Brunch is a glorious thing. This laid-back blend of breakfast and lunch automatically indicates that you have time to slow down a little. Whether it's because you can sleep in on the weekends or you have the even more luxurious opportunity to enjoy a leisurely meal during the week, brunch offers a moment to relax, visit with friends or family and justify eating dessert first by calling a pile of pancakes drowning in sweet syrup and cream "breakfast."
And when it comes to the perfect spot for brunch, the Valley has every style and vibe covered. Looking for a peaceful morning on a patio underneath shade trees filled with songbirds? Or is a lively spot with plenty of mimosas more your jam? How about a charming French bistro? You can find it all here. And out of your available options, these are the 10 best brunch restaurants in Phoenix.
The Eleanor
3207 Hayden Road, ScottsdaleSteve Ellefson and Kent Macaulay teamed up to bring The Eleanor to Scottsdale in September. Their goal was to offer a neighborhood-centric breakfast and brunch spot that contrasts the party brunch scene that the city is known for. The building and dining room have the charm of a midcentury diner, with a counter, cozy booths and fridges stocked with grab-and-go items – all set up to allow customers to customize their mornings. Need to grab something quick or feel like lingering over slow pours of coffee and mimosas? The Eleanor’s got you covered. The menu offers diner classics including pancakes, hash and biscuits and gravy, along with modern staples such as a Buddha bowl, indulgent churro French toast and savory toasts topped with avocado or soft scrambled eggs. On a recent visit, we were wowed by sweet and savory dishes alike. The blueberry pancakes are light and fluffy, topped with a jammy blueberry compote. While most breakfast spots serve pancakes with a walloping dollop of butter and a jug of syrup, at The Eleanor, the cakes come with a premixed maple butter to pour atop. Made in-house, the craveable condiment perfectly blends velvety richness with sweet maple. The Chutzpah Pita is a satisfying handheld. Folded egg, avocado and latkes are piled onto a pita, along with zesty, garlicky zhug and mayo. It’s the riff on a breakfast sandwich that we didn’t know we needed but that we’ll order again and again at The Eleanor.
And when it comes to the perfect spot for brunch, the Valley has every style and vibe covered. Looking for a peaceful morning on a patio underneath shade trees filled with songbirds? Or is a lively spot with plenty of mimosas more your jam? How about a charming French bistro? You can find it all here. And out of your available options, these are the 10 best brunch restaurants in Phoenix.
The Eleanor
3207 Hayden Road, ScottsdaleSteve Ellefson and Kent Macaulay teamed up to bring The Eleanor to Scottsdale in September. Their goal was to offer a neighborhood-centric breakfast and brunch spot that contrasts the party brunch scene that the city is known for. The building and dining room have the charm of a midcentury diner, with a counter, cozy booths and fridges stocked with grab-and-go items – all set up to allow customers to customize their mornings. Need to grab something quick or feel like lingering over slow pours of coffee and mimosas? The Eleanor’s got you covered. The menu offers diner classics including pancakes, hash and biscuits and gravy, along with modern staples such as a Buddha bowl, indulgent churro French toast and savory toasts topped with avocado or soft scrambled eggs. On a recent visit, we were wowed by sweet and savory dishes alike. The blueberry pancakes are light and fluffy, topped with a jammy blueberry compote. While most breakfast spots serve pancakes with a walloping dollop of butter and a jug of syrup, at The Eleanor, the cakes come with a premixed maple butter to pour atop. Made in-house, the craveable condiment perfectly blends velvety richness with sweet maple. The Chutzpah Pita is a satisfying handheld. Folded egg, avocado and latkes are piled onto a pita, along with zesty, garlicky zhug and mayo. It’s the riff on a breakfast sandwich that we didn’t know we needed but that we’ll order again and again at The Eleanor.
4700 N. Central Ave.
The line of customers waiting to get into Fàme Caffe often snakes down the block — and for very good reason. The hungry diners know something about great brunch food, and at counter-service joint Fàme, they can peruse the menu of coffee drinks and cocktails while deciding to go sweet or savory with their food selection. Place your order and find a table inside the contemporary farmhouse-chic space, or snag a seat on the tiny patio and soak up some sunshine. Menu highlights include the Parisian Omelette with button mushrooms and baby spinach and the Breakfast Sandwich with sharp cheddar and thick-cut bacon. But the star of the show here is the Monte Cristo. A breakfast bomb that will fill you up for hours, this decadent dish starts with thick slices of French toast filled with Gruyere cheese, ham and an egg, all sprinkled with powdered sugar and served with jam. It's sweet, savory, massive and well worth the wait in line.
Lon’s at the Hermosa Inn
5532 N. Palo Cristi Road, Paradise Valley
If sitting in the dappled shade while listening to a gently rippling fountain and singing birds sounds like an ideal way to start your day, head to Lon's at the Hermosa Inn for a relaxing and serene brunch. There is plenty of seating inside the Old West-style restaurant, but the peaceful patio, filled with giant cactuses, towering olive trees and tables filled with friends and families, is the spot to be on Saturday and Sunday mornings. Follow your server to a shady spot with cream umbrellas and tablecloths and order a blood orange or peach mimosa to kick things off. Appetizers aren't always a given at brunch, but they shouldn't be missed at Lon's. Try the sticky, sweet monkey bread or an order of sizzling bacon that catches everyone's attention as it pops and bubbles. Main dishes include Southwest staples such as chilaquiles, huevos rancheros and short rib hash with poblano and Aleppo chiles. A hint of the coast comes into play with fresh oysters and shrimp tacos. A surprising favorite is the Egg White Omelette, a blend of sweet red tomatoes, egg whites, spinach and mushrooms topped with a dollop of goat cheese and a lemon-dressed salad. Bright and fresh, it matches the colors and feel of the gorgeous patio environment. 
The majestic landscape of Luci's at The Orchard is the perfect place to linger over brunch.
Jacob Tyler Dunn
Luci’s at the Orchard
7100 N 12th St. #2Luci's has multiple locations across the Valley, but we are very partial to Luci's at the Orchard, a sprawling old property on 12th Street just north of Glendale Avenue. It has something for everyone. A splash pad for the kids? Coffee for mom and dad? Gifts to take home for your next birthday party? Pastries to snack on? Hearty cooked breakfasts on which fill up? Seating indoors for when it's hot outside? A flower-filled, dog-friendly patio for when the weather's nice? Check yes for all of the above. Pop into Luci's to grab a coffee to go, or settle in for a relaxed morning where breakfast blends into lunch before reaching the early afternoon when it's time for ice cream — also available at the on-site parlor. Fuel your morning run with an acai bowl packed with hemp granola and fresh fruit, or spoil yourself with French toast made from cinnamon Monkey bread served with syrup and butter.
Matt’s Big Breakfast
Multiple Locations Since opening in 2004, Matt's Big Breakfast has become synonymous with brunch in Phoenix. The local chain started in an impossibly tiny space downtown before moving across the street into slightly bigger digs to accommodate the crowds. Now, it has locations across the Valley, from north Scottsdale to Gilbert. After the inevitable wait, settle into your table, order a honey lemonade and check out the chalkboard for daily specials. If the French toast is available, order it. Huge, fluffy and sweet, these slices are a game changer. Another outstanding option available every day is the Big Papa Burrito, which is as big as your head and drenched in lightly spicy green chile sauce. Once you see how large the portions are, the name of this Phoenix institution suddenly makes a lot more sense. No one leaves Matt's Big Breakfast hungry.
Merci French Cafe
7620 E. Indian School Road, ScottsdaleThe French may not have started brunch, but the cooking techniques from across the pond are cemented in classic dishes like quiche, omelets, crepes, the hollandaise sauce that tops Benedicts and, of course, innumerable breakfast pastries. Merci French Cafe, helmed by French emigres Duc and Noelle Liao since 2014, offers all that and more from its chic yet casual Scottsdale spot. The counter-service bistro is a quiet, comfortable spot that works well when breakfasting solo or with a group. Many guests pop in for a coffee and croissant to take away or enjoy on the patio while pouring over a book. But, the cafe offers a full menu all day long that’s worth exploring, too. The mushroom truffle quiche is packed with umami and is served with a generous helping of hash browns and a side salad with a creamy, tangy house dressing that is so good Merci bottles and sells it. When plates dropped at a nearby table, the guests said they were remiss to dig in because everything they received was so beautiful. Luckily, your phone can always help memorialize the occasion, but the punch of flavor in each dish is one you won’t soon forget.
The menu at Morning Would puts a twist on breakfast staples. This vanilla panna cotta comes with a small box of cereal to sprinkle on top, mimicking a classic bowl of cereal and milk.
Tirion Boan
Morning Would at Course
7366 E. Shea Blvd., #106 ScottsdaleThere are plenty of fine dining restaurants in the Valley. But fine dining isn’t usually a category that crosses over with brunch. But on Sunday mornings, chef Cory Oppold and the team at his Scottsdale restaurant Course throw caution to the wind. The once-weekly brunch concept is called Morning Would and invites customers to settle in for a while. For $75, customers can enjoy a seven-course prix fixe menu. Start your decadent day with a glass of wine or one of the specialty cocktails and then let the plates flow. The menu rotates with the seasons, but springtime favorites included a potato latke topped with house-cured salmon and chive cream, a take on chilaquiles with fork-tender braised pork and a play on milk and cereal with a delicate and creamy vanilla panna cotta. This experience is a splurge. Morning Would, and Course in general, it’s the sort of place to treat someone to a special morning, but it’s the only thing like it in the Valley and it’s sure to impress.
Otro Cafe
6035 N. Seventh St.
While the menu is packed with greats, two items leave us drooling at Otro Cafe. We could write poems about the potatoes. And the Cajeta Flapjacks? Well, you absolutely must order them. Regardless of what else you have for brunch, these pancakes should be on the ticket. Otro Cafe is a colorful modern-yet-homey spot in uptown Phoenix with loyal fans. On weekends, tables are a hot commodity and the wait can be long. If you need a pick-me-up, head next door to Otro Cafecito and grab a cup of coffee or a fresh pastry to tide you over. Once your name is called, settle into a booth or a bistro table by the window for a delectable feast. The menu was created by Mexico City-born chef Doug Robson, who's also known for his downtown restaurant Gallo Blanco. Warning, the salsas are spicy, but they add an oh-so-satisfying zip to the savory offerings.
The chefs at SugarJam pay attention to every detail, from the spiced butter to warm pecan-filled syrup. Don't miss the French toast.
Tirion Boan
SugarJam The Southern Kitchen
15111 N. Hayden Rd. #170, Scottsdale
On a recent visit to SugarJam, our server mentioned that the Southern Kitchen is known for its French toast. By that point, we'd already settled on ordering chicken and waffles and catfish and grits, but luckily, a side order of the aforementioned delicacy was available. And, oh man, was that recommendation right. Fluffy thick-cut challah bread is marinated in Grand Marnier before it's griddled to perfection with a crispy crust of sugar glazing the outside like the top of a creme brulee. And at SugarJam, attention is paid to every detail. The French toast doesn't come with standard butter and syrup but instead with a whipped cinnamon butter and warm, rum-spiked and pecan-filled syrup for dipping and drizzling. Buttery grits sop up golden yolks of the two eggs that turn catfish or shrimp into breakfast. Chicken, heavy on flavor but light on batter, is the perfect topping to a lighter-than-air waffle that's as bubbly as the mimosas on each table. On your way out, stop by the bakery and pick up some cookies or one of SugarJam's famous mini pies to go.
