Food & DrinkFooddining outBreakfast

A Completely Subjective Ranking Of The Best Brunch Menu Items

You're either with us or you're not.
By 

Taste Senior Editor, HuffPost

Isabella Carapella/HuffPost

Ahhh, brunch. There’s so much to love (and hate) about this meal. It’s the meal that we work all week for, the meal that let’s us pair Champagne with pancakes.

Whether you’re a serial brunch goer, hitting up all the best spots in town, or an occasional brunch goer, we’re sure you have opinions about the best dish served on the menu. And so do we.

We’ve taken all the classic brunch offerings and ranked them, because brunch is important. Here they are, in order from “pretty good” to “absolutely transcendent.”

Share your thoughts with us in the comments. We’re ready for battle.

22
Home fries
Douglas Sacha via Getty Images
Home fries wish they could be hash browns, but they're not even close. Not even a little bit. They're a sad waste of a potato.
21
Frittata
Olha_Afanasieva via Getty Images
If you like overcooked eggs, go ahead and order the frittata.
20
Shrimp and grits
mphillips007 via Getty Images
This Southern classic has now become a brunch staple, but it's just not right. Shrimp has got no place in the morning.
19
The lumberjack breakfast
John E. Kelly via Getty Images
This is what you get when you just can't make a decision. We're talking eggs, bacon and/or sausage, hash browns AND pancakes. Usually you get a second plate when you order this beast of a meal. It's a lot. Actually, we're just going to say it: it's too much.
18
Burger
VeryUlissa via Getty Images
Yep, brunch means you can order a burger before noon, but it's already available for lunch and dinner. Can't you branch out and order something else for just this one meal?
17
French Toast
margouillatphotos via Getty Images
French toast is what you do with stale bread. We'll just let you think on that for a minute.
16
Omelette
flyfloor via Getty Images
An omelette isn't just about the egg, it's what's inside that really counts. And that is entirely up to you.
15
Biscuits and sausage gravy
TheCrimsonMonkey via Getty Images
Hello, gut buster! And hello, delicious! The classic Southern dish has gotten a hearty welcome from brunch-ers across the country, and with good reason. It's a break from the classic breakfast fare, and decadent enough to be worthy of brunch.
14
Bloody Mary
Mariha-kitchen via Getty Images
This vodka cocktail is delicious, but dangerously so. Proceed with caution.
13
Croque monsieur (or madame)
The Washington Post via Getty Images
This classic French dish should be on more brunch menus. It's a grilled ham and cheese sandwich topped with béchamel sauce. (And it's sometimes served with an egg on top and called a croque madame). The sandwich is a step above the beloved grilled cheese, and it's a godsend before noon.
12
Pancakes
Lilechka75 via Getty Images
Pancakes are great, they are. But brunch deserves even better.
11
Eggs Benedict
GMVozd via Getty Images
Brunch is usually about decadence, and it doesn't get more decadent than Eggs Benedict. Plus, anything with hollandaise sauce gets bonus points in our book.
10
Huevos Rancheros
Boston Globe via Getty Images
You can judge a brunch spot on how good their huevos rancheros are. This dish spices up the otherwise (let's be honest) bland brunch choices.
9
Breakfast sandwich
LauriPatterson via Getty Images
Sure, you can pick up a breakfast sandwich at your local coffee spot and eat it on the go. But the kind of breakfast sandwich you get at brunch, the kind that's made with a runny egg and seriously thick-cut bacon, that's the kind of meal that makes getting out of bed worth it.
8
Mimosa
bhofack2 via Getty Images
Champagne has given orange juice its true purpose in the form of a mimosa. It's a must.
7
Yogurt with granola
InaTs via Getty Images
Healthy? Check. Delicious? Check. We know not everyone will agree with this healthy choice, but this is what you order when you still need to function after brunch -- and want to actually enjoy your life choices.It's a pro move.
6
Bagel with lox and cream cheese
LauriPatterson via Getty Images
This is delightful, as any serious brunch go-er knows.The umami-rich lox is cut with raw onion, capers and lemon juice, and it's just what a bagel with cream cheese needs. If you don't understand the beauty of this dish, we're not sure you deserve to eat brunch at all.
5
Belgian waffles
The Picture Pantry via Getty Images
Waffles are the best carb-loaded brunch choice. The the tiny squares are the perfect vessel for holding butter and maple syrup, which makes them better than pancakes (and French toast, obviously).
4
Chicken and waffles
zkruger via Getty Images
Everything we said above about waffles, plus fried chicken. All kinds of yes.
3
Hash browns
4kodiak via Getty Images
Yesssss. Crisp and golden, these are everything you want potatoes to be. And they do an amazing job at sopping up any egg yolk on your plate.
2
Bacon
bhofack2 via Getty Images
Do we really need to explain?
1
Coffee
agrobacter via Getty Images
Any coffee that someone else makes for you is basically the best. And at brunch, where you can linger for over an hour, you can order as many cups as you want. This is happiness.

Before You Go

LOADINGERROR LOADING
|
Submit a tip

Popular in the Community

Close

HuffPost Shopping’s Best Finds

MORE IN LIFE