Let's Do Brunch

Clavel

REMINGTON

This Remington darling is known for its ceviches, tacos, and mezcal, but why wait until after dark for that fiesta feel? If you’re bored by the typical brunch, Clavel’s morning fare features options that are equally spicy and invigorating. One highlight includes the molletes: Toasted pan telera forms the foundation and gets topped with black beans, queso Chihuahua, pico de gallo, and also sliced avocado, and we like to top ours with a fried egg. There’s also a deeply rich and filling huevos rancheros that made the grown man at our table cry tears of joy, though it could have been the fermented pineapple tepache with cava rosé talking. 225 W. 23rd. St.

The Food Market

HAMPDEN

A complimentary order of fried doughnut holes greets guests as they sit down to brunch at chef Chad Gauss’ elevated comfort food classic. The amuse-bouche acts as a teaser for the playful menu, which features everything from chicken and biscuits to mock oatmeal with red quinoa, vanilla, and brûléed berries. Surefire bets are the turkey sausage tacos with whipped avocado, the Korean pork belly Benedict, and the sweet-and-salty Monte Cristo that layers ham in between slices of French toast. No visit to The Food Market is complete without a “Funchie” starter of Amish soft pretzels dunked in beer cheese fondue. Still not sated? Brunch cocktail offerings such as the “French Toast” cocktail with Bailey’s, butterscotch, and cinnamon will leave you with warm feelings. 1017 W. 36th St.

FUN FACT!

piece of Cake

In Colonial America, pancakes were known as hoe cakes, Johnny cakes, or flapjacks and were made with buckwheat or cornmeal. Amelia Simmons’ American Cookery, thought to be the first all-American cookbook, published in 1796, has two recipes for pancakes. Thomas Jefferson was a fan.

Golden West Café

HAMPDEN

With greasy spoon favorites, vegan specialties, and Southern satisfiers, it’s no wonder that this eclectic hangout has been a go-to on The Avenue for 20 years. The brunch options showcase the spot’s New Mexican flair, with dishes including egg-and-chorizo quesadillas and a burger smothered with green chile sauce. The signature Frito Pie appetizer—corn chips, cheddar-jack cheese, salsa fresca, and your choice of beans or taco meat piled into a snack-sized Frito bag—is an ideal hangover helper. If you’re looking for something traditional, the Liege-style waffles are crowd pleasers. 1105 W. 36th St.

The Outpost American Tavern

RIVERSIDE

This Riverside corner bar has really come into its own since opening last year. The brunch menu is best described as eclectic, but not in a cutesy way. Rather, it's an assemblage of items that a seasoned bruncher would really want. Starting with a basket of house-baked goods is a sure bet, as is saving some (or all) of a cloud-like biscuit to squeegee up every last drop of the finest sausage gravy in Baltimore (no exaggeration). Thanks to huge portions and deft execution, requisites such as Benedict and huevos rancheros are solid enough to compete with a no-holds-barred French toast with brûléed banana, waffles topped with brisket and Cheez Whiz, a triple decker Monte Cristo imbued with syrup, or a sous-vide steak paired with chimichurri eggs. Interesting cocktails and mimosa pitchers round out the morning nicely. 1032 Riverside Ave.

Papermoon Diner

REMINGTON

Play the ultimate game of I spy while waiting for your order to arrive at this oh-so-Baltimore Remington funhouse featuring an array of funky toys and trinkets around every corner. (Don’t miss the plastic mannequins covered in toy cars, dolls hanging from the ceiling, or the collection of vintage Pez dispensers up front.) The lengthy menu is just as whimsical, offering all-day breakfast dishes such as sausage-and-pancake pigs in a blanket, a massive plate of shrimp and grits in Tasso ham gravy, and “The Big Dipper”—a take on the classic “egg in a basket” dish that fries eggs into the center of multigrain French toast. Complete the retro diner experience with a thick milkshake (Chunky Monkey for life!) topped with a hefty dollop of whipped cream. 227 W. 29th St.

Points South Latin Kitchen

FELLS POINT

The Sunday brunch buffet at Points South is small, though stocked—and dutifully replenished—with a tasty roster of breakfast-y items such as fruit and green salads, exceptionally crispy potatoes, eggs, and breakfast meats, often including a Latin-style sauté of vegetables. Though it's noteworthy, the draw is not necessarily the food. On Sundays, they mount a full-on drag show that will take many back to the glory days of The Hippo—top-notch performers led by a fiercely on-point emcee. Make no mistake, this is brunch for grown folks, with strong language, even stronger drinks, and, if you’re lucky, a good old-fashioned twerk-off in which the winners earn a round of shots for their table. 1640 Thames St.

Brunch House at R. House

REMINGTON

Just when we thought this communal food hall couldn’t get any more enticing, the Remington hangout recently debuted weekend brunch service. Each of the stalls highlights its own mid-morning menu, and the centerpiece R. Bar offers bottomless Bloody Marys, mimosas, and sangria to wash it all down. The best part? There’s something to please all palates if you’re brunching with a group. Divide and conquer to slurp down smoothie bowls from Stall 11, munch on breakfast tacos from Amano Taco, or cut into paprika-fried eggs and perfectly crisp bacon from Ground & Griddled. International options—like a Korean tater tot bowl from Bebim, shakshuka from Arba, or Hawaiian loco moco from Hilo—are a great way to shake up the normal brunch routine. 301 W. 29th St.

Little Havana

FEDERAL HILL

There’s a reason that a line starts forming every weekend around 11 a.m. on Key Highway. When the doors swing open to Little Havana, the staff barely has time to breathe before brunch is in full swing. Diners opt for waterfront al fresco tables at this Cuban-inspired bar and are more likely to be sipping on mint-filled mojitos than mimosas on Sunday mornings. Most brunch items have a Latin flair, and it’s best to go in that direction with dishes such as traditional huevos rancheros or Cuban fried eggs served over rice, black beans, and peppery sofrito. Of course, any sandwich with Little Havana’s signature tender pulled pork is reason enough to wait in line. 1325 Key Hwy.

FUN FACT!

PIG PARTS

The Pennsylvania Dutch concocted a farmhouse-style “pâté” as a way of using unpopular pig parts, including the head and organ meats, by boiling it with cornmeal then pressing and baking it in a loaf pan. Scrapple is now found on many a Maryland menu.

Minnow

RIVERSIDE

We’re hesitant to spill the beans, but Minnow may just have the best brunch deal in town. Not only is there an occasional drag show, but every weekend for just $39 per person, diners can get bottomless tapas dishes and unlimited mimosas and Bloody Marys. Theoretically, you could never stop eating—and we really didn’t want to. With a seafood slant, menu highlights include oysters with saffron and a shrimp ceviche. Don’t miss the fried bacalao croquettes with sweet red pepper aioli or blistered shishito peppers squeezed with just a hint of lime. Minnow even manages to make the mundane exciting, like elevating creamy scrambled eggs with chevre and tarragon or a thick piece of bacon with sticky maple glaze. And while you’ll try to find the bottom of this never-ending feast (it’s somewhere near the sour cream doughnuts with dulce de leche), it’s all about the journey, not the destination, here. 2 E. Wells St.

Red Star

FELLS POINT

We’re sure glad a second location of Red Star opened up in Charles Village, because its original Fells Point spot has been a go-to brunch destination for years—a welcome respite the morning after those same neighborhood cobblestones have been filled with drunken revelers. Plus, friendly servers offer up $13 bottomless mimosas and Bloody Marys. We appreciate that Red Star’s menu offers a range of lighter dishes including breakfast wraps and colorful salads, as well as more substantial fare such as the stand-out cinnamon brioche French toast or chilaquiles with spicy chorizo, fried eggs, queso, and onions piled high on tortilla chips. Hangover cured! Two locations, including 906 S. Wolfe St.

Ananda

FULTON

When co-owner Binda Singh greets guests in line for the brunch buffet at his Indian palace in Fulton, he gives one piece of advice: “Try everything.” And we did. Make your way down the line to find expertly crafted classics such as chicken tikka masala, chana, and tandoori lamb. Of equal note are the dishes you won’t find on other menus around town. We savored every bite of the Kerala cakes stuffed with lump crab and local sweet corn, chicken chaat salad mixed with sesame seeds and crispy lentils, and the life-changing gobinda (roasted cauliflower) tossed in a chili-lime glaze. Finish it all off with a warm chai on the all-weather patio—a fitting experience given Ananda's name, which means “bliss” in Sanskrit. 7421 Maple Lawn Blvd., Fulton.

FUN FACT!

LET’S BRUNCH

Baltimore residents and self-anointed “Brunch A Morons” Lydia Tucker and Dana Barnes, two Ellicott City friends since high school, started a bottomless brunch blog that now has 2,500 followers on Facebook and 1,200 on Instagram.

Bygone

HARBOR EAST

You might think that $60 for a brunch buffet is a ripoff—until you see the spread at Bygone. Succulent raw oysters, tender and juicy prime rib, perfectly spiced chicken and biscuits, omelet and waffle stations, fried eggs in spicy tomato sauce, and poached eggs nestled in puff pastry all await your appetite, along with the best view of the harbor this side of a helicopter ride. Our advice is to skip the ho-hum mini pastries and go straight to the main event. You won’t need to eat again until bedtime. 400 International Dr.

Rusty Scupper

FEDERAL HILL

The Rusty Scupper, stalwart sentry of the Inner Harbor for lo these many decades, has remained steadfast as the city’s restaurant scene explodes. Located on the still-quiet stretch of promenade near Rash Field, the view, facing toward the entire developed waterfront, is magnificent. And while it’s known locally as a tourist spot, when it comes to the all-you-can-eat bottomless brunch ($45 bottomless for adults, $16 for children), even the highest-browed among us should not resist. The sheer scale of offerings—with multiple omelet stations, a raw bar, steamed shrimp, carved prime rib and ham, and a Belgian waffle station, to name but a few of the options—is notable. Efficient service keeps the massive operation orderly, and the whole experience may leave you wondering why it took so long to visit. 402 Key Hwy.

Gertrude’s Chesapeake Kitchen

CHARLES VILLAGE

Against a backdrop as gorgeous as The Baltimore Museum of Art, one could serve month-old Hot Pockets and folks would love it. But brunch at the newly named Gertrude’s Chesapeake Kitchen is truly delicious. We are particularly fond of their riffs on eggs Benedict that swing from classic to fanciful (broiled crab cakes with poached eggs and Hollandaise) and embrace Chesapeake bounty. The restaurant’s bar slings great cocktails, too. Wash all that indulgence down with one of the tastiest Bloody Marys in Baltimore, the Old Bay-infused Dirty Gertie, or simply sit back and regard the majesty of the sculpture garden with a blood orange mimosa. Feeling full? Walk it off with a museum tour after your meal. 10 Art Museum Dr.

Ida B’s Table

DOWNTOWN

Brunch at Ida B’s in the city’s downtown district has become so popular that reservations during prime time are tough to come by. What’s served here is soul food that honors its roots in the slave trade while also embracing its American identity with made-in-the-Mid-Atlantic ingredients. Pastries baked in-house, like a tomato tart or honey graham muffin, are playful yet sensible: a bracingly spicy boudin (Cajun pork and rice sausage) or a runny egg on a croissant is decadence with bite. Breakfast cobblers are a stroke of pure genius—“scooped” buttermilk biscuits filled with eggs scrambled with spinach, cheese, blackened chicken, or braised brisket. More traditional Southern standards such as fried chicken and waffles are excellent, as are the home fries (add pork belly and cheddar). An inspired cocktail program and coffee bar round out the offerings. 235 Holliday St.

Maggie’s Farm

Lauraville

At Maggie’s Farm, the dining room is cozy and can fill up suddenly, so perhaps the rather compact menu is a hedge against getting overwhelmed. On the bright side, you can’t go wrong with a single item on the menu. The house-made cinnamon roll is adorned with a well-balanced cream cheese icing, which, along with fresh strawberries, can also be found stuffed into amazing challah French toast. Chicken and waffles here follows the trend of forgoing bone-in fried chicken for fried chunks, but raises the bar with candied pecans, syrup, and sausage gravy. The details really matter here—the steak and eggs arrive with a thick, perfectly marked and cooked sirloin, accompanied by an appealing vegetable hash. Even the bacon is excellent and cooked to that just medium-well stage that most folks can agree upon. 4341 Harford Rd.

Petit Louis Bistro

ROLAND PARK

We’re not sure the French actually brunch, but if they do, we are sure Petit Louis nails it. Eschewing the sweet and sticky side of this weekend repast, Baltimore’s Gallic bistro instead serves up fluffy omelets, decadent onion soup, lightly dressed salads, and even continental standbys such as escargot and steak frites. Our favorite is the classic croque-monsieur, a sinfully rich griddled ham and cheese sandwich on brioche bread, donning a fried egg chapeau to become a croque-madame. The French toa–er, that is, the pain perdu—will satisfy your sugar craving as one of the best examples in town. Bon appétit, indeed! 4800 Roland Ave.

Woodberry Kitchen

WOODBERRY

This farm-to-fork stalwart has all the brunch bona fides—house-baked goods (don’t miss the cast-iron blueberry cornbread), French toast with cherries, and a flatbread with bacon, ham, potatoes, eggs, onions, and cheddar. If you’re not in a brunchy mood, indulge in some of the James Beard-winning restaurant’s dinner faves—the chicken enchiladas (topped with a fried egg at brunch) or the Tilghman Island crab pot. Libations of any kind are a must. WK has notable coffee and cocktail programs. Multitasking types will want to order the “Good Morning Heartache” with brown-butter washed rum, coffee amaro, maple syrup, and coffee bitters to experience both at the same time. 2010 Clipper Park Rd.

FUN FACT!

think pink

The Bellini was invented in 1948 by Giuseppe Cipriani, founder of Harry’s Bar in Venice. The pink drink is believed to have been inspired by a color often used by 15th-century Venetian artist Giovanni Bellini.