In addition, bottomless mimosas can be had for $35 per person and DJs provide live tunes to keep the dance floor busy.

Fulton Market’s modern Mexican hotspot embraces the flavors of Oaxaca. Chef Guillermo Reyes, whose prior stints include working at Mi Tocaya Antojeria and Mercat a la Planxa, pays homage to the region through dishes built with seasonal Midwestern ingredients. The brunch menu is home to items like churro French toast, sopes benedictinos (Mexican eggs benedict), and enfrijoladas (enchiladas covered in black bean sauce). Cocktails, such as the “Oaxacan on Broken Glass” (mezcal, chile poblano, lime, angostura, habanero bitters), lean heavily on agave spirits, but there’s horchata spiked with spiced rum too. The beautiful space is decked out with wood accents, plants, and woven basket lamps, and there’s a 64-seat patio for al fresco dining when it’s warm out. Online ordering is available here.

Greek sensation Avli has grown to four outposts, and its newest is the most stunning to date. Located in Lakeshore East, the bright and beautiful restaurant encompasses 13,000 square feet and has a rooftop patio that offers lovely views of Lakeshore East Park. The kitchen delivers a fresh and modern spin on traditional Mediterranean flavors, and diners are treated to brunch specialties like tsoureki French toast, avocado and manouri toast, and Greek bagel with ouzo salmon. Online orders can be placed here.

As the name suggests, this Black-owned Tri-Taylor restaurant is dedicated to brunch and burger offerings. Fuel up in the morning with chilaquiles, fried flounder and grits, chicken and waffles, and breakfast sandwiches. Satisfying sides like pommes frites, mac and cheese, and peach cobbler are also worth saving room for. Online ordering is available here.

One of Chicago’s prettiest and most popular brunch experiences has made its way to Oak Brook. RH, formerly known as Restoration Hardware, unveiled a new three-level, 60,000-square-foot store at Oakbrook Center last September. The space also houses a glass-enclosed rooftop restaurant where guests can dine in style while surrounded by lush greenery, sparkling chandeliers, and other posh furnishings. Menu favorites include a top notch burger, truffled grilled cheese, and a luscious lobster roll.

The owner of a Cold Stone Creamery franchise in Chicago is serving customizable brunch dishes on the weekends at this Rogers Park spot. Inspired by Cold Stone, Another Bite lets customers add an assortment of toppings and fillings to their waffles, pancakes, omelets, French toasts, sandwiches, burritos, and more. Online ordering is available here.

A new restaurant has taken over the space in Logan Square that was previously occupied by Masa Azul. Owner Areerat Potikul and former La Luna chef Carlos Gonzalez present classic Mexican fare and brunch specials such as pistachio pancakes, fried French toast with maple cream, and breakfast tostadas. Online ordering is available here.

After years of slinging slices out of the kitchen at Lone Wolf, Heisler Hospitality found a standalone home for its New York-style pizzas in 2020. Chicagoans can head to Logan Square for stellar thin crust pies topped with exciting ingredients, but those who drop by during brunch hours will have extra choices like cinnamon rolls, a carbonara pizza, a breakfast sandwich, and beermosas. The spacious patio, which is heated and partially covered, is a bustling destination when weather permits. Online ordering is available here.

New-York-based bottle shop Verve Wine expanded to the Midwest last year with an outpost in Lincoln Park. The business, which is the brainchild of master sommelier Dustin Wilson and veteran merchant Derrick Mize, offers a curated selection of artisan wines sourced from around the globe. The space also houses a restaurant and bar where customers can pair pours with bites from executive chef Ryan Epp. Sunday brunch has options such as Kusshi oysters dressed with preserved ramp mignonette, brown butter ricotta pancakes, and cheesy grits with forest mushrooms.

What started off as a virtual restaurant running out of Amaru has bloomed into a lush and airy full-service establishment in Wicker Park. Chef Rodolfo Cuadros crafts healthy plant-based dishes that appeal to both vegans and meat eaters alike. Diners who stop in for Sunday brunch have options such as maitake mushrooms and waffles, avocado huarache, kimchi pancakes, and Baja tacos filled with banana blossom tempura and fermented cabbage. The entire menu is also gluten-free.

There’s a new place for Jamaican food in Chicago, and it comes from western New York. Co-owners and brothers Hakim and Changa Lee, whose parents opened the original Dr. Bird’s in Buffalo 40 years ago, have brought Caribbean specialties to West Town. Customers can order patties — flaky pastries filled with a variety of ingredients — jerk chicken, and brunch favorites like lobster and shrimp rundown, crab fritters, and jerk fried chicken and waffles or cheese grits. The menu also has a large list of rum-based desserts and drinks. Online ordering is available here.

Italian cuisine meets Midwestern ingredients at West Town newcomer Segnatore. Chef Matt Troost puts contemporary twists on his recipes, and the menu features a hearty dose of housemade pastas, cured meats, fried chicken, and more. On the brunch front, diners can enjoy items like a porchetta sandwich and hash browns with foie gras, truffle crème fraiche, and smoked trout roe. Pastry chef Hillary Grossman crafts delights like chocolate sourdough cake with candied orange zest. Online ordering is available here.

Take a trip down south at this River North restaurant and speakeasy-style lounge. Named after New Orleans’ infamous red light district of the late 1800s and early 1900s, Storyville offers a romanticized recreation of the city’s rich past. The dimly-lit space is decorated with Empire chandeliers, big red leather booths, and digital photos of the Big Easy, while the menu boasts comforting fare like blackened shrimp and grits, biscuits and gravy, beignets, and breakfast jambalaya. Live jazz performances round out the charming experience.

The fifth location of celebrity chef and humanitarian José Andrés’s flagship tapas restaurant opened last summer in River North. Perfect for group dining, Jaleo evokes the spirit and flavors of Spain through shareable small plates. Brunch dishes were recently introduced to the menu, giving guests new weekend options like flauta de tortilla de patatas, baked eggs with sobrasada ibérica and veggies, and carne asada with fried egg. Online ordering is available here.

Upscale Southern cuisine is the focus of River North’s Kitchen + Kocktails. This is the second outpost of the black-owned eatery from restaurateur Kevin Kelley, who opened the original Dallas location in 2020. The chic and energetic space hosts brunch on the weekends where guests will find refined versions of classic comfort foods. The dishes include a lamp chop breakfast, shrimp and grits, lobster and waffles, oxtails, steak and eggs, biscuits and gravy, and more. Be aware that the restaurant enforces a dress code.

DineAmic Hospitality overhauled popular River North spot Public House last summer after a decade of operation. The reboot is similar to the company’s other retro-themed bar, Bandit, and features nostalgic pop culture references, live musical performances by DJs, and elevated pub fare. Brunch offers items such as housemade beignets, banana bread pudding French toast, spicy shrimp and grits, breakfast quesadilla, and fried chicken and biscuit waffles. Bottomless mimosas, Bloody Marys, or micheladas are an extra $30 per person. Place online orders here.

Colorful décor, fun vibes, and a lively atmosphere draw people to this nature-themed restaurant and bar in River North. Chef Marco Colin dishes out modern Italian fare and for weekend brunch. Expect Neapolitan- and Detroit-style pizzas alongside go-tos like avocado toast and chicken and waffles flecked with gold flakes. In addition, bottomless mimosas can be had for $35 per person and DJs provide live tunes to keep the dance floor busy.

Fulton Market’s modern Mexican hotspot embraces the flavors of Oaxaca. Chef Guillermo Reyes, whose prior stints include working at Mi Tocaya Antojeria and Mercat a la Planxa, pays homage to the region through dishes built with seasonal Midwestern ingredients. The brunch menu is home to items like churro French toast, sopes benedictinos (Mexican eggs benedict), and enfrijoladas (enchiladas covered in black bean sauce). Cocktails, such as the “Oaxacan on Broken Glass” (mezcal, chile poblano, lime, angostura, habanero bitters), lean heavily on agave spirits, but there’s horchata spiked with spiced rum too. The beautiful space is decked out with wood accents, plants, and woven basket lamps, and there’s a 64-seat patio for al fresco dining when it’s warm out. Online ordering is available here.

Greek sensation Avli has grown to four outposts, and its newest is the most stunning to date. Located in Lakeshore East, the bright and beautiful restaurant encompasses 13,000 square feet and has a rooftop patio that offers lovely views of Lakeshore East Park. The kitchen delivers a fresh and modern spin on traditional Mediterranean flavors, and diners are treated to brunch specialties like tsoureki French toast, avocado and manouri toast, and Greek bagel with ouzo salmon. Online orders can be placed here.

As the name suggests, this Black-owned Tri-Taylor restaurant is dedicated to brunch and burger offerings. Fuel up in the morning with chilaquiles, fried flounder and grits, chicken and waffles, and breakfast sandwiches. Satisfying sides like pommes frites, mac and cheese, and peach cobbler are also worth saving room for. Online ordering is available here.

One of Chicago’s prettiest and most popular brunch experiences has made its way to Oak Brook. RH, formerly known as Restoration Hardware, unveiled a new three-level, 60,000-square-foot store at Oakbrook Center last September. The space also houses a glass-enclosed rooftop restaurant where guests can dine in style while surrounded by lush greenery, sparkling chandeliers, and other posh furnishings. Menu favorites include a top notch burger, truffled grilled cheese, and a luscious lobster roll.