Beeswing | 4318 NE Cully
With a large patio and airy indoor seating, Beeswing not only serves great brunch, but it brings it to a mostly commercial/industrial stretch of Cully Boulevard that really could use a good breakfast sando. A visit on any weekend has the spot humming with neighbors, drawn in by scallion pancakes with fork-soft pork belly, poached eggs with a ginger hollandaise sauce, and a fluffy biscuit with seasonal jam that is required for pre-meal sharing. There are salads and granola, but save room for the sourdough waffles, topped in early summer with Oregon strawberries and blueberries, and spiked with a lemony sauce. Weâre still not sure if you pronounce Beeswingâs name as âBeeâs Wingâ or âBee Swing,â but it is the beeâs knees. ANDREA DAMEWOOD Brunch hours: Daily 8 am-3 pm, $$
Interurban | 4057 N Mississippi
If youâre getting to the age where a night of drinking makes you want to duct tape your sunglasses to your face in the morning, Interurban welcomes you. Lay a foundation for a new day with one of Interurbanâs breakfast plates, most of which are hearty without inducing a heart attack. The benedicts are satisfying, a fried half game hen is a no-brainer, and semi-exotic meats like boar sausage are canât-miss. The dog that bit you lives here, too, so grab a bloody mary or something else from the deep cocktail list. Upstairs seating provides a view of the smug sober people on N Mississippi, but a shady patio surrounded by tall buildings manages to feel both open and secluded, a courtyard fit for a royal hangover. THOMAS ROSS Brunch hours: Sat & Sun 10 am-2:30 pm, $$
Helserâs on Alberta | 1538 NE Alberta
More than a decade old, Helserâs is the levelheaded brunch option amid the overblown (and sometimes overrated) spots on Alberta. Youâll still get the wait lines, even on weekdays, but not the hysteria. The menu is framed around solid egg and pancake dishesâthe mushroom hash is a meld of sumptuous chunks of roasted garlic, scallions, and thin potato slices. They also know how to rock a Scotch egg, and the pancakes are fabled. The only downside is the drip coffee, which could (and should) be better. MJ SKEGG Brunch hours: Daily 7 am-3 pm, $$
Vivienne Kitchen and Pantry | 4128 NE Sandy
Nestled right up against Hollywood Theatre, Vivienne is an unassuming little place. Inside is just as modest as outside, with an aesthetic somewhere between âunfinished art galleryâ and âGrandmaâs pantry.â While the ambience alone may not make for the most interesting brunch experience, you at least wonât have to worry about a long wait. I visited on a Saturday morning and there was plenty of room to stretch out. Their breakfast menu leans toward different variations of eggs and pork, but they also offer a sweet and hearty granola, as well as a breakfast porridge. I took a chance and ordered the porridge (YOLO, right?). With yogurt, oats, quinoa, toasted coconut, pistachios, and seasonal fruit (this is apparently tiny strawberry season), the porridge was creamy, sweet, satisfying, and tasted like the childhood I always wish Iâd had. SANTI ELIJAH HOLLEY Brunch hours: Tues-Sun 9 am-2 pm, $
Lauretta Jeanâs | 3402 SE Division
Iâm reluctant to tell you this, but it would be selfish not to: Lauretta Jeanâs makes one of the cityâs best, most underrated brunches. My favorite menu item is the LJ Classicâan over-easy egg, jack cheese, and strawberry jam on a plump and filling biscuitâbecause itâs the perfect breakfast sandwich AND it eliminates the brunch conundrum of having to decide between savory and sweet. Add some strong, delicious Water Avenue coffee you pour yourself into a pretty little milk-glass cup, and itâs breakfast for a king. I donât like boozy brunch because Iâm a lightweight and it makes the rest of my day feel foggy, but if youâre gonna day-drink at LJâs, go for a Steigl Radler, the not-too-sweet beer-grapefruit soda comboâsummertime leisure in its purest form. MEGAN BURBANK Brunch hours: Daily 8 am-3 pm, $
Redwood | 7915 SE Stark
Being from Idaho I always get asked, âYou grow up on a potato farm?â (Yes, but we grew more than that.) And âYou trout fish?â (I did, but for more than trout.) So when I spot any kind of trout and potato brunch combo, you know thatâll be a dish left clean. Montavilla neighborhood restaurant Redwood serves their Smoked Trout Hash in a griddle, featuring minced potato hash combined with smoked trout and topped with two fried eggs. The way I eat it is by mixing it all up into one glorious dish and then, boom. Itâs done. But just like I grew up growing more than potatoes and fishing for more than trout, Redwood offers more than hash on their well-rounded menu. Check it all out. (Psst. Youâre welcome for the clean skilletâbut I would still wash it.) NICK OLMSTEAD Brunch Hours: Wed-Sun 9 am-2 pm, $$
Pine State Biscuits | 2204 NE Alberta, 125 NE Schuyler, 1100 SE Division
With three brick-and-mortar locations around town, Pine State Biscuits is one of Portlandâs favorite local chains. I like the Alberta location, which has a sizeable patio. In regards to the biscuit quality, I canât say enough good things about Pine State. Satisfyingly circular portions of baked dough pull apart to equal two perfectly flaky halves. Thatâs probably why you can buy them by the dozen or half-dozen, in addition to about a million other ways. Flavor-and texture-wise, these biscuits are the real deal, and can be fully enjoyed with a spreading of Pine Stateâs honey butter and your choice of jam. However, the menu also offers a plethora of biscuit sandwiches, three different variations on biscuits and gravy, as well as some deeply satisfying non-biscuit plates such as Cajun fries, cheesy fries, fried green tomatoes, chicken pot pie, shrimp and grits, or a plate of âHashupsââhashbrowns with cheese, country ham, or steak, plus grilled onions and mushrooms. The best part? They serve cocktails and Stumptown coffee, and since they make you order at the counter and seat yourself, the wait time is basically a non-issue. JENNI MOORE Brunch hours: Daily 7 am-3 pm, $
Trinket | 2035 SE CĂ©sar E. Chavez
Please donât go to Trinket. Itâs my neighborhood brunch spot and sometimes itâs still possible to get a table right away if you go on a weekday. Please donât go to Trinket, because if you drink the delicious, juicy mimosas served in adorable canning jars, there will be none left for me. And you probably donât even really like huevos al pastor done amazingly well, right? You donât really want to drink that strong, hot Extracto coffee out of a minimalist mug, do you? If you wanted to get the feeling of sitting in a leafy courtyard of Scandinavian design while in Paris, youâd just get on a plane, right? Ugh, okay fine, go to Trinket. I get it. But Iâm not going to be happy about it. MBBrunch hours: Daily 8 am-3:30 pm
Pâs and Qâs | 1301 NE Dekum
The casual atmosphere (pour your own drip coffee, bus the table) and simple-looking menu belie the quality of the cooking at this busy neighborhood market. Look closely and thereâs something unique in each dishâbuttermilk biscuits come with tomato gravy, while the breakfast burrito has French fries insideâand each is prepared and executed with care. The catfish special is legendary (partly because they never seem to have it) and one complaint is that they sell out of dishes quickly. However, mimosas come by the carafeâthe definition of civilization. MS Brunch hours: Sat & Sun 9 am-1 pm, $
Bertie Louâs | 8051 SE 17th
Nestled deep in the heart of Sellwood, Bertie Louâs is the kitschy, cozy shoebox diner of your brunch dreams. You wonât find a snarkier menuâomelets include footnotes, like the Three Cheese, which is âbigger than a saddle bag and cheesier than a Christian rock song.â But the foodâs fresh, delicious, and wonât weigh you down all day. A personal favorite is the Croissant Florentine, which is a veggie version of eggs benedict with spinach instead of Canadian bacon, piled atop two croissant halves. Also great: The accompanying home fries, a medley of potato half-moons with perfectly crisp green peppers and onions. At one visit last winter there was an unusually lengthy line, so the owner suggested we sit with another couple who were dressed as Santa and Mrs. Claus. It was strange, but sometimes Bertie Louâs is about the journey, not the destination. CIARA DOLAN Brunch hours: Mon-Fri 7 am-2 pm, Sat & Sun 8 am-2:30 pm, $$
Guilder | 2393 NE Fremont
Itâs rare to find a pretty, inviting space with great coffee that also serves excellent food. Enter Guilder. With a few tables on the sidewalk, a long bench toward the back, and even a lofted upper level, Guilderâs got the feel of a cafe with the space and menu of a full restaurant. Toasts and porridge make up most of it, but this isnât the slapdash dish you throw together at home when uninspired. The savory breakfast toast is a pile of colorful, delicious veggies and beans; topped with a fried egg, itâs more than enough for a weekday and a solid base for Saturday or Sunday. They have beautiful cakes and pastries if youâre on the run, but you should stay a while: Have a beer, wine, or even a cocktail. TR Brunch hours: Mon-Fri 9 am-3 pm, Sat & Sun 8 am-3 pm, $
Bad Habit Room | 5433 N Michigan
Iâve not forgiven them for getting rid of my favorite dish (the Nordic board thing) but the back room of Saraveza still turns out a good weekend brunch. They smoke their own meats and fish, and dishes often have a neat twistâthe smoked trout hash is elevated by the addition of sweet onion and root vegetables. Extracto coffee and a punchy cocktail list keep the room buzzing. They also show Packers games (which Iâm told has something to do with the NFL), so check ahead if youâre sensitive to congregations of sports fans. MS Brunch hours: Sat & Sun 9 am-2 pm, $$
Genies Café | 1101 SE Division
God, every time I remember that Genies doesnât have an apostrophe in their name I want to flip my table and rage-quit. Are they referencing actual genies that live in lamps? The dĂ©cor doesnât suggest such an inspirationâthe walls are lined with stock photos of gentle nature scenes (which also aggravate me). The fact that I go there at all should tell you that itâs really goodâclassic diner food with few fancy tricks, but a solid backbone. I respect the integrity of every dish Iâve consumed at Genies: all of their benedicts, the Spanish scramble, the hazelnut pancakes. I can forgive the lack of apostrophe and bad wall art for this wonderful food, but also because they serve delicious bloody marys with infused vodkaâchoose from flavors like dill, habanero, lemon, and moreâplus one with an ACTUAL SCORPION (donât worry, itâs dead) decorating the rim. Thatâs just plain badass. CD Brunch hours: Daily 8 am-3 pm, $$
Gravy | 3957 N Mississippi
One of the most popular brunch spots in town, Gravy is known for its consistent quality, generous portions, and long wait times. Depending on the season, time of day, and size of your party, you can expect to wait for upwards of 35 minutes for a table in the small dining room. Or, in the case of my most recent visit, my party of four waited for a painful one hour and 15 minutes. Since itâs on the sun-facing side of Mississippi, and thereâs little room to wait inside, I do not recommend this place on summerâs hottest days. (Frankly, they should really implement a phone or buzzer system.) Still, once youâve finally sat down and been promptly served plates of the placeâs famous brioche French toast, hash, impeccable omelets, biscuits and gravy (obvi), oatmeal brulĂ©e, or a fried egg sandwich with impressively zesty house-made veggie sausage, all is forgiven. Gravy remains my favorite place to have a birthday brunch; the vast menu delights carnivores and vegetarians alike, the service (once youâre seated) is great, and youâre likely to go home with a doggy bag. JM Brunch hours: Daily 7:30 am-3 pm, $$
Jam on Hawthorne | 2239 SE Hawthorne
You can always expect two things at Jam on Hawthorne: a giant line and berry jam at every table. Whatâs truly ludicrous is that Iâve visited plenty of times, endured lines that could wrap around the Earthâs circumference, and never once tasted thatgoddamn namesake jam. Even if youâre like meânot a jam personâJam has plenty to offer, especially in the way of cocktails. Their flavored mimosas are luxurious (my favoriteâs peach) and come by the pitcher. Youâve gotta try the Maddie Cakes at least once; theyâre decadent lemon-ricotta pancakes smothered in warm blueberry sauce. But my go-to breakfast is the huevos rancheros, a dish thatâs built on the gooey foundation of two corn tortillas stuffed with spicy pepper jack cheese. Hot tip: If youâre brunching aloneâan exercise I highly recommendâor with one other person, and the line is predictably long, try bypassing it by sitting at the bar. CD Brunch hours: Daily 7:30 am-3 pm, $$
Milk Glass Mrkt | 2150 N Killingsworth
Milk Glass Mrkt is a den of opulence, and my favorite brunch spot in Portland. They expertly straddle breakfast and lunch with dishes like their burrata plateâa recent seasonal special that included little toasts, spicy veggie spread, creamy mountains of burrata, and a heaping pile of fresh beets. For the regular menu, try the Swellâprosciutto, roasted peppers, basil, provolone, and runny orange fried eggs held together by ciabatta. All of the rotating sweet treats are five stars. Take your coffee with coconut milk, or order one of their seasonal shrubsâa fruity, vinegary drink that can be served spiked or with bubbly water. On a recent visit, I chose the strawberry-mint shrub with bubbly water, and it came with a single stem of lavender. When itâs sunny, you can sit outside under big shady trees. The whole experience is lovely. CD Brunch hours: Tues-Sun 9 am-3 pm, $$
Miss Delta | 3950 N Mississippi
Just across the street from the ever-popular Gravy is Miss Delta, a spot that often has a shorter wait, a strictly Southern âfrom scratchâ menu, and aggressive coffee refills that are very much appreciated. Miss Delta serves just about every kind of soul food you can think of, from grits and gumbo to jambalaya, spicy collard greens, hush puppies, and their signature four-cheese Trashy Mac with your choice of added fixins. Itâs important to note that thereâs a lot of meat going on here: house-smoked brisket, chicken fried steak, chicken and waffles, pulled pork, sausage from Olympic Provisions, and much more. They also have an array of seafood like catfish, and poâ boys with fried oysters, shrimp, and crawfish. Vegetarians will have a harder time, but there are still some great options, my favorite being the Delta Griddle Cakes, which are made with a detectable touch of cinnamon and nutmeg. Add to that a side of eggs and some stewed tomatoes and okra, and itâs a pretty perfect meal. JM Brunch hours: Mon-Fri 11 am-4 pm, Sat & Sun 10 am-4 pm, $$
