Posted by Brunch, everyone’s favorite late morning meal.
If you’ve lived here long enough, you’ve surely eaten your fair share of amazing brunches and/or taken advantage of one of the city’s many unlimited mimosa spots.
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But are those options getting stale?
L.A. folks tend to crowd the usual suspects (Blu Jam Cafe, Toast etc.), which are certainly solid choices BUT the newbies in town are offering unique (and scrumptious) brunch options that need to be discovered and devoured ASAP.
Thankfully we did the work for you and scouted the best new fall brunch menus worth trying.
So ditch the usual bacon and eggs and opt for the best of what’s new.
Who knows, you might find one that makes it on to your permanent brunch rotation.
List starts after the jump in no particular order.
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1. Toca Madera
Weekend brunch at Toca Madera is an indulgence in modern Mexican cuisine. The menu curated by Chef Raymond Alvarez, includes dishes like the chipotle chicken and churro waffle (pictured above and so tasty it should be immoral) plus a very tender, well-marinated carne asada and eggs. Toca Madera’s separate vegan brunch menu also includes enticing options like the “burro” a play on the breakfast burrito, they even have a vegan chicken and waffle dish that’s popular amongst vegans. Top your meal off with a brunch cocktail like the But First, Coffee made with Vanilla infused el jimador and stumptown cold brew or the Adios Felisha made with Don Julio tequila, cucumber, mint, tajin and a seasonal paleta.
2. Leona
Top Chef Alum and Knife Fight winner Nyesha Arrington opened her very first restaurant back in August and has since been the toast of the town. The California casual menu is driven by its focus on fresh and seasonal ingredients. Highlights include a Korean latke, a California benedict with crab and a hemp vanilla porridge. Three types of mimosas are usually found on the menu for brunch and the Leona coffee is nice play on Vietnamese coffee made with condensed milk, coconut milk and nutmeg.
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3. Herringbone
Herringbone in Santa Monica is Chef Brian Malarkey’s newest restaurant and they just launched brunch. The menu, inspired by the local markets and laid back vibe of the SoCal beach scene stays true to Malarkey’s philosophy of “Fish Meats Field” with menu highlights that include: a Maine lobster roll with lemon mayo, a savory Croque Madame, topped with a fried egg and seasonal quiches made with farmer’s market vegetables and cheese. The Peter Rabbit Mimosa is a popular drink and bottomless mimosas are also available.
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4. Stir Market
Stir Market’s big brunch menu will satisfy any weekend brunch cravings. Try the Moroccan baked eggs loaded with merguez sausage or the breakfast pesto gnocchi with a poached egg. If you are looking for something light and sweet try Gia’s fruity muesli made with yogurt chilled oats, hazelnut, shredded apple, golden raisins, fruity pebble and a whip topping. Last but not least, wash down your meal with Intelligentsia coffee or a stir mimosa made with fresh oj. The outdoor patio is ideal on a sunny day but the indoor space is also full of natural light.
5. Sausal
Sausal in El Segundo features Nuevo Rancho cuisine that is conceptualized by Chef/Partner Anne Conness. The menu draws heavily on the wood-fire, smoke and slow roasting techniques popularized by the rancheros’ communal feasts. Menu highlights include the huevos rancheros, beef barbacoa hash and a duck, butternut squash and oaxaca cheese tamale made with shredded duck confit, homemade black mole sauce and cotija. For dessert try the chocolate empanaditas with Stumptown cold brew coffee mousse Anne hand rolls the dough herself!
6. Preux & Proper
A proper Sunday brunch at DTLA’s Preux & Proper is a mix of Creole classics and southern-inspired comfort foods. A 3-piece jazz band will traverse both levels of the open-air restaurant/bar while brunchers enjoy the fried chicken and pancakes with whiskey syrup and fried oyster & bacon po’boys. Get into the big easy spirit with specialty cocktails like the Moonshine Mary with green tomatoes or choose from a complete lineup of Mules and Mimosas- perfect for quenching that midday thirst.
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7. Petrossian
Petrossian West Hollywood’s brunch menu highlights Petrossian’s signature items – caviar and smoked fish. Get a fancy eggs benedict served with smoked salmon and a choice of caviar or Petrossian’s signature Papierusse, a sheet of pressed caviar that is created using the sous vide method. The caviar soft- scrambled eggs are a good call, luscious and decadent, the dish is served with Petrossian’s Transmontanous Caviar, whipped vodka crème, micro herbs and toast. The great thing about Petrossian’s brunch menu is that it is offered daily so folks can get their caviar fix seven days a week!
8. Barrel Down
Barrel Down is boozing up our weekends. The beer-centric DTLA restaurant and American beer hall boast items like the Barrel Down breakfast sammie, smashed avocado toast with crème fraiche, chicken and waffle bites and banana pudding french toast. Wash them down with awesome beer-based cocktails like the Catcher in the Rye, a Lagunitas Pilsner concoction or a spiked iced coffee made with Stumptown cold brew straight from the tap, vodka, cream, and vanilla beans. Either way you mix and match, you’ve got the perfect remedy for those rougher, post-revelatory mornings.
9. Sangers & Joe
Sangers & Joe is the newest resident in Old Town Pasadena, boasting a globally inspired menu of gourmet coffees and teas, pastries, farm fresh sandwiches and salads. The modern and airy market-style cafe features a myriad of tasty brunch dishes, that include fluffy French toast with macerated strawberries and syrup, crispy fried chicken and waffles as well as a benedict made with Parisian ham and spinach atop an english muffin drizzled with hollandaise sauce. They also source their joe from local roasters Lamill. Cheers to that!
10. Dudley Market
Just steps from the beach, Chef Jesse Barber is preparing an impressive brunch over at Dudley Market. Inspired by the vibrancy of the Venice neighborhood Barber, whips up dishes like avocado toast, croque madame, and a delicious French omelette with softshell crab. Utilizing local, seasonally fresh ingredients, from farmers and artisan purveyors, Chef Barber is a great addition to the growing food scene in Venice.
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11. Estrella
Newly opened Estrella is situated in the heart of the Sunset Strip and offers one bad-ass brunch. Top Chef alum Dakota Weiss is filling her menu with local, seasonal, and nutritious ingredients- how Californian! In addition Estrella will have fresh juices from Paleta and Verve Coffee Roasters will keep brunch goers caffeinated. Standouts include “The Rolling Stone” a bacon-wrapped avocado stuffed with a poached egg and served with heirloom tomatoes. The drinks are just as cool and ingredients are inspired by the ethos of well-known classic rock songs. Think “Florence-Nightingale” and “Dream On.”
12. Scopa Italian Roots
This Italian eatery in Venice has a hip ambience and great food, making Scopa one of the more popular options for diners on the westside (good luck stopping by for dinner without a reservation.) Brunch is more accommodating, serving dishes like Challah french toast with warm prunes, Boardwalk waffle with spumoni and even spaghetti and meatballs – if you are hungry get the pasta dish, it’s kind of a big deal.
13. Ostrich Farm
Brunch is not limited to the weekend at Ostrich Farm. The Eastside eatery serves brunch every day, except Mondays. Try one of their house made pastries like the brioche cinnamon bun, it’s a local favorite. They have a nice selections of tartines and a variety of sandwiches like duck liver banh mi and a salmon blt. Grab a tangerine mimosa and make it a wet brunch if you prefer the sober route they have plenty of tea, espresso and juice options too.
Where is your favorite spot to get brunch during the fall? Let us know in the comments below!
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