The Whale Wins Courtesy Sea Creatures/Brooke Fitts

Boozy Brunch

Seattle picks for the most important meal of the day.

From eggs Benedict with Dungeness crab to classic shrimp and grits reimagined with a Chinese twist, Seattle’s morning menus are as inspired as they are delicious. That verve also extends to brunch-appropriate cocktails—because who doesn’t want a Bloody Mary to wash down that heavenly hash?

Chef Renee Erickson’s restaurants present the best of Northwest seasons, often with European undertones. With casual counter service, The Whale Wins (*3506 Stone Way N) in Wallingford serves up simple, fresh fare such as matiz sardines on toast, fritattas adorned with sheep’s milk cheese and chili aoli and wood oven roasted chicken salad. For a more indulgent breakfast treat, seek out the cream-filled wonders from Erickson’s doughnut shop, General Porpoise in Capitol Hill (1020 E Union St), Pioneer Square (401 1st Ave South), or Laurelhurst (4520 Union Bay Place NE).

Joule photo: Brooke Fitts

You don’t have to go far to find this next boozy, brunchy outpost. Just nextdoor at Fremont’s Joule (3506 Stone Way N; relayrestaurantgroup.com), global flourishes enliven classic dishes, like shrimp and grits with brown butter, ginger, and flavorful Chinese sausage. Diners revere the chicken-fried steak served with a fluffy sesame waffle and smoky maple syrup. Even the cocktail menu, full of herbal, spice, and fruit flavors, is destination worthy (taste blood orange and elderflower notes in Sweet Freedom or a grapefruit-cava blend mixed with a berry-heavy liqueur and local Batch 206 vodka). But the best part of brunch here: Every meal comes with unlimited trips to the buffet, a long table loaded with pastries, salads, and more. A July ode to summer barbecue might have picnic-style potato salad, chipotle corn bread, and strawberry crisp; October’s exploration of Vietnam might involve rice noodle salad and steamed scallion cakes. Yes, it’s an enormous amount of food, but it’s hard to pass up so much edible creativity in one place.

Nearby is the rustic-meets-modern seafood restaurant RockCreek (*4300 Fremont Ave N; rockcreekseattle.com). By night it’s one of the town’s best bets for fish, but on weekend mornings, chef Eric Donnelly doles out water-driven offerings (wow, that fried oyster and bacon benedict) with a vibe that’s almost Southern. Think enormous cinnamon rolls topped with pecans and cocoa nibs, and the famed Tar Pit—buttermilk biscuits slathered in country gravy, then piled with ham, poached eggs, and a liberal helping of hollandaise. If that weren’t enough, its Baller Bloody cocktail stars rosemary vodka, plus a poached prawn and oyster on the half shell.

Courtesy Sea Creatures/Jim Henkens

The Belltown neighborhood also has endless options for great brunches. At the lovely Tilikum Place Cafe (407 Cedar St; tilikumplacecafe.com) on the neighborhood’s northern edge, the Dutch babies take a little extra time, but these oversize, popover-meets-pancake marvels are worth the wait. Pancakes are so big they nearly overflow from their cast-iron dishes, and come stuffed with sweet lemon or savory lamb, feta, and roasted carrot. A local tip: Dine here on weekdays when the crowds are considerably lighter than weekends.

Brunch Dates

Combine Seattle’s favorite weekend social occasion with a crowd-pleasing activity nearby.

courtesy Streamliner Diner

Eat:

Take the ferry to Bainbridge Island to fuel up on hearty comfort food at the old-fashioned Streamliner Diner.

Play:

Explore 150-acre Bloedel Reserve, a garden and forest preserve layered in lush textural contrasts—the ethereal moss garden contains more than 40 species of mosses and lichens.

The Seattle Great Wheel photo credit William M/Shutterstock

Eat:

Indulge in a three-course meal plus bottomless mimosas at the Goldfinch Tavern inside the Four Seasons—note there’s also a great kids’ menu.

Play:

Board a gondola on The Seattle Great Wheel, taking in the dazzling cityscape and Elliott Bay views.

courtesy Gracia Cocina Mexicana

Eat:

Mingle over shrimp tostadas, pozole rojo, and huevos rancheros on the patio of Ballard’s convivial Gracia Cocina Mexicana.

Play:

Roll out for a bike ride on the Burke-Gilman Trail, a 20-mile multiuse path that stretches alongside the Lake Washington Ship Canal.

Volunteer Park Conservatory
photo credit cdrin/Shutterstock

Eat:

Delight in the fabulous (and family- friendly “PG-13”) drag performances during Bad Girls Brunch at Julia’s on Broadway while noshing on classic eggs Benedicts and scrambles. 

Play:

Stroll through Volunteer Park and explore its myriad attractions: the outstanding Seattle Asian Art Museum and the jewel-like Volunteer Park Conservatory.

courtesy Salish Lodge Spa

Eat:

Savor the lavish brunch at Salish Lodge, which appears famously in the opening credits of David Lynch’s Twin Peaks.

Play:

Step out to view towering Snoqualmie Falls. You can walk the family- friendly 1.4-mile out-and-back trail down to the lower viewpoint, then browse the quirky shops in Snoqualmie’s charming downtown.