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.

Yuca 700 Fairfield Ave., Bellevue This Latin-American restaurant is open for breakfast, brunch and lunch, serving items like The Hangover: two sunny-side-up eggs laying on a bed of spicy chorizo and homemade potatoes with pico de gallo and avocado on top. We also suggest 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: Hailey Bollinger
Libby’s Southern Comfort 35 W. Eighth St., Covington, This Covington eatery pays tribute to Southern classics like fried chicken and half-shell oysters served alongside a variety of bourbon drinks and other local favorites. The atmosphere is hip, with plenty of opportunities to share a dish with your sweetheart. Brunch is served on Sundays and offers up southern breakfast favorites like the chicken and waffle and their take on a Kentucky Brown. Order anything with a side of home fries and a mimosa. Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Otto’s 521 Main St., Covington, Ky. Otto’s does lunch and dinner, but it’s definitely a happening brunch spot. For brunch, Otto’s Benedict substitutes fried grit cake and smoked salmon for the English muffin and ham of a traditional eggs Benedict. It’s delicious, a bit rich and a true indulgence. There are a half-dozen mimosa options, from Violette Royale to citrus vanilla spice, and bloody marys made with house-infused cucumber or jalapeno-garlic vodka. Otto’s is known for its panko-crusted fried green tomatoes, so if you go during brunch, order the B.L.F.G.T. aka the bacon, lettuce, fried green tomato, egg and cheese sandwich on a croissant. Photo: facebook.com/ottos521cov
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: Catie Viox
Coppin’s at Hotel Covington 638 Madison Ave., Covington Coppin’s Restaurant and Bar is located inside luxury Hotel Covington. Breakfast is served daily from 7-10 a.m. and brunch is offered on Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m.-2p.m. the menu features classics like bagel and lox plus a breakfast sandwich on an Eglish muffin and buttermilk pancakes. If you have to wait for a table, head out to the patio to play lawn games and relax. Coppin’s also has a unique cocktail menu, featuring imaginative and picture-worthy drinks for a beautiful morning-turned-afternoon. Photo: Provided by Hotel Covington
Sacred Beast Diner 1437 Vine St., Over-the-Rhine This modern Over-the-Rhine diner opened with much hype in 2018 and has been a brunch staple in the trendy neighborhood ever since. “Simple food. Taken seriously” is the motto for Sacred Beast. The menu is a collection of chef Jeremy Lieb’s favorite things which run the gamut from literally the best French-style omelet in town—fluffy, soft and full of goat cheese and piquillo peppers— to a “Diner Breakfast” with scrambled eggs, maple-glazed pork belly and lemon ricotta pancakes and a double burger with Dijonnaise, onions and pickles. 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 corn, tomatoes, peas, honey and miro cilantro. Photo: facebook.com/pressonmonmouth
Shires Rooftop 509 Vine St., Downtown Shires Rooftop, located on top of Cincinnati’s City Club Apartments, serves dinner with a menu that features a wide selection of smoked, grilled and wood-fired options. They open at 10 a.m. Saturday and Sunday 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
Soul Secrets 1434 Vine St., Over-the-Rhine Entrepreneur Candice Holloway is bringing a taste of her grandmother’s cooking to Over-the-Rhine. Holloway officially opened Soul Secrets, a Southern-style comfort food eatery in April. The fast-casual restaurant focuses on soul food with a menu that includes family-recipe fried chicken, fried fish, cornbread, collard greens, hoppin’ John and mac and cheese, plus a selection of meat-free dishes like vegan salisbury steak and vegan pot pie. Brunch launched this summer, served on Saturday mornings, with items including shrimp and grits and chicken and waffles. Photo: Catie Viox
French Crust Cafe 1801 Elm St., Over-the-Rhine This charming French cafe from chef Jean-Robert de Cavel specializes in Parisian bistro classics, from quiche and croissants to omelets. The made-from-scratch creamy chicken soup is a favorite. Brunch is served Saturdays and Sundays, the eggs benedict is a favorite on the menu. To drink, grab a latte and/or mimosa and finish it all off with a French patisserie like a lemon tart or chocolate mousse. Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Sleepy Bee Cafe Multiple locations, including 3098 Madison Road, Oakley and 8 E. Fourth St., Downtown Serving locally sourced food for breakfast, brunch and lunch, Sleepy Bee Cafe offers both dine-in and carry-out options. Popular items include the Queen City Bee, which is a breakfast sandwich with goetta, apple, arugula, broken yolk egg and “nectar” sauce on a milk bun, and The Worker Bee, which is two eggs of any style, your choice of bacon, sausage and goetta or vegan goetta. Other items include different salads, sandwiches and soups. If you plan on stopping here for weekend brunch, plan on a wait. Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Hang Over Easy 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. It 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/HangOverEasy
Sugar n’ Spice 4381 Reading Road, Paddock Hills; 1203 Sycamore St., Over-the-Rhine; 10275 Summit Parkway, Blue Ash Open since 1941, Sugar n’ Spice’s original pink Paddock Hills diner is known for its fun atmosphere and being a comfortable and family-friendly place to eat (ask for a free rubber duck with your meal). Favorite menu items include “wispy thin” pancakes and giant omelets. Lines at the petite original can be long, but there is also a second, larger location in Over-the-Rhine. Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Cackleberry) Mobile pop-up at 731 E. McMillan St., Walnut Hills, 9 a.m. to sell-out on Saturdays and Sundays Squeezed into a bite-sized vintage trailer, husband-and-wife duo Nate and China Kautz serve eggy breakfast sandwiches as Cincinnati-based pop-up Cackleberry (a term for a hen’s egg). The petite menu blends Queen City staples with Filipino-fusion ingredients to offer options like the Lolo, with longanisa sausage and atchara pickled slaw, and a goetta sandwich called the Porter with muenster cheese and mustard aioli. The food truck parks in various locations on weekends and operates until all sandwiches are sold out. Photo: Provided by Cackleberry
Northstar Cafe 7610 Sloan Way, Liberty Township; 7875 Montgomery Road, Kenwood This Columbus-based chain is focused on fresh, locally sourced ingredients for all of their food. They say they are always focused on being as sustainable as possible with their business. For brunch, try the mushroom frittata, made with organic eggs, roasted mushrooms, sweet onions and gruyere cheese with a side of sweet potatoes and arugula. Photo: facebook.com/northstarcafe
Nation Kitchen & Bar Multiple locations, including 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. Stop 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: a pressed-tortilla dish is filled with smoked sausage, bacon, scrambled eggs, pepper jack cheese, queso, tater tots and jalapeño relish. Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Cedar 701 Main St., Covington Cedar serves high-quality and locally sourced comfort food for breakfast, brunch and lunch in a relaxing and welcoming environment. The popular Hangover features housemade breakfast potatoes, chorizo, avocado, sunny-side-up eggs, crema, cilantro, jalapeño and house pico. Photo: Hailey Bollinger and Francisco Huerta Jr.
Grassroots & Vine 1011 S. Ft. Thomas Ave., Fort Thomas This Fort Thomas restaurant serves delicious lunches and dinners all week, but of course, they have to host a Sunday morning brunch. With a focus on fresh farm-to-table ingredients, there’s not much you can go wrong with. For something sweet on a Sunday, try the French Toast, made with brioche, vanilla mascarpone, caramel sauce, seasonal fruit and maple syrup. And what’s brunch without a little booze? Enjoy one of their seasonal mimosas or specialty cocktails. Photo: facebook.com/grassrootsandvine
Taste of Belgium Multiple locations including 16 West Freedom Way, Downtown; 1135 Vine St., Over-the-Rhine Taste of Belgium has been expanding its operations since its first waffle was pulled from a cast-iron waffle-press at Findlay Market in 2007, opening multiple brick-and-mortar bistros since. Along with its locally famous sweet, sturdy and caramelized Belgian waffles, the brunch offerings have piloted the restaurant’s rapid ascent. In addition to staples like a strawberries-and-cream-topped waffle or a savory buckwheat galette, they also offer dishes like the Brunch Burger (burger, egg, bacon, havarti, Ohio maple syrup, served on a waffle) and the McWaffle (like the Brunch Burger minus the burger part). Photo: Hailey Bollinger
First Watch Multiple locations including 104 E. Seventh St., Downtown; 6292 Madison Road, Rookwood This daytime cafe offers breakfast, brunch and lunch items that range from healthy to hearty. The national chain has a little something for everyone, ranging from traditional breakfast options to creative spins on classics. Plus a juice bar with daily fresh-pressed juices. Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Maplewood Kitchen and Bar 525 Race St., Downtown 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
Another Broken Egg Cafe 7701 Voice of America Centre Dr., West Chester Another Broken Egg Cafe, known for its delicious twists on classic dishes. On the menu, you’ll find Southern-inspired entrees like the chicken and waffles, huevos rancheros, and the southwest scrambler, made with an artisanal flair. Another Broken Egg Cafe also offers a variety of signature cocktails including mimosas, Bloody Marys and spiked cold brews. Photo: Facebook.com/anotherbrokenyokecafecincinnati
The National Exemplar 6880 Wooster Pike, Mariemont A pillar of the Mariemont community for more than 25 years, The National Exemplar offers familiar menu favorites to its loyal supper club patrons. Breakfast and lunch are served 7 days a week from 7 a.m. till 2:30 p.m. featuring favorites like the Tri-Fecta— your choice of eggs, bacon, sausage ham or goetta and either a multi-grain pancake or Belgian waffle. For a boozy breakfast grab one of their brunch cocktails like the Tip Top Bloody Mary that is topped with “everything but the kitchen sink.” Photo: Hailey Bollinger
The Echo 3510 Edwards Road, Hyde Park Founded in 1945 in Hyde Park by Louise Schwartz, The Echo has become a neighborhood attraction for Cincinnatians everywhere. Despite being founded over 73 years ago, The Echo has adapted to the modern consumer, but the breakfast classics — from eggs benedict to the corned beef hash — remain intact. Photo: Facebook.com/TheEchoHydePark
The Governor 231 Main St., Milford Milford’s The Governor diner feels like a bit of Over-the-Rhine out in the suburbs. With subway tile, industrial decor and a walk-up window — where you can grab a boozy slushie to go to enjoy in the DORA district — the menu offers modern fare for brunch, lunch and dinner. There are salads, soups, a fun invention called the fromelette (basically a giant frittata) and sandwiches like an Asian-inspired fried chicken sandwich and a burger on a donut bun. While the meats are exciting — braised short rib, chicken livers, smoked lamb — vegetarians aren’t an afterthought here, either. Photo: Savana Willhoite

Do you have a news tip?

SEND A NEWS TIP

Subscribe to our Mailing List!

Sign up. We hope you like us, but if you don't, you can unsubscribe by following the links in the email, or by dropping us a note at policy@citybeat.com.

By clicking “Sign up” above, you consent to allow us to contact you via email, and store your information using our third-party service provider. To see more information about how your information is stored and privacy protected, visit our policies page.