The Ultimate Philly Brunch Guide

FOR THE SCENE

Parc
Solo diners sipping café au lait and reading the Sunday newspaper at the bar. Servers in crisp white shirts delivering plates of pain perdu, gooey with hazelnut butter. Impeccably dressed groups sharing bites of the omelette du jour. Couples facing the Square, basking in the warmth of heat lamps. This is the stuff brunches at Parc are made of. Brunching hours: Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. 227 South 18th Street, 215-545-2262, parc-restaurant.com.


Fork
When brunching at Fork, you can expect a crowd that’s well-dressed but never overdressed, and lively but never boisterous — plus food that’s well-crafted, creative, and downright yummy. Try the huevos rancheros, layered in a cast iron pot with fluffy eggs and house-made sausage; the well-seasoned quinoa with a bounty of perfectly grilled veggies and kalamata olives; and a fresh-squeezed mimosa. Brunching hours: Sunday from 11 a.m. 306 Market Street, 215-625-9425, forkrestaurant.com.

Standard Tap & Johnny Brenda’s
Standard Tap and Johnny Brenda’s have the same owners, which makes deciding which one to brunch at a challenge: At the Tap, we’ve always loved the tuna melt, pork chop with eggs, and strong neighborhood vibe. But the spicy chilaquiles, smoked trout salad, and $7.50 rib platter — not to mention the boozy whiskey doughnuts — call us to JB’s. Good thing they both serve both days of the weekend. Brunching hours: Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. 901 North 2nd Street, 215-238-0630, standardtap.com. 1201 Frankford Avenue, 215-739-9684, johnnybrendas.com.


The Logan Inn
A crackling fireplace and ye olde ambience are the sells at this 280-plus-year-old inn, where you half expect to see Ben Franklin snarfing French toast. A well-rounded wine list and traditional brunch items — plus lots of eggs — augment, but the real star is a dessert: the yeasty, just-one-more-bite bread pudding drenched in a Bailey’s cream sauce. Brunching hours: Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. 10 West Ferry Street, New Hope, 215-862-2300, loganinn.com.


Du Jour
You want a scene? How about Reese Witherspoon, who liked brunching here so much that she brought beau Jake Gyllenhaal back on trip number two? No word on their orders, but we suggest the basil-spiked ciabatta scramble, and, now that sunbathing season has ended, the grilled chicken, bacon, avocado and blue cheese chopped salad. Brunching hours: Saturday from 8 a.m., Sunday from 9 a.m. 379 Lancaster Avenue, Haverford, 610-896-4556, dujourmarket.com.


Rouge
Sure, you can cozy up inside with your paper and cinnamon pancakes, but outside is, as ever, best for seeing and being seen. (And for Rittenhouse’s autumnal glory!) We love a teensy sidewalk table brimming with coffee mugs, pints of Bloody Marys, and — lately — the rich and delicious croque madame. With a side of crispy bacon. Brunching hours: Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. 205 South 18th Street, 215-732-6622, rouge98.com.


Carman’s Country Kitchen
Carman’s is an experience no one should miss. Rub elbows with regulars at the counter, or grab the outdoor seating, which is actually a picnic table in the flatbed of a pickup truck. And while the ever-changing menu — think pulled pork over cheesy grits with eggs, or an omelet filled with stewed collards — is amazing, it’s Carman who completes the show. She likes to regale the dining room with her topics du jour. (On our visit: Texans and the NRA, then Obama’s birth certificate.) Brunching hours: Saturday and Sunday from 8 a.m. 1301 South 11th Street, 215-339-9613.