Brunch

Brunch will truly always be my favorite meal. It is special enough that I had to give it its own page. Let me explain why and then tell you my favorite Chicago spots as of fall 2022!

The perfect itinerary

I’ve always been a morning person. I like to get my workout done early and have the day ahead of me when possible. Brunch is the perfect social activity for this. The best brunches are at about 1 PM. That gives you time to get a workout in, get some work done, and then go out with your friends and not feel bad about if brunch turns into spending your whole day out.

Low risk and cost effective

Restaurants usually have their most popular dishes, or some variation of them, available on their brunch menu, and it typically tends to cost a little less overall than doing out for dinner. If the brunch is good, then I’ll probably want to be coming back to try the full dinner menu anyway, but brunch is a good time to get your feet wet with a new spot.

Favorite spots for the food

Wildberry

Maybe it’s the suburban native in me, but Wildberry will forever have my heart as the best brunch food. They have a bigger pancake menu with more customization options (my favorite being the banana cream pie pancakes) than I’ve ever seen in my life, and the city location right by Millenium Park is prime for tourists too.

Chicago Waffles

I’ve lived in West Loop almost two years now and just discovered this spot this summer. They have an amazing skillet menu and lots of options to customize all of their dishes. It can get pretty crowded on weekends but that’s how you know the food is good, right?

Favorite spots for the vibes

These are the spots I’d take girlfriends visiting from out of town or places for the days we are feeling a little more extra. These are also probably the spots I knew about as a high schooler growing up in the Chicago suburbs.

Hampton Social

I’ve been to both the Streeterville and River North locations multiple times and think the food and drinks here are pretty great and I still would come here even though I’ve lived in Chicago for about 4 years now. I even have been to the one in Nashville; they really pull off the Hamptons aesthetic well. I put this restaurant in the vibey category mainly because of the Rosé All Day neon sign and the option to add glitter to your cocktails.

Summer House Santa Monica

Another brunch classic but this one is in Lincoln Park! They have a pretty glass roof that is a great way to spend a sunny day for brunch and a rosé cart the staff pushes around if you are interested in ordering wine. They have a pretty classic American brunch menu but my favorite part is definitely the selection of baked goods.

Shore Club Chicago

You can only go to Shore Club during the summer months and it is located right on North Avenue Beach. Somewhat of a day club, it definitely has the summertime Chi vibes that everyone dreams of for all 8 months of winter. I’d say the food is extremely average and the drinks are similar, but this is my favorite on this list for the energy and ambiance. It’s also a perfect spot for a birthday or group; they even have bottle service and outdoor cabanas available.

Favorite spots for both

This is my favorite section. I feel that when restaurants become instagrammable and trendy, the actual food quality and service correspondingly decreases. There are a few spots that bring both immaculate brunch vibes AND food.

Etta

Etta has Bucktown and River North locations, but the Bucktown location is my favorite. They have a gorgeous patio and they decorate it for different themes! For my 24th birthday, my friends and I went for an Apres-Ski themed brunch. The food and service has literally never disappointed me. Personal favorites include the focaccia and crispy chicken sandwich.

Aba

Chicago’s trendy restaurant scene has boomed in the past year, or maybe I’m just more aware of places because they all go viral on TikTok these days. Either way, Aba lives up to the hype. They have a great brunch cocktail menu and nothing tops their charred eggplant, stracciatella, and grilled chicken kebabs. Pro tip: try it out during happy hour for some of the same dishes!

Dusek’s

Pilsen is highly slept on in Chicago. Most of the restaurants are Mexican, but Dusek’s is a unique spot because it houses a cocktail bar, a basement speakeasy, and a restaurant. I would describe the interior design as somewhat rustic modern, and the food is amazing; my personal favorites were the banana bread and dutch baby pancake.

PS: My list of spots to try is never ending; these are just some of the standouts that come to mind!