When the weekends come, for us, it’s all about checking out the hottest restaurants. Whether you are an early morning person or prefer to linger a little longer in bed, there is one thing in common we can all agree on – brunch is the best part of the weekend. From smoked salmon Benedicts served up near Faneuil Hall to a bone-in ribeye for two in the Fort Point neighborhood, here’s a look at the top five brunch spots for the discerning diner.
Mooo
Photo Credit: Mooo Restaurant
Start off with some warm blueberry beignets or gooey cinnamon buns at this Beacon Hill haute spot before moving onto some of their enormous breakfast staples (think brioche French toast with caramelized bananas or griddled chocolate chip pancakes). What you might not be aware of is this signature steakhouse located at the XV Beacon boutique hotel also offers one of the most nontraditional brunch offerings for those who prefer the lunch side of brunch. Here, you can sink your teeth into a 24-ounce bone-in Delmonico or 12-ounce tender filet served with two eggs served any way. Brunch never tasted so good.
15 Beacon Street, Boston, MA 02108; Website
Cultivar
Photo Credit: Cultivar
Bloody Marys abound at the weekend brunch introduced last fall by chef/owner Mary Dumont. The stylish restaurant is tucked inside the Ames Boston Hotel and located steps from Faneuil Hall and Government Center. You can kick off the weekend right with short stack of hash browns or keep things on the light side with a taste of ahi tuna toast or smoked bluefish pate. We love the Croque Madame made with French battered brioche and poached eggs or the Ducktrap smoked salmon Benedict topped with an addicting hollandaise sauce. The house made sausage patties are some of the best in town made with just the right amount of ginger, sage and fennel.
1 Court Street, Boston, MA 02108; Website
Townsman
Photo Credit: Townsman
Located on the Rose Kennedy Greenway just steps from Chinatown is one of the prettiest patios in town for your weekend fix. Brunch here had been a monthly staple until last month when, lucky for us, they started to offer it weekly along with live entertainment. The menu here now features Southern-inspired dishes like crisp fried chicken with cornbread waffles, chorizo Benedicts with smoked chili relish, and a soft scramble with spring vegetable succotash. Pair it up with a pickle plate or side of ham biscuits or “pig’n grits” for a fun afternoon in the sun.
120 Kingston Street, Boston, MA 02111; Website
Oak & Rowan
Photo Credit: Oak + Rowan
This Fort Point chic spot’s mid-morning Sunday menu by Nancy Batista-Caswell features decadent dishes like potato chips with Hackleback caviar and spring onion dip; pork and clam chowder, and lobster gnocchi with fried eggs. For main events, try the duck confit Croque Madame served with a sunny side duck egg and an omelet made even better with the addition of Bloomsdale spinach, oyster mushrooms and triple crème. Heartier appetites love the bone-in ribeye for two that comes with crispy poached eggs and caviar hollandaise. The European style restaurant also offers a nice selection of champagnes by the glass to celebrate the weekend in style.
321 A Street, Boston, MA 02210; Website
L’Espalier
Photo Credit: L’Espalier
The utmost care is taken to prepare every dish at this Back Bay favorite. The fine dining haute spot brought to us by Frank McClelland offers a three-course prix fixe menu on Saturdays and Sundays. The French restaurant offers everything from perfectly prepared lobster Benedicts to delicately presented mushroom crepes. Add on a cheese board sampling (the best in the city) or pair it up with a tea cocktail from tea sommelier, Cynthia Gold, whose creations include Green Tea Gimlet and Southern Earl Grey.
774 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02199; Website
