Restaurants

The Most Popular Brunch Spots in Miami

Yes, we can bring you that French toast poolside.

10/6/22
12 min read
yolk

Miami is a city of late nights that often turn into early mornings. That usually means brunch is a necessity the next day. It can be a real scene, though, with lines, crowds, and too much direct sunlight. You might not want to leave your apartment or hotel, and that’s where we come in. The options run the gamut from the usual avocado toast and omelets to ultra-decadent stacks of Key lime pie pancakes and fried chicken–topped biscuits. Whether you’re in camp sweet or camp savory, here are the best options for when you just don’t feel like lifting your ragged limbs from the couch. Here are some of the most popular brunch spots in Miami.

 The Daily Creative Food Co.

At this Edgewater all-day brunch spot, we’d say the move is to get a breakfast sandwich or a wrap, since they have nine of them on the menu. For a heartier option, grab the Bodega, which comes with roasted pork topped with a sunny-side-up egg, Swiss cheese, caramelized onions, and arugula served on a toasted kaiser roll. If you’re going meatless, grab the Lifeguard, with egg whites, kale, onions, avocado, potatoes, Swiss cheese, and sriracha, all in a spinach wrap.

BestBrunchMiami DailyCreativeCo breakfastburrito article

Toasted Bagelry & Deli

It’s all in the name at this deli, which has four locations throughout the Miami area. A gussied-up bagel is a thing of beauty, and they know that at Toasted, a spot founded by New York imports who take those bagels seriously. You can grab them DIY style, by the dozen or half-dozen with tubs of cream cheese, lox-filled or plain, to slather on them. Or get one ready-made and fully loaded with toppings, such as the Venetian Sandwich, which comes with roasted red peppers, red onions, cucumbers, lettuce, tomato, veggie cream cheese, and chipotle mayo served on, of course, the bagel of your choice.

CAO Bakery

CAO is bringing Cuban American flair to your brunch with its pork-filled sandwiches, guava pastries, and café con leche. A local favorite that has been fueling Miami residents for three generations, you can go big or small here. If you’re hungry, grab The Original, a plate with two eggs served any style, ham or bacon, fries, Cuban toast with butter, and café con leche. If you’re just looking for a snack, maybe it’s a pastry: Go sweet with the buttery, fruit-filled guava pastelito, or savory with a ham croqueta. 

Abe & Louie’s

Who knew they did a killer brunch at this Boca steakhouse? We did! And yes, if you’re feeling indulgent at 11:30 on a Sunday morning, they can even bring you a filet mignon. Pretty wild. If you’re not in the mood for a.m. red meat, they have many other options, like eggs Benedict topped with truffle hollandaise or a version made with crab cakes. Both come with a side of crispy potatoes. If you want sweet, they do a French toast topped with maple, banana, and pecans and a stack of pancakes filled with fresh blueberries.

BestBrunchMiami Abe&Louies filetmignon article

El Bagel

The bagels at El Bagel are some of the best in the city. They are hand rolled and freshly baked multiple times a day — a far cry from those sad, months-old ones from the grocery store you’ve got sitting in your freezer. Although assembling a bagel yourself is fun, we suggest you choose from one of the 16 sandwiches they have on the menu. We’re partial to the Avo Spesh that comes with smashed Hass avocado, plain cream cheese, watermelon radish, English cucumber, sea salt, extra-virgin olive oil, and sprouts. The best thing about El Bagel is you can even customize how you’d like your bagel toasted: not toasted, just plain ol’ toasted, and burnt. Those are the details that really matter.

Berries in the Grove

Brunch is as classic as it gets at this Coconut Grove restaurant. The menu is filled with omelets, sausages, and pancakes. The healthy omelet is made with egg whites, tomato, onions, mushrooms, spinach, and feta, and is served with multigrain toast and a side of sliced tomatoes instead of home fries. If you want to go all out, order the steak and eggs: tender beef with two eggs and a side of home fries.

Alaska Coffee Roasting Co.

Who knew it’d be so easy to get a taste of Alaska right in the heart of Miami? The café was imported straight from Fairbanks, where it was founded in 1993. Yes, you can get your typical croissants and yogurt parfaits here, but a unique choice is their breakfast pizza. It comes topped with two eggs and your choice of cheese and meat or veg. You should also order some coffee; it’s in the name, after all. Maybe a French press or a nitro cold brew?

BestBrunchMiami AlaskaCoffeeRoastingCo breakfastpizza article

The Front Porch Café

Right on Ocean Drive, The Front Porch Café has been serving craveable comforts since 1990. The brunch menu has your typical scrambles, pancakes, and French toast, but also a strong Latin American–influenced section. The barbecue breakfast tostada is a toasted corn tortilla topped with black bean puree, hickory-smoked pork, scrambled eggs, cheddar cheese, avocado, salsa, and cilantro. Or maybe do the breakfast tacos that come two to an order, loaded with cheddar, scrambled eggs, grilled chicken, kimchi, sweet barbecue sauce, and cilantro. 

Sugarcane Raw Bar Grill

A raw bar might not instantly scream brunch, but at Sugarcane, they’ve always done more than just the expected seafood. It’s a globally inspired menu with influences from Argentina, Japan, and Spain. For brunch, the offerings are diverse; go for a Cuban Benedict with roast pork, smoked ham, Swiss cheese, pickles, onion, mojo garlic, and smoked paprika hollandaise. Or go a totally different way with the huevos rancheros, which come with sunny-side-up eggs, beans seasoned with pork, guacamole, and chipotle aioli.

BestBrunchMiami Sugarcane huevosrancheros article

Cream Parlor

The menu at Cream Parlor is no joke. They might be known for their ice cream and desserts, but there is much, much more. If you need help narrowing down your options, build your own pancakes with a choice of sweet or savory add-ins. Or maybe get something totally different: Try an egg-and-bacon smashed potato, a baked potato that’s crushed and topped with an over-medium egg, bacon, and American cheese. A complete bizarro-world breakfast.

Brooklyn Water Bagel

The bagels at Brooklyn Water Bagel hold up pretty well compared to the ones from their namesake borough. Grab a baker’s dozen (flavors include salt, onion, Asiago, cinnamon raisin, and everything) with two tubs of cream cheese if you’re hosting a brunch gathering. They also do a bunch of deli classics like tuna melts and whitefish salad sandwiches. Make sure to get some black-and-white cookies for later; they’re hard to find in these parts.

The Original Pancake House

Coming all the way from Portland, Oregon, to the Miami area decades ago, The Original Pancake House offers breakfast classics made with the highest-quality ingredients, like really good butter, cream, and eggs. There’s nothing fake here. It’s no surprise that the pancakes are more than worth ordering. They have six flavors of the traditional fluffy American style and six crêpes to choose from, and you can get them whipped cream–topped, berry-filled, chocolate-chipped, or Nutella-drizzled. Or go for a stack of their signature 49er Flapjacks, three thin, light pancakes that fill your entire plate.

BestBrunchMiami_PancakeHouse_article

Lester's Diner

Another legacy restaurant, Lester’s has been in South Florida since the ’60s. The family-owned establishment prides itself on value, aka larger-than-life portions: There will be leftovers in your future. The croissant with egg, cheese, and your choice of bacon, sausage patty, or ham is an indulgent take on the classic, while the lighter Athenian, a spinach-and-feta omelet served in a bagel, biscuit, or wrap, still satisfies. 

Sam's Country Kitchen

At Sam’s Country Kitchen, it’s definitely good ol’ Southern cooking. Think platters of rib-sticking steak, eggs, and grits. They do have a few healthy-leaning items, like avocado toast and the very retro cottage cheese and fruit, but that’s not why you’re here. Get Sam's Country Breakfast, which comes with two eggs any style, bacon or sausage, hash browns or grits, and toast or a biscuit. Or try the Richman Benedict, a country take on the classic. It's a biscuit topped with bacon or sausage and eggs, all smothered in a beef-based white gravy.

El Patio Colombian Restaurant 

Another Southern option, but much farther south — all the way to South America. El Patio is an all-day restaurant with no shortage of breakfast or brunch options. Get the huevos pericos y arepa con queso, scrambled eggs with an arepa topped with melted cheese. For something more substantial, try the platter that comes with those eggs and that arepa, plus rice, beans, steak, and chicharrones. You won’t need to eat again until dinner.

Yolk 

Founded by second-generation restaurateur Taki Kastanis in Chicago in 2006, Yolk has been growing ever since. The menu is filled with familiar brunch favorites with creative twists. You’ll find cinnamon roll French toast, breakfast mac ’n’ cheese, and avocado-and-chorizo-filled omelets. There’s lots to choose from, but we’d recommend a Benedict, since they have six on the menu. Go Italian with the Caprese, an English muffin topped with fresh mozzarella, pesto, grilled tomato, and poached eggs, or get a meatless twist on a classic Benny, the Beyond Benedict, made with Beyond Meat’s breakfast sausage patty and topped with poached eggs and Yolk's homemade hollandaise.

BestBrunchMiami Yolk frenchtoast article

Flashback Diner

With three locations in the Miami area that are open nearly 24 hours, it’s pretty easy to get your Flashback fix. The menu is as diner-y as they come, with eggs, pancakes, and sandwiches like corned beef and cheesesteaks. If you’d like Sinatra stuck in your head, order the cheesy, ham-flecked I Did It My Way Omelet. Another winner is the Nova smoked salmon platter that comes with your choice of bread (go for the bagel) and all the fixings.

Kristof's Kafe

Kristof’s is another spot with a huge menu, offering just about everything you could possibly want to order for your a.m. or early p.m. meal. Get a Kafe Specialty; our pick would be the Kristof's Kroissant, a flaky croissant stuffed with two omelet-style eggs. It’s served with your choice of breakfast side, which can include anything from potatoes to sautéed spinach. Or, if you’re looking for something meatier, the brisket and bacon jam melt comes with pit-smoked brisket, bacon jam, bacon, eggs, and cheddar cheese on grilled challah.

Maple Street Biscuit Company

You’ll find locations of this breakfast chain throughout the country. It’s known for its over-the-top biscuits and really good coffee. The Sticky Maple is a flaky biscuit topped with a fried chicken breast and pecan-smoked bacon, covered with real maple syrup and a fried egg. Or go for the Cowboy, with country-fried steak, bacon, a fried egg, cheddar cheese, and sausage gravy. The maple vanilla latte is a sweet choice to go alongside any entrée; grab it hot or iced.

Mom's Kitchen

At Mom’s, everything on the menu is steeped in nostalgia. If only all moms cooked food this good! It has that Southern slant, with lots of fried and gravy-smothered dishes. They also do great French toast, in more than 10 different ways. If you’re going to stick to the classics, go for Mom's Country Special, which comes with two eggs, your choice of meat, and a side of cottage potatoes. 

Roasters 'N Toasters

The theme of this restaurant is New York deli, and it will definitely satisfy the cravings of New Yorkers. They nail those Big Apple–style bagels, but they also dive into deli classics like blintzes, latkes, and matzo brei, rarely found outside a Jewish grandmother’s kitchen. The Nova platter comes with a bagel, cream cheese, and lettuce, tomatoes, onions, peppers, cucumbers, olives, lemons, and capers. If you’re in the mood for something a little lunchier, go for the Pastrami Rachel, a great twist on the Reuben, with pastrami, Swiss cheese, coleslaw, and Russian dressing on rye.