15 brunch spots across Boston, Brookline and Cambridge, sorted by neighborhood, with addresses, T stops, prices and what to order. Plus groups, cheap brunch, the boozy brunch law and how to beat the wait. Hours as of September 2026.
We've stood in the lines so you know which ones are worth it. Counter-service bakery cafes move fast; sit-down rooms with a host stand are where the 45-minute Sunday wait actually happens.
The short answer
Short on time? Start with these 10
01 · Beacon Hill & Downtown
Brunch in Beacon Hill and Downtown
Where Boston brunch started. A 1937 diner and the city's most dependable bakery cafe, both on the same short stretch of Charles Street.
Paramount
Beacon Hill's diner since 1937. Order at the counter, then sit; no seat until you have food. Banana caramel French toast is the famous plate. Breakfast daily; expect a weekend line.
Tatte Bakery & Café
The most reliable brunch in the city: shakshuka, halloumi and egg sandwiches, strong pastry case. Counter service, so waits are short. Opens early daily; brunch all day.
Mike & Patty's
Closet-sized corner shop with some of the best breakfast sandwiches in the country. Order the Fancy (egg, bacon, cheddar, avocado, red onion) and walk to the Public Garden. Mornings to early afternoon.
Brunch is a good excuse to make it a whole morning together. Our Boston date ideas guide has what to do with the rest of it. See also the Beacon Hill guide.
02 · Back Bay & South End
Brunch in Back Bay and the South End
Bigger rooms, louder brunches, the places that take a party of eight. Also a bookstore cafe for the quiet version.
Buttermilk & Bourbon
New Orleans-style brunch: honey-glazed biscuits, chicken and waffles, shrimp and grits, and a loud purple-lit room. Best for birthdays and groups. Weekend brunch; reserve ahead.
Trident Booksellers & Café
Independent bookstore with a full cafe and a huge breakfast menu served until late. The best rainy-day brunch in the city. Daily, breakfast all day.
The Friendly Toast
Kitschy dining room and a hangover menu: huge pancakes, stuffed French toast, big burritos and a Bloody Mary list. Both locations fit a group. Daily, breakfast all day.
Cafe Landwer
Israeli cafe: shakshuka several ways, an Israeli breakfast platter, labneh, halloumi, good coffee. Roomy, reservable and all-day. Daily, breakfast all day.
Stephi's on Tremont
The South End's grown-up neighborhood brunch: lobster benedict, brioche French toast, a proper cocktail list and sidewalk tables. Weekend brunch; reservations recommended.
Brunch here tends to run long, and Back Bay stays lively well after the check comes. See what else is on in our Boston at night guide, and the Back Bay guide.
03 · North End & Fenway
Brunch in the North End and Fenway
One serious sit-down brunch a few doors from the Paul Revere House, plus the Fort Point outpost of the city's favorite bakery.
North Street Grille
The North End's one serious brunch spot: big American plates, lobster benedict, stuffed French toast. A few doors from the Paul Revere House. Cannoli after, per our North End guide. Breakfast and brunch daily.
Flour Bakery + Café
Joanne Chang's bakery, the one every other Boston bakery gets compared to. Sticky bun, egg sandwich on focaccia, quiche. About $15 with coffee. Opens early daily.
Walking off a big North End brunch is basically the point. Turn it into a route with our Freedom Trail challenge, or read the Freedom Trail guide.
04 · Cambridge, Brookline & Allston
Brunch in Cambridge, Brookline and Allston
Across the river: a Turkish bakery worth the trip, a Sunday buffet for the whole family, and a deli line that's a Brookline institution.
Sofra Bakery & Café
Ana Sortun's Turkish bakery: shakshuka, Turkish breakfast plates with sesame bread and haloumi, orange blossom morning buns. The best breakfast most visitors never find. Mornings and afternoons.
Henrietta's Table
New England buffet in the Charles Hotel: local eggs, smoked fish, carving station, pancakes, pastries. For graduations and family tables. Harvard weekends book a month out. Sunday brunch buffet; reserve ahead.
Loyal Nine
Historically minded New England cooking: johnnycakes, smoked fish, house-baked breads. Calm room. Hours have shifted more than once, so confirm first. Weekend brunch.
Zaftigs Delicatessen
Jewish deli with breakfast all day and a Brookline-institution weekend line. Banana-stuffed French toast is the signature; latkes and hash are the sensible orders. Breakfast all day, daily.
Lulu's Allston
Big casual room with chicken and waffles, breakfast tacos and cheap cocktails. Student crowd, lower prices than Back Bay, takes reservations. Weekend brunch.
Harvard Square on a brunch weekend is full of people who just moved to the city. Our guide to making friends in Boston covers where that keeps going. See also the Harvard Square guide.
05
Best brunch in Boston for groups
- Henrietta's Table for families; a buffet ends every dietary argument.
- Buttermilk & Bourbon for birthdays, noise and cocktails.
- The Friendly Toast has room for ten and a menu for picky eaters.
- Cafe Landwer is the calm option: roomy, reservable, open all day.
- Or send two people ahead to grab tables at Tatte or Flour.
Big group already scattered around the city? Our guide to bars for meeting people is a good plan B if brunch runs long.
06
Best cheap brunch in Boston
| Place | What to order | Approximate cost | Nearest T stop |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mike & Patty's | The Fancy breakfast sandwich | $12–14 with coffee | Arlington (Green) |
| Flour Bakery | Egg sandwich and a sticky bun | $14–16 | Varies by location |
| Sofra | Shakshuka or a Turkish breakfast plate | $14–18 | Harvard (Red) + bus 72/73 |
| Tatte | Shakshuka or halloumi sandwich | $14–18 | Varies by location |
| Paramount | Two-egg breakfast or hash | $13–18 | Charles/MGH (Red) |
| Zaftigs | Latkes or challah French toast | $15–20 | Coolidge Corner (Green C) |
| Trident | Huevos rancheros or a scramble | $15–18 | Hynes (Green) |
Same budget, rest of the day: cheap eats in Boston and Boston on a budget.
07
Bottomless and boozy brunch in Boston: what the law allows
Massachusetts has banned free, unlimited and time-discounted drinks since 1984. So no happy hour, and no true bottomless mimosas. You pay per drink at full price, or get a prix fixe that includes one cocktail.
Best boozy brunches within the rules: Buttermilk & Bourbon, Stephi's on Tremont, Lulu's Allston and The Friendly Toast. Afterward, see the best rooftop bars in Boston.
08
Weekday brunch and how to beat the wait
- Every day, all day: Trident, Zaftigs, Cafe Landwer, The Friendly Toast, most Tattes. Paramount is calm on a Wednesday.
- Weekend only: Buttermilk & Bourbon, Stephi's, Lulu's, Loyal Nine and Henrietta's Table (Sunday only).
- Go early or late. No wait before 9:30am, a wall from 10:30am to 12:30pm, quick fade after 1:30pm.
- Saturday over Sunday. Same place, same hour, usually 20 to 30 minutes faster.
- Put your name in and walk. The Public Garden is two blocks from Paramount and Mike & Patty's.
- Bakery cafes are the release valve. A Tatte or Flour is almost always ten minutes away with a ten-minute wait.
Working after? See our best cafes in Boston. If the wait's going to be long anyway, plan around it — our Boston weekend itinerary builds a full day out of a slow brunch morning.
09
All 15 Boston brunch spots compared
Per-person prices before drinks. Reservation policies change.
| Place | Neighborhood | Nearest T stop | Style | Per person | Reservations |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paramount | Beacon Hill | Charles/MGH (Red) | Diner, order at counter | $12–22 | No |
| Tatte | Beacon Hill and citywide | Charles/MGH (Red) | Bakery cafe | $12–22 | No |
| Mike & Patty's | Bay Village | Arlington (Green) | Breakfast sandwiches | $9–15 | No |
| Buttermilk & Bourbon | Back Bay | Copley (Green) | Southern, cocktails | $25–40 | Yes |
| Trident Booksellers | Back Bay | Hynes (Green) | All-day breakfast, bookstore | $14–22 | Limited |
| The Friendly Toast | Back Bay / Kendall | Back Bay (Orange) / Kendall (Red) | Big plates, Bloody Marys | $15–25 | Yes |
| Cafe Landwer | Back Bay / Fenway | Arlington / St. Mary's St (Green) | Israeli cafe | $15–25 | Yes |
| Stephi's on Tremont | South End | Back Bay (Orange) | Neighborhood brunch | $20–35 | Yes |
| North Street Grille | North End | Haymarket (Orange/Green) | American brunch, big portions | $15–28 | Mostly walk-in |
| Flour Bakery | Fort Point and citywide | South Station (Red/Silver) | Bakery cafe | $8–16 | No |
| Sofra | Cambridge, Huron Village | Harvard (Red) + bus 72/73 | Turkish bakery cafe | $10–20 | No |
| Henrietta's Table | Harvard Square | Harvard (Red) | Sunday buffet | $55–70 | Yes |
| Loyal Nine | East Cambridge | Lechmere (Green) | New England brunch | $18–30 | Check |
| Zaftigs | Brookline, Coolidge Corner | Coolidge Corner (Green C) | Jewish deli | $15–25 | No |
| Lulu's Allston | Allston | Harvard Ave (Green B) | Casual, cocktails | $15–25 | Yes |
FAQ
Boston brunch: common questions
Is there bottomless brunch in Boston?
Almost never. Massachusetts bans free, unlimited and discounted drinks, so no happy hour and no true bottomless mimosas. You pay per drink.
What time does brunch start in Boston?
Most spots open 8am to 10am on weekends and serve until 2pm or 3pm. Bakery cafes open around 7am.
How do I avoid the brunch wait in Boston?
Arrive before 9:30am, pick Saturday over Sunday, or go on a weekday. Bakery cafes move much faster than sit-down restaurants.
Which Boston brunch spots take reservations?
Henrietta's Table, Buttermilk and Bourbon, Stephi's, Cafe Landwer, The Friendly Toast and Lulu's Allston. Paramount, Mike and Patty's, Zaftigs and the bakery cafes are walk-in.
Where should I go for brunch with a big group in Boston?
Henrietta's Table, Buttermilk and Bourbon and The Friendly Toast: large rooms and reservations. Zaftigs seats big tables but Sunday waits are long.