It’s Never Too Late (or Too Early) for Brunch

Did you wake up too late for breakfast, but you're craving some pancakes or eggs for lunch? Viola- brunch. Brunch, a coalescence of breakfast and lunch, is the perfect hangover cure for the night before. If there's one thing I really, really miss during this quarantine, it's going out for brunch with my girlfriends and gossiping over mimosas. But once this is all over, the first thing I'm going to do is get up bright and early for brunch at one of these restaurants!

1. Wm. Mulherin's 1355 N Front St, Philadelphia, PA 19122

Wm. Mulherin's is a restaurant and a hotel, and after this brunch, I want to check in here and never check out. They are also known for their pizza and assortment of pastries, but if you come to this Fishtown eatery during brunch hours, you have to get the ricotta pancakes. My boyfriend and I were deliberating over where to get pancakes, when we saw an Instagram post claiming these are the "best pancakes in Philadelphia." Naturally, I had to be the judge of that, and I agree. Topped with butter, honey and pistachios, these fluffy pancakes are super aesthetic. But there's a surprise on the inside- they're stuffed with ricotta! Sure to stimulate your taste buds, the flavors of these pancakes really pack a punch.

2. The Dandelion 124 S 18th St, Philadelphia, PA 19103

Top of the morning to you...just kidding; the Dandelion is a British pub, not an Irish pub, but you'll have a tip-top morning after brunch from this quirky restaurant. If you're in a sweet mood, opt for the brioche french toast with Chantilly cream, which is so thick that I could see it from across the room. But if you're in a savory mood, like we were, opt for the carrot soup and Sunday roast with Yorkshire pudding. Not only is the soup a lovely color, but it's also one of the most popular options off the menu (for a good reason). We overheard the people sitting next to us say they were from Britain and visiting the U.S., and they were seriously impressed by the Sunday roast. I'd never had Yorkshire pudding, but it's not the pudding we Americans are used to; it's doughy and delicious. I could only finish half of the ginormous beef roast, and the potatoes were, oddly enough, the best potatoes I've ever had. Whether you come here for brunch, afternoon tea or dinner, you will have an unforgettable meal.

3. Honey's Sit N Eat multiple locations

Honey's Sit and Eat, a popular albeit bijou brunch locale in Northern Liberties, is notorious for having a long wait; nonetheless, we were able to (no pun intended) sit and eat right away since we came for brunch at 1 pm! The inside of this rustic, eccentric restaurant is even cuter than the name, and the menu is just as zany, featuring items such as the "breakfast bomb," a pancake stuffed with eggs and bacon, or the mac and cheese pancakes, which are exactly what they sound like. We stuck to the status quo and got a breakfast quesadilla with avocado sour cream and scrambled eggs with a side of latke and rye bread. Honey's Sit and Eat really is the "land of milk and honey" as far as brunch goes, since the La Collombe coffee refills are freely (pun intended) flowing!

4. Schlesinger's 1521 Locust St, Philadelphia, PA 19102

Of course Schlesinger's deserves a spot on this list; along with lox bagels, they have a vast selection of breakfast options, including (pictured) the veggie omelet and lox omelet with a side of home fries. Or if you come for a late breakfast and are more in the mood for an early lunch, you can get one of their reuben sandwiches with matzo ball soup. Since my friends and I are all broke college students, Schlesinger's is always our default brunch destination.

5. Dolce & Caffe 708 N 2nd St, Philadelphia, PA 19123

It's not really a brunch list if crepes don't make the cut. Also in Northern Liberties is Dolce & Caffe, an Italian coffee shop and restaurant. Unlike Schlesinger's, I wouldn't bring a group to this itty-bitty cafe, where you'll be lucky to find a table. However, unlike Green Eggs or Honey's Sit & Eat, you probably won't have to wait long. I took my friend from out of town (who is equally as obsessed with crepes as me) here when every other brunch place was packed. We both got savory crepes- mine was filled with prosciutto and topped with a fried egg and vinaigrette- and sweet lattes. Along with the gourmet crepes and waffles, Dolce & Caffe has some idiosyncratic caffeinated beverages, like the peanut butter and jelly latte (mine) or the iced cannoli latte (hers).

6. Dizen Goff multiple locations

Dizen Goff may be famous for their hummus platters, but if you come on a weekend, you have to get the shakshuka. It was previously called the Sunday shakshuka, since you could only get it once a week, but it was so well received that they extended its availability to Saturdays as well. Shakshuka, a popular Mediterranean breakfast, is traditionally tomato sauce and fried eggs in a hot skillet with a side of pita drizzled in olive oil and coated in sumac. Dizen Goff's version is the first shakshuka I had, so I'm a little bias, but no other shakshuka has even come close in comparison. I actually prefer this dish to the hummus platters! You'll be waiting for a bit, since it takes longer to make, but it's well worth the wait.

7. Harper's Garden 31 S 18th St, Philadelphia, PA 19103

Second time's a charm. This time around, the weather was miraculously seventy degrees and sunny on a January morning, and I was able to sit outside in the garden of Harper's Garden to celebrate my 21st birthday with my closest underage friends. I ordered my first legal (brunch) drink, a mimosa (of course), in spite of the previous night, after which I definitely should have only been drinking water and coffee. Our waitress was really sweet, and the outdoor lighting was perfect for me to take a picture of this photogenic brunch- the smoked salmon and malted waffles with chive cream cheese, onion, avocado and chives. If I could blow out a candle and have one belated birthday wish right now, it would be to take me back to this meal, especially when I'm writing this inside my apartment eating a pop tart.

8. Green Eggs Cafe multiple locations

Green Eggs Cafe is legendary, but you haven't had the full Green Eggs experience unless you've waited a couple hours in the infamous line that is literally visible blocks away from the restaurant. You'll pass it on your way to the hostess' podium, so you know what you're getting yourself into. Now, I know you're probably wondering what this hype is all about, but I promise once you try the red velvet pancakes, you'll understand. This triple stack, or should I say wall, of pancakes has got to be more than a pound, and each square shaped pancake is at least a couple of inches thick. Additionally, in between each is a layer of cream cheese frosting, and the batter is red velvet, which is really just rich chocolate and food coloring. Therefore, finishing this plate may be the greatest challenge posed in modern history. This meal, along with most of the other dishes at Green Eggs, are enough to feed a family of four, yet almost everything on the menu is under $15. So, the final verdict is yes, it's worth the wait AND the hype.

9. Front Street Cafe 1253 N Front St, Philadelphia, PA 19122

Since most brunch food has eggs in it, one way or another, it's hard to find a place to go if you're vegan. However, Front Street Cafe in Fishtown also serves brunch, so it's the perfect plant-based restaurant to take your vegan friends. The menu can be customized for vegans, vegetarians and people with no dietary restrictions, so you can get the huevos rancheros (vegetarian) or the tofu scramble with vegan scrapple (vegan, duh). They serve breakfast/brunch every day until 3 PM, so you're not limited to the weekend, and their outdoor patio is under a tent, so you can dine rain or shine.

10. K'Far Cafe 110 S 19th St, Philadelphia, PA 19103

K'Far is a fairly new breakfast/lunch/brunch hot spot that opened in Rittenhouse Square last year. Although last year seems like it was a lifetime ago, one thing that hasn't changed is K'Far; they are still offering their ovular shaped Jerusalem bagels (check out A Bagel is Never Just a Bagel to read about them), pistachio sticky buns and Yemenite lattes, which are pretty much the Jewish version of a chai latte. I talk about K'Far so much that one of my followers on the foodsta asked if I was Jewish (which I'm not), but the owners are the creative geniuses behind Zahav, Dizen Goff and Goldie. They are currently only taking preorders for pickup Thursday through Sunday, so make sure to put your order in a day in advance to avoid your favorites being sold out, and expect to still wait in a line.

11. Bud & Marilyns 1234 Locust St, Philadelphia, PA 19107

This Real House Wives quote is pretty much a mood for 2020, but one thing that is sure to uplift your spirits is brunch at Bud & Marilyn's! Everything on their menu is so tempting that choosing just one may be the hardest part of this year, but I highly recommend getting the hush puppies as an appetizer and the shakshuka as your main course. Both are vegetarian and yummy comfort food, even on a ninety degree day. You also have to get one of the cocktail pouches, which are basically adult Capri Suns. They're a great value, portable and come with a quirky sticker!