As another busy holiday season picks up, residents across LA rush to the shops and work overtime to complete their holiday checklists. With visiting family, day trips, and deadlines, this time of year can prove hectic.
For those looking to spend some of the season relaxing and making time with their loved ones, the legendary LA dining scene is an excellent place to turn. Between shopping trips and chores this weekend, here are some top-ranking brunch menus at some of the city’s best restaurants.
Classic LA Dining at Botanica
Botanica at Silver Lake offers true, seasonal, southern California cooking. Founded by Emily Fiffer and Heather Sperling in 2017, this local favorite focuses on sustainability and responsible farming.
Botanica serves brunch Wednesday through Thursday between 9:30 AM to 2:30 PM. The day menu includes Mediterranean-inspired dishes such as the morning mezze and Turkish eggs and breakfast classics such as a refreshing heirloom tomato tartine. For beverages, Botanica has a house mimosa with flavor options of yuzu, orange, and grapefruit, along with options for other botanical-focused cocktails.
Midwestern Comfort at Moonlark’s Dinette
With dishes crafted by chef Chris Pandel, Moonlark’s Dinette brings Midwestern-inspired cuisine to downtown LA. This stylish little diner offers classic breakfast and lunch every day from 7:30 am to 3 pm.
For a hearty breakfast that will last the rest of the day, Moonlark’s has the biscuit sandwich, which includes pork sausage, scrambled eggs, cheese, and spicy mayo between an old-fashioned buttermilk biscuit. You could also choose not to overthink it and go for a simple breakfast plate with made-to-order eggs, toast, hashbrowns, and proteins. Moonlark offers plenty of a la carte options, sandwiches, and hand-made cocktails.
A Dim Sum Breakfast at Lunasia
When venturing outside the traditional brunch menu, Lunasia, the beloved dim sum house in Pasadena, Alhambra, and Torrance, may be an excellent option. These LA-based restaurants are known for their Cantonese “small bite” dishes traditionally served in tea houses.
The Lunasia restaurants offer diners a variety of dim sum dishes, from savory to sweet. One notable selection is a puffy pastry bun made with hot almond milk and a flaky top. Diners can also choose from different meat, vegetable, and noodle dishes that fit any time of day and appetite. The Chinese teas can make for a complete breakfast, perfect for relaxation or a good start to a long day.
An Elegant Atmosphere at Redbird
For many, brunch is a getaway dining experience to enjoy a slow morning in luxury. The famous Redbird creates a classy and elegant brunch experience, with a full brunch menu served on Sundays and Saturdays between 10 am to 2 pm. Located downtown and built inside the historic former rectory building of Vibiana, Redbird is a memorable piece of the LA dining experience.
The Redbird brunch menu includes many classic dishes, including fried egg sandwiches, shrimp and grits, and pumpkin-spiced French toast. There are also splurge options, such as whole crispy branzino served in Thai broth.
Redbird has additionally assembled a complete brunch cocktail menu, ranging from the all-important Bloody Mary to sweet and tropical choices such as the Good Morning Vietnam, made with Alambique serrano rum, amaro, cold brew, and coconut cream.
Jazzy Mornings at Post & Beam
With live jazz on the patio and a southern-inspired menu, the Post & Beam on Santa Rosalia Drive might be the best location to make brunch a full outing.
In addition to its southern comfort dishes, the Post & Beam offers a special brunch menu on Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The Post & Beam’s brunch menu contains the sought-after bottomless mimosas option for diners, making it a great place to relax and celebrate the weekend-long into the afternoon. For food, the menu includes plenty of off-the-griddle favorites, as well as plant-based and vegan options.
