The 5 Trendiest Spots For Sunday Brunch In Irvine California

Calories, Mimosas, Carbs, oh my! No proper Sunday brunch is complete without a table full of friends, decadent dishes, and fizzy flutes of mimosas. Who wouldn’t want to while away a lazy Sunday morning catching up on the latest gossip and stuffing forkfuls of banana pancakes and extra-thick bacon in their mouths? Irvine, CA brunch lovers rejoice! There are so many different choices here.

It’s a fact that Southern Californians love brunch. They live for a marathon half-breakfast, half-lunch experience to burn up a lazy Sunday morning. Some like to sit outside enjoying the warm weather, while others prefer a cozy corner table for two. Whatever your ideal brunch vibe, there are tons of fun restaurants in the area that cater to the brunch-loving crowd.

It’s not enough to have great food and a full bar of breakfast cocktails, though. Brunch is a scene! We know you love the people watching almost as much as the Bloody Marys (extra spicy, of course). That’s why the team at Orange Coast CJDR has compiled a comprehensive list of the five trendiest brunch spots in Irvine. Our advice? Get there early, because most of these places are pretty small and they fill up fast.

#5 Burnt Crumbs

Burnt Crumbs keeps it casual, simple, and savory, offering a small menu of brunch staples, like breakfast burritos and carne asada omelets. What put this Los Olivos eatery on our top five list is the quality of ingredients and extreme care they put into preparing their brunch items. Burnt Crumbs is a favorite spot for locals because it’s the only place to find a mildly addictive and unique-to-them pastrami hash. They stuff their breakfast sandwich full of it for a twist on the typical bacon or sausage protein option.

If you’re looking to satisfy your Sunday morning sweet tooth, the Fluffy Souffle Pancakes are a must. Choose from Original, Blueberry, or Strawberry, and enjoy these thick, yet somehow light, puffy pillows of deliciousness. We love to drown them in melted butter and maple syrup. They’re also great as a sweet starter for your whole crew. Brunch runs from 9 am – 3 pm every Saturday and Sunday. We recommend arriving early.

8549 Irvine Center Drive
Irvine, CA 92618
949-502-5998

#4 Stacks Pancake House

Stacks is a Hawaiian-influenced brunch spot that puts a dash of Aloha spirit in all its dishes. You can’t go wrong with the signature Macadamia Nut Pancakes – it’s the recipe that inspired the owners to give the restaurant business a try. The Loco Moco combines your choice of protein with steamed rice, two eggs, and a heaping of brown gravy. Substitute fried rice for a delightfully artery-clogging plate full of carbs and fat.

Stacks’ menu is huge, and your choices are vast. Want a crepe? They’ve got crepes. There are seven omelets to pick from, or you can build your own. We love the ooey-gooey Captain Crunch Peanut Butter French Toast, a peanut butter-stuffed version of the classic with a sinfully crusty Captain Crunch cereal crust that’s fried golden brown. Wash it all down with freshly brewed coffee and a Purple Electric smoothie, and you’ll be pleasantly stuffed.

14421 Culver Drive
Irvine, CA 92604
949-679-1233

#3 Poached Kitchen

From the hexagonal floor-to-ceiling wall tile behind the eating counter to the exposed ceiling, Poached Kitchen oozes trendy hipness. Like a lot of swanky brunch spots, Poached Kitchen is small, which means long waits on the weekends. We recommend getting there early to beat the mid-morning crowd and taking a few extra minutes to choose a cute outfit. It’s that kind of vibe.

The menu is entirely non-GMO, and the owners pledge to use local, organic produce whenever available. The use of GMO and nitrite-free meats also hints at a higher quality menu. Poached Kitchen makes all of its dishes from scratch, so if you cave in and order a nutritionally-challenged stack of pancakes, you’re still better off than you would be at IHOP because there are no preservatives or fillers.

What to order? Start with a decadent Churro Waffle for the table. Its sugary cinnamon butter lusciousness is the perfect community appetizer. Share this treat with your friends so you’ll have more room to try some of their other decadent dishes. The savory Chile Verde Benedict and Verde Chilaquiles will offset the waffle sugar bomb and leave you feeling full all day.

17595 Harvard Ave Unit A
Irvine, CA 92614
949-860-1573

#2 The Cut

The Cut started as a food truck-only business in 2014 and quickly developed a cult following for its deceptively tasty burgers. With lines around the block, the owners realized they were on to something and ventured into the brick-and-mortar restaurant business that still centers on their all-natural, certified humane, free-range, hormone- and antibiotic-free burgers. Lucky for the brunch crowd, they now serve brunch on the weekends.

Try their Totine, a twist on traditional poutine that subs Tater Tots instead of fries and comes with a hearty helping of rich sausage gravy. You’ll also find chicken and waffles, biscuits and gravy, and – yes – avocado toast. They make a mean Croque Madame (basically a grilled ham and cheese topped with a fried egg, but think truffled, smoked, mozzarella instead of American cheese), but no brunch is complete without an order of Cheesy Tots for the table.

The Cut just missed the number one spot because it’s brunch menu is smaller than some of the other spots we reviewed. They’re still burger-focused, and the entire burger menu is available during brunch service. Don’t forget the bottomless mimosas for a reasonable $16. Sit back with some good brunch food and your drink, and you’ll want to stay until dinner time to try one of their famous burgers.

3381 Alton Pkwy Suite C
Irvine, CA
949-333-3434

#1 Everyday Eatery

Exquisite is the word that comes to mind when describing the menu at Everyday Eatery. Well, that and confusion, because there’s nothing ‘everyday’ about Everyday’s menu. Here you’ll find the ubiquitous brunch staple, avocado toast, but instead of crushing a little avo on a thick piece of toast, they’ll gently smash it, add feta, watermelon relish, chili flakes, and a special herb and seed blend.

The folks at Everyday Eatery put a clever twist on all your brunch favorites. Looking for some carbs? Try the Espresso Mascarpone Waffle. It’s drizzled with salted caramel sauce and served with organic maple syrup. Vegans need not worry about finding something suitable to eat – the Vegan Scramble Bowl tosses a mix of brown rice and quinoa, tofu, and a rainbow of veggies in a delicious walnut pesto sauce for a savory gluten-free option.

Everyday Eatery offers see-and-be-seen patio seating, along with a full coffee bar where you can order a delicate Rose Latte or their signature Oat & Lavender London Fog. They have Kombucha, a handful of healthy smoothies, and serve only Stumptown Coffee. It’s easy to see why Everyday Eatery is our number one pick. Delicate dishes with imaginative combinations of ingredients set their menu apart from the rest.

6634 Irvine Center Dr
Irvine, CA 92618
949-418-7172

Brunch Time is Always a Good Time in Irvine

Whether you choose elegant or portion-happy communal diner-style, these Irvine eateries have the goods. Brunch is an American staple that started in community diners with a simple eggs-and-bacon fare. What’s emerged is not so much the food as the lifestyle. Brunchers love to gather and rehash the weekend’s adventures over great food and sinful bottomless mimosas. Restaurants are rising to the challenge, with ever-expanding menus filled with hybrid breakfast/lunch offerings that challenge even the most disciplined eaters. So, gather your friends and get in on the fun at one Orange Coast CJDR‘s top brunch spots in Irvine.