A leisurely hybrid between breakfast and lunch, brunch is an ideal meal to enjoy with your parents this weekend. The following five restaurants provide delicious menu offerings and pleasant environments to spend time with company. The restaurants are strategically located in different parts of the city, so you can also take advantage of the various sightseeing and shopping opportunities Los Angeles has to offer.
L.A. Chapter, Downtown
The avocado toast and ricotta pancakes are favorites from the menu at L.A. Chapter. (Maral Tavitian/Neon Tommy)
L.A. Chapter at the Ace Hotel offers fresh breakfast options in a bustling and hip ambience. The recently opened hotel is located in the historic United Artists Building in Downtown’s theatre district. The dining room is an eclectic combination of classical Spanish Gothic architecture and modern décor, including checkered floors, bronze tabletops and luminescent stained glass windows. The menu reflects this same mix of old and new sensibilities. Chefs Jud Mongell and Ken Addington put creative twists on familiar items, such as the ricotta pancakes with honeycomb butter and the Moroccan scrambled eggs with house-made sausage and chickpea smash. The dishes are thoughtful and flavorful while retaining the unfussy spirit of brunch. After your meal, be sure to check out the hotel’s rooftop for gorgeous views of the city and browse the many new boutiques revitalizing the area.
Recommended: Avocado toast with poached eggs; ricotta pancakes.
930 S Broadway, Los Angeles, (213) 235-9660, lachapter.com
Zinc Cafe, Downtown
Zinc Cafe offers a pristine getaway in the center of Arts District. The modern, light-filled interior and garden lined with olive trees create a lovely dining experience. The menu features standard, healthy dishes executed using quality ingredients. The asparagus and mushroom omelet is everything a proper French omelet should be, soft and pale, tender on the inside and filled with tangy goat cheese. What Zinc lacks in creativity, it makes up for in ambience. While many popular brunch destinations can feel overcrowded and hectic on the weekends, Zinc’s expansiveness puts people at ease immediately. Located in one of the city’s most talked about neighborhoods, Zinc is just a few minutes away from many intriguing art galleries and retail stores.
Recommended: Asparagus and mushroom omelet; whole-wheat sourdough toast.
580 Mateo St., Los Angeles, (323) 825-5381, zinccafe.com
The Sycamore Kitchen, West Hollywood
Upscale comfort food at The Sycamore Kitchen. (Maral Tavitian/Neon Tommy)
With an extensive selection of freshly baked goods and homey main dishes, the Sycamore Kitchen is every breakfast lover’s dream. The restaurant serves updated versions of classic comfort foods, including satisfying egg sandwiches and grain bowls inspired by different ethnic cuisines. Esteemed pastry chef and co-owner Karen Hatfield oversees the sweet side of the menu, which features irresistible streusel muffins, fruit-studded loaf cakes and warm sticky buns. The restaurant carefully sources its ingredients and incorporates seasonal details into all of its offerings. The welcoming, light-filled ambience and self-ordering system provide a laidback yet refined dining experience.
Recommended: Blackberry-lemon polenta cake; buttermilk-rye pancakes; fried egg tartine; ricotta and buckwheat blintzes.
143 S La Brea Ave., Los Angeles, (323) 939-0151, thesycamorekitchen.com
Café Stella, Silver Lake
The very Parisian ambience at Café Stella. (Maral Tavitian/Neon Tommy)
Café Stella offers authentic French cuisine and ambience. The walls of the dimly lit interior are decorated with vintage paintings, mismatched plates and ornate mirrors. Outside, sitting on the wobbly bistro chairs and tables will transport you to the streets of Paris. The menu features uncomplicated morning fare, from the succulent soft-scrambled eggs to the crunchy baguette served with salted butter and house-made jam. The restaurant also features a large selection of more decadent lunch dishes, such as croque monsieur, a traditional open-face ham and cheese sandwich. While Café Stella is not ideal for large groups, it allows for an intimate morning with a few close friends and family.
Recommended: Baguette toast with butter and jam; soft-scrambled eggs with prosciutto.
3932 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, (323) 666-0265, cafestella.com
Lincoln, Pasadena
The bulgur porridge, breakfast salad and almond bostock at Lincoln. (Maral Tavitian/Neon Tommy)
Located in a reclaimed industrial building, this newly opened cafe is well worth the drive to Pasadena. Co-owner Christine Moore sourced all of the furniture and decorations from flea markets and vintage stores, giving the interior a rustic character. In addition to the expansive indoor seating area, the gorgeous, Provençal-inspired courtyard provides an ideal environment for chatting with family and friends. To eat, Lincoln offers an impressive variety of baked goods and fresh, inventive savory options. The breakfast salad features grains, toasted walnuts and greens tossed together in tangy lemon vinaigrette and crowned with a soft-boiled egg. Everything is made in-house, from the crusty baguette that accompanies most egg dishes to the buttery brioche used for the Nutella toast.
Recommended: Almond bostock; breakfast salad; morning bun; Parmesan eggs.
1992 Lincoln Ave., Pasadena, (626) 765-6746, lincolnpasadena.com
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