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Where to Find Seattle’s Most Essential Brunches

Vietnamese-style chicken and waffles, shakshuka, Dutch babies, and more

by Jade Yamazaki Stewart, Sophie Grossman, and Eater Staff Updated
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by Jade Yamazaki Stewart, Sophie Grossman, and Eater Staff Updated

Brunch is a mystery. Is it a meal you eat between breakfast and lunch, or a meal you eat sometime around 2 p.m.? Does it help you nurse your hangover from the night before or is it part of a long ramping-up process to a big night out? At its worst, brunch is a dumbed-down, overpriced version of a restaurant’s regular menu. But there are loads of places in Seattle doing genuinely creative riffs on the brunch classics: shakshuka, Vietnamese-style chicken and waffles, and of course the Dutch baby, that symbol of Seattle civic pride.

Know of a spot that should be on our radar? Send us a tip by emailing seattle@eater.com. As usual, this list is not ranked; it’s organized geographically north to south.

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Eater maps are curated by editors and aim to reflect a diversity of neighborhoods, cuisines, and prices. Learn more about our editorial process. If you buy something or book a reservation from an Eater link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics policy.

El Parche Colombiano

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This Colombian restaurant up in the Northgate area has an all-day menu of lovingly crafted comfort food. Among the items on the brunch side of things are the bandeja paisa, with grilled skirt steak, chicharron, chorizo, sweet plantains, and an egg. And the empanadas, made with shatteringly crisp fried corn dough, are also supremely satisfying.

11740 15th Ave NE, Seattle, WA 98125
(206) 407-6821
(206) 407-6821
A brunch dish of eggs, rice, beans, and avocado from El Parche Colombiano
El Parche Colombiano has a selection of satisfying brunch plates.
El Parche/Facebook

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Watson's Counter

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This recently relocated Ballard diner-ish restaurant has a menu of Korean-influenced comfort food that is perfect for the anything-goes vibe of brunch. Fried chicken with gochujang sauce at 10 a.m.? Sure. The famous Fruity Pebbles French toast at 2 p.m.? You got it! Watson’s Counter roasts its own coffee (you can get refills of their single-origin drip if you’re dining in) and even has soft serve on tap.

6420 24th Ave NW, Seattle, WA 98107
(206) 420-1688
(206) 420-1688

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China Harbor Restaurant

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The massive black rectangle next to Lake Union on Westlake Avenue is instantly recognizable — if not a little out of place. Chef Danna Hwang puts her own twists on classic Chinese dim sum dishes, crafting beautiful bites that are as ornate as the dining room decor: deep-fried taro balls filled with abalone, pan-fried chive dumplings, crispy pork belly in shrimp sauce, and more.

2040 Westlake Ave N, Seattle, WA 98109
(206) 286-1688
(206) 286-1688

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Tilikum Place Café

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This is an old-school spot — if there aren’t literal white tablecloths, it sure feels that way — and it specializes in an old-school delicacy: the Dutch baby. It’s not quite a pancake, it’s not quite a Yorkshire pudding, but it’s eggy and thick and the perfect mid-morning food. Be advised, the dining room is small here, and reservations are recommended.

407 Cedar St, Seattle, WA 98121
(206) 282-4830
(206) 282-4830
A Dutch baby with powdered sugar on in next to a container of syrup
The Dutch baby at Tilikum Place Cafe
Harry Cheadle

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Nue

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The cheerfully miscellaneous menu at Nue corresponds to the snug Capitol Hill restaurant’s globe-trotting theme, with spicy Chengdu-style chicken and waffles living peacefully alongside exceptional shakshuka and a Burmese fermented tea leaf salad, all of which you can wash down with an espresso martini, the world-conquering cocktail. A relatively large chunk of the menu is available to vegans, vegetarians, and gluten-free folks. 

1519 14th Ave, Seattle, WA 98122
(206) 257-0312
(206) 257-0312

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Cafe Campagne

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This Pike Place Market mainstay pays obsessive attention to classic French cuisine. Even the decor exudes the spirit of a Parisian cafe, down to the people-watching patio in front. Brunch is long and leisurely, with tables available from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. There are loads of simple pleasures here, like the baguette with French-style butter and jam, and more decadent wonders, like the oeufs en meurette, a dish of poached eggs, red wine-foie gras sauce, pearl onions, and bacon.

1600 Post Alley, Seattle, WA 98101
(206) 728-2233
(206) 728-2233

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Fat's Chicken and Waffles

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The stars at this Central District favorite are the honey butter chicken biscuit sandwich and the restaurant’s namesake sampler, with two pieces of chicken served alongside fried green tomatoes, cheese grits, and garlic toast. Brunch is popular and the restaurant can feel hectic, but the warm service and fantastic food are worth it.

2726 E Cherry St, Seattle, WA 98122
(206) 602-6863
(206) 602-6863

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The Boat

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For nearly 20 years, this Little Saigon landmark has remained a symbol of the Pham family’s growing pho-centric restaurant empire, which includes locations in Downtown and Rainier Valley. In 2022, Yenvy and Quynh-Vy Pham revamped the menu here to focus on exactly three items: Com ga mam toi, a sticky, garlicky chicken and rice dish; mi ga chien, that same garlic chicken served alongside a light egg noodle soup; and banh kep, chewy Vietnamese-style waffles, paired with a side of pillowy, salty whipped coconut cream. The waffles come in two varieties, pink pineapple and pandan (a delicate, almost citrusy flavor), and you’d be wise to do a half-and-half order. And the drinks! The Vietnamese-style coffees are show-stoppers, the cocktails well-balanced wonders.

1314 S Jackson St, Seattle, WA 98144
(206) 323-4387
(206) 323-4387

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Mioposto Pizzeria

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Sometimes the best brunch is the one that’s close by — especially if you’re looking to treat a hangover with some hair of the dog. A merrily crackling wood-fired oven presides over the dining room at all four locations of this neighborhood pizzeria, which features breakfast strombolis packed with pancetta and pizzas topped with perfectly gooey sunny side-up eggs. This is a resolutely savory brunch menu, where the house spin on a cinnamon and apple bread pudding is laced with pancetta. 

2139 California Ave SW, Seattle, WA 98116
(206) 466-2677
(206) 466-2677

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Fonda La Catrina

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This bustling Georgetown favorite spills out into a courtyard perfect for whiling away a sunny weekend afternoon sipping on modestly-priced bloody marys and mimosas. The menu is a tight lineup of carefully-crafted Mexican breakfast classics, from chilaquiles to costillas en chile pasilla, locally-sourced pork ribs served with a deeply savory chile sauce and fresh cactus salad.

5905 Airport Way S, Seattle, WA 98108
(206) 767-2787
(206) 767-2787

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El Parche Colombiano

11740 15th Ave NE, Seattle, WA 98125

This Colombian restaurant up in the Northgate area has an all-day menu of lovingly crafted comfort food. Among the items on the brunch side of things are the bandeja paisa, with grilled skirt steak, chicharron, chorizo, sweet plantains, and an egg. And the empanadas, made with shatteringly crisp fried corn dough, are also supremely satisfying.

11740 15th Ave NE, Seattle, WA 98125
(206) 407-6821
(206) 407-6821
A brunch dish of eggs, rice, beans, and avocado from El Parche Colombiano
El Parche Colombiano has a selection of satisfying brunch plates.
El Parche/Facebook

Watson's Counter

6420 24th Ave NW, Seattle, WA 98107

This recently relocated Ballard diner-ish restaurant has a menu of Korean-influenced comfort food that is perfect for the anything-goes vibe of brunch. Fried chicken with gochujang sauce at 10 a.m.? Sure. The famous Fruity Pebbles French toast at 2 p.m.? You got it! Watson’s Counter roasts its own coffee (you can get refills of their single-origin drip if you’re dining in) and even has soft serve on tap.

6420 24th Ave NW, Seattle, WA 98107
(206) 420-1688
(206) 420-1688

China Harbor Restaurant

2040 Westlake Ave N, Seattle, WA 98109

The massive black rectangle next to Lake Union on Westlake Avenue is instantly recognizable — if not a little out of place. Chef Danna Hwang puts her own twists on classic Chinese dim sum dishes, crafting beautiful bites that are as ornate as the dining room decor: deep-fried taro balls filled with abalone, pan-fried chive dumplings, crispy pork belly in shrimp sauce, and more.

2040 Westlake Ave N, Seattle, WA 98109
(206) 286-1688
(206) 286-1688

Tilikum Place Café

407 Cedar St, Seattle, WA 98121

This is an old-school spot — if there aren’t literal white tablecloths, it sure feels that way — and it specializes in an old-school delicacy: the Dutch baby. It’s not quite a pancake, it’s not quite a Yorkshire pudding, but it’s eggy and thick and the perfect mid-morning food. Be advised, the dining room is small here, and reservations are recommended.

407 Cedar St, Seattle, WA 98121
(206) 282-4830
(206) 282-4830
A Dutch baby with powdered sugar on in next to a container of syrup
The Dutch baby at Tilikum Place Cafe
Harry Cheadle

Nue

1519 14th Ave, Seattle, WA 98122

The cheerfully miscellaneous menu at Nue corresponds to the snug Capitol Hill restaurant’s globe-trotting theme, with spicy Chengdu-style chicken and waffles living peacefully alongside exceptional shakshuka and a Burmese fermented tea leaf salad, all of which you can wash down with an espresso martini, the world-conquering cocktail. A relatively large chunk of the menu is available to vegans, vegetarians, and gluten-free folks. 

1519 14th Ave, Seattle, WA 98122
(206) 257-0312
(206) 257-0312

Cafe Campagne

1600 Post Alley, Seattle, WA 98101

This Pike Place Market mainstay pays obsessive attention to classic French cuisine. Even the decor exudes the spirit of a Parisian cafe, down to the people-watching patio in front. Brunch is long and leisurely, with tables available from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. There are loads of simple pleasures here, like the baguette with French-style butter and jam, and more decadent wonders, like the oeufs en meurette, a dish of poached eggs, red wine-foie gras sauce, pearl onions, and bacon.

1600 Post Alley, Seattle, WA 98101
(206) 728-2233
(206) 728-2233

Fat's Chicken and Waffles

2726 E Cherry St, Seattle, WA 98122

The stars at this Central District favorite are the honey butter chicken biscuit sandwich and the restaurant’s namesake sampler, with two pieces of chicken served alongside fried green tomatoes, cheese grits, and garlic toast. Brunch is popular and the restaurant can feel hectic, but the warm service and fantastic food are worth it.

2726 E Cherry St, Seattle, WA 98122
(206) 602-6863
(206) 602-6863

The Boat

1314 S Jackson St, Seattle, WA 98144

For nearly 20 years, this Little Saigon landmark has remained a symbol of the Pham family’s growing pho-centric restaurant empire, which includes locations in Downtown and Rainier Valley. In 2022, Yenvy and Quynh-Vy Pham revamped the menu here to focus on exactly three items: Com ga mam toi, a sticky, garlicky chicken and rice dish; mi ga chien, that same garlic chicken served alongside a light egg noodle soup; and banh kep, chewy Vietnamese-style waffles, paired with a side of pillowy, salty whipped coconut cream. The waffles come in two varieties, pink pineapple and pandan (a delicate, almost citrusy flavor), and you’d be wise to do a half-and-half order. And the drinks! The Vietnamese-style coffees are show-stoppers, the cocktails well-balanced wonders.

1314 S Jackson St, Seattle, WA 98144
(206) 323-4387
(206) 323-4387

Mioposto Pizzeria

2139 California Ave SW, Seattle, WA 98116

Sometimes the best brunch is the one that’s close by — especially if you’re looking to treat a hangover with some hair of the dog. A merrily crackling wood-fired oven presides over the dining room at all four locations of this neighborhood pizzeria, which features breakfast strombolis packed with pancetta and pizzas topped with perfectly gooey sunny side-up eggs. This is a resolutely savory brunch menu, where the house spin on a cinnamon and apple bread pudding is laced with pancetta. 

2139 California Ave SW, Seattle, WA 98116
(206) 466-2677
(206) 466-2677

Fonda La Catrina

5905 Airport Way S, Seattle, WA 98108

This bustling Georgetown favorite spills out into a courtyard perfect for whiling away a sunny weekend afternoon sipping on modestly-priced bloody marys and mimosas. The menu is a tight lineup of carefully-crafted Mexican breakfast classics, from chilaquiles to costillas en chile pasilla, locally-sourced pork ribs served with a deeply savory chile sauce and fresh cactus salad.

5905 Airport Way S, Seattle, WA 98108
(206) 767-2787
(206) 767-2787

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