Put an Egg on It: Where to Brunch in Los Angeles

Fiona Chandra

Is there a meal Los Angeles loves more than brunch? Probably not. With so many options in the city featuring great egg dishes, baked goods and refreshing cocktails, it isn’t hard to tell that weekends in L.A. were made for brunching. Here, we have selected the 10 best places to start off your weekend with the perfect brunch.

A.O.C
When Suzanne Goin moved A.O.C. Wine Bar to its new West Hollywood location complete with a gorgeous patio, it turned into one of the coolest spots for a Los Angeles brunch. Her Spanish fried chicken is served over a cornmeal waffle with maple syrup while eggs are baked in a wood oven with chickpeas and cavolo nero. Christiaan Rollich’s creative cocktails are the perfect accompaniment to a great L.A. afternoon.

Farm Shop
Farm Shop at the Brentwood Country Mart remains one of the best brunch options in the city. Their market-driven menu features produce from California. Start with a basket of pastries served with seasonal preserves, then try the shirred eggs with lamb merguez and Medjool dates or the housemade pastrami and poached eggs served with sweet corn from Brentwood. After your meal, you can saunter over to the adjacent gourmet market and stock up on some artisanal soups or ice creams.

Gjusta
This bakery, deli, and café with its outdoor seating and counter service is one of the quintessential brunch experiences in Venice. There are a lot to try here, from the freshly made pastries and bread to the impeccable sandwiches made from the same bread, and the smoked fish. Round it out with some cortado or a kale smoothie, the Venice way.

Huckleberry
There will definitely be a line at this small café in Santa Monica, thanks to Zoe Nathan’s pastries and the café’s farm-fresh food. Hot items are listed on the board, but you won’t be able to resist the various deli fare and baked goods in the pastry case like the maple bacon biscuit or the seasonal crostata. Go light with a breakfast porridge or quinoa bowl or indulge in brisket hash or a breakfast sandwich made with sunny side up eggs, Niman Ranch bacon and gruyere.

M.B. Post
Crowds drive from near and far to Manhattan Beach to dine at David LeFevre’s restaurant. Their brunch mainstays of bacon cheddar buttermilk biscuits served with a side of maple butter, sticky bun, and chimichanga will always be a crowd favorite while seasonal and special items are handwritten as they are added. Shareable plates and cocktails make M.B. Post a social affair.

P.Y.T.
Chef Josef Centeno’s plant-centric and farm-focused eatery is a must try for brunch in downtown LA, with dishes like lemon ricotta pancakes with coconut butter, green piri-piri rice with over-easy egg, and the best persimmon ricotta toast (when persimmon is in season). Don’t worry, though, if you have to have your meat, Nueske’s bacon and smoked trout are available to order on the side.

République
Brunch is the perfect meal to showcase the Manzke power couple. Upon entering the restaurant, you’ll be greeted by the pastry case filled with Margarita Manzke’s delectable baked goods – from flaky croissants to decadent chocolate cakes. In the kitchen, Chef Walter Manzke churns out a solid menu featuring classics like French toast and Croque madame along with internationally inspired comfort food like shakshouka and kimchi fried rice.

Rose Cafe
The old Rose Café was a brunch standby for Venice locals, but the new version with Jason Neroni heading the kitchen is even better. The coffee bar and house-made pastries make for a quick brunch while the sit down service offers essential items from breakfast burrito, brioche French toast, and avocado toast topped with fried duck egg. Don’t miss the long list of brunch cocktails as well.

Sunny Spot
Escape for a boozy and colorful meal under the sun and pretend you’re in Jamaica at Sunny Spot. Roy Choi’s bold flavors permeate dishes like Cuban media noche, the breakfast sandwich or huevos rancheros rice bowl. Best yet, you can wash down each dish with a bottomless rum punch for just $18 per person.

Sqirl
Jessica Koslow and Sqirl may have launched into fame with jams and preserves but the crowd that gathers at Sqirl knows this Silverlake spot is about more than just toast, although the toast and jams are not to be missed. Along with that, chow down on the sorrel pesto rice bowl, porridgel or their daily frittata.