Must-Visit Brunch Spots in 2022

Weekdays are mostly reserved for work and other similar activities, but there’s no doubt about it: weekends are for relaxing and brunch. Here in the metro area, brunch culture is alive and kicking. Many restaurants – both seasoned and up and coming – are competing to become the one-stop destination for Portland’s midday meal crowd. 

The vast array of brunchable culinary options is limitless, and our numerous restaurants are constantly striving to provide the best dining experience to their customers. So, whether you are a visitor or a local to our awesome (and admittedly quirky!) city, there are definitely endless options for you to choose from. 

However, some of our local restaurants and food joints do stand out as a cut above their competitors. Let’s look at some of the more notable brunch options to choose from when you’re in Portland. That way, you can help make sure that your weekend brunch experience is both delicious and memorable! 

Mama Bird

Mama Bird is a lesser-known spot that is truly invested in the “brunch business,” judging from their menu and the line snaking out their door every weekend. If you are a new customer, Mama Bird will wow you with their famous wood-fired grilled chicken. This unique and delicious meal is just perfect for that weekend brunch. 

However, other than their signature chicken recipe, Mama Bird also offers crepes filled with seasonal fruit, crème brulée French toast, and Belgian waffles with cultured butter, among other delicacies. This Portland restaurant also offers buttermilk biscuits and smoked salmon accompanied by fried capers. No matter what you decide to eat, you’ll love everything you taste when you come here!

• Location: 2145 NW Raleigh St., Portland, OR 97210

• Hours: Saturday and Sunday, 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 pm

• Website: http://mamabirdpdx.com/ 

Everybody Eats PDX

Everybody Eats is known for its incredibly delicious soul food, which is why visitors to this local business keep coming back again and again for more. Their customers know they will get to sample a wide assortment of hearty, filling fare, as the owners of this restaurant aren’t skimpy with their portions. In other words, Everybody Eats really lives up to its name!

Their brunch classics include seafood, which means you’ll be hard-pressed to choose between ordering crab-stuffed salmon, fried catfish, or their seafood mac and cheese on a random weekday brunch. However, when the weekend comes, the restaurant defaults to its brunch menu, offering crab omelets, peach cobbler chicken and waffles, shrimp and grits, and banana pudding French toast. We hope you brought your appetite!

• Location: 138 NW 10th Ave., Portland, OR 97209

• Hours: Saturday and Sunday, 11:00 am to 3:00 pm

• Website: https://www.everybodyeats503.com/ 

Duck Tales

Who remembers Waddles on Jantzen Beach?  Waddles was one of my childhood favorites that left Jantzen Beach years ago and is famous for the big duck sign where Hooters now resides.  The owners Steve and Jane Waddle are Vancouver natives and, after Steve’s dad closed Waddles Restaurant at Jantzen Beach they really missed having a “neighborhood” restaurant to go to so Duck Tales was opened in 2009.  They are one of my favorites for their pancakes, scrambles, and chicken fried steak and eggs.

• Location: 612 N Devine Rd, Vancouver, WA 98661

• Hours: Thursday - Saturday, 8:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.

• Website: https://ducktaleskitchen.com/menus/

Syrup Trap

Syrup Trap is one of those unexpected restaurants that, at first glance, may seem like just another generic café. However, their wide selection of brunch offerings, including their signature dish of liège waffles, makes them stand out from the rest of the brunching options in our city. The food and drinks for breakfast offered at Syrup Trap are surprisingly diverse, yet still incredibly tasty. While here, you’ll want to treat yourself to their trademark waffle liège, made with Belgian pearl sugar that caramelizes to sweet perfection when cooked. 

For drinks, Syrup Trap offers everything from coffee (in every way you can imagine!) and tea (with a wide variety of add-ons to further customize your sips), to drinks like mimosas and champagne, if you’re craving a more spirited brunching experience. If you’re looking for a new go-to brunching restaurant that offers food that’s bursting in flavor, situated in a laid-back yet classy environment, then you can’t go wrong with Syrup Trap.

• Location: 1104 Main St., Suite 111, Vancouver, WA 98660

• Hours: Thursday - Monday, 8:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

• Website: https://syruptrap.square.site/s/order

Dulin’s Village Café

If you want to tuck into a meal that’s been whipped up on the spot just for you, featuring only the best and freshest ingredients, then you definitely must pay a visit to Dulin’s Village Café. There’s a reason that this restaurant has been around for nearly a hundred years: their food is unmatched, the service is friendly and attentive (but without being obsequious!), and the ambiance is warm and inviting.

Their incredible menu features a wide assortment of sweet and savory breakfast dishes, lunch options, and even a few desserts to satisfy your sweet tooth. They also have a wide variety of salads and other healthy options to choose from. Plus, if you do happen to have any dietary restrictions, they’re more than happy to accommodate you, as there are multiple vegetarian and gluten-free options to be found on their menu, too.

In addition to their breakfast dishes, they have many drink options to accompany your brunch. If you prefer something simple, you can choose between coffee or tea. And if you’re feeling a bit bolder? In that case, they also offer a bar with mimosas, Irish coffee, and even a Bloody Mary. So if you’re craving a yummy brunch, then definitely put this Vancouver establishment on your radar.

• Location: 1929 Main St., Vancouver, WA 98660

• Hours: Tuesday - Monday, 8:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

• Website: http://www.dulinscafe.com/#menu

Brix Tavern

Brix Tavern offers a rich brunch experience to those who are lucky to live here in Portland. In addition to its comprehensive menu, this restaurant also provides a fun environment to catch a drink while hanging out with friends. Oh, and if you’re torn between watching the big game or going out for a bite, don’t worry. The wide-screen TVs mounted on the walls mean you never have to choose!

But Brix Tavern offers more than just a laid-back ambiance. They also feature shrimp and grits accompanied with hollandaise and poached eggs to put their own spin on the eggs benedict. Other benny options include various toppings like applewood smoked salmon, chipotle hollandaise, and heirloom tomatoes. Since their brunch is unique, the toppings are served on corn cakes, far from the classic English muffin.  

The brunch menu at Brix Tavern has all of your midday meal favorites, such as omelets, protein-based skillets, chicken and waffles, and hearty biscuits and gravy. An assortment of Bloody Marys and mimosas are also available to complete the overall brunch experience, though you can also just stick with coffee if you feel so inclined.

• Location: 1338 NW Hoyt St., Portland, OR 97209

• Hours: Saturday and Sunday, 9:30 am to 2:45 pm

• Website: http://www.brixtavern.com/ 

Bullard Tavern

Portland’s Bullard Tavern is a unique restaurant that boasts a one-of-a-kind culinary experience. The restaurant provides an unforgettable brunching menu for locals and visitors seeking to make their weekend count, and their fun fusion of hearty Texas cuisine plays nicely with Oregon’s slow-food movement. 

Take, for instance, their signature dishes.  Their platter of oysters on the half shell served with apple cake doughnuts, is a customer’s favorite. The restaurant also has an exceptional assortment of entrees that include loaded hash browns with spiced beefy Texas red chili and jalapenos. Steak and eggs, as well as buttermilk pancakes, are also popular options at Bullard Tavern that you won’t want to miss out on.

• Location: 813 SW Alder St., Portland, OR 97205

• Hours: Saturday and Sunday, 10:00 am to 3:00 pm

• Website: https://www.bullardpdx.com/ 

Enjoy Brunch the most important meal of the day!

There’s no secret that the brunch experience here in Portland is one that offers a veritable bounty of options for those looking for a bite to eat on the weekend.  The combination of incredible ambiance and delicious food makes the foodie scene one that you don’t want to miss. All in all, the Portland brunch culture is up for exploration – and whenever you’re in town, you’ll want to be sure to pay a visit to one of these must-visit restaurants!