20 St. Louis Brunch Spots You Should Try ASAP

When You Want Dessert for Breakfast: Scape

Ah, the “Farmers Cheese Pancakes.” This combination of ricotta, lemon curd and fresh blueberries, served atop hotcakes, is a must-try at the Central West End’s Scape American Bistro (48 Maryland Plaza, 314-361-7227). Equally irresistible: the restaurant’s beautiful courtyard, which features ivy-covered brick walls. The “Apple Pie Pancakes,” “Pecan Praline Sourdough French Toast” and a variety of crepes are also sure to satisfy the most insatiable of sweet teeth. Photo by Marvin Brown.

When You Want Brunch to Be the Best Meal of the Day: Egg

Plenty of boozy brunches in town serve eggs as an afterthought. Egg (2200 Gravois, 314-202-8244) is the place to go if you actually care about the food, too. The cornbread eggs benedict, breakfast hash with carnitas and crunchy sopas with chorizo all are to die for. The spinoff from Spare No Rib (3701 Jefferson, 314-354-8444) will have you thinking about brunch all day. And don’t worry, they still put plenty of care into the morning cocktails. Photo by Mabel Suen.

When You’re a Vegetarian — or Just Have Friends Who Are: Gooseberries

So what if McDonald’s has all-day breakfast now? Screw all the preservatives and corporate America. Instead check out Gooseberries (2754 Chippewa Street, 314-577-6363), which offers Saturday brunch from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. (they’re closed Sundays). Nestled into a corner spot in Dutchtown, Gooseberries offers an inexpensive menu loaded with options for your vegan or vegetarian friends, including some of the heartiest meatless brunch items in the city. Chef Kim Bond, a vegetarian for twenty years, has perfected the art of meatless biscuits and gravy. While that favorite has a permanent place on the menu, Bond keeps it interesting by offering a rotation of made-from-scratch hand pies (both meat-filled and meat-free) as well as Saturday specials, which include everything from $2.50 carrot pancakes to the best $7 vegan slinger you can sink your teeth into guilt-free. Photo by Mabel Suen.

When You Want James Beard-Nominated Food for Breakfast: Half & Half

Mike Randolph is one of the city’s most acclaimed chefs, and his restaurants are such hot spots they’re virtually synonymous with the term “date night.” But Randolph doesn’t save all of his treats for the p.m. set. At his Clayton eatery Half & Half (8135 Maryland Avenue, Clayton; 314-725-0719), the talented chef puts together breakfast and brunch-time feasts fit for white tablecloth dining while still maintaining an air of whimsy and comfort. With each selection more tempting than the next (we’re looking at you, “Clara Cakes”), you’ll be tempted to order a three-course breakfast. Photo by Jennifer Silverberg.

When You’re Craving Something Spicy: Southwest Diner

Brunch is fine and all, but where’s the flavor? The zesty, spicy, delicious heat? Southwest Diner (6803 Southwest Avenue, 314-260-7244) has you covered with its New Mexican-style breakfast burrito: Scrambled eggs, green chile and fries are stuffed into a tortilla with your choice of meat — bacon, sausage, chorizo or ham, or calabacitas for the herbivores. Make sure to get it with the ghost pepper jack cheese to really get your brow sweating. Photo by Jennifer Silverberg.

When You Just Want to Eat Pancakes and Stare Down Fake Peacocks: Peacock Diner

A mere $5.50 gets you three pancakes at the Loop’s Peacock Diner (6261 Delmar Boulevard, 314-721-5555), which means you can eat nine pancakes for $20 and have room for the tip. That’s reason enough to eat there, but if the deal needs sweetening, you should know the place is thick with peacocks. Statues, paintings, prints, neon, clothing — peacocks are everywhere in this 24-hour diner. And staring down nature’s gaudiest avians while shoveling delicious pancakes in your gullet satisfies on a primal level. Look at those dandies and then look at your reflection in the spoon. You’re top of the food chain, which makes you both beautiful and lethal. Those bird-brains can’t eat this much; they’d explode. But you, you’re bottomless. Waiter! Another round of ’cakes, but with turkey sausage this time. You’re king of the jungle. Photo by Mabel Suen.

When You Want Lunch Food in Your Breakfast Buffet: Three Monkeys

One for all and all for brunch. Everyone has that friend who spills the haterade all over brunch because she doesn’t like eggs, or even bacon. The Sunday brunch buffet at Three Monkeys (3153 Morganford Road, 314-772-9800) will take care of that special snowflake in your group and the rest of you, too. While you stuff your face with breakfast classics, your friend can fill up on stuff like salmon, shrimp, pasta, t-ravs and even pizza. Everyone gets either a mimosa or bloody mary on the house, and the rounds after that are only 99 cents each. Total cheapskates should get there early: From 9 to 10 a.m., buffet access is just $15.99; at 10 a.m., that goes up to $18.99. Photo by Kelly Glueck.

When You’ve Got Kids in Tow: Chris’ Pancake House

It’s every parent’s nightmare: You’re out to breakfast and the kids start melting down. Maybe it’s a screaming infant, a toddler tantrum, a whining tween. Thankfully, at Chris’ Pancake House (5980 Southwest Avenue, 314-645-2088), the din of your own young’uns is almost certainly drowned out by the kids at the table next to yours, or the one next to theirs, or the ones in the vestibule. This always-packed mainstay is so bustling that no one will even notice the screams coming from your little one’s seat. And as you glance at the mom or dad next to you, you can raise your cup of joe in solidarity: Misery loves company — and a bacon-stuffed Chris’ sandwich. Photo courtesy of Instagram / bdsdoc.

When You’ve Got a Big Party to Feed: Rooster

Yes, Rooster (3150 S. Grand Blvd. and 1104 Locust Street) is always packed, but that needn’t stop you from visiting. Both Rooster locations are on the invaluable NoWait app, meaning you can reserve your table ahead of time and monitor your progress remotely — a must when you’ve got the kind of large party that resists committing to the sort of head count that could have scored you a rez the night before. The South Grand spot has particularly good options for those with tons of friends: The long communal-style tables are perfect for large parties, as are the picnic tables outside in nice weather. Come join the party! Photo by Amy VanDonsel.

When You’re Hungry But Also Horny: Shameless Grounds

Seeking a tantric brunchtime? There are sex references aplenty to be found at Shameless Grounds (1901 Withnell, 314-449-1240), and not just on the menu. Grab a glass of wine and some “Ample Breast” (calm down, it’s a turkey sandwich) and peruse the eatery’s floor-to-ceiling smut library. May we suggest an overwrought sex-manual dating from the early 20th century? Pace yourself. You’ll be hitting all 50 shades of brunch satisfaction in no time. Photo courtesy of Instagram / wordsmithkari.

When You’re Dreaming of Europe: City Coffeehouse & Creperie

If the boldly colored wicker chairs don’t convince you that you’re on the Riviera, then the seemingly endless selection of French-inspired breakfast offerings at City Coffeehouse & Creperie (36 N. Brentwood Boulevard, Clayton; 314-862-2489) will do the trick. The large menu of sweet and savory crepes, Belgian waffles and European-style pastries are the perfect way to satisfy your Francophile cravings. Pair them with a steaming hot café au lait, and you can almost hear the accordion music. RFT file photo.

When You Want Breakfast Tacos: Taco Circus

The options for solid, Tex-Mex breakfast tacos are sadly limited in St. Louis, which is what makes Taco Circus (4258 Schiller Place, 314-320-8884) such a find. Not in the mood for something hand-held? The king of this Bevo spot’s guilty pleasure offerings is migas — a mixture of egg, onion and peppers topped with crunchy tortilla bits. Finish them off with one of the handmade sauces. The best part? You can order them all day. Photo by Mabel Suen.

When You Want Brunch But Also Good Coffee: Rise Coffee

What’s not to love about brunch at Rise (4180 Manchester Avenue, 314-769-9535)? There is the delectable housemade food, the cozy vibe, the secluded kids’ playroom. While those are reasons enough to stop in this quaint Grove spot for a bite to eat, the real draw is the coffee. Rise is committed to elevating your morning joe well above a cream- and sugar-infused wake-up tool. There are pour-overs, cold brews and offerings from all the city’s top roasters. Even the drip coffee is from the esteemed local shop Sump, a rare offering that shows just how seriously Rise takes its brew. Photo by Lauren Milford.

When You’re Starving: Uncle Bill’s Pancake & Dinner House

It doesn’t matter what time of day or night it is, Uncle Bill’s (3427 South Kingshighway, 314-832-1973) is always ready to feed you — and you’re gonna get a lot of food for your money. The famous three-egg omelets are the size of a battleship and also include three pancakes and biscuits or toast, all for less than $10. You won’t need to eat again for the rest of the day if you clean that plate. “The Supreme 2 x 2 x 2 x 2” gets you two each of all the breakfast staples (eggs, pancakes, bacon, sausage and hash browns) and is one of the most fulfilling meals you’ll ever eat, especially paired with a never-empty cup of coffee. Photo courtesy of Instagram / madelinebaldwin_.

When You’re Craving Fresh Air — and a Room with a View: Vin de Set

Few brunches in the city are perpetually as packed as the one at Vin de Set (2017 Chouteau, 314-241-8989), and there’s a simple reason for that: The rooftop patio has a view — and a vibe — worth getting up for. Look out over Lafayette Square and the Arch with the beautiful people and feel good about your life again. Oh, and don’t miss that bloody mary bar. Photo by Laura Miller.

When You’re Looking for Freebies in Clayton: Cantina Laredo

Cantina Laredo (7710 Forsyth Boulevard, Clayton; 314-725-2447) isn’t just one of the few places in downtown Clayton that’s open for brunch on Saturdays in addition to Sundays. It’s also one of the few places anywhere in town offering a free drink. From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sundays, diners are offered their choice of a complimentary bloody mary, bloody maria or mimosa. Come for the drink, stay for the chorizo con huevos. Photo by Flickr / Viewminder.

When You Want Your Brunch to Go: Comet Coffee

Picking up your food en route to somewhere else? Skip the McMuffin and head to Dogtown’s Comet Coffee & Microbakery (5708 Oakland Avenue, 314-932-7770) for a “Rebel Within” muffin, available on Fridays and Saturdays. Made with asiago, sausage and even a soft-boiled egg inside, it’s totally filling and way more delicious — and of course, the name is much more bad-ass. Photo by Jules Brown.

When You Want a Side of the Dark Lord With Your Omelet: Crow’s Nest

Jazz brunch? So 1950. Try a metal brunch for a darker way to dine. Serving up everything from Decappetizers to Mercyful Plates, Judas Feasts to Geno-sides, the Crow’s Nest (7336 Manchester Road, Maplewood; 314-781-0989) delivers a heaping helping of Beelzebub with its brunch fare. Each Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., the Maplewood eatery’s “Metal Brunch” includes a sprawling menu of delicious food and a soundtrack that would satisfy even the most discerning headbanger. On Saturdays Dr. Dan the Pancake Man is on hand to whip up his culinary creations — ask him to make you a pancake that looks like the devil, then worship it. Photo courtesy of Instagram / cort_gabel.

When You Just Need a Slinger to Get Rid of This Damn Hangover: Courtesy Diner

Forget Advil and diligent hydration. Man has invented a true cure for the hangover, and St. Louis’ Courtesy Diner (multiple locations, including 3153 S. Kingshighway Boulevard, 314-776-9059) serves it up hot for aching patrons on a daily basis. One part chicken-fried steak slathered in white gravy, two parts egg and one side of hash browns, the delicious “Hangover Slinger” will have you in optimal shape to resume smashing Stags and shots before the sun even reaches the center of the sky. RFT file photo.

When You Want to Impress But Don’t Want to Look Like You’re Trying Too Hard: Winslow’s Home

That first (or tenth) brunch with your potential in-laws can be stressful, but not if you take ‘em to Winslow’s Home (7213 Delmar Boulevard, University City; 314-725-7559). The restaurant/general store curates a seasonal menu with everything from a meat-free breakfast burrito to a super-basic breakfast (two eggs, potatoes, your choice of bacon or sausage and toast or biscuit). It fills up quickly, especially on the weekends, but that gives you time to admire its non-edible stock. Winslow’s vast array of books, kitchen necessities, stationary and even a massive selection of candy are sure to spark a conversation about something more than the weather. It’s casual, cozy and a feast for your stomach as well as eyes. RFT Instagram photo.