Brunch in Austin isn’t a run-of-the-mill, bacon-and-eggs affair. Here, you’ll find everything from an outdoor brunch with creative smoked sausages to a breakfast of Mexican specialties that go best with a frosty margarita. You’ll want to rise and shine early on the weekend for these yummy morning meals. Although, if you're craving brunch on a weekday we also have some great spots to suggest.
Boozy Brunch
Meet the locals at Banger’s Sausage House & Beer Garden, where there are plenty of picnic tables and 200+ craft beers to choose from. The brunch menu consists of sausages (ranging from wild game to veggie) cooked on a sizzling grill in addition to biscuits, pancakes, eggs and more. Stop in on Sundays from 10 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
Come for brunch and the fantastic craft cocktails at Better Half Coffee & Cocktails. Spread out on the spacious patio and order the breakfast sandwich layered with a fried egg, hash browns and your choice of bacon, sausage or avocado. Or try waffle iron hash browns layered with Cajun crawfish cream gravy, an egg and brown butter vinaigrette. Side your meal with a Bloody Mary made with Better Half’s own Bloody mix and hot pickled okra.
The Cavalier. Credit Alison Narro.
Casual Brunch
Get into the dive bar spirit of The Cavalier, a neighborhood scratch kitchen that turns out Southern favorites. Weekend brunch includes Southern staples like poutine tots, chicken and waffles, and shrimp and grits. Or try the locally popular Cavalier burger, topped with homemade mayo and pickles.
Bring your group to the Brunch Social at Electric Shuffle, which includes a bottle of prosecco for each person, dancing to DJ-driven music, shuffleboard competitions and great food. The Bacon Jam pizza and Brunch Boards are crowd favorites. Other hits include breakfast quesadillas, avocado toast, and beignets. Pair your meal with a dark chocolate espresso martini, spiked lavender lemonade or an old-fashioned with a hint of bacon-infused maple syrup.
Wu Chow. Credit Jane Ko.
Dim Sum
Try the weekend dim sum brunch at Qi Austin, where authentic Asian dishes are made with produce from a local farm. Dumplings are the house specialty, so be sure to sample the cilantro-shrimp basil-chicken or seafood soup versions.
Modern Chinese food is the specialty at Wu Chow, which offers dim sum service on Sundays. Try the shrimp-stuffed eggplant, chicken and taro egg rolls, or the baked pineapple bao. The playful cocktail menu includes the Texan’s Take on Tiki, mixed with Montelobos mezcal, Grand Marnier, lime, cucumber and jalapeño.
Drag Brunch
Queen Rhonda Jewels and her guest stars reign over an outdoor monthly drag brunch at Irene's, where reserved seats come with popcorn and a bottle of bubbly. Tip your show favorites with $1 bills. During the rest of the month, sip seasonal coffees and cocktails during the Biscuits & Booze Brunch held every Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Menu favorites include grilled cheese on brioche with cheddar, maple-glazed bacon and a sunny egg. Or, go for the French toast platter with mixed berry jam and coconut whipped cream
Reserve your table early to join in the fun at Halcyon's downtown location for the boisterous Brunch with the Babes on Saturday afternoons. Austin's premier drag brunch and burlesque show features co-hosts Maxine LaQueene and Eileen Dover introducing local entertainers at the 18-and-up event. Sip a mimosa, cocktail or coffee and savor the brunch menu's sweet stuff like berries-and-cream waffles, hearty fare such as the beef-chorizo burger, and light items that include an acai bowl.
Bird Bird Biscuit. Credit Jasmin Porter.
Weekday Brunch
Indulge in decadent sandwiches for breakfast and lunch every day at Bird Bird Biscuit. Opt for a spicy Queen Beak chicken sandwich with cayenne-black pepper honey and bacon-infused chipotle mayo. Or try the Lovely Day, made with chicken sausage, an egg over medium, cheddar cheese and basil pesto on a huge homestyle biscuit. Order online for pick up.
Tasty teas and rich coffees comliment an Australian-influenced menu at Proud Mary Cafe, located in an airy, minimalist space. Try toast with Vegemite and house-made berry jame. Savory fluffy ricotta hotcakes with seasonal toppings and Proud Mary apple-and-thyme syrup. Or indulge in a burger made with a mixture of pork and bacon, topped with a fried egg and Aussie onions. Sit inside at a table or the bar, or opt for dining outdoors.
Courtesy of Jack Allen's Kitchen
Family-Friendly Brunch
Jack Allen’s Kitchen uses locally sourced ingredients to create its classic Texan fare with a modern twist at its five Austin-area locations. The weekend brunch includes mouthwatering dishes such as stacked French toast with candied bacon, mascarpone cram and a seasonal fruit compote, along with barbacoa eggs benedict with fried green tomatoes and smashed breakfast potatoes.
Cherrywood Coffeehouse offers a bit of everything, from all-day breakfast to beers on tap and live kid-friendly music on Sundays. During the weekend brunch, treat the little ones to the Chocolate City smoothie (peanut butter, chocolate, banana and almond milk) and chow down on huevos rancheros, a vegan scramble or the breakfast BLT with an egg.
Jacoby's. Credit Natalie Seeboth.
Farm-to-Table Brunch
Adam Jacoby and Kris Swift's first restaurant, Jacoby’s, is a ranch-to-table dining experience with one of the tastiest burgers in town. Brunch is served on Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. with a menu that focuses on Texas fare. Dishes include chicken migas, chicken fried steak and waffles, smoked cheese grits and more.
Seasonal Hill Country cuisine is on the Sunday brunch menu at Hillside Farmacy, housed in a building owned by one of East Austin's long-standing African American families. Doc Young operated the Hillside Drugstore from the 1950s through the '70s. Today, the restored building offers a lovely dining experience. Sample breakfast items like the Hillside Benny with avocado, spinach and chipotle hollandaise, biscuits and gravy, buttermilk pancakes and more.
Geraldine's. Credit Ismael Quintanilla III.
Live Music Brunch
Located on the fourth floor of the Hotel Van Zandt, Geraldine’s offers a New Age spin on classic Southern food and decor. On Saturdays and Sundays from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. the classic jazz brunch features a rotating set of local jazz quartets. With a substantial menu and signature cocktails, Geraldine’s is your location for the perfect upscale brunch.
Hear different artists each week as Stubb’s Bar-B-Q serves up rousing live music at its Sunday Gospel Brunch with shows at 10:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. You’ll want to reserve seats that come with a view of the band. Pair signature cocktails with the buffet that features lip-smacking Southern-style food like slow-smoked brisket, fried catfish, biscuits, grits and more.
La Condesa. Credit Briana Balducci.
Mexican Brunch
Spend your Sunday morning watching passersby from the downtown patio at La Condesa. Sunday brunch is a colorful affair, featuring a brunch happy hour and dishes like the short rib quesadilla, huevos rancheros and churro waffles. Pair your meal with mimosas by the bottle or an espresso martini.
You can celebrate an all-out fiesta during the weekend brunch at Suerte. Post up on the patio overlooking East Sixth Street and dig into elevated Mexican cuisine like the suadero tacos (stuffed with confit brisket and avocado crudo), or bistec y huevos with New York strip steak, beans, eggs and okra.
With poolside and city views from the fifth floor of the Austin Proper Hotel, brunch is a delight at La Piscina, which offers high-end Mexican cuisine. Sip a classic margarita or michelada while savoring a brunch fajita with chicken or shrimp, scrambled eggs, beans and tortillas. Or opt to have sizzling fajitas made at your table. Other specialties include the crab tostada, grilled chicken torta and chorizo taco with scrambled eggs.
Paperboy. Credit Jane Ko.
New American Brunch
Fuel up for the day at Paperboy, which features a breezy rooftop patio and garden. Weekend brunch includes the popular Texas hash tossed with roasted pork, sweet potatoes, poached eggs, kale and pecan mole. Other tasty options include ricotta toast, a peaches-and-cream roll, and empanadas filled with chorizo, potatoes and cheese.
Try breakfast banh mi at Elizabeth Street Cafe. The weekend brunch at this charming French-Vietnamese cafe includes brioche French toast and an omelette filled with roasted pork and mushrooms. Or opt for an array of traditional fare, such as banh mi, pho and buns. Try the Hirota martini made with Japanese vodka or gin.
Fresh, regional ingredients are the cornerstone of the dishes served at Dai Due. Brunch served on Friday, Saturday and Sunday reflects the produce and meats available from area farmers and ranchers. Look forward to tasting items like biscuits and gravy made with nilgai antelope breakfast sausage. Or try the wild game Italian sub sandwich layered with wild boar, nilgai antelope, bierwurst and pepperjack cheese.
Courtesy of Launderette.
Patio Brunch
The critically acclaimed Launderette serves an eclectic brunch menu that includes everything from salmon gravlax to buttermilk pancakes with a blueberry-maple compote and pork shoulder hash. Don’t miss the pastry of the day.
With live oaks as a leafy backdrop to Mattie's historic Victorian setting, you may want to dine on the porch during brunch, held on Saturdays and Sundays. Order a mimosa or Bloody Mary while perusing the menu that includes a lobster Cobb salad, biscuits with chorizo gravy and fried chicken eggs benedict. Insider tip: Look for the pretty peacocks strolling the grounds.
Josephine House. Credit Annie Whitehead.
Upscale Brunch
Located in a cozy little cottage in Clarksville, Josephine House serves up delectable daily brunch dishes like lemon ricotta pancakes topped with fresh strawberries and blueberries. Pick a seat in the charming dining room or stake out a shady little nook on the patio.
Step inside the stylish South Congress Hotel for a California-inspired weekend brunch at Café No Sé. Menu stars include avocado toast, kimchi hash and a breakfast cheeseburger (top it with a sunny-side-up egg and crispy bacon).
For a refreshing weekend brunch, Hank’s, a bright and airy northeast Austin cafe, has everything to start your day right. The menu features a mix of brunch staples from eggs benedict to salmon toast, as well as lunch-style options like the cheeseburger topped with sharp cheddar, bacon and a fried egg served with thin crispy fries. Slide into a booth inside, or opt for a table on the large patio out front.
Vegetarian/Vegan Brunch
In Tarrytown, between Downtown Austin and Lake Austin, you’ll find The Beer Plant. The city’s first vegan gastropub serves a fully plant-based menu and craft beer in a farmhouse pub atmosphere. Try their version of crab cakes featuring breaded hearts of palm croquettes with tartar sauce, spicy tahini and an arugula salad.
The woman-owned Bouldin Creek Cafe offers an inventive menu of vegan and vegetarian fare. Sip the Swamp Thing, a hangover helper with matcha, Emergen-C and apple juice, while ordering breakfast plates made with tofu scramble or pasture raised eggs. Tacos, big salads, sandwiches and sweet endings round out the menu choices.
Try vegetarian versions of Tex-Mex food and tasty pies at Mr. Natural. Big appetites will devour The MOABB, a wet breakfast burrito stuffed with potatoes and your choice of beans, cheese, sauce and protein. Or try the Energy Fruit Salad with strawberries, blueberries, bananas and apples, topped with homemade yogurt, granola and local honey.