8 Delicious Brunch Restaurants in Greater Fort Lauderdale
Written for Visit Lauderdale
It’s late Sunday morning. You’ve been awake for a little while now, and you haven’t found the strength or will to leave your comfy bed. You just had an eventful Saturday full of nonstop sightseeing and family bonding in the bright sun. Or maybe you live in the area and are exhausted from running errands all day and partying with your friends all night long. Regardless, there is one thing you know to be true: you are hungry. And if the sounds coming from your stomach are any indication, you need food ASAP.
You’re afraid you’ve missed breakfast, but you know it’s not quite time for lunch just yet. Well, Mr. Lazy Pants (which we say with love), you’re in luck. Greater Fort Lauderdale is very much aware of the pure magic that is brunch: a meal where day drinking is encouraged and both your sweet and savory cravings are satisfied.
With brunch, you truly get the best of both worlds. To eliminate any time spent not living your best brunch life, we’ve narrowed down your search to 8 Greater Fort Lauderdale brunch restaurants that will make your mouth water and your body leap out of bed.
Hot Hotel Brunches
1. Indigo Restaurant at the Riverside Hotel
This brunch spot has a topnotch menu andlocation. Located at the Riverside Hotel, Indigo Restaurant offers outdoor seating on Las Olas Boulevard in the heart of downtown Fort Lauderdale. At the same time, you can indulge in your meal and everyone’s favorite pastime:people-watching. Feel the beachy breeze in the air, and sit back as you watch wanderers, and the afternoon, go by.
The kitchen at Indigo Restaurant is a dream playground for Executive Chef Toby Joseph and his team, who make daily moves to entice the palates of hotel guests, those browsing the shops on Las Olas and other hungry locals. Chef Toby’s menu explores all sides of brunch, from “Biscuits & Gravy” to a “Spanish Egg Wrap.” One exceptional menu item is the “Bananas About Nutella” malted Belgian waffle, topped with nutella, banana, toasted almonds, whipped cream, powdered sugar and maple syrup. Let’s just say your sweet tooth will jump for joy.
Complete your order with a brunch-must: $3 Mimosas, Bloody Mary’s or Bellini’s. A true weekend winner, brunch at Indigo Restaurant is served on Saturday and Sunday, from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
2. Palm Garden Dining Room at Lago Mar Beach Resort & Club.
The problem with brunch (if there even is one) is that there are so many great food options and sometimes it’s hard to choose just one. Fortunately, the Palm Garden Dining Room has found the perfect solution: a brunch buffet.
In the Lago Mar Beach Resort & Club, this brunch restaurant gives you the freedom to not choose. Peruse the lavish buffet on the marble mosaic floor, and take a little bit of everything.Get a custom omelette created to your liking right in front of your eyes. Take a bite of some classic brunch favorites, like french toast with maple syrup, à la carte. Top off your meal with an assortment of fruits.
Eager to get outside? The Seagrape Terrace at the Palm Dining Room offers a shaded enclave overlooking Lago Mar’s pools and lush landscaping. Brunch is available Sundays from 7:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
3. Point Royal at The Diplomat Beach Resort
Chugging along the buffet train, Point Royal provides a brunch buffet like nothing you’ve ever seen before. This indoor-outdoor venue at The Diplomat Beach Resort gives you a varied selection of cheeses, a charcuterie, pastries, fruit, eggs, yogurt, smoked salmon, reubens, a healthy salad bar and more.
We recommend the “Overnight Oats,” which have Greek yogurt, almond milk, chia seeds, agave nectar, sesame seed, orange zest and cinnamon in them. The Point Royal buffet is complete with a sugary sweet cereal bar. It’s hard to resist the toppings, so take our advice and don’t! Choose from candied walnuts, banana chips, toasted coconut, chai tea powder, cocoa powder, chocolate chips, marshmallows and vanilla, raspberry mint, chocolate or cinnamon drizzle. If that wasn’t enough cause for celebration, brunch is served daily from 6:30 to 11:30 a.m.
Noteworthy Neighborhood Brunch Spots
If a brunch menu is available from 9:30 a.m. all the way through 4:00 p.m., you know it has to be extra special. The Foxy Brown on Broward Boulevard in Fort Lauderdale is a quaint, comfort-food haven. Start with dessert as an appetizer — the rich “Doughnut Holes” with cereal milk is a fabulous opener. Ask for the pancake-of-the-day and discover what creative masterpiece the friendly staff has in mind to whip up for you.
If you’re in the mood for some southern hospitality, go for the“Chicken n’ Waffle Sliders” with jalapeno jam or the “Chuck and Moo” egg entrée. The excitement doesn’t stop there. Have your pick of buzz-worthy brunch drinks at the “Breakfast Bar.” An array of boozy shakes, sangria, kombucha, cold brew, Sake Bloody Mary’s, BLT Sake Mary’s and more is there to ensure your experience is a foxy one.
5. Colada Cuban Coffee House and Eatery
It’s not South Florida without a little bit of Cuban influence, so it’s only fitting that a few of Fort Lauderdale’s brunches have a taste of Latin flair from those sugar-white Caribbean beaches. The Colada Cuban Coffee House and Eatery has a menu that would make any Cuban feel at home and any non-Cuban feel like they are on the island itself.
With Cuban espresso, empanadas, croquettes, tamales, plantains, guava pastries, and other delicacies, Colada is more than just any old brunch spot. Brunch may be a combination of breakfast and lunch, but, as self-proclaimed professional brunchies, we say you should throw dessert in there, too. The dessert at Colada is too tempting to pass up. Cuban custard, tres and cuatros leches, rice pudding and Cuban flan sitting atop fluffy cheesecake makes for a heavenly dessert paradise.
We hinted at it before, but finally we’ve reached the point in this article where we discuss our favorite brunch adjective: bottomless. Bottomless brunches provides us with an excuse to day drink, free of judgments and worries, and the one at Tap 42 is a can’t-miss Fort Lauderdale weekend event.From 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., Tap 42 offers an eternal supply of Mimosas, Bloody Mary’s and FunkyBuddha Floridians, along with an extensive menu full of unique brunch cocktails and craft beers.
Go the handcrafted route with the “Blackberry Smash” or travel on tap with the “Blood Orange Cosmojito.” Stay trendy and flood your Instagram with a round of Frozés for you and your girlfriends. Even better, order the “Smashed Avocado Toast” on the side for the ultimate brunch social media post. Don’t forget to balance your drink-intake with a few of the flavorful food options on the menu. We (coincidentally) think “The Hangover Sandwich” is an optimal choice. A sunny side up egg, smashed avocado, hash browns, white cheddar, crispy bacon and truffle aioli on a toasted Challah bun make for a brunchie’s dream come true.
By now, hopefully we can all safely say that we should hold brunch in high regards. Still not convinced? Well, when you hear about Shooters Waterfront Fort Lauderdale restaurant, you may just change your tune. Brunch at Shooters is more than brunch — it’s brunch with a view.
Shooters Waterfront allows you to get the ultimate Fort Lauderdale brunch experience and eat the best meal of the day against a breathtaking backdrop of the Intracoastal Waterway. Pile your plate with goodies from the brunch buffet and savor every bite as you look out at the boats gliding by you and the mansions across the water. Muffins, croissants, omelettes and sushi rolls are just a few of the many delights available at the Shooters buffet with even more to find on the menu. We think the “Crab Cake Benedict” is a perfectly suitable meal for the setting. Brunch is on the weekends only from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Italians are all about family, and as soon as you take one bite of the brunch at Louie Bossi’s, you become a part of “la famiglia.” Chef Louie Bossi puts an Italian twist on America's favorite meal at this Las Olas ristorante. Embrace your inner Italian with the “ Salmone Affumicato” or “Eggs & Prosciutto.” Go left of center and try the “Sourdough Waffle.” Wrap up your meal with a “Bombolini,” with your choice of it being custard-filled, cannoli cream-filled or chocolate-glazed. Bottomless drinks are also available. The best part of all is that you can eat and enjoy all of this on their festive back patio: a picturesque escape from the busy city life outside.
If you were not hungry before reading this list, we’d bet our bottomless mimosas you are now. Give into your cravings and find the brunch spot that works for you. Come to the brunch dreamland that is Greater Fort Lauderdale, where we have a big appetite for satisfying yours.