Picture it: rolling out of bed on a late Sunday morning. Friends text and an address is chosen for a restaurant nearby to grab food and maybe a mimosa. It’s a little too late for breakfast, but no one’s in the mood for lunch this late in the morning. The sweet spot between 10AM and 3PM on weekends is reserved for a special kind of meal: brunch. The type of meal where we pace ourselves differently. Whether it’s sharing starters and sides, ordering a comfort food favorite, or having breakfast with your lunch (for balance), brunch ends up being more of a marathon than a sprint. Keep reading to find out about brunch spots around Northern New Jersey.
Addams Tavern | 115 Elm Street, Westfield
View this post on Instagram
Located in Westfield’s town center, Addams Tavern is serving up new-American-inspired dishes in its wood-burning grills and mesquite charcoal ovens. Start brunch with the Burrata + Tomatoes served with E.V.O.O. or the Roasted Butternut Squash + Pumpkin Soup (which is vegan + gluten-free). Patrons can try the Buttered Cinnamon Roll or the Croque Madam Popover (ham + cheese, puff pastry popover, fried egg, and baby greens).
The Brookdale | 1099 Broad Street, Bloomfield
View this post on Instagram
A Dinner’s Choice award winner in 2022, the Brookdale serves up a unique brunch menu. There are five mouth-watering sections to choose from: Sweets, The “Unch” in Brunch, Good Morning, Pies, and Share. Options to consider are Shakshuka (jersey fresh tomato, harissa, eggs, sourdough) from the Good Morning menu or PB + J Pancakes (nutter butter, concord grapes + mascarpone sauce) from the Sweets menu.
Read More: The Best Brunch Spots in Montclair
Bovella’s Bakery Cafe | 1085 Route 22 East, Mountainside
View this post on Instagram
If there was ever a reason to tackle Route 22 in New Jersey, it’s to make a trip to Bovella’s Bakery Cafe in Mountainside. Its selection of crepes doesn’t disappoint with menu items like Oreo Explosion, Strawberry Cheesecake, and Warm Apple Pie. Savory options include Breakfast Pizza, Crab Cake Benedict (Picked crab meat, sauteed spinach, poached eggs, hollandaise sauce, toasted English muffin, fruit), and Short Rib Skillet (Short Rib, gravy, hashed potatoes, farm fresh poached egg, gluten-free). Regardless of the order, make room for the Cannoli Dip — it’s some of the freshest around.
Brunch By De Martino | 9 Davenport Street, Somerville
Brunch gets serious when it’s in the name of the restaurant. Brunch By De Martino sits on West Main Street in Somerville. It serves brunch options with a Latin twist. Start with one of the specialty lattes like lavender, apple cider, or salted caramel (available in iced or hot). Savory choices to try are Huevos Rancheros with Shrimp + Chorizo or the Carne Asada Omlete. Sweet choices include the Blueberry Buttermilk Ricotta Pancakes or the Hot Honey Fried Chicken + Waffle. For those who like to have their sweet and savory together, try the Brunch Burger (Premium blend burger, bacon, guava jam, gouda, sunny side up egg, and a sweet plantain on a Brioche bun) or the Bacon Guava Jam Avocado Toast.
Buddy’s JC | 247 Washington Street, Jersey City
View this post on Instagram
Buddy’s Brunch Burger Bar sits near the corner of Washington Street and York Street in Jersey City. What’s unique about this place is its special cocktail menu for brunch. Kick back and relax with a classic like a Bellini, Mimosa, or Bloody Mary. Guests can spice things up with a Cinnamon Apricot Toddy (Appleton estate rum, apricot brandy, lemon, cinnamon syrup “served hot”), or an Apple Cider Mimosa (apple cider, cinnamon-apple syrup, prosecco). Creative menu options include Cereal Pancakes (available in Fruity Pebbles or Cinnamon Toast Crunch) and Homemade Granola on the sweet side, Short Rib or Veggie Hash, and the Brunch Burrito (scrambled eggs, pico de gallo, jalapeños, hash browns, avocado, and cheddar cheese served in a wrap with a side of home fries) on the savory side.
Chit Chat Diner | 410 Eagle Rock Avenue, West Orange
The Chit Chat Diner is located right across the street from Eagle Rock Reservation. The recipe for a great weekend day would be to start the morning off right with a hike, and then pop into the Chit Chat for a hearty brunch. Specialty coffee items are available such as the Simply Coco-Brew (A simple but delicious combination of cold brew coffee + coconut milk, shaken with ice), Almond and Honey Iced Coffee (Espresso, honey, almond milk, + French vanilla syrup shaken with ice), and the Boozy Coffee Milkshake (Cold brew coffee, vanilla ice cream, cinnamon, Kahlúa + vodka). Menu options include California Breakfast BLT (Applewood smoked bacon, fried egg, avocado, + fresh mozzarella cheese on pressed challah bread, served with potato chips), Three Baked Eggs (with prosciutto, chicken sausage, basil, potatoes, + ricotta in a tomato marinara, served with brick oven olive bread), and a Red Velvet Stack of pancakes (topped with fresh berries + raspberry sauce). This spot is a good choice for a family event because the Chit Chat also has a menu for Mini Chit Chatters.
The Corner | 115 Grove Street, Montclair
Located at the corner of Walnut Street and Grove Street, the Corner serves a variety of coffees, teas, fresh pressed juices, and a sweet and savory menu. Coffee options include drip coffee (available in regular or decaf), Cold Brew on tap, Americano, Macchiato, and more. Tea is served in a cup or a kettle in flavors like Earl Grey, Afghan Chai, White Peony, Majorelle Green Mint, Bellocq Breakfast, as well as some herbal opinions. Some fresh-pressed juices to try are the Sunrise (with carrot, apple, + orange), or the Glow (with cucumber, beet, + pineapple). Meal options include pasties like croissants, scones, and biscuits, snacks like Truffled Deviled Eggs, and Chicken Liver Toast, and classics like Smoked Salmon on Toast (with poached egg, dill, + fresh cream) and Fresh Berry Pancakes (with poached apricots, vanilla syrup, + fresh cream).
Cowan’s Public | 229 Centre Street, Nutley
View this post on Instagram
Cowan’s Public is located near the corner of Centre Street and Passaic Avenue in Nutley, NJ. Another place on this list with specialty brunch cocktails, Cowans serves bloody maries, mimosas, seasonal spritzes, and the Early Bird (Rye, coffee, averna, cinnamon, + agave). Start with the Deviled Eggs or the Avocado Toast. Then move on to the Chorizo Hash (potatoes, onions, spinach, + fried egg), French Toast (Challah bread, berries, ricotta cream, + lemon zest), or the Brunch Burger (American cheese, bacon, fried egg, garlic aioli, lettuce, + tomato, served with fries).
Faubourg | 544 Bloomfield Avenue, Montclair
Located in the heart of Montclair Center, Faubourg has a French-inspired fare for patrons. The establishment has menu options à la carte or through a prix-fixe menu. The prix-fixe menu includes a Juice, Bloody Mary, Elderflower Mimosa, or Lychee Mimosa with two courses. Start with a parfait or maybe the Duck + Fig Terrine (with frisée + fennel). Then move onto the second course which includes options like Vegetable Quiche (with herbs, roasted tomato, + cheddar), Orecchiette + Lamb Ragout (with parmesan + taggiasca olives), and French Toast (with blueberries, almonds, maple syrup, + whipped cream).
Le Salbuen | 97 Walnut Street, Montclair
Le Salbuen specializes in farm-to-table meat, vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free dishes. On the breakfast side of brunch, try the Scrambled Organic Tofu + Seasonal Mixed Vegetables, or the Portuguese French Toast (Balthazar brioche topped with organic egg, caramelized figs, farinheira — Portuguese flour and pork sausage, + local honey). On the lunch side try the DLBT (Hudson Valley NY duck bacon, organic greens, + tomato on multi-grain toast), or the Grilled Cheese and Jersey Tomato (with a choice of cheese on Balthazar brioche or multi-grain bread).
Mikie’s Squared | 616 Washington Street, Hoboken
View this post on Instagram
Mike’s Squared sits on Washington Street between Hoboken Smoke Shop and Saka Japanese Restaurant. It’s a great place to head for a game day brunch. Grab a pint or a mimosa flight from the menu, and have a Breakfast Burrito Wrap (Delicious flour tortilla wrap filled with two eggs, sausage, home fries, peppers, onions, cheddar cheese, + homemade guacamole, served with a side salad) or a Big Belgian Waffle (topped with seasonal Fruit and a side of Vermont Maple Syrup). If stopping by for brunch, order the Breakfast Nachos (Fresh homemade corn tortilla chips served breakfast style with scrambled eggs and sausage and all the classic nacho toppings, with or without beans). Have it alone or share it with friends.
See More: A Guide to Brunch Spots in Hoboken — By Category
South + Pine Eatery | 90 South Street, Morristown
View this post on Instagram
Located in the heart of Morristown, South + Pine serves its customers in its casual dining space and outdoor patio. Its menu is made up of ingredients from local farmers and purveyors. Chef + owner Leia Gaccione studied culinary arts and has appeared on shows like Iron Chef America and Beat Bobby Flay. We suggest starting brunch at South + Pine with a cozy cup of Currated Pumpkin Soup or some Local Burrata. Entree options include Breakfast Tacos (chorizo scrambled eggs, Oaxaca cheese, salsa verde, + cabbage slaw), Corned Beef Hash (Yukon potatoes, cabbage, + cheddar fried eggs), or Fried Chix 2.0 (corn flake crust, sour cream, chive waffle, + local bacon maple syrup) to name a few. As this place is BYOB, chill out with a non-alcoholic refresher like Carmel Apple Mule, Fig + Vanilla Iced Tea, or Pear + Sage Cider. If it’s a cooler day, warm up with a Cinnamon Dolce Hot Chocolate or a Maple Macchiato.
Toast | 700 Bloomfield Avenue, Montclair
An absolute classic of the Montclair area is Toast. Located across from Whole Foods, Toast has been serving up the Montclair area since 2007. While its motto may be Peace. Love. Pancakes., there are plenty of other options on the menu. Sweeter dishes include Bella Nutella (challah french toast topped with Nutella + strawberries), and a Jumbo Cinnamon Bun. Savory options include Bennys served Classic, Florentine, Irish, and Smoked Salmon, and the Harvest Bowl (mixed greens, wild rice, farro, + quinoa blend, roasted sweet potatoes, avocado, pumpkin seeds, goat cheese, + pickled onions served with raspberry vinaigrette). There’s also an extensive menu of wraps and sandwiches. If coming here for pancakes, MG suggests trying the Lemon Poppyseed Pancakes (served with fresh blueberries), or the Carrot Cake Pancakes (shredded carrots, coconut, raisins, honey, + brown sugar folded into a spiced pancake batter). Gluten-free lovers (and supporers) should definitely try Will’s Gluten Free from the Griddle menu. It is made with nut flour and can be made into a waffle or stack of pancakes. Toast has grown since 2007, so if looking outside the Montclair area, try Asbury Park, Red Bank, and Cranford (coming soon — expected fall of 2023).
