Greater Cincinnati Restaurant Week Returns September 18-24, 2023

25 Cincinnati Brunch Spots Worth Getting Out of Bed For

By CityBeat Staff on Fri, Oct 22, 2021 at 4:39 pm

Whether it's a hungover weekend morning or a trip out with your kids or both, there are many brunch spots to enjoy around Cincinnati. The Queen City is full of all types of brunch spots, from greasy to boozy to healthy, there is a weekend breakfast stop for you. So roll out of bed, put on your best athleisure wear, and make your way to one of these Cincy culinary classics.

Scroll down to view images

Yuca

700 Fairfield Ave., Bellevue
Jeremy Faeth, co-owner and executive chef of popular Covington brunch restaurant Cedar, has opened Yuca in Bellevue. The eatery takes over the space formerly occupied by Fairfield Market. This new Latin-American restaurant is open for breakfast, brunch and lunch. Try the Big Bad Wolf: a shredded pork waffle, crispy pork belly, spicy candied bacon, orange chipotle honey and powdered sugar. All of Yuca’s recipes will be made from scratch with locally sourced ingredients.
Photo: Francisco Huerta

The View at Shires Garden

309 Vine St., 10th floor, Downtown
The View at Shires' Garden, located on top of Cincinnati's City Club Apartments, has a menu that features a wide selection of smoked, grilled and wood-fired eats ranging from artichoke hearts and baby back ribs to brisket, salmon and more. The menu utilizes the restaurant's rooftop smoker and Josper oven, which uses hard oak wood native to Spain and Argentina and can smoke, grill and sear up to 1,200 degrees — or cook low and slow at 275 degrees. For brunch, try the Rooftop Benedict, with poached eggs on an English muffin, topped with blister cherry tomatoes, roasted shallots, herb oil and chimi-hollandaise with a side of breakfast potatoes.
Photo: facebook.com/ShiresGarden

Nation Kitchen & Bar

1200 Broadway St., Pendleton; 3435 Epworth Ave., Westwood
Nation Kitchen & Bar, offering two Cincinnati locations, takes its name from axe-wielding Temperance warrior Carrie Nation and is known for its excellent burgers and bottomless weekend brunches. Come by and ask for an order of breakfast tater tots: tots loaded up with cheddar, sausage gravy and topped with a sunny-side-up egg. They also have an extensive selection of cocktails and craft beers. Try the Brunch Wrap Supreme. This pressed-tortilla dish is filled with smoked sausage, bacon, scrambled eggs, pepper jack cheese, queso, tater tots and jalapeño relish.
Photo: facebook.com/NationPendleton

Maplewood Kitchen and Bar

525 Race St., Downtown; 5065 Deerfield Blvd., Mason
This California-style brunch favorite from the team behind Thunderdome Restaurant Group offers bright, fresh flavors and cold-pressed juices. Enjoy a variety of delicious breakfast options, such as avocado toast with chopped pistachios and honey, or an egg dish or two. But wait, there’s more. How about something with a little kick, such as Chicken Tinga (chipotle chicken provides the spice)? Or you can go lunch-like with a salad or sandwich. The cocktails include upscale versions of a bloody mary and mimosas.
Photo: Hailey Bollinger

Press on Monmouth

421 Monmouth St., Newport
Newport’s Press on Monmouth offers delectable rice/quinoa bowls and sandwiches suited for breakfast, lunch and everything in-between. Regardless of what you order, add a side of crispy waffle-ironed tater tots (which can also replace the grains as the base in their bowls). Of course, as any good brunch place, there’s avocado toast with strawberries, radishes, pistachios, arugula, honey, eggs on wheat toast.
Photo: facebook.com/pressonmonmouth

Northside Yacht Club

4231 Spring Grove Ave., Northside
A loosely nautically themed Rock club from two local music veterans. The mixology is masterful, made with fresh juice, fruit, and herbal garnish. Tropical-themed drinks are served in Tiki glasses and the bar-food menu features satisfying items like house-smoked wings and vegan lentil chili fries. For brunch, try the Yacht Club Bloody, a bloody mary topped with a pulled pork slider, bacon and a jumbo chicken wing. And to eat, the Breakfast Poutine, fries topped with goetta gravy, Wisconsin cheese curds, scallions, fried egg.
Photo??: facebook.com/NorthsideYachtClub

Boomtown Biscuits & Whiskey

1201 Broadway St., Pendleton; 9039 US Highway 42, Union
It’s biscuit time any time at this frontier-themed eatery. The star of the show — and menu — are baked golden nuggets of goodness. These buttery, soft discs are present in everything from sandwiches and bowls to sweets. The Gold Shoes has three biscuits and a choice of gravy — Sawmill, Peppercorn, Goetta or Vegan Tomato. Also check out Aunt Sally’s Shrimp: Thai-inspired lemongrass shrimp with coconut chili gravy, smoked cheddar grits, and diced country ham.
Photo: Hailey Bollinger

Sleepy Bee Cafe

8 E. Fourth St, Downtown; 3098 Madison Road, Oakley; 9514 Kenwood Road, Blue Ash
If you’re trying to schedule a group brunch with your vegan cousin, your neatnik aunt and your meat-and-potatoes husband, casually suggest Sleepy Bee and become the family favorite overnight. With a focus on local non-GMO foods and bee-friendly practices, this bright, cozy space has all the classics, like omelets, pancakes and bacon, and it also has some dressed-up options if you want to step outside the box: a tofu scramble, vegan sausages, and ginger coconut sweet potato soup.
Photo: facebook.com/sleepybeecafe

HangOverEasy

13 W. Charlton St., Corryville
HangOverEasy is in a perpetual state of brunch, offering breakfast and lunch options alongside a full bar every day of the week. Filling a breakfast void in Corryville, it now plays host to many young University of Cincinnati students experiencing their first ever hangover (they grow up so fast!). The menu doesn’t take any radical risks, plating up dependable diner fare found on most American breakfast and lunch tables. Bloody marys and mimosas are nothing fancy here, but are priced to fit collegiate budgets and expectations.
Photo: facebook.com/hangovereasycincy

Sugar n’ Spice

4381 Reading Road, Paddock Hills; 1203 Sycamore St., Over-the-Rhine
Cincinnati's cult favorite breakfast eatery Sugar n' Spice opened in 1941, is well-known for its "wispy thin" pancakes, vibrant decor and rubber duckies that come with every meal — elements that traveled to its second branch. At the Over-the-Rhine spot you can expect many of your favorites, in addition to a few new pork-infused dishes like the cubano and eggs benedict with pulled pork. Oh, and alcohol.
Photo: facebook.com/eatsugarnspice