River Styx (Greenpoint)
All the menus at this nearly waterfront restaurant in Greenpoint change on a daily basis, with some steady staples. The oven-fired cinnamon roll here is a molten caramel (and raisin-free) must-try. Order it to share as a brunch dessert — and keep in mind it will take a while to cool down. The nachos, whether as a shared appetizer or as an unconventional brunch entree, come with house-made queso, shredded braised chicken and a pile of cilantro on top. The Bloody Marys here have a distinct south-of-the border seasoning, and the Styx mimosa, with a spritz of grapefruit and touch of cinnamon, is a great twist on the classic brunch drink.
Thistle Hill storefront
Thistle Hill Tavern (Park Slope)
It’s hard to find a brunch menu that offers the best of many worlds — interesting but comforting, healthy and hangover-soothing, with options for carnivores and vegetarians. Thistle Hill Tavern, whose owners include former Top Chef contestant Dale Talde and of NOFX lead singer Michael “Fat Mike” Burkett, succeeds at having something for everyone. You don’t see corned beef hash on a brunch menu that often in Brooklyn, and it’s even rarer that it’s this delicious (though with Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, Russian dressing and toasted rye, it’s really more of a deconstructed reuben). The kale salad with spicy corn nuts will please lighter palates, while the doughnut French toast is tempting as a breakfast dessert for the entire table to share.
Brunch staples | Hope and Anchor
Hope and Anchor (Red Hook)
Breakfast menus served seven days a week, all day long, are surprisingly few and far between in Brooklyn, and Hope and Anchor has one of the best around. It’s a modern diner with a retro feel, where you can load up on eggs, hash, pancakes, or French toast. They even have a Hangover Helper — a bowl heaped with scrambled eggs, potatoes, cheese and onions and your choice of meat or veggies. There are also plenty of sandwiches and burgers for the lunchy side of brunch.
The Beryl Evans, hash, biscuit and sunnyside eggs | Nahid D. via Yelp
Maggie Brown (Clinton Hill)
With sunny outdoor seating, southern-inflected comfort food, and breakfast served daily starting at 10am, Maggie Brown’s has long been a neighborhood favorite. Choices like fried chicken, a smoked salmon plate, and a veggie burger have made it a real crowd pleaser. Go for the Grandma Harriet — eggs over cheddar-jalapeño grits that will have you licking the bowl clean.
Lobster Claw Blood Mary
Lobster Joint (Greenpoint)
Four words: Lobster Claw Bloody Mary. And yes, you really get a lobster claw in your already more than adequately garnished Bloody, all for just $9. That’s less than most cocktails with booze alone, no crustacean involved. The food’s not too shabby either. There are lots of choices, including veggie options and a burger on a $19 prix fixe brunch that comes with coffee and your choice of mimosa or that Bloody Mary. Try the lobster benedict and eat it in their spacious and leafy backyard. This is a rare deal in a town where brunch can easily run $40 a person.
The fried chicken sandwich | Egg
Egg (Williamsburg)
Once a long skinny white box with a kitchen in the back, Egg recently moved to more spacious digs a few blocks away from the original location. Serving up Southern food made with local ingredients (owner George Weld has a farm upstate), Egg is also famous for its ridiculously good biscuits, available as sandwiches or just slathered in gravy. During the week, you can get breakfast all day, with the added bonus of being able to order their delicious fried-chicken sandwich, not available during weekend brunch.
A green spot in an industrial neighborhood | Northeast Kingdom
Northeast Kingdom (Bushwick)
Northeast Kingdom was one of the first restaurants with a local, seasonal focus to open in Bushwick, and new businesses have flourished around it. The menu changes seasonally, but you can always count on local produce (some sourced from Rooftop Farms in Queens and Brooklyn), heritage pork, and fresh, pastured eggs. This is no humorless exercise in locavorism, though. Their Brass Monkey cocktail, made with orange juice and Allagash White, is a clever and delicious take on the traditional malt liquor and Minute Maid.
Pecan pie French toast | Allison G. via Yelp
Buttermilk Channel (Carroll Gardens)
Jay-Z and Beyoncé eat here — what else do you need to know? Well, it’s a great spot for vegetarians with plenty of meatless options, both savory and sweet. They have an entire Bloody Mary menu, including options with rosemary-infused vodka, or a freshly shucked oyster, or one that combines Jameson’s and stout. And don’t forget the pecan pie French toast.