Where to Find the Best Easter Brunch in San Francisco
Ahhh Easter morning. The fresh anticipation of egg hunts, sugar overloads, and extended family gatherings is exciting. But if you don’t really feel like popping that spiral ham in the oven to feed a hungry hoard in your kitchen, then we’ve got you covered. Stretchy Pants put on our roomiest waistbands and hit the pavement to find you the best San Francisco eateries for Easter brunch, and boy is it looking like it’s going to be one hella tasty holiday. From prix-fixed, to classics, to menus with a twist, whatever you fancy this bunny day San Francisco has certainly got something for you. So, loosen that top button under the table—no judgement here, we do it all the time—and make room for your Easter brunch in SF. Featured photo courtesy of Water Bar.
Best brunch in San Francisco #1
Foreign Cinema
Location: 2534 Mission Street, San Francisco, CA 94110
Price: $75 per person; $25 for children
Touted as one of the most popular spots for brunch in SF, Foreign Cinema’s bright dining space, lively outdoor patio, and innovative menu is a great place to celebrate any occasion with friends and family. This year’s set three-course Easter menu features many of the regular menu’s mainstay—with a few seasonal tweaks—including a half dozen oysters on the half shell with a Champagne mignonette. You could easily share this iced platter with the rest of the table, or not. We know we wouldn’t.
If throwing back some bivalves at 11 a.m. isn’t really your thing then you definitely have to check out the baguette French toast with fresh coastal strawberries, Valencia orange sections, cacao nibs, and maple-lemon butter (they had us at baguette), or the spicy Tunisian shakshuka with grilled Merguez sausage and quail eggs. Browse the menu at foreigncinema.com.
Photo Courtesy of Foreign Cinema
Best brunch in San Francisco #2
Luce
Location: 888 Howard Street, San Francisco, CA 94103
Price: $90 per person; $45 for children 4-12 years
When a restaurant has been recognized by the Michelin Guide for the 10th straight year, you should probably check it out. Despite its accolades and seemingly chichi (pronounced: she-she, we like to get fancy sometimes) menu, the restaurant—located inside the InterContinental San Francisco—is super approachable. Easter brunch this year is a buffet so be sure to wear those stretchy pants (see what we did there? *wink wink*) for optimal expansion. Featuring an omelet station—because who doesn’t like an omelet station—and bottomless mimosas, choose from any and all offerings for an eggcellent SF brunch. Ok, we’re done with the puns … for now. Browse the menu at lucewinerestaurant.com.
Photo Courtesy of Marta Diaz
Best brunch in San Francisco #3
Bluestem Brasserie
Location: 1 Yerba Buena Lane, San Francisco, CA 94103
Price: Regular brunch menu pricing
Conveniently located next to the Yerba Buena Gardens, this San Francisco brasserie serves up elevated American fare in an urban neighborhood setting. And you can get a little tasty taste from the bi-level restaurant’s regular brunch menu from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. To get your Basic B on order the flirty spring frosé (frosé all day baby) or check out the burrata frittata. I mean c’mon, the name itself is fun to say, just imagine what it tastes like.
You might also consider the massive cinnamon roll with ooey-gooey brown butter, cream cheese frosting (um, ok), or “The King” pancakes—flapjacks drizzled in a peanut butter-banana Foster with a hefty sprinkling of bacon. Now that’s what we call a hunka hunka burnin’ love. Keep the party going well past appropriate brunching hours with a little Easter happy hour or dinner. Large groups and kiddos are welcome. Browse the menu at bluestemsf.com.
Photo Courtesy of Bluestem Brasserie
Best brunch in San Francisco #4
Waterbar
Location: 399 The Embarcadero, San Francisco, CA 94105
Price: $55 per person
For stunning SF Bay views, visitors and locals alike have got to check out Waterbar. Tucked right under the Bay Bridge, this restaurant is a seafood-lover’s paradise offering a three-course prix-fixe brunch featuring fresh-off-the-boat fare, such as ahi tartare, Ōra King salmon gravlax, and grilled yellowtail jack, along with other more terrestrial-based eats. Just be sure to leave room for dessert because wrapping up a meal with a sticky toffee pudding with a mascarpone chantilly, or a speckled egg torte with duck-egg ice cream is a no brainer. Browse the menu at waterbarsf.com.
Photo Courtesy of Water Bar
Best brunch in San Francisco #5
Sip Tea Room
Location: 721 Lincoln Way, San Francisco, CA 94122
Price: $29
For some “pinkies up” kind of brunchin’ make a reservation for any of Sip’s three seatings for a delightful afternoon of gentile company. This SF tea room is offering a set menu featuring those extra adorable tea sammies and petit fours that make even the most macho of hearts go, “awwww.” And we can’t help but get a little excited over a good scone with all the fixin’s, especially when there’s strawberry-champagne preserves, lemon curd, and clotted cream on offer. So don your best frock and matching hat, and stop into Sip for a spot of tea this Easter in San Francisco. Browse the menu at siptearoom.com.
Photo Courtesy of Sip Tea Room
Best brunch in San Francisco #6
4505 Burgers and BBQ
Location: 705 Divisadero Street, San Francisco, CA 94117
Price: Regular menu pricing
Getting dressed up and sitting down to a fancier meal is always fun, but sometimes taking an easy-going classic and putting a twist on it can be just as exciting too. This barbeque joint is whipping up a special sammie for the springtime holiday. To craft the famous Easter Ham Sandwich, heritage pork legs are split, brined, and smoked in-house to make 4505’s delectable house-cured, smoked ham. The ham is then shaved thin before being piled high on an Acme pain de mie roll accompanied by bread and butter pickles, sliced Gruyère, and crispy onion strings. Excuse us while we wipe the drool off the floor. The piggy sammie is on offer from April 19 through April 21. Browse the menu at 4505burgersandbbq.com.
Photo Courtesy of 4505 Burgers & BBQ
Best brunch in San Francisco #7
Mama’s
Location: 1701 Stockton Street, San Francisco, CA 94133
Price: Regular menu pricing
Located right off of North Beach’s Washington Square Park, Mama’s is a San Francisco brunch staple. And they should be, considering Mama and Papa Sanchez opened the joint more than 50 years ago. The all-day-breakfast menu is the ideal spot for your SF Easter brunch-fest, just be sure to get your spot in line early, as this neighborhood eatery is uber-popular. If you get there right when it opens at 8 am you can usually get a table right away. But the wait will be worth it once you get a taste of those fluffy, old-fashioned buttermilk pancakes, any of the M’Omlettes, or the fresh-from-the-oven bread and pastries. Pssst, the kugelhopf (a twist on Austrian baked brioche with rum-soaked raisins, Medjool dates, and cinnamon swirl) is definitely stretchy pants worthy. Browse the menu at mamas-sf.com.
Best brunch in San Francisco #8
The Sycamore
Location: 2140 Mission Street, San Francisco, CA 94110
Price: Regular menu pricing
Ok, we know what you’re thinking: How much more places are there to brunch? Oh, honeys. We haven’t even scratched the surface. But for low-key, gastropub fare in a hip, cool setting, with a menu that is crazy affordable for San Francisco, The Sycamore is a total must. Mix-and-match sliders go for $3.50 a pop (hello breakfast chicken slider, and welcome to my belly) and the smoked-salmon scramble at just $12.75, eating at this joint will make you feel like a maharaja. And did we mention the bottomless mimosas for a mere $12 (with the purchase of $8 worth of food, because no one likes to get mimosa-turnt that early)? The Mission eatery does not take reservations, but they do have a great outdoor patio and board games to help while away the springtime hours. Browse the menu at thesycamoresf.com.
Love Stretchy Pants?
So if you’re hoppy and you know it (and you thought you could escape the puns… ) make brunch plans for any of the killer spots around San Francisco this Easter. Kick back with friends and family and enjoy a food-filled extravaganza.
If you’re digging what we’re dishing up, you might like any number of our food tours. Pinkies up!
– Lauren Bonney @bonneyeatsworld
