There are many things you associate with spring: flowers, Easter candies, those horrible little white fuzzy things that get all over your apartment. May we suggest you add new Beijing brunch menus to this list? (Somewhere between cherry blossoms and the slow fade of your Seasonal Affective Disorder.) For they, much like the sprouting of tree leaves each April, are a joyous, boozy sign of the season.
But so many places have unveiled new brunches lately, it can be hard to keep track of them. We’ve eaten at them all (you’re welcome), so here’s our guide to the new kids on the brunch block. (And if you're looking for restaurants serving up special Mother's Day brunches, we've got a guide for that too.)
Napa
Price: RMB55-150 per person
Who’s Going: People who have just finished running in Chaoyang Park, people with dogs.
Good For: The best damn biscuits and gravy in town. (And healthy stuff, if you’re into that.)
The Lowdown: Napa’s rooftop terrace is so nice, we’d eat there even if the food were garbage. But the food isn’t garbage, and the following three words prove it: biscuits and gravy. We’re not talking British-style tea biscuits here. We’re talking big, fluffy American biscuits, slathered with housemade pork sausage gravy, topped with crispy fried chicken and a runny fried egg. At just RMB55, this pretty paean to Southern decadence is a steal. But a beautiful free-range eggs Benedict plate (RMB115) is also available for those in the mood for something more classic.
Weekends; Napa.
N’Joy
Price: RMB398 per person, add RMB268 for free-flow Champagne.
Who’s Going: Families on generous expat packages, anyone whose mantra is ‘treat yo self.’
Good For: Hedonistic displays of marathon seafood eating.
The Lowdown: NUO’s Sunday Brunch at N’Joy is the big daddy of brunch buffets. Unlimited oysters. Sashimi. Six varieties of bubbly. Now, good news for bon vivants everywhere: N’Joy has upped its Sunday game with caviar. Arrive at N’Joy, and you’ll be greeted with a small tin of sturgeon roe, plated beautifully alongside all your favorite accoutrements (consider this your caviar starter pack). So you can kick off your brunch with a bit of refinement… before going wild at the buffet.
Sundays; N’Joy, NUO Hotel
Sureño
Price: RMB348 per person.
Who’s Going: The Sanlitun crowd; jetsetters; food nerds.
Good For: Having a buffet that doesn’t feel like a buffet; sitting outside.
The Lowdown: Sureño’s new weekend brunch primarily does one thing: nails it. Whether you’re sitting in the lounge-like dining room or the sunken patio outside, you’ll enjoy a beautifully crafted main and dessert of your choosing, plus unlimited starters. The buffet of appetizers feels less like a stiff hotel affair and more like a spread your friends laid out for you – if your friends cook like ultra-talented Chef Talib Hudda, that is, and have unlimited access to oysters.
Weekends; Sureño, The Opposite House
Jing-A Taproom
Price: RMB108 per person.
Who’s Going: Beer nerds, people with craft beer hangovers.
Good For: Brunching in Sanlitun without breaking the bank.
The Lowdown: Whoops, are all these fine-dining all-day brunch affairs not your thing? Don’t worry, bargain hunters, this one’s for you. Jing-A Taproom has teamed up with Chef Simone Thompson of Hatchery to bring you a delicious and eggy brunch at good prices – just over a hundo for a three-course set. The standout is the ‘Laoban’s Eggs,’ which come scrambled with feta atop a hearty slice of sourdough. Add RMB30 for a beergarita – you know you want to.
Weekends; Jing-A Taproom
Opera Bombana
Price: RMB688 per person, RMB888 including free-flow Prosecco.
Who’s Going: Fans of the Michelin Guide, Chinese celebrities.
Good For: Anyone who likes Italian food (so… everyone).
The Lowdown: Who says you can’t have pasta for brunch? Each month, Opera Bombana’s brunch menu is inspired by a different region of Italy, from Piedmont to Sicily. The five-course meal starts with a plate of cold cuts and cheeses from the region, before moving on to soup, pasta, mains and desserts. This is serious dining – so cancel your plans for the rest of the afternoon.
Sundays; Opera Bombana
The Georg
Price: RMB350 per person, RMB130 per glass of Champagne.
Who’s Going: Fashionistas, fans of minimalist Nordic aesthetics.
Good For: Feeling like you’re outside when you’re inside.
The Lowdown: The Georg’s new ‘Phlake it ‘til You Make It’ brunch may be relaxed – but don’t let that fool you into thinking the chefs are relaxing, too. After a round of fresh-baked bread and charcuterie to start, you’ll be treated to three exquisite courses. It’s all in The Georg’s beautiful atrium, so you’ll feel like you’re outside – but not too outside.
Weekends; The Georg
The Rug
Price: RMB100-150 per person.
Who’s Going: Friends who can’t agree on what to eat.
Good For: Your Instagram feed, fueling up before a shopping trip.
The Lowdown: Ever-popular brunch spot The Rug – expect to see everyone you know here – has revamped its (long) menu. Key words: fusion burritos. But the oldies are goodies here, too, so grab a fruit smoothie and a coffee to wash it all down. Or a bottle of wine. It is the weekend, after all. Stop by with your friends for a taste of the new menu – you were probably going to, anyway.
Daily; The Rug
Migas
Price: RMB268 per person, add RMB148 for two hours of free flow.
Who’s Going: Large groups of friends, people who left Migas at 4am the night before.
Good For: Curing hangovers (with more booze).
The Lowdown: Migas brunch is always a party, and the new ‘La Feria’ brunch is no exception. Inspired by Springtime carnivals in towns across Spain, the brunch starts with a festive buffet of soups, starters and mini-sandwiches before moving onto the big leagues – sausage, gambas and, of course, paella. There is also a cute little dessert cart that rolls around the restaurant, announcing itself with the ring of a bell. We flock to it like (drunken) pigs to a trough.
Weekends; Migas
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