Sunday; reservations for parties of five or more
Cost: $7-$13 a la carte entrees
Exposed brick, wooden beams, smallish tables clustered cozily together make Magnolia Cafe a very smart place for brunch in Chicago's Uptown neighborhood. The music is, perhaps, a little too gritty for brunch, and the efficient service can seem a tad chilly but a big mug of hot coffee quickly warms things up. The wild mushroom and spinach omelet is an ample serving but never seems heavy thanks to a core of pillowy goat cheese. This Montchevre cheese from Wisconsin gives a clean, refreshing tang to the omelet, providing a counterpoint to both the gently cooked egg and the woodsy mushrooms. The omelet is served with a big spoonful of rustically mashed potatoes (expect homey lumps of spud) and warm toast. Other menu offerings can include a traditional take on eggs Benedict, smoked trout hash, brioche French toast and huevos rancheros. --Bill Daley
Meritage Cafe and Wine Bar
Sunday; reservations accepted
Cost: $7-$14 a la carte entrees
This intimate Bucktown cafe and wine bar opens its doors on Sunday mornings to serve brunch suited for Louis XIV. Everything is sumptuous and over-the-top -- omelets stuffed with lobster, eggs Benedict variations (with Kobe beef and crab, shrimp and lobster hollandaise), salmon hash, pancakes made with currants and marscapone cheese. Even the sides are turned up a notch -- the potatoes hid a surprise kick of spicy heat and the homemade Thai sausage patty packed a powerful punch of complex flavors. Meritage encourages its diners to make a party of the meal, listing lots of midday mixed drinks and wines on its brunch menu. The hodgepodge decor, alas, does not match the Baroque flair of the restaurant's menu. There's a tin ceiling, wooden tables stamped with wineries' names, a massive circus-like mirror and delicate black-and-white prints on the walls. Opulent arrangements of freshly-cut flowers were nice, however, as was the bustling, lively atmosphere which made it a fun place to brunch. And once the weather warms, the restaurant's outdoor patio would be appropriately lovely for a meal suited to a gluttonous king. -- Trine Tsouderos
NoMI
Saturday and Sunday; reservations recommended
Cost: $3-$30 a la carte entrees Saturday; $55 buffet Sunday; $27 for children 5-12, free 4 and under
At NoMI, perched upon the Park Hyatt on Michigan Avenue, you get what you pay for. You get quite a bit, which means you pay quite a lot. Posh and proper, the by-now-legendary room is bathed in sunlit warmness, and the floor-to-ceiling view is breathtaking -- the blue surface of Lake Michigan gleams in the distance. There are two brunches offered at NoMI: a Saturday a la carte service, with dishes ranging from egg omelet sushi to Amish chicken cassoulet. We visited the "Sunday Park Brunch," a buffet-style service. Brunchers first visit the raw bar, with oysters on the half shell, snow crab legs, lox and an assortment of California rolls, tuna and salmon nigiri sushi. The warm plates featured thick and addictive slices of apple-smoked bacon, as well as two sausages, none of which bore the name Jimmy Dean (I preferred the hickory-smoked pork and beef sausage over the chicken sausage). Mini-waffles, mini-pancakes and fried potato slices were pitch-perfect. The meal included an entree; I ordered the eggs Benedict "NoMI," with lobster medallions and poached eggs on a bed of sauteed arugula. Indulgent as it sounded, it was only great, not superlative, and at this price I expected a knockout rather than a TKO. The mango-green tea mousse at the dessert table did, however, bowl me over. -- Kevin Pang
North Pond
Sunday; reservations recommended
Cost: $32 for three-course prix fixe
North Pond, nestled on the pond in Lincoln Park with the city's skyline framed by the restaurant's windows, is destination brunching for the adventurous sort, for foodies hungering for, say, seasonal fare and "oatmeal, chocolate." Translation: a soothing meal starter of stone-ground oatmeal with bittersweet chocolate chips and brandied cherries, its sweetness tamed by ricotta cheese and mascarpone. Delicious. You might follow that, as we did, with lovely pan-roasted trout, warm bacon semolina, glazed red beets and parsley pistachio pesto. There are several choices for each of the courses and, yes, you will find eggs on the menu. The day we brunched, they arrived poached with seared venison loin, creamy polenta, port cream and arugula. The Arts and Crafts interior of this former warming shelter for ice skaters is a lovely backdrop for chef Bruce Sherman's cooking. And, thanks to an efficient hostess, the not-on-the-ball waitress didn't dampen our visit. -- Judy Hevrdejs
Over Easy
Sunday; no reservations
Cost: $10-$12 a la carte entrees
Ravenswood newcomer Over Easy has bounced back from a fire to become a neighborhood hit. Sunday queues extend out the door and into the neighboring coffee shop. But food came fast and tables turned over quickly without anyone feeling rushed. Breakfast standards are joined by a rotating brunch menu each Sunday, the creative kind of menu that has you craning your neck and saying "Ooh, that looks good!" each time the waitress walks by with another table's order. Corn cakes and tiramisu French toast tempted us, but we opted for the Damen Avenue omelet (spinach and goat cheese) and eggs Benedict with spinach and carnitas. Although both were perfect, the potato sides could have used a little more zip. The room is bright, cheerful and egg-themed to the point of ova-kill, and the 36-seat storefront can be loud and crowded. Great for you and your friends; take Grandma and the kids somewhere else. -- Luke Seemann
Parlor Saturday and Sunday; reservations accepted
Cost: $7-$13 a la carte entrees
Meritage Cafe and Wine Bar
Sunday; reservations accepted
Cost: $7-$14 a la carte entrees
This intimate Bucktown cafe and wine bar opens its doors on Sunday mornings to serve brunch suited for Louis XIV. Everything is sumptuous and over-the-top -- omelets stuffed with lobster, eggs Benedict variations (with Kobe beef and crab, shrimp and lobster hollandaise), salmon hash, pancakes made with currants and marscapone cheese. Even the sides are turned up a notch -- the potatoes hid a surprise kick of spicy heat and the homemade Thai sausage patty packed a powerful punch of complex flavors. Meritage encourages its diners to make a party of the meal, listing lots of midday mixed drinks and wines on its brunch menu. The hodgepodge decor, alas, does not match the Baroque flair of the restaurant's menu. There's a tin ceiling, wooden tables stamped with wineries' names, a massive circus-like mirror and delicate black-and-white prints on the walls. Opulent arrangements of freshly-cut flowers were nice, however, as was the bustling, lively atmosphere which made it a fun place to brunch. And once the weather warms, the restaurant's outdoor patio would be appropriately lovely for a meal suited to a gluttonous king. -- Trine Tsouderos
NoMI
Saturday and Sunday; reservations recommended
Cost: $3-$30 a la carte entrees Saturday; $55 buffet Sunday; $27 for children 5-12, free 4 and under
At NoMI, perched upon the Park Hyatt on Michigan Avenue, you get what you pay for. You get quite a bit, which means you pay quite a lot. Posh and proper, the by-now-legendary room is bathed in sunlit warmness, and the floor-to-ceiling view is breathtaking -- the blue surface of Lake Michigan gleams in the distance. There are two brunches offered at NoMI: a Saturday a la carte service, with dishes ranging from egg omelet sushi to Amish chicken cassoulet. We visited the "Sunday Park Brunch," a buffet-style service. Brunchers first visit the raw bar, with oysters on the half shell, snow crab legs, lox and an assortment of California rolls, tuna and salmon nigiri sushi. The warm plates featured thick and addictive slices of apple-smoked bacon, as well as two sausages, none of which bore the name Jimmy Dean (I preferred the hickory-smoked pork and beef sausage over the chicken sausage). Mini-waffles, mini-pancakes and fried potato slices were pitch-perfect. The meal included an entree; I ordered the eggs Benedict "NoMI," with lobster medallions and poached eggs on a bed of sauteed arugula. Indulgent as it sounded, it was only great, not superlative, and at this price I expected a knockout rather than a TKO. The mango-green tea mousse at the dessert table did, however, bowl me over. -- Kevin Pang
North Pond
Sunday; reservations recommended
Cost: $32 for three-course prix fixe
North Pond, nestled on the pond in Lincoln Park with the city's skyline framed by the restaurant's windows, is destination brunching for the adventurous sort, for foodies hungering for, say, seasonal fare and "oatmeal, chocolate." Translation: a soothing meal starter of stone-ground oatmeal with bittersweet chocolate chips and brandied cherries, its sweetness tamed by ricotta cheese and mascarpone. Delicious. You might follow that, as we did, with lovely pan-roasted trout, warm bacon semolina, glazed red beets and parsley pistachio pesto. There are several choices for each of the courses and, yes, you will find eggs on the menu. The day we brunched, they arrived poached with seared venison loin, creamy polenta, port cream and arugula. The Arts and Crafts interior of this former warming shelter for ice skaters is a lovely backdrop for chef Bruce Sherman's cooking. And, thanks to an efficient hostess, the not-on-the-ball waitress didn't dampen our visit. -- Judy Hevrdejs
Over Easy
Sunday; no reservations
Cost: $10-$12 a la carte entrees
Ravenswood newcomer Over Easy has bounced back from a fire to become a neighborhood hit. Sunday queues extend out the door and into the neighboring coffee shop. But food came fast and tables turned over quickly without anyone feeling rushed. Breakfast standards are joined by a rotating brunch menu each Sunday, the creative kind of menu that has you craning your neck and saying "Ooh, that looks good!" each time the waitress walks by with another table's order. Corn cakes and tiramisu French toast tempted us, but we opted for the Damen Avenue omelet (spinach and goat cheese) and eggs Benedict with spinach and carnitas. Although both were perfect, the potato sides could have used a little more zip. The room is bright, cheerful and egg-themed to the point of ova-kill, and the 36-seat storefront can be loud and crowded. Great for you and your friends; take Grandma and the kids somewhere else. -- Luke Seemann
Parlor Saturday and Sunday; reservations accepted
