Some of the most popular brunch spots, such as Sweet Maple on Sutter Street in San Francisco, specialize in traditional American breakfast foods plumped and primped for brunch — omelets, scrambles and, of course, the much-copied phenom “millionaire’s bacon.” But if you want to go beyond eggs (even good ones), these restaurants offer adventuresome weekend meals.
— Kitty Morgan, kmorgan@sfchronicle.com
Dim sum: Ton Kiang
Just a few years ago, Ton Kiang was a Sunday morning must-stop. But San Francisco’s dim sum world is large; it contains multitudes. And so the chatter moved on, as it does; specifically, in the Richmond, the scrum on the sidewalks of Geary seemed to shift slightly east, to Hong Kong Lounge. In any case, if you haven’t lately, venture west again back to Ton Kiang: Dim sum at this Hakka-Cantonese stalwart is better than ever — and, for the moment, a relatively brisk wait if you go before 11 a.m.
5821 Geary Blvd., S.F.; (415) 387-8273. www.tonkiang.net. Cart service 10 a.m.- 3 p.m. Monday through Friday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday-Sunday.
— Jon Bonné, jbonne@sfchronicle.com
Dim sum: City
View Restaurant
The chaos that is the semi-mandatory downtown ritual of Yank Sing — hey, parking! — make this pristinely white-walled alternative, squeezed between the FiDi and Chinatown, all the more appealing. Of course, City View has its own proud partisans, and with good reason: the siu mai are delicate but deeply imbued with pork flavor, the char siu sou (baked pork “turnovers”) are flaky enough to make a patissier blush, and there’s a skilled hand with the frying: don’t miss the XO sauce pan-fried noodles, headily rich and perfectly crisp at the edge. Pro tip: weekday lunch.
662 Commercial St., S.F.; (415) 398-2838. www.cityviewdimsum.com. Open 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Saturday-Sunday.
— Jon Bonné
Brexican: Tacubaya
Fourth Street on a weekend morning is the kind of scene you can watch for hours, which is why it can be so hard to get a seat on the patio outside Thomas Schnetz and Dona Savitsky’s 11-year-old taqueria. The fresh tortillas are still part of the draw of breakfast here; wrap them around eggs scrambled with chorizo or huevos divorciados smothered in green and red salsas. An even bigger draw: the chilaquiles, crisp fried tortillas scrambled with eggs, onions and a guajillo salsa spicy enough to have you grabbing for your water. Because no one — and by that I mean everyone — wants to see you crying in public.
1788 Fourth St., Berkeley; (510) 525-5160. www.tacubaya.net. Breakfast/brunch 10 a.m.-noon Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday-Sunday.
— Jonathan Kauffman, jkauffman@sfchronicle.com
Brexican: Gallardos
The families who fill Gallardos’ marigold-colored dining room on Sunday mornings are not here for the eggs scrambled with beef, chorizo or cactus and peppers, though you’ll spot a few of those plates. You’ll find better chilaquiles elsewhere. What appear on every table are giant white bowls filled with Jaliscan stews, only available on the weekends. The menudo, robustly spiced and filled with pillowy squares of braised tripe, is some of the best in the Mission. Even better is the lamb birria, with broth the color of dried guajillos or freshly spilled blood, a hue as intense as its flavor. Order the shredded meat on the side so you can roll it in warm tortillas with onions and salsa and then dip each bite into the soup.
3248 18th St., SF; (415) 436-9387. Open 7 a.m.-8 p.m. daily.
— Jonathan Kauffman
South Asian: Vik’s Chaat Corner
Weekend lunch at Vik’s isn’t exactly a languorous meal. It involves hunting for contiguous chairs in a jammed dining room, straining to listen for your name over the loudspeaker and running up to the counter to ferry back trays of Indian street snacks before they lose their crunch. But there are too many weekend specials that merit a special trip: soft, spongy idli (steamed rice-flour dumplings) served with spiced lentil stew and coconut chutney. Dhokhla, a fluffy, savory cake made out of chickpea flour. Chicken biryani darkened with ground spices. Dining here may not be relaxing, but it will send you out into the afternoon buoyed on a chile-fueled endorphin rush.
2390 Fourth St., Berkeley; (510) 644-4432. www.vikschaatcorner.com. Open 11-6 p.m. Monday-Thursday, until 8 p.m. Friday-Sunday.
— Jonathan Kauffman
Ethiopian: Cafe Colucci
There are scrambled eggs on Cafe Colucci’s practically secret breakfast menu. If you order the full Ethiopian breakfast, a thick yellow strip of eggs, flecked with herbs, is presented next to a pale band of cracked wheat and a deep red mound of fitfit. A sort of Ethiopian chilaquiles, the fitfit is made with torn strips of injera (spongy teff flatbread) saturated with beef, tomatoes and spices. The waiters can be strict about the 11 a.m. changeover from breakfast to lunch, no one will prevent you from lingering over your creamy flaxseed smoothie and bowl of foul, a savory fava-bean stew topped with minced tomatoes, onions and green chiles.
6427 Telegraph Ave., Oakland; (510) 601-7999. www.cafecolucci.com. Breakfast 8-11 a.m. daily.
— Jonathan Kauffman
Korean: Namu Gaji
You merge left through the Bi-Rite Creamery line though the handsome doors of this corner spot greeted by a warm, weekend buzz. Place your order at the register, then grab a bar stool in front of large open windows. The Hangtown Benedict (fried oysters, house bacon, dashi gravy, poached egg, Namu biscuit) is a much appreciated twist on the classic brunch dish. However, the okonomiyaki, a crispy yet gooey savory pancake with kimchi, oko sauce and fluttering bonito flakes, is not to be missed at this lively, community-focused spot.
499 Dolores St., S.F.; (415) 431-6268. www.namusf.com. Brunch 11:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Wednesday-Friday, 10:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday-Sunday.
— Lauren Reuthinger, lreuthinger@sfchronicle.com
Japanese: Ramen Dojo
No one likes to stand in line, but dozens of people are willing, if they’ll get some of the best ramen in the Bay Area. The tiny 25-seat restaurant specializes in pork ramen with a kick, filled with lots of firm noodles and a rich textured garlic meat broth. You can choose a few toppings and three levels of spiciness; the mild lets the ingredients shine while on some days the hot will set you on fire.
805 South B St., San Mateo; (650) 401-6568. Brunch/lunch 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Wednesday-Monday.
— Michael Bauer, mbauer@sfchronicle.com
Contemporary deli: Wise Sons Jewish Delicatessen
In a small corner storefront in the Mission, Wise Sons joins the neighborhood’s funky DIY esthetic with a reverence for tradition. The house-made fuchsia-pink pastrami, scrambled with eggs and caramelized onions, is simultaneously salty, chewy and creamy; the stack of 2-inch-thick challah French toast threatens to spill off the plate. Wait in line at the register to order; please, do not commit the newbie faux pas of snagging a table before you’ve done so.
3150 24th St., S.F.; (415) 787-3354. www.wisesonsdeli.com. Breakfast/brunch 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Tuesday-Friday, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday-Sunday.
— Kitty Morgan
California soul: Brown Sugar Kitchen
This cheery diner-cum-restaurant is always buzzing with conversation and the sound of good things sizzling. The food is both straightforward and lush. The light cornmeal waffle with a sweet-sour cider syrup is famous, but a whole meal can be made of a bowl of cheese grits floated with butter. Unless you can’t resist the pulled pork hash.
2534 Mandela Parkway, Oakland; (510) 839-7685. www.brownsugarkitchen.com. Breakfast/brunch 7 a.m.-3 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday, 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday.
— Kitty Morgan
Vietnamese: Out the Door
The weekend brunch menu at thisCharles Phan restaurant plays traditional Vietnamese dishes, such as the wide rice noodle dish of bahn cuon, against standards like steak and eggs. But the bahn cuon will be beautifully arranged on an elegant salad; the steak dish features a rustic cut of bavette sliced atop softly scrambled eggs, with a deep green, sharp chimichurra more like pesto than a sauce — one of the best versions of steak and eggs I’ve had. The jook — chicken porridge — will pull you out of last night’s “too much fun” fog. The spare interior can feel a bit formal, but by noon, when the tables and long counters fill, and glasses of good wine are poured, this is a class brunch act. Make a reservation, or wait to sit at the communal table or long counter overlooking the kitchen action.
2232 Bush St., S.F.; (415) 923-9575. www.outthedoors√.com. Brunch 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday-Sunday.
Article and Photos Sourced from: http://www.sfgate.com/restaurants/article/For-the-Bay-Area-s-best-brunches-think-global-5815170.php#photo-6966982
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