These are the Restaurants Serving Palm Beach’s Best Sunday Brunch This Season

Brunch in Palm Beach is not a casual undertaking. On a Sunday morning during season, when the island’s population has tripled and the social calendar is running at full speed, serious residents and savvy visitors have already answered the question of where to eat between 11 AM and 2 PM by Thursday. The restaurants below are where those answers lead. Some are grand, some are relaxed, and one is among the country’s most celebrated hotel brunches. Here are the best establishments to have a Sunday brunch.

The Circle at The Breakers

Photo Credit: The Breakers

The Sunday brunch that Palm Beach residents mean when they say Sunday brunch. The Circle, the grand dining room at The Breakers, has been running its legendary buffet for nearly a century. The room itself, with its intricate hand-painted frescoed ceilings, 15-foot windows overlooking the Atlantic, and an interior modeled after Italian Renaissance palaces, is as much the reason to come as anything on the table. The buffet is extensive and relentlessly well-executed: made-to-order omelets, a raw bar with Maine lobster and seasonal stone crab from October through May, carved beef tenderloin, imported cheeses, and more than 30 desserts. Sunday service runs from noon to 3 PM, reservations are required, and tables are held for two hours. Dress is resort wear. It is comfortably the most expensive brunch on the island and, for a special occasion, one of the most difficult to argue against. The early crowd arrives between 11 and 11:30 AM. The post-worship crowd follows around 1 PM after services at Bethesda-by-the-Sea or St. Edward’s.

Swifty’s at The Colony

Photo Credit: The Colony

The most Palm Beach brunch experience available outside of The Breakers, and the one locals are most likely to recommend without hesitation. Swifty’s, tucked into The Colony Hotel at 155 Hammon Avenue, serves weekend brunch poolside under retro parasols in a setting that feels both glamorous and entirely unpretentious. The menu delivers cereal-crusted French toast, egg dishes, sandwiches, and the kind of all-day room that is rare on the island. The pool patio is the seat worth having. Ask for it by name when booking, because it fills first and is not the default table assignment. Swifty’s opens from breakfast onward, making it a reliable option for guests who want the Colony’s energy without the formality of a Saturday night.

Sant Ambroeus

Photo Credit: Sant Ambroeus

Sant Ambroeus brought its celebrated Milanese sensibility to Palm Beach, and the island has embraced it. Inspired by the Italian Gran Caffes of the 1950s, the Palm Beach outpost offers a brunch menu with genuine Milanese character, including the Crostino Milanese, the Omelette of the Day, and the kind of handmade pasta and espresso program that makes the room feel like it belongs as much to Milan as to Worth Avenue. The atmosphere is polished without being stiff, the service is attentive, and the crowd reflects the specific Palm Beach combination of old money and new arrivals who have done their homework. One of the island’s more consistent brunch addresses.

Cafe Boulud

Chef Daniel Boulud’s award-winning restaurant at the heart of the historic Brazilian Court Hotel has been one of Palm Beach’s most coveted dining destinations since opening in 2003. The weekend brunch program runs Saturday and Sunday from 11 AM to 2:30 PM. The menu moves between mid-day favorites including a Wild Maine Lobster Roll and the CBPB Burger, and the classics like Eggs Benedict and Belgian Waffles. The room, with its Pecky Cypress ceilings inlaid with seashells, modern leather and velvet touches, and an outdoor terrace overlooking the Brazilian Court’s courtyard fountains and palm trees, is one of the most beautiful brunch environments in Palm Beach. Cafe Boulud holds four stars in the Forbes Travel Guide and the Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence. Jackets are preferred during high season, and reservations are strongly recommended up to one month in advance.

Henry’s Palm Beach

Named after Henry Morrison Flagler, Henry’s is The Breakers’ neighborhood bistro, an inviting American-inspired room that operates at a register considerably more relaxed than The Circle. The brunch menu is approachable and well-executed, with warmth and consistency that have made it a reliable choice for both resort guests and locals who want a Breakers-quality experience without the full formality of the resort’s main dining room. A genuine neighborhood brunch spot inside one of the country’s most celebrated hotels.

LoLa 41

LoLa 41’s primary reputation is built around its sushi dinner program. The restaurant opens for breakfast at 8 AM daily and for lunch at 11 AM, giving it one of the earliest and most flexible windows on the island for morning dining. The breakfast menu covers mango granola berry parfait, brioche French toast, and specialty cold-pressed juices. The lunch menu pivots to salads, sushi, and the well-known LoLa Burger. For guests who want something lighter and more casual than a full brunch program, LoLa 41 delivers consistent quality in a room that attracts a loyal regular following.

Drift Palm Beach

The most warmly reviewed newer brunch spot on the island, and the one most likely to earn the description of a gem from guests who discover it. Drift’s outdoor-only setup creates a relaxed, inviting atmosphere that feels genuinely removed from the more formal brunch culture of The Breakers and The Colony. The menu is fresh and seasonal, and the room, if it can be called that, has the kind of effortless character that most Palm Beach restaurants work considerably harder to achieve. Worth seeking out for a mid-week brunch or a low-key Sunday alternative to the island’s grander options.

SurfSide Diner

The most approachable address on this list and the one that offers a classic American diner experience with the specific Palm Beach upgrade that the island invariably applies to everything. SurfSide’s brunch menu covers pancakes, eggs, and comfort food classics in a laid-back setting that does not require a reservation, a dress code, or a decision made days in advance. For Sunday morning, when nothing formal is required and good food at a reasonable price is the only brief, SurfSide is the right answer.

For more of Haute Living’s Palm Beach coverage, see Palm Beach Season is Officially Starting, and the Island Is About to Triple in Size and The Palm Beach Steakhouses Worth Booking Before Season Starts.