Brenda's French Soul Food in San Francisco runs a Polk Street Creole brunch counter, with crawfish beignets, shrimp and grits and a 60-minute weekend wait.
Must order: A flight of beignets (plain, chocolate, granny apple, crawfish), plus shrimp and grits.
Tip: Arrive at 09:00 sharp or join the digital waitlist that opens at 08:30; lunch service takes the second wave.
Address: 652 Polk St, San Francisco, CA 94102
Outerlands in San Francisco is the Outer Sunset cafe two blocks from the ocean, with house bread, eggs in jail and a steady fog-lifted brunch line at 11:00.
Order: Eggs in jail: thick toast with an egg cracked in the centre, griddled.
Tip: Bring a beanie; the door queue is exposed to ocean fog and the wait runs 40 minutes on weekends.
Tartine Manufactory in San Francisco runs a Mission brunch from a Chad Robertson and Elisabeth Prueitt bakery floor, with hot egg dishes and the morning bun.
Order: The egg sandwich with morning bread and a small pastry to share.
Tip: The Manufactory cafe holds tables longer than the Guerrero original; both serve the same bake.
Souvla in San Francisco runs a weekend brunch on its spit-roasted lamb and pork, served on house yogurt with pita, and a frozen Greek yogurt to close.
Order: Lamb on house yogurt with cucumber, mint and warm pita.
Tip: Order ahead on the app and pick up; sit at Patricia's Green in Hayes Valley for the patio.
Mama's on Washington Square in San Francisco is the North Beach corner diner since 1965, with French toast on house brioche and the eggs Florentine the locals order.
Order: French toast with brioche from the in-house bakery, plus the eggs Florentine.
Tip: Line forms at 08:30 on weekends; arrive at 08:00 sharp or after 13:30 to avoid an hour wait.
Marlowe in San Francisco runs a SoMa brunch with the Marlowe burger, a strong chilaquiles plate and a Bloody Mary that has been on the menu since 2010.
Order: The Marlowe burger or the chilaquiles, plus a Bloody Mary.
Tip: Bar seats are first-come; ask for the burger off the dinner menu, it is available at brunch.
Zuni Cafe in San Francisco does the city's most enduring brunch: oysters at the marble counter, then the Judy Rodgers roast chicken from the wood oven.
Order: The roast chicken with bread salad: order it the moment you sit, it takes an hour from order.
Tip: Sit at the oyster bar for the first round; the roast chicken needs to be ordered immediately on arrival.
