The Best Brunch Spots in Philadelphia

Famous 4th Street Delicatessen 

Tradition is strong here at Famous 4th Street Delicatessen. Founded nearly a century ago in 1923, Famous 4th has served generations of Philadelphians. Russ Cowan, who purchased the Philly landmark in 2005, descended from a family of deli restaurateurs back to the early 1900s. He has continued to keep the original owner’s traditions alive with the babka French toast, matzo brei, hash with eggs, potato pancakes, and overstuffed sandwiches — all delicious ways to start the day.

B-UNO’s

Husband and wife duo Steve and Ree Capers are the masterminds behind B-UNOS, which is as renowned for its brunch food as it is for its burger. Brunch dishes include classics like French toast and pancakes alongside specialties such as the chicken and waffle burrito (yes, you read that correctly).

Green Eggs Cafe

Brunch is the focus at Green Eggs Cafe. There are several locations around town, and, given its popularity, there’s an appetite for many more. Known for their over-the-top, oversized red velvet pancakes and chicken-and-waffles eggs benedict, Green Eggs also serves skillets like the Kitchen Sink with three eggs scrambled with sausage crumbles, Gruyere, potatoes, peppers, and onions, topped with sausage gravy and a jumbo biscuit. You won’t need dinner after this.

Silver Diner 

Founder Bob Giaimo and co-founder and chef Ype Von Hengst visited more than 500 diners across America before even cracking an egg at this Cherry Hill mainstay more than 30 years ago. The result is timeless, elevated diner fare that attracts both truckers and food influencers. Everything here is a winner, but the caramel French toast with Amish eggs is always a strong choice.

Bagelati 

Is it even brunch without a bagel? You don’t have to find out at Bagelati in Cinnaminson. They do a Nova lox bagel here better than most, along with bagel brunch sandwiches stuffed with a variety of ingredients (eggs and cheese, of course, and also pork roll and steak). Despite the name, they’re more than bagels. There are 10 omelets on the menu, along with staple sides like crispy hash brown patties, bacon, and sausage. Anyone interested in the lunch side of brunch would do well to order one of the excellent hoagies or burgers.

Swedesboro Diner 

They’ve got eggs all the ways at the old-school (yet eternally cool) Swedesboro Diner in southern New Jersey. There are big brunch-y items like eggs benedict alongside hotcakes and more than two dozen three-egg omelets, including the cheesesteak omelet, all served with fried potatoes. And if you’ve never tried creamed chipped beef, this is the place to do it.

The Bagel Place

With five years in the business, owner and bagel devotee Ringo Rossman has proved that he’s mastered the art of the bagel — the right amount of crunchy (on the outside) and chewy (on the inside). The Bagel Place offers more than two dozen varieties (try the pretzel bagel, please) and virtually every kind of bagel sandwich imaginable. Expect Rossman’s creations to earn a spot in your brunch-order rotation, especially if you’re a pet owner! You can add a salmon treat right to your order.

Amy’s Omelette House 

This Cherry Hill breakfast and brunch destination opened in 2012 and has since earned shout-outs from local media and raves from locals. The Building Station option lets you build your own brunch experience: Start with a foundation of pancakes, French toast, or waffles, and then add eggs, meat, fruit, and much more. And the Nutella crunch challah French toast is as good as it sounds.

The Metropolitan 

The brunch offerings at this North Wales diner range from hearty to heartier. The signature Metropolitan Omelet is stuffed with ham, applewood bacon, country sausage, onions, and cheddar and Muenster cheeses; the breakfast sliders also come with both sausage and bacon.

Oxford Breakfast Inc. 

Oxford Circle’s go-to spot for avid brunchers brings a bit of the South to Philadelphia, serving grits alongside many of their egg dishes. The Belgian waffles have just the right balance of crisp and fluff, and you can get them with chicken wings (!) as well as chocolate chips, bananas, or blueberries. 

Bud & Marilyn’s

Chef Marcie Blaine Turney named Bud & Marilyn’s after her grandparents; she grew up in their Wisconsin restaurant The Spot. For 20 years, Turney has served simple, well-prepared comfort food which ranges from regional to global. Think dishes like the shrimp po boy benedict and shakshuka, as well as chicken and waffles.

Four Seasons Diner 

Four Seasons is a Philly institution that serves traditional breakfast dishes with pork roll or scrapple on the side. Cinnamon French toast just might transport you to your childhood or, if that doesn’t do the trick, try the pancakes in a pile three-high. The chipped beef here is also a regional go-to.

Batter & Crumbs Vegan Bakery and Cafe

Philadelphia gave rise to the phrase “jawn.” While it can be applied to a lot of things, here at Batter & Crumbs it refers to the humble-looking, spectacular-tasting vegan spinach jawn, a savory pastry stuffed with vegan cheese and fresh spinach. This South Philly café attracts coffee aficionados in droves, so grab a latte (or anything else brewed with Philly Fair Trade Roasters beans), and complete your order with an array of sweet brunch-y treats, like a cherry cheese Danish or a buttery cinnamon roll.

Nudy’s Cafe 

Nudy’s, which has several locations around the greater Philadelphia area, offers six kinds of eggs benedicts and Florentines, so it’s perfect for fans of Hollandaise, the sauce that belongs on more than just eggs. Nearly 20 types of omelets are available as well as French toast, pancakes, avocado toast, and huevos rancheros.

La Cocina 

Think you’ve sampled everything brunch has to offer? Think again. La Cocina is bringing the cuisine of the Dominican Republic to the greater Philadelphia area, and it’s here to surprise you. For brunch, they specialize in mangu, a breakfast staple in the DR. A mashed plantain creation, mangu pairs perfectly with brunch staples like bacon, eggs, and sausage — not to mention fried cheese. Standard brunch items, like French toast, waffles, and pancakes, round out the menu.

Bart’s Bagels

Bart’s Bagels was born from a firsthand appreciation for some of New York’s most storied bagels, like H&H and Zabar’s, and the menu is an homage to those. Mostly, the menu sticks to NYC-style classics like B.E.C. (bacon, egg, and cheese) and smoked Nova and whitefish. But it includes some updates, like the highly Instagrammable Pink and Pretty, with Nova smoked salmon, beet-horseradish cream cheese, pickled red onions, and dill.

The New Berlin Diner 

The New Berlin is made for true brunch lovers, as it serves classics until 9 p.m. That includes breakfast sandwiches as well as classic and challah French toast, pancakes (the granola-raisin are a delight), and Belgian waffles. The omelets here can come elaborate (the Cajun has Italian sausage, peppers, onions, tomatoes, mozzarella, and Cajun spice) or simple (American cheese).

June’s Restaurant 

At June’s in Stenton — a real breakfast and brunch joint and we mean that with all the respect in the world — they’ve got your number. That’s because each entrée is numbered, from 1 (eggs with home fries and toast) to 26 (Western omelet with grits and toast). We suggest lingering in the Chef’s Specials menu, where you’ll see shrimp and grits, crab cakes, and a New York strip  served with eggs and all the fixings.

Hymie’s 

Hymie's Delicatessen has been a Main Line hub for classic New York–style deli fare for more than 60 years. Family-owned and operated, this is the place to order a true brunch spread, whether that’s bagels with a schmear of cream cheese and lox or sable and blintzes or jumbo omelets and eggs any style. There are also eggs benedict and fried matzo served scrambled or the intriguing pancake-style.