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$18-28BrunchSouthern American brunch
Big Jones in Chicago is Paul Fehribach's Andersonville Southern brunch on Clark Street, with buttermilk biscuits, shrimp-and-grits and the Sunday-only brunch.
OrderButtermilk biscuit with sorghum butter and the shrimp-and-grits.
TipSunday tables go two weeks ahead. The bar takes walk-up if you arrive at 09:30 on the dot.
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$20-35BrunchSunday brunch with oysters
The Publican in Chicago is Paul Kahan's Fulton Market Sunday brunch with oyster towers, ham plates and soft-scramble-and-biscuit at the communal mead-hall.
OrderOyster tower, country-ham plate, soft-scrambled eggs with bacon-cheddar biscuit.
TipBook at 10:00 for the lightest dining room. The oyster-shucker is at the bar; order a half-dozen there if you walk up.
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$6-12BrunchHyde Park cafeteria breakfast
Valois Cafeteria in Chicago is the Hyde Park cafeteria on 53rd Street since 1921, the See Your Food steam-table breakfast, an Obama-era $7 tray.
OrderObama tray: scrambled eggs, sausage, hash browns, toast.
TipCash only. Order the Obama tray and pay $7.
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$10-18BrunchSwedish-American breakfast and lunch
Ann Sather in Chicago is the 1945 Swedish-American breakfast room whose Broadway location carries the city's cinnamon roll after Belmont closes mid-2026.
OrderMaple-glazed cinnamon roll (free with every entree), Swedish pancakes with lingonberry.
TipThe cinnamon roll is included free with every entree; ask for it warm. The Broadway and Granville rooms continue after the Belmont site closes 28 June 2026.
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$15-25BrunchFarm-driven American brunch
Lula Cafe in Chicago is Jason Hammel's Logan Square brunch room on Kedzie since 1999, with farm-driven plates, vegetable hash and a Logan Boulevard patio.
OrderVegetable hash with poached egg and brown-butter sage.
TipArrive 09:30 on weekends. The queue is long by 10:30; the patio opens at 10:00 in summer.
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$14-22BrunchSweet-and-savoury brunch, big pancakes
Bongo Room in Chicago is the Wicker Park brunch institution on Milwaukee Avenue, with three-pancake stacks the size of frisbees and a vegan jackfruit hash.
OrderPretzel-crusted French toast with white chocolate caramel.
TipOrder one savoury and one sweet to share. The pancake special is a quarterly-rotating menu posted on the front board.