The San Francisco Brunch Heatmap: Where to Brunch NOW, December 2016

The first word is out on ‘aina’s Hawaiian brunch food, and the word is good. This brunch-only spot serves up island favorites with a twist, like kalbi loco moco and spam musubi “ssam style.” Low ABV cocktails are fresh and fun additions for daytime drinking, including options such as a take on the uber popular Hawaiian shave ice.

Cow Hollow’s official spot for maximum brunch indulgence post-Soul Cycle is Belga. The seasonally-changing flatbread is perfect for sharing, as are the brioche beignets. There are, of course, classic brunch items, but the pork schnitzel with braised cabbage, spätzle, and sunny eggs is a welcome change. There’s also a special selection of brunch-specific cocktails; you can’t go wrong with the Bloody Beer (Ballast Point Sculpin habanero IPA, house bloody mix, paprika salt). Brunch is served on Saturday and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Beretta’s weekend brunch menu offers special cocktails, new dishes and a “brunch punch.” This refreshing seasonal cauldron of booze changes weekly, and is $8 per glass during brunch. Early birds can stroll in at 11 a.m., but brunch lasts all day. Outdoor seating is also available.

El Buen Comer, the new Bernal Heights restaurant focused on Mexican home cooking from Isabel Caudillo, serves a brunch-specific menu on Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and all day on Sundays from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Think chilaquiles, huevos divorciados, and guisados alongside housemade tortillas, micheladas, and agua fresca mimosas.

Pizza is the most indulgent of brunch fare, and Fiorella has some of the best around. For for the green, egg, and ham pie, which comes with broccoli di ciccio, egg, house cured pancetta, fior di latte, and ricotta for a more morning-leaning option, and accompany it with other egg dishes, salads, and of course, some drinks.

Huxley, the tiny Tenderloin diamond-in-the-rough, is now serving Saturday and Sunday brunch from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. New chef Manfred Wrembel has brought on a hangover-worthy burger, the “Hux Deluxe,” which is made with a dry-aged ground chuck, bacon, ‘Merican cheese, MSG aioli and a bun that subs pickle brine for water. There’s also oysters, steak tartare, and more classic fare like a frittata.

For a taste of Rome in morning (or early afternoon), Locanda is the place. Light, seasonal dishes like a little gem salad with tuna, egg, beans, and olives accompany heartier options like a “carbonara Benedict,” with two poached eggs, prosciutto cotto, pizza bianca, and hollandaise. Wise Sons bagels are also in the house, complete with Scottish lox, smoked local black cod, and Olsen’s herring. Brunch is Saturday and Sunday from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Magnolia Gastropub has gotten a reboot, with all-new menus from chefs David Bazirgan (Dirty Habit) and Freedom Rains (Belga). That includes brunch, which features pub classics like steak and eggs, a full English breakfast, a burger, and more. And, of course, there’s all the beer you could want come morning.

New head chef Max Mackinnon is continuing his refined cooking style at brunch with dishes like a sourdough waffle with maple and bacon or smoked trout with crispy potato and braised leeks. It runs Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Nomica’s brunch runs Sundays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. with the same over-the-top menu style from chef Hiroo Nagahara as dinner service, which means dishes like cheddar lavender biscuits with miso honey butter or karaage chicken and beer waffle with matcha butter and truffle maple. The drink portion of the menu focuses on champagne, and to highlight that, bubbles are half off at brunch.

Giving you an excuse to drink beer in the morning, Bernal Heights brewpub Old Bus Tavern has added brunch service, featuring dishes like oatmeal-maple pancakes, pulled pork eggs Benedict, and all-new brunch cocktails. Bonus: there’s a new patio to enjoy it on, too.

Salumeria is now in the weekend brunch game, offering a small but satisfying selection of breakfast offerings like poached eggs with pulled pork, salsa verde, and polenta or avocado toast. But the dish to get is the fried chicken and egg sandwich, which has become an instant Instagram favorite. There are also some morning cocktails, like carafes of mimosas.