Where to brunch in El Paso: morning rooms worth the queue.
El Paso brunch runs from early taqueria morning plates at 07:00 through late morning restaurant service at downtown venues. The border tradition leans toward egg dishes with green chile, machaca, and corn tortillas. Salt and Honey Bakery Cafe on North Oregon Street sets the standard for the contemporary brunch experience with braised brisket tacos and house pastries. Ambar Restaurante at the Plaza Hotel runs a weekend jazz brunch Sat-Sun 11:00-14:00. For the most authentic El Paso morning, Kiki's Mexican Restaurant starts serving machaca at 10:30, and El Jacalito on Myrtle Avenue opens at 07:00 for migas.
Salt and Honey Bakery Cafe on North Oregon Street is El Paso's best contemporary brunch spot, with braised brisket tacos, ricotta pancakes, house pastries.
Order: Braised brisket breakfast taco or the lemon ricotta pancakes
Tip: Saturday fills to capacity by 10:00; arrive at opening or expect a wait.
Ambar Restaurante at the Plaza Hotel Pioneer Park runs a weekend jazz brunch Sat-Sun 11:00-14:00 with live music, wood-grilled plates, agave cocktails.
Order: Wood-grilled brunch plate with a mezcal bloody mary
Tip: Reservation strongly advised for the weekend jazz brunch; the room fills fully on sunny weekends.
Kiki's Mexican Restaurant on North Piedras Street is the local benchmark for machaca brunch: braised brisket shredded and scrambled with eggs, Hatch green.
Order: Brisket machaca with eggs and green chile, or huevos rancheros
Tip: No reservations; arrive at 10:30 when they open to avoid the 30-minute weekend wait.
El Jacalito on Myrtle Avenue is the best budget brunch in downtown El Paso, serving migas, chorizo, and classic Mexican egg plates from 07:00 daily.
Order: Migas plate or chorizo con huevos with fresh tortilla
Tip: Open at 07:00 which is earlier than most downtown spots; the migas here are El Paso morning eating at its most authentic.
Cafe Central on Oregon Street runs a Saturday brunch service in the historic 1918 dining room, serving upscale brunch plates with a substantial wine list.
Order: Eggs Benedict with cured salmon or the steak and egg brunch plate
Tip: Book online; the upstairs dining room is the most atmospheric for the Saturday brunch experience.
Salt and Honey Bakery Cafe on North Oregon Street for contemporary plates, Ambar Restaurante for weekend jazz brunch, Kiki's Mexican Restaurant for machaca, and El Jacalito for traditional migas.
Migas (scrambled eggs with crispy tortilla strips and salsa), brisket machaca with eggs and green chile, or a burrito from La Colonial Tortilla Factory.