The top 4 brunch restaurants in orange county

Weekend brunch is a wonderful way to share a relaxing mid-morning or early afternoon meal with friends or family. You can have a casual brunch with items like cold cuts and side salads, or a more formal brunch with eggs Benedict, smoked salmon, waffles, and a mimosa. The next time you want to head out for a lovely brunch, check out these restaurants in Orange County, California, that you’ll want to visit over and over.

Poached Neighborhood Kitchen

When you want lunch at a friendly local restaurant, head over to 17595 Harvard Ave. Unit A in Irvine to eat at the Poached Neighborhood Kitchen. The original Poached Neighborhood Kitchen was in the Sierra foothills town of Downey, and they recently opened their doors to diners in Irvine. The chefs use only the finest, high-quality ingredients in their meals, and the flavors shine through with every bite.

Start your meal with a mimosa, a glass of rose wine, or sparkling prosecco. For those who want a sweet meal, have a classic waffle with whipped cream, fresh berries, and real maple syrup. Enjoy a creative take on French toast with the peanut butter and jelly version served with strawberry preserves, whipped cream, and powdered sugar.

Savor south of the border flavors when you have the chilaquiles with either a red or green sauce, or the huevos rancheros with black beans and chorizo. Indulge in a chili verde Benedict with hollandaise sauce and Beeler’s pork, covered with a Serrano aioli. Classic brunch dishes include steak and eggs served with sauteed mushrooms, grilled onions, and herb butter, or omelets served any way you wish. After your meal, relax and enjoy a cup of hot tea or your favorite espresso drink.

Everyday Eatery

You can have a healthy brunch when you have a meal at Everyday Eatery. This restaurant offers organic hot teas and wellness drinks such as matcha lattes and beet or lavender lattes. Instead of fizzy champagne, choose fermented kombucha or sparkling mineral water. You can also have your favorite coffee drink or hot chocolate. Have a light brunch with avocado toast served with feta cheese and watermelon radish.

Keep on the healthy path with their Green Brekkie Bowl filled with organic red quinoa, kale, walnut pesto, feta cheese, arugula, and toasted Brussels sprouts. Their Vegan Bowl has the same ingredients but uses tofu instead of feta cheese. Meat lovers can have a bacon and fried egg sandwich with tomato jam, pickled jalapeno peppers, and arugula served on a brioche bun. Sweet offerings include ricotta hotcakes with fruit, mascarpone-stuffed brioche French toast, or an espresso Belgian waffle. All the hotcakes, French toast, and waffles come with fresh fruit and organic maple syrup.

You can find Everyday Eatery in the Sand Canyon Plaza at 6634 Irvine Center Drive in Irvine.

Playa Mesa

Get your Mexican food fix at Playa Mesa located at 428 E. 17th St. in Costa Mesa. Playa Mesa specializes in Mexican-inspired foods from Baja and the coastal regions of mainland Mexico. The chefs use locally grown and sourced ingredients including fresh herbs and vegetables picked from Playa Mesa’s on-site garden. While mimosa’s are generally served with brunch, why not try a margarita made with tequila. Playa Mesa has over 50 bottles of premium agave to choose from, including several brands of mezcal.

Begin your meal with a guacamole appetizer made with spicy serrano peppers and served with house-made chips. Try fresh fish ceviche, or lightly fried squash blossoms made with a honey beer batter and served with ranchero salsa. The enchilada menu features fillings such as shredded chicken, Mazatlan shrimp, or slow-cooked short ribs. Fajitas come with your choice of protein, handmade tortillas, salsa, and guacamole.

For a full meal, savor the al pastor with adobo marinated pork and charred pineapple and onion. Experience the full flavor of the carne asada with grilled steak, black beans, and charred nopal. Try a crispy fish taco served with citrus slaw, a breakfast burrito with braised chicken, rice, beans, and pico de gallo, or a refreshing salad with grilled chicken and jalapeno lime dressing. Save room for housemade churros served with vanilla ice cream, or chocolate cake served on top of custardy flan.

Tavern House Kitchen + Bar

Enjoy an upscale weekend brunch with views of Newport Bay when you dine at the Tavern House Kitchen + Bar. The menu reflects the owner’s love of coastal cuisine and high-quality foods. The team at Tavern House Kitchen + Bar adheres to sustainable principles of properly harvested seafood and humanely raised poultry and livestock.

Start your meal sipping on a cocktail overlooking the harbor. Have a peach bellini, a mimosa, a glass of champagne, or a bloody mary made with Tito’s gluten-free vodka. Share an appetizer like spicy ahi poke, coconut crusted shrimp, or a grilled artichoke from Castroville. On a chilly day, warm up with French onion soup, black bean chili made with sirloin steak, or New England-style clam chowder. When the weather heats up, enjoy a refreshing salad like the chopped salad topped with wood-smoked bacon or the Santa Fe Caesar with chili roasted corn and a roasted poblano dressing.

Main meals include a variety of egg Benedict dishes. Choose a traditional one with hickory-smoked ham, or a specialty variation with shaved prime rib and onion fritters. Have a satisfying steak and eggs dish with an 8-ounce filet mignon and two sunny side up eggs. Fill up on comfort food with The Bubba dish. The chefs take fried chicken, bacon, a sunny side up egg, and cheddar cheese, then serve the combination on a buttermilk biscuit. Sausage gravy gets poured over the biscuit.

House sandwiches include a cheeseburger made with prime wagyu beef, a plant-based Impossible burger, or a Maine shrimp and lobster club with avocado and tomatoes. If you wish, you can get select brunch items to go delivered by DoorDash.

Have you tried these Orange County brunch spots? Did we miss your favorite one? If we did, please drop us a line and our team at Lem Garcia Law will add it to the list.