Weekends were made for sleeping in and eating out. And what do you get when those two Saturday-and-Sunday standards come together? Brunch.
Easily the best meal of the week, we’ll happily tackle long lines and hungover crowds for a chance to drink during the day and eat Eggs Benedict well past noon. Not only do we have a quite a few new options in Pittsburgh this summer for brunch-time dining, but a few favorites have recently introduced weekend brunch hours and brand new menus, too – and of course, there are some standard favorites that are just too good not to mention.
Consider this your go-to guide to summertime brunching.
Pallantia
Another new entry into the world of Pittsburgh brunch is Pallantia Tapas de Espana. The traditional Spanish tapas restaurant in Shadyside is now serving brunch every Sunday from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., with a menu that features traditional favorites with a Spanish flair, like Huevos a la Flamenca with dry-cured chorizo and Manchego, Spanish Benedict with Serrano ham, herbed cornbread and saffron hollandaise, and a Chile-crusted flank steak, topped with chimichurri, eggs and charred ramps. They also serve one of the best house-made sangrias in Pittsburgh, which is the perfect cocktail to sip before noon.
Pallantia (810 Ivy Street)
Spork
Garfield’s Spork has only been open for a couple of months, but they’ve already got their brunch game on point. While the menu is constantly changing, it’s always extensive – about two dozen small plate options make their way to brunch each week. With a focus on seasonal and local ingredients, they have both sweet and savory options covered, like Sourdough Buckwheat Waffles with ricotta and berries, a pork-cheek Cuban sandwich, Five-minute eggs with duck confit and pork belly, and Granola & Yogurt with honey-poached pears. Pair a few small plates with a Bloody Mary flight, and you’ve got yourself quite a meal. Brunch at Spork is available every Sunday from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Spork (5430 Penn Avenue)
Smallman Galley
We can’t say enough good things about brunch at Smallman Galley. It’s fast, there’s plenty of space for large parties, and with four different restaurants operating under one roof, no matter who you bring, they’re going to find something to love. From the Red Headed Stepchild at Stephen Eldridge’s Provision PGH (it’s made with buttermilk biscuits, crispy chicken skin, bacon, cheddar and a fried egg), to Jacqueline Wardle’s toast-y brunch offerings at Josephine’s Toast (try the Brioche French Toast with preserves), we have yet to have a bad Sunday meal here. Right now, we’re loving Carota Café’s super-simple fresh ricotta with honey, black pepper, herbs and sea salt on toasted sourdough – it’s magical. Rounding out our Smallman Galley brunch picks is the Egg Salad sandwich from Aubergine Bistro. It’s served on a toasted brioche, and it will definitely put your mom’s egg salad to shame. Brunch is served on Saturdays and Sundays starting at 10:00 a.m.
Smallman Galley (54 21st Street)
The Abbey on Butler Street
The Abbey on Butler can be kind of hard to pin down. It’s a coffee shop. It’s a restaurant. And, there are three distinct bars throughout the Lawrenceville space. Every Saturday and Sunday, they offer a brunch buffet, with standard faves like scrambled eggs, homemade sausage and fresh biscuits, plus a rotating list of new specials each week. With a huge outdoor patio boasting a fountain and tons of space for coffee-and-cocktail sipping in the sun, we think it’s going to become your next summer go-to.
The Abbey on Butler Street (4635 Butler Street)
B52
Since opening earlier this year, B52 has become a destination restaurant for vegans and vegetarians in Pittsburgh. The upper Lawrenceville restaurant has earned rave reviews for their Middle Eastern cuisine, house-baked breads and pastries, and house-made sodas and kombuchas. Everything is made from scratch and on-site, and everything is vegan. Sunday brunch options include Buckwheat Sourdough Pancakes, Tofu Scramble, and thick-cut toasts, loaded with toppings like almond butter, cashew cheese, or avocado.
B52 (5202 Butler Street)
Pig Iron Public House
Cranberry’s Pig Iron Pub recently launched a new weekend brunch program, with homestyle favorites and a make-your-own Bloody Mary menu. Brunch is served on Saturday and Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., and the menu features lots of savory, stick-to-your-ribs dishes, like a BBQ pulled pork scramble, Chorizo Hash, Italian Eggs, and Lemon Ricotta Pancakes with blueberry compote and honey ginger syrup. But their brunch bar program is what will keep you coming back, with you-build-it Bloody Mary and Mimosa options that includes personalized choices for everything from rip syrups to juices.
Pig Iron Public House (926 Sheraton Dr. Cranberry, PA)
Station
After fielding requests for months, Station, Curtis Gamble’s modern gastropub, started serving Sunday brunch earlier this year, offering a “fairly traditional, slightly left of center” menu with small and large plates. And it has been quite a hit. With dishes like Crispy Fried Chicken Thighs with grits, red-eye gravy, and 1-hour eggs, and Fried Brioche Bread Pudding already becoming new Pittsburgh favorites, plus a house-made sausage side that we can’t get enough of, the neighborhood spot has definitely earned a place on your brunch rotation. And, their ever-changing cocktail menu, with seasonal drinks and local ingredients and spirits, is worth checking out no matter what time of day you’re there. Brunch is served every Sunday from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Station (4744 Liberty Avenue)
Crepes Parisiennes
There are some brunch items that you can make at home – fried eggs, crispy bacon. And then, there are some brunch treats that you need to leave to the professionals. Crepes fall into the latter category. Luckily, Oakland stalwart Crepes Parisiennes, serves up whisper-thin crepes stuffed with everything from veggies and eggs to fresh fruit and Nutella. The tiny creperie can get crowded on weekend mornings, but if you can grab a seat (especially at one of their outdoor tables in nice weather), you’ll be rewarded with a totally Instagram-worthy European-style brunch.
Crepes Parisiennes (207 S. Craig Street)
Chaz & Odette
You know how sometimes you walk into a restaurant, and you instantly feel at home? Welcome to Chaz & Odette. The Shadyside restaurant has been building a reputation with their all-star hospitality, and that hospitality goes into overdrive during the weekend brunch rush. Their $25 brunch option includes a starter (think Brisket Three Ways, Chicken Satay, or a Fresh Fruit Platter with candied ginger yogurt), and an entrée (we’re partial to the Catfish Po’Boy, but the Fluffy Pancakes, made either sweet or savory shouldn’t be missed either). Plus, they regularly host jazz on the weekends during brunch hours, too.
Chaz & Odette (5102 Baum Blvd.)
Geppetto Café
Crepes, waffles, Challah French Toast… Geppetto Café has it all. Located in Lawrenceville, this tiny café opened earlier this year with a stellar menu and some of the prettiest plated dishes in town. The menu features savory crepe options (like Chicken and Gruyere cheese and their Super Veg), along with sweet crepes and waffles – and you can use their long list of additions to create your own crepe or waffle masterpiece. Looking for something even more decadent? Order a Challah French Toast, with toppings like S’mores, Raspberry and Goat Cheese, and Caramelized Apples. Geppetto Café is open daily at 9:00 a.m.
Geppetto Café (4121 Butler Street)
Sweet Peaches
During the week, Sweet Peaches operates as a catering company, catering large and small events all over the city. But on Sunday, the Allentown café turns into the place for a crazy-delicious brunch. The menu changes with the season, but favorites include the Sweet Peaches omelet with arugula, red onion and goat cheese, Pina Colada Pancakes, and their always-inventive French Toast of the day (Cinnamon Apples with Bourbon Caramel, anyone?). And if ceregi, those Slovakian, ‘fried-twist’ doughnuts are on the menu? You must… we repeat… you must order those. Pair them with their $2.50 endless-cup-of-coffee, and your brunch will be pretty sweet indeed.
Sweet Peaches (639 E. Warrington Avenue)
The Livermore
Sometimes, brunch calls for cocktails. Really, really good cocktails. And that’s the Livermore’s specialty. Their behind-the-bar concoctions (we’re partial to the spritzes) perfectly complement their Sunday brunch menu, with elevated dishes like homemade biscuits with beef cheek and Eggs & Sausage. Plus, they have an Italian cookie plate for dessert that might just stand up to anything that your favorite nonna can put out.
The Livermore (124 S. Highland Avenue)
Franktuary
We love Franktuary any day of the week, but their Sunday brunch program really shines. Available at both their Lawrenceville and Market Square locations on Sundays from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., the brunch menu changes each week, but always includes at least a few breakfast-frank options, plus some variation of their house-made waffles (a recent addition included a pecan version paired with Millie’s Homemade vanilla ice cream and maple syrup), and a stellar poutine. You can also get a jolt from Franktuary’s nitro coffee, served in shots, full pours, and in cocktails.
Franktuary (various locations)
We just shared our favorite brunch spots of the season… but what did we miss? Share your picks in our comments!
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