Brunch in New York: how it works and how to skip the wait

Weekend brunch is one of New York's most loved eating rituals: a late, leisurely meal on Saturday or Sunday that mixes breakfast and lunch, often with coffee, cocktails and friends. The catch is that everyone wants it at the same time. Book ahead where you can, go early or late, and you will skip most of the waiting.

When do New Yorkers eat brunch?

Brunch usually runs from late morning to mid-afternoon on Saturdays and Sundays, with the peak between roughly 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Many restaurants serve a separate brunch menu only on weekends, and some offer it on public holidays too. Weekday breakfast in New York is a different, faster meal, often a bagel or a breakfast sandwich on the way to work.

What do people order at a New York brunch?

Dish	What it is
Eggs Benedict	Poached eggs and ham or Canadian bacon on an English muffin with hollandaise
Bagels and lox	A bagel with cream cheese, cured salmon, tomato, red onion and capers
Pancakes and French toast	The sweet side of the menu
Avocado toast	Now a fixture on many brunch menus
Shakshuka	Eggs poached in spiced tomato sauce
Chicken and waffles	Fried chicken with waffles and syrup
Bloody Mary or mimosa	The classic brunch drinks

Eggs Benedict has a long association with New York. Several competing stories from the 1800s place its invention at a Lower Manhattan restaurant or credit a hungry customer who asked for it, and nobody has settled which is true.

Do you need a reservation for brunch?

At popular places, yes, and weekend slots can fill up weeks ahead. Book as soon as you know your plans, and set an alert in the booking app if your preferred time is gone. Many neighborhood spots do not take reservations at all and run a walk-in list instead: give your name and number, and they will text you when your table is ready. Large groups should book well ahead or call the restaurant, since big tables are scarce at brunch.

How do you avoid the brunch wait?

• Go early. Arriving when the doors open, often around 10 a.m., usually means little or no wait.
• Go late. After about 1:30 p.m. the crowds thin out.
• Pick Saturday over Sunday, or try a holiday Monday if a restaurant serves brunch then.
• Sit at the bar if there is one, which often has seats when tables do not.
• Look a few blocks away from the most famous spots. Every neighborhood has a good, less crowded brunch place.

Why are bagels and lox a New York brunch?

The bagel with cream cheese and lox comes from the city's Jewish appetizing shops, which sold smoked and cured fish alongside cream cheese and bagels, separate from the meat sold at delis. Russ & Daughters, on East Houston Street on the Lower East Side, has sold appetizing since 1914 and is one of the best-known places to try it. A traditional order adds tomato, thinly sliced red onion and capers, and many people swap the lox for whitefish salad or another smoked fish.

How do you plan brunch with a group?

Groups make brunch harder, because big tables are scarce at the busiest times. Agree a time early in the week and book as soon as you can, ideally at a restaurant that takes reservations for your party size. Arrive together, because many restaurants will not seat a partly arrived group. Ask whether the restaurant adds a service charge for large parties, so you do not tip twice, and decide in advance how you will split the check.

Can you get a good brunch on a budget?

Yes. Diners, bagel shops and neighborhood cafes serve eggs, pancakes and sandwiches for much less than trendy brunch restaurants, and many have no wait. A bagel with lox and cream cheese from a good bagel shop, eaten in a park, is a classic New York weekend brunch of its own.

What should you know about tipping and the check?

Tip your server 18 to 20 percent of the check; service is not usually included. Check the receipt anyway, because some restaurants add a service charge, especially for large groups. New York City sales tax on restaurant food and drinks is 8.875 percent, added to the menu prices. Some restaurants set a time limit on tables during busy brunch hours, so if you want to linger, go at a quieter time.

Where is good for brunch in New York?

Almost every neighborhood has its brunch favorites. The West Village, the East Village, the Lower East Side, Williamsburg in Brooklyn and Harlem are all known for lively weekend brunch scenes. Rather than chasing one famous name, look for a place close to where you are spending the day, so you can wander the neighborhood after.

Brunch is a repeat habit, and the best spot is often the one you return to. On Mosey you can rate the places you eat and the dishes you order, with photos, keep a list of brunch spots to try, and follow friends to see where they went last weekend.

More guides to read next:

• Manhattan Chinatown food guide: dim sum, dumplings and bakeries
• How to get a reservation at a hard-to-book New York restaurant
• Eating late in New York: what is open after midnight

More in the US food guides and the ranked lists of places.