Widely recognized for both its exceptional food and easy sociability, Grand Rapids is a great place for brunch – which is, after all, a social event as much as a meal. Restaurants across the city offer unique weekend brunch menus that let you and your dining companions enjoy breakfast and lunch fare (and often, some delectable adult beverages), all the way from early morning to mid-afternoon.
We asked our social media followers to recommend their favorite weekend brunch spots across the region, and the following restaurants earned the most mentions. Each of them puts a unique spin on one of the best parts of a Grand Rapids weekend.
Lucy’s
Simple. Genuine. Delicious. Those are the characteristics folded into every offering at this Creston neighborhood restaurant less than 10 minutes from downtown Grand Rapids. Lucy’s partners with local farms to infuse its creative dishes with the freshest ingredients possible.
Brunch is served seven days a week here from a menu of traditional favorites made from scratch with a Lucy’s twist – like the Ribeye Omelette featuring, yes, shaved ribeye steak. Vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free selections are available.
Weekends often bring additional feature items. In recent weeks, these have ranged from a Biscuit Burger and Carrot Cake Flapjacks to Blueberry-Cherry Bread Pudding and a lemon-raspberry streusel donut. (Lucy’s has an in-house bakery for which you can grab pastries to go if you’re so inclined.)
Brunch cocktails include Bloody Marys, mimosas and monthly specials. The liquid menu also features mocktails, wine, beer, coffee and tea. One visit and you’ll see why a 2024 Yelp survey ranked Lucy’s the 12th best brunch in the U.S.
Brunch House
Name your restaurant Brunch House and you’ve set an expectation for an exceptional breakfast-lunch experience. Our survey respondents say this southeast GR restaurant delivers with a modern, upscale take on brunch that includes traditional sweet and savory breakfast favorites as well as burgers, sandwiches and salads.
The beverage menu is just as broad, featuring Instagram-worthy Bloody Marys, margaritas and mimosas – including a mimosa flight – plus specialty cocktails and seasonal/holiday creations. There are lots of N/A options too, including specialty coffees, smoothies, kombucha and affogatos.
Like Lucy’s, Brunch House is open daily, so you don’t have to wait until the weekend to cure your craving.
Asada
Formerly known as Basalt, this Uptown neighborhood eatery reinvented itself as Asada in April 2025. The new restaurant features lower price points but the same Tex-Mex influences and cool vibe that made Basalt a favorite weekend brunch hangout.
Weekend brunch features a fan-favorite breakfast burrito as well as biscuits & gravy, hotcakes, migas (eggs scrambled with fried corn tortillas and a choice of meats), and a handful of other dishes.
e menu but you can gets specialty coffees – including a signature Dirty Horchata – plus aguas frescas, jarritos, Mexican Coke and more.
The Old Goat
The Old Goat has been serving up cooked-from-scratch seasonal fare to the families of its Alger Heights neighborhood and all of Grand Rapids since 2015. This whimsical restaurant serves brunch every Sunday, accompanied by the smooth sounds of live jazz.
Each month brings new featured dishes to complement the regular brunch menu – recent selections have included Strawberry Rhubarb French Toast, a Caprese Omelet and a Blueberry Camembert Monte Cristo.
The Old Goat has a full bar, so you can enjoy all manner of luscious libations with your meal.
Anna’s House
Weekends are always busy at the five Anna’s House locations around Grand Rapids, as brunch aficionados flock to the retro-style diners for some of the best breakfast and lunch dishes in town. With 80+ selections, the menu has something for everyone, and it’s all available Saturdays and Sundays (as well as Mondays-Fridays) starting at 6am.
Anna’s House prides itself on its inclusive food offering, and there are abundant vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free options available. They don’t serve alcohol, but their specialty coffees, fresh-pressed juices and other beverages are so satisfying, you may not notice.
Visit Anna’s House on East Beltline Ave. (southeast GR), Plainfield Ave. (northeast GR), Northland Dr. (northeast GR), and in Byron Center and Grandville.
The Gathering Place Restaurant
“Breakfast and lunch at affordable prices” is the promise at The Gathering Place, and it’s made this Cascade eatery a popular destination for a weekend brunch experience.
The restaurant feels cozy and quaint, which fits right in with the homemade flavors on the menu. Guests can choose from a wide variety of traditional a.m. dishes, from pancakes, waffles, omelets and oatmeal to sandwiches, soups and salads.
Add generous portions, friendly service and a rotating selection of homemade pies to the mix, and you can see why The Gathering Place made it onto our list.
The Pantry
This Ada restaurant first built its devoted brunch following as Nonna’s Pantry, opened in 2016. Now known simply as The Pantry, it has retained its devoted following and acquired even more enthusiasts of its made-from-scratch meals.
The Pantry offers a rotating selection of Saturday brunch offerings – such as crepes, sausage gravy & biscuits, savory breakfast buns and cinnamon rolls – to supplement its regular menu of sandwiches, quiches and fresh-made baked goods. There’s also a rotating selection of fresh-made muffins, cookies, bars, pies and other sweet treats that you can enjoy with brunch or take with you. It is closed on Sunday.
San Chez
Serving downtown GR since 1992, San Chez offers a blend of authentic European, Mediterranean, and Latin American cuisine in a fun, laid-back, and artful atmosphere.
Brunch is served every day until 2pm, not just on the weekends, and it includes traditional American breakfast favorites as well as tapas – small Spanish savory dishes meant for sharing, such as Medjooles Rellenos (dates stuffed with honey-cardamom goat cheese), Patatas Bravas (seasoned fried potatoes) and Vieras Y Tocino (seared scallops and pork belly).
Beverages include mimosas, Bloody Marys, specialty coffees, mocktails and more, but locals swear by San Chez’s sangria, available in red, white or mixed versions.
Cherie Inn
The Cherie Inn is housed in a century-old Uptown building featuring the original tin ceiling, vintage art and Stickley furniture of Grand Rapids dating back to the 1940s. It bills itself as a European-style café specializing in homemade cuisine, professional service and a sophisticated ambiance.
The menu features a variety of superbly done egg dishes – from Eggs Florentine and Crab Cake Benedict to Avocado Toast and Vegan Hash – as well as pancakes, French toast, omelettes and more.
The regular menu is often supplemented with different feature items on Saturdays and Sundays – such the Shashuska, Polish Sausage Scramble and Lobster Brunch Crepes offered on recent weekends.
Bobbie Sue’s Roadhouse
The regular brunch menu at Bobbie Sue’s Roadhouse isn’t large – just five items – but our followers say the flavors, ambiance and weekly brunch specials at this Lowell eatery make it a must-visit weekend spot.
Opened in late 2024, Bobbie Sue’s quickly distinguished itself with creative “southern homestyle” dishes – including brunch specials like Fruity Pebbles French Toast, Brisket Benedict and Cannoli Stuffed French Toast.
Bobbie Sue’s serves brunch from 10am-2pm on Saturdays and Sundays.
New Holland Brewing Co. - The Knickerbocker
Grand Rapids breweries serve some of the best food in town, and this west-side jewel is no exception. Located in the Bridge Street Entertainment District, The Knickerbocker serves a Sunday brunch that includes everything from avocado toast, waffles and hashes to salads, sandwiches and wood-fired pizzas.
New Holland Brewing Co. crafts its own spirits in addition to beer, and The Knickerbocker mixes them into a bunch of brunch beverages beyond the standard mimosa, bellini and Bloody Mary (though you can get them, too).
There’s also a kid’s brunch menu catering to smaller appetites.
Tupelo Honey is where Southern hospitality meets downtown Grand Rapids.
Photo by Nick Irwin for Experience GR
Tupelo Honey Southern Kitchen & Bar
The scratch-made brunch dishes at downtown GR’s Tupelo Honey include fried chicken, chicken & waffles, shrimp & grits, fried green tomatoes, sweet potato pancakes and other Southern-style breakfast classics in addition to sandwiches, salads and desserts.
Choose from four mimosa flavors or get a mimosa flight to try them all. There are also Bloody Marys, of course, plus margaritas, beer, wine and specialty cocktails – including a brunch-approriate Cereal Milk Martini.
Tupelo Honey opens at 9am Saturdays and Sundays.
Wolfgang’s Restaurant
This homey Uptown-neighborhood restaurant is one of the city’s most cherished breakfast spots since 1977. Wolfgang’s is open seven days a week, with the same menu each day – it’s just that the Saturday and Sunday hours are conducive to a weekend brunch experience.
The menu is extensive, with 16 omelettes, 11 eggs benedict dishes, eight pancake selections, seven skillets and four waffle creations leading the way. Beyond that list, popular options include The Westsider – hash browns topped with cheddar cheese and grilled onions, and served with three eggs, a grilled Polish sausage, toast and jelly – and Cinnamon Roll French Toast, topped with frosting and whipped cream. An A La Carte menu lets you customize your meal.
If breakfast isn’t your thing, you can choose from a variety of quesadillas, burritos, sandwiches and wraps.
Wolfgang’s doesn’t have a liquor license, but it offers a nice selection of specialty coffees, tea, hot chocolate and juices. Try the signature Cafe Wolfgang, half hazelnut coffee and half hot chocolate topped with whipped cream.
You can pair a Tipsy Misfits Flight with a savory or sweet waffle at Social Misfits.
Photo by Addison Causley for Experience GR
Social Misfits
Downtown GR’s Social Misfits serves up gourmet waffles, craft cocktails and specialty coffee all day, every day, making it a natural weekend brunch destination.
The menu offers both savory and sweet waffles, as well as salads, sandwiches and desserts. You can get a Bloody Mary or mimosa, but there are lots of inventive alternatives on the beverage menu, including zero-proof options. Coffee drinks feature blends from Ann Arbor’s Misfit Society Coffee Club. House-made syrups are available to liven up your brew.
Sundance Grill & Bar
Two Sundance Grill locations – downtown and 28th St. – serve breakfast all day, every day, along with an extensive lunch menu and inspired cocktails. That’s made them a destination for local brunch aficionados since the 28th St. location opened its doors in 1985.
“Southwest-inspired American favorites” are the specialty here, evident in such dishes as Huevos Rancheros, Texas Biscuits & Gravy, Arizona Egg Rolls and Chorizo & Bacon Tacos. The “& Bar” component of the restaurant delivers a broad array of bruncherrific cocktails, including Bloody Marys, bellinis, and mimosa and espresso flights – part of Grand Rapids’ Flights of Flavor offerings.
Brown Butter Creperie and Café
Beginning as a food truck in 2015 and opened as a permanent restaurant in 2017, the Brown Butter Creperie and Café specializes in crepes, a French delicacy akin to a very thin pancake. It makes a perfect brunch dish!
The Brown Butter serves its crepes with a wide variety of fillings, from sweet to savory. There are also six Belgian Waffle selections on the menu along with a variety of hot and cold drinks. Monthly specials add even more food and drink choices.
The Brown Butter Creperie is located in a historic building in the Eastown section of Uptown.
Additional Options
There are plenty more places to explore that offer brunch in addition to this list, including:
FireRock Grille, Red’s at Thousand Oaks and Rush Creek Bistro are all RedWater Restaurant group eateries set on golf courses, so they offers serene views to go with their yummy brunch menus.
Matchbox Diner & Drinks offers a brunch-appropriate menu every day, with traditional breakfast favorites, sandwiches, salads, soup, coffee, cold brew and a Virgin Bloody Mary.
Morning Belle (Breton Village , East Beltline, Bridge Street and Standale) serves up 40+ breakfast/brunch dishes plus spiked cold brews and cocktails.
Noble Restaurant makes its meals from scratch, without any artificial colors and flavors, high-fructose corn syrup or artificial nitrates.
The Westsider Café is a casual breakfast and lunch spot that includes some delicious Polish options on its very affordable menu.
Westside Social tantalizes taste buds with an expansive Sunday brunch menu combining breakfast items, salads, sandwiches, burgers, desserts and specialty cocktails.
Menus and times are subject to change. It’s always a good idea to confirm with your destination before you visit.