Best brunch in Manhattan, 2026.

127 Orchard Street, Lower East Side. This is my number one brunch in Manhattan and it’s not close. The original Russ and Daughters appetizing shop has been on Houston Street since 1914. The cafe is their sit-down restaurant and it takes everything great about the shop and turns it into a proper brunch experience.

The classic board ($28) with smoked salmon, cream cheese, capers, and toast is perfect. But the move is the Super Heebster ($22), which is a bagel with whitefish salad, wasabi-infused tobiko, and horseradish dill cream cheese. It sounds strange and it’s the best thing on the menu. The latkes ($16) are crispy on the outside and creamy inside. Egg creams ($6) are mandatory.

4 Clinton Street, Lower East Side. The pancakes here ($19 for a stack of three with warm maple butter) are the most famous pancakes in New York City and they deserve every bit of that reputation. They’re thick, fluffy, slightly crispy on the edges, and the maple butter melts into them in a way that borders on life-changing. I’m not exaggerating. People wait over an hour for these pancakes.

The eggs Benedict ($21) is also outstanding, made with homemade biscuits instead of English muffins. Come before 9am on a weekend or prepare to wait 45-90 minutes. No reservations for brunch. The wait is worth it. I promise.

80 Spring Street, SoHo. Is it a scene? Yes. Is it overpriced? A little. Is it still one of the best brunches in Manhattan? Absolutely. The French onion soup ($18) is the best in the city and I’ll fight anyone who disagrees. The steak frites ($36) at brunch is a power move. The pastry basket ($16 for the table) is filled with croissants and pain au chocolat that are baked in-house and they’re excellent.

224 Lafayette Street, SoHo (plus other locations). Mediterranean-influenced brunch that’s consistently good across all locations. The shakshuka ($18) is the dish that put them on the map: eggs baked in spicy tomato sauce with feta and served with challah bread for dipping. The green shakshuka ($19) with spinach and leeks is even better in my opinion. Rosewater waffle ($17) is light and floral and different from every other waffle in the city.

The Lafayette location is the original and has the most character. They take walk-ins but it helps to put your name in on Yelp waitlist before you arrive.

463 West Broadway, SoHo. If you want the most photogenic brunch in Manhattan, this is it. The smoked fish tower ($65 for two people) is a sculptural stack of salmon, sturgeon, whitefish, and all the accoutrements, and it’s designed to make you gasp when it arrives. It’s also delicious. The sticky buns ($14) are warm and gooey and gone in four minutes.

It’s expensive (brunch for two is $80-120 easily), but the quality is there. My husband and I come here when we want to celebrate something. Or when I want really excellent smoked salmon and don’t feel like going to Russ and Daughters.

42 Grove Street, West Village. A tiny, gorgeous French cafe that feels like Paris. The croque madame ($18) is my go-to, a ham and cheese sandwich topped with bechamel and a perfectly fried egg. The tartine with smoked salmon ($17) is also great. Everything is served on mismatched vintage plates. The space seats about 30 people and it’s always full, which means it’s noisy and crowded and somehow charming anyway.

No reservations. Come at 9am on a Saturday and you might get a table immediately. By 10:30 the wait is 30-40 minutes.

151 Elizabeth Street, Nolita. A tiny spot that does exactly what the name says. Eggs, done perfectly, in sandwiches and bowls. The Egg Shop B.E.C. ($14) is a bacon, egg, and cheese on a brioche bun that’s better than any bodega B.E.C. in the city (I said it). The Spandex ($16) is a bowl with soft-scrambled eggs, avocado, sprouts, and pickled onions on greens. Simple, fresh, satisfying.

Counter seating only. Fifteen minutes in and out if you’re dining solo. Perfect for a quick, excellent brunch without the production.

1064 Madison Avenue, Upper East Side. Nobody talks about this place for brunch and they should. The scrambled eggs ($16) are soft-cooked in the French style (almost custardy) and come with toast from Eli’s bakery. The tuna melt ($19) is made with actual good tuna on thick bread and it’s addictive. It’s pricey (it’s Eli Zabar, everything is pricey), but the quality is genuine.

Come on a weekday. Weekend brunch here is full of Upper East Side regulars who all seem to know each other, which is either charming or intimidating depending on your personality.

144 Second Avenue, East Village. A 24-hour Ukrainian diner that’s been on Second Avenue since 1954. The breakfast pierogies ($14, stuffed with potato and cheese, pan-fried until crispy) are extraordinary. The challah French toast ($14) is thick-cut and properly custardy inside. The borscht ($8 a bowl) is the best in the city and it’s a totally legitimate brunch food in my opinion.

No reservations. They turn tables fast. Even on weekends the wait rarely exceeds 20 minutes. This is the best brunch value in Manhattan.

156 Tenth Avenue, Chelsea. This place doesn’t get the Instagram attention that places like Balthazar and Sadelle’s get, which means you can actually get a table. The ricotta pancakes ($18) are light and fluffy with blueberry compote. The huevos rancheros ($19) are properly spicy. The Bloody Mary ($16) is one of the best in Chelsea, heavy on the horseradish. Brunch for two with drinks is about $70-80, which feels fair for the quality.