Where's Your Favorite Place for Brunch?

[Sweetbread]

I am still searching for a place that offers something special, beyond your basic eggs and French toast. I'd love to hear what others have discovered...

[hiddenboston]

I like the Centre Street Cafe in JP for brunch. They have interesting takes on the basics such as French toast, pancakes, eggs, etc. I really like the sourdough French toast that comes with a big pile of fruit and VT maple syrup.

[bostonbroad]

VeeVee in JP, just down the road from hiddenboston's nominee Centre Street Cafe, is doing a good and interesting brunch these days - lobster sausge, good buttermilk biscuits, and although I have yet to try the grits, they look promising. I also have to give a strong shout out to Pop's in the South End - french toast monte cristo's, eggs w/chorizo and chilaquiles, beignets, brioche pecan french toast with bananas and nutella - YUM!

[BobB]

The Blue Room in Kendall Sq. They do a huge buffet of everything from the traditional (eggs, pancakes, sausages) to the more exotic (Asian-inspired salads, spiced grilled meats, gravlax), a constantly changing array. Plus a whole table of desserts. It's wise to make a reservation.

[nasilemak]

Second The Blue Room...its extensive spread and room has a warm celebratory feel to it.

[chowfamily]

Finz in Dedham has a brunch that includes an all you can eat raw bar of oysters (Wellfleets currently), boiled shrimp and crab, and cooked to order eggs.
DC and I had a wonderful time celebrating his birthday with oysters, Guinness, and salad, The staff were gracious with our situational over-indulgence.

[catsmeow]

I went to Finz in Dedham today with a good friend and the brunch was very good. From the creme brulee french toast, perfect waffles, bacon, salmon hash and homefries to the swordfish,salmon, turkey and ham, everything was delicious. My friend had 4 plates of crab legs. The truffled mac and cheese was too good! The waiter takes your omelet order(included). It just might have been the best omelet I ever had. You can order as many omelets as you want. There were also various salads and veggies. Although very full, I did sample several of the deserts which were quite good. We'll be back!

[SASSYMI2]

Does anyone know how much the brunch is at Finz?

[Sweetbread]

Thanks everyone for your suggestions. They all sound different in their own way and very enticing!

[sushidad]

A truly unique (and reasonably priced!) brunch can be found at Masa on Tremont in the South End

[winstont]

For an not so norm rec I would try Otherside cafe-- i love thier huevos rancheros -- its over thier out-of-this-world veggie chilli or the swan french toast, which is stuffed with cream cheese and walnuts I believe, I usually go with my SO and we split both. I also want to second the MASA rec-- I would suggest the santa fe eggs benedict.

[MC Slim JB]

Cafe Polonia does a Polish-themed weekend brunch (with recorded polka music).

Deluxe Town Diner has a great selection of pancakes and waffles on weekends.

Union Bar & Grill does a terrific plate of cod cakes and poached eggs at brunch.

Terrie's Place in Southie often serves smoked shoulder on weekends, an interesting cut of pork (aka picnic ham).

Rubin's Kosher Deli does the kosher deli thing (fine overstuffed sandwiches of pastrami, corned beef, etc.) on Sunday (closed Saturday) as well as traditional breakfast foods (nice blintzes).

Vertically-roasted turkey dinner or sandwich at My Diner in Southie.

Carribean-flavored brunch at East Coast Grill (Sunday).

Good Mexican brunch at Ole Mexican Grill.

Very broad brunch menu (with some nice French dishes) at Eastern Standard, to say nothing of outstanding eye-openers (Sunday).

Venezuelan and American brunch items on Sunday at Orinoco (South End).

[Allstonian]

MC Slim JB:
"Rubin's Kosher Deli does the kosher deli thing (fine overstuffed sandwiches of pastrami, corned beef, etc.) on Sunday (closed Saturday) as well as traditional breakfast foods (nice blintzes)."

My ears perked up at this - Rubin's is very nearby and I do love me some blintzes. I still miss B&D Deli in their heyday, and while Zaftig's blintzes are okay, I'd be very happy to learn of some other good ones.

But wait, I thought - Rubin's is kosher, and meat only? So I went and looked at their website. Sure enough, their blintzes appear to be fruit-filled and are served with non-dairy sour cream (as are their bagels served w/non-dairy cream cheese.) So can anybody tell me how palatable these non-dairy dairy products are?

[MC Slim JB]

The two types of non-dair sour cream I've seen are rice- or soy-based (not sure what Rubin's uses); both are pretty good. They now make cultured soy-based products that are really convincing, I think. Non-dairy cream cheeses are less successful, in my experience.

[BarmyFotheringayPhipps]

Let's hear more about this brunch at Cafe Polonia! 'Cause between the kielbasa and the potato pancakes and the things with preserves on them, they're already about 2/3s of the way to a mighty breakfast.

[autopi]

i think the recorded polka music takes them all the way there...

[MC Slim JB]

Usual stuff, plus some egg dishes. That includes the best hash browns in Greater Boston (the potato pancakes). Kielbasa instead of Jimmy Dean breakfast sausages. Good Polish beer, if you're so inclined.

[bear]

We tried to go to Cafe Polonia for brunch three or four months ago, and they were not serving any egg dishes, just the regular menu. We left because we were in a breakfast mood. If they've started again, I'd love to give their brunch a try.

[alwayscooking]

Union Bar has a great brunch and discounts the menu for early diners.

[digga]

What's up recently at Highland Kitchen for brunch? We're not brunch people, but I thought HK has some cool country trio brunch on Sundays. Can anyone chime in?

[hsquare2southend]

I love the Tremont 647 pajama brunch. Where else can you get a homemade pop-tart?

[peelmeagrape]

Flour Bakery.

[alwayscooking]

Trement 647 has fine but uninspiring food. How can someone make an omelet dull?

[robertlf]

Danish Pastry House.

[mrgeocool]

I have enjoyed Henrietta's Table for food that's fresh and well prepared and definitely different from the status quo of bacon/eggs/potatoes in chafing dishes.

[rknrll]

Supreme Kitchen and The Plough and Stars. No contest.

[Hot Skillet]

Try Clink at the liberty, Sat and Sunday they do this great brunch that includes a buffett and a la carte items- both sections are well done and all you can eat.

[peelmeagrape]

Love breakfast at Clink. The sticky bun French toast is sugar-addict heaven.

[anitab]

Had a great brunch at Johnnie D's in Somerville a few weeks ago. The egg scrambles are delicious with a great ingredient to egg ratio (I actually like to see the eggs in an egg scramble). I tried their chorizo and caramelized onion scramble which was fantastic! The scramble comes with a cup of oatmeal (best I have ever had) and juice/coffee. DC had pancakes which were also good.

In short, excellent variations on the standard eggs and pancakes.

[taxi]

Was there entertainment at Johnnie D's during the brunch? Thanks. Have wanted to go there for a while now so this was good reading your review.

[Dog Boy]

My opinion is that most brunches SUCK. Every brunch menu has the exact five things on the menu - some from of scrambled eggs and omlet, french toast, pankakes, and the ever present eggs benedict. Oh and a burger for those who are already in the lunch mood.

With that said, there is one place for brunch that is the absolute BOMB - East Cost Grill.

They have tons of little tapas like items including hot links (XXX heat), simple grilled avacado halves, etc... Plus other carribean themed entress.

One of my all time favoirte dishes for any meal is the grilled bannana stuffed with pulled pork and topped with Inner Beauty hot sauce. This thing is incedible and only served on Sunday's. If you like spicy food - this is a must have. The cool of the bannana offsets the intense heat of the hot sauce. Ridiculous.

[BobB]

"Every brunch menu has the exact five things on the menu"

You have clearly not been to The Blue Room - or most any of the other recommendations above.

[erinire]

Trident Cafe has the most insane lemon ricotta french toast... on perpetual breakfast! Can't say much for the other brunch-esque offerings, however. Especially for the price.

[hiddenboston]

The meals I've had at the Trident haven't blown me away, but I love the place for what it is (an independent bookstore/cafe), and only wish there were more places like it in the Boston area. There used to be a bookstore/cafe in the Wayland Square section of Providence, but I believe it is long gone now.

[erinire]

me too! Their food is insanely overpriced and mediocre to boot, but I love to sit at the counter with a glass of wine or a cappuccino and read magazines :) So to Trident I return, again and again.

[aerin13]

Sabur- about a 5 min walk up Holland Street from Davis Square- used to have a lot of interesting brunch options. I believe the place is Serbian? They have a nice mix of eastern mediterranean flavors with regular brunch items.

In East Boston check out Angela's or the 303 Cafe. Very different places, but I brunch at both places are excellent. Angela's has excellent guacamole and huervos. The 303 usually has great, reliable brunch specials- a good choice for a party whose members may be mixed in terms of exoticism.

[fredid]

Angela's has, as well as "American" breakfasts (for your not so adventurous buddies) chiliquiles, like a Mexican breakfast lasagna (well...need to bone up on my descriptions!), those fantastic little gorditas w/chorizo, and the above mentioned guacamole and huevos. Even things like her surprisingly excellent steak quesadilla would be great with some eggs on the side and salsa on top!

[RDR]

The brunch at Aujourd'hui is expensive and unforgettable

[avasmom]

Do you happen to know how much the brunch is?

[MC Slim JB]

$65-70/pp, if memory serves.

[avasmom]

thanks!

[Kitamonster]

Wholeheartedly second Masa- best deal in town! All morning Sat and for the first hour on Sun, cornbread plus starter plus entree plus coffee or tea is $7.95. I think I am addicted to the cranberry chipotle preserves they serve with the cornbread.

[alwayscooking]

Third the recommendation

Lots of food although the quality is sometimes uneven (we go there a lot). Tables are hard to come by in the SE.

[hoolese]

Poppa B's in Dorchester has a great soul food brunch, with a ham steak that I have trouble not ordering every time, much as I want to try other things.
http://www.poppab.com/

I second Terries Place in South Boston, the irish benedict is sweet.

[zizzpudding]

The Neighborhood - Union Square, Somerville

The have some specials that are unusual sometimes. Was there this weekend and had the portugese breakfast special with 3 different kinds of fish cakes. Also had a baked apple for an appetizer and the cream of wheat is yummy... A word of warning though, they serve way too much food on your plate. Go only if you're really hungry.

[lipoff]

I love Sound Bites, even if it's more "breakfast" than "brunch" perhaps.

I've enjoyed Saturday brunch at Aquitaine very much --- less crowded, easier to park, great price, and carefully prepared food.

I realize that one has to be a member (or the guest of a member) but the Harvard University Faculty Club does a terrific Sunday Brunch and in a particularly beautiful setting.

[missfoodie]

Henrietta's Table

[SaraASR]

I went to Johnnie's on the Side today for brunch. The service was not too hot, but my pancakes were delicious (super thick yet light and fluffy at the same time). They were some of the best pancakes I've had in long time. My DCs loved their jerk chicken entree and omelettes.

What really made the experience so great was the reggae band. They were fantastic! It's a great way to continue the weekend fun... I'd recommend it.

[MrsCheese]

We really like the brunch at Sel de la Terre. I love the seared tuna nicoise salad, and the vanilla french toast is fantastic. My husband has had the steak frites with bearnaise and a poach egg - yum.