Upper West Side - Best Brunch
New York City has great brunch spots. The Upper West's Best are...
The best brunch restaurants in NYC are casual, warm, and cozy. The Upper West Side is experiencing a renaissance of great brunch restaurants; here are the best ones.
The Upper West Side of New York City has long been known as the earthier version of the Upper East Side: Well-heeled New Yorkers without the snobbery. But the 21st century has seen a sea change in the Upper West Side, as what was once a foodie wasteland has evolved into a food-lover's paradise. Will this change the overall flavor of life on the Upper West Side? (I hope not.) Weekend mornings in NYC are perfect for brunch. Here are my picks for best New York brunch restaurants, Upper West Side style.
The Best of NYC's Upper West Side Brunch Restaurants
- Popover Cafe, 551 Amsterdam Ave (at 86th St). The Popover Cafe is so obviously kid-friendly, what with the teddy bears scattered throughout as decor, that adult parties may question the quality of the brunch. Have no fear: This is no Chuck E. Cheese. The omelettes are great, the salads are fresh (I especially love the duck salad), and brunch is a casual, cozy affair. But the real star of the show is the eponymous popover; flakey outside, eggy inside, and even better with Popover's special strawberry butter. Yes, it's as good as it sounds. Young children are encouraged to cuddle with the teddy bears while adults linger over their coffee.
- Cafe des Artistes, One West 67th St. Normally I opt for casual, mellow brunch restaurants, that provide comfort food and an atmosphere to match. Cafe des Artistes is on the fancy end of the scale, but the weekend brunch here is worth running the brush through your hair a few extra times. The interior decor is high-end (not a teddy bear in sight), the ambience quiet and romantic, and the food, French. Well, weekend brunch here is more open-ended continental style - the wild mushroom omelette and lobster salad are my favorites - but the French flair is evident. Warning: There are murals of naked ladies ( I know, they're nymphs, but whatever) on the walls. The food here is delicious, but the naked lady pics might make you think twice before bringing your snickering teenagers with you.
- Sarabeth's, 423 Amsterdam Ave (at 80th St). Ah, Sarabeth's! My favorite brunch in NYC, and with four restaurants in the city to spread the joy. I think I've dreamed about the garden omelette and pumpkin muffin - all I know is, I woke up smiling. The lemon ricotta pancakes, goat cheese omelette, Goldie Lox, and preserves are all dreamy as well. No brunch in NYC combines the sweet and the savory as well as this restaurant, and the Upper West Side Sarabeth's is cozy, casual, and warm; just how I like a brunch outing to be. The Upper West Side location of Sarabeth's isn't particularly stroller-friendly, but if that makes my wait to get in a bit faster, then I say hooray for the narrow entranceway.
- Cafe Luxembourg, 200 West 70th St. Some people find Cafe Luxembourg snooty, but I don't. If you want a comfy cozy brunch spot, there're certainly more "shabby chic" places on the Upper West than this, but the weekend foodie crowd is relaxed and casual. A basket of fresh baked goodies comes with brunch at this bistro. The scones with cream hit the spot, and the three-course prix-fixe brunch is filling and satisfying. Try the omelette with Emmenthal cheese - it's so delicious, it'll be hard to go back to ham and cheddar in your eggs after that. And the lobster roll is one of the best I've had, south of Bar Harbor in Maine.
- Good Enough to Eat, 483 Amsterdam Ave (at 83rd St). I used to love this place, and would stand outside stamping my feet in the middle of winter waiting to get in. I remember the generously cut, sizzling lean bacon as particularly worth the wait. The waitstaff was always uniformly friendly, with genuine smiles (New Yorkers can tell the difference) and recommendations regarding each day's homemade meals. However, my brother-in-law told me that Good Enough to Eat changed managers - or something - and that the quality of the food has seriously suffered. It's a shame. The huge NYC style crowds, still waiting outside each weekend for a casual, homey brunch, are in for a real letdown.
When planning a visit to NYC, remember that many of these great brunch spots don't take reservations for parties of less than six. Put your name on the list, and take a stroll around the block. They're all - especially Sarabeth's - worth it.
Related, on Suite 101:
Best Activities for Children during a NYC Visit
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