We love brunch in the Motor City, but sometimes the restaurants with the most hype end up having long lines that are unbearable. These spots have just as delicious brunches, and some of the restaurants on here have brunch and you may not have known about it.

When you’re feeling chicken: The Block; 3919 Woodward Ave., Detroit; 313-832-0892: Since they started serving brunch in January, the brunch menu has already garnered crowd favorites, including a take on chicken and waffles (featuring fried chicken wings that are not breaded yet still crispy, served with sautéed pears). The chicken is the star of the show here: The Block’s Ultimate Bloody Mary even features a chicken wing garnish. Brunch is served from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Sundays. Photo by Jacob Lewkow.
What manor of brunch is this?: The Whitney; 4421 Woodward Ave., Detroit; 313-832-5700: Brunch doesn’t have to be a weekend thing. Detroit’s Whitney serves the mid-morning meal all week long from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. with options as sumptuous as the three-course lumberman’s brunch, which includes a smoked salmon custini, a 12-ounce Delmonico steak served with three eggs, greens, and potatoes, and spicy blackberry and peach crumble served a la mode. Other options include a king crab and shrimp salad sandwich, chicken and waffles, and a shrimp and lobster omelet. Prices are not as outlandish as one might expect from a fine dining establishment, ranging from $11 for a Caesar salad to $29 for a seafood saute made up of shrimp, scallops, lobster, and pasta.
Brunch in the City of Tomorrow: Granite City Food & Brewery; 699 W. Big Beaver Rd., Troy; 248-519-1040: Yes, the stylish but casual craft-beer dining concept has now blossomed into multi-state chains like Granite City, but those paying attention will note that the GC folks take their brunch seriously. It’s a buffet-style affair, running 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Sundays, offering everything you’d expect, from waffle, omelet, and carving stations to soups and salads to chef’s features. They sling Bloody Marys made with their own signature mix, as well as four kinds of Mimosas: regular, mango, raspberry, and blueberry.
Heavenly huevos: The Emory; 22700 Woodward Ave., Ferndale; 248-546-8202: When it opened 10 years ago, one of the owners had said the promise was “to make really simple food, really good, and overdeliver in any way we can.” For an example, see the brunch menu’s huevos rancheros: two crispy corn tortillas layered with black bean spread, a generous dose of sautéed peppers and onions, eggs sunny-side up. That and a creation from the well-stocked Bloody Mary bar have ensured many happy mornings in Ferndale.
When you want the big buffet approach in the burbs: Beans & Cornbread; 29508 Northwestern Hwy., Southfield; 248-208-1680: A dose of mid-morning slack can even be had in soulful Southfield on Sundays. The 11 a.m.-2 p.m. brunch draws a goodly after-church crowd, but those in jeans or jogging pants are welcome too. It’s a big-buffet approach, with mac and cheese, catfish, fried chicken, waffles, peach cobbler, pancakes, eggs, and a full bar.
When Mom and Dad are picking up the brunch check: Gandy Dancer; 401 Depot St., Ann Arbor; 734-769-0592: If longevity is proof of quality, the big Sunday brunch at the Gandy Dancer has solid proof of excellence, as it has been going on for at least 20 years. It takes place in the gorgeous setting of 1880s Michigan Central Depot, a historic brick and granite structure converted to a restaurant almost 50 years ago. The rotating brunch menu can include made-to-order omelets, fresh Belgian waffles with bananas Foster, Cajun salmon, and carved roast beef and ham. A full bar ensures everybody starts the day with a smile. Brunch is served 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Sundays.
When you’re feeling chicken: The Block; 3919 Woodward Ave., Detroit; 313-832-0892: Since they started serving brunch in January, the brunch menu has already garnered crowd favorites, including a take on chicken and waffles (featuring fried chicken wings that are not breaded yet still crispy, served with sautéed pears). The chicken is the star of the show here: The Block’s Ultimate Bloody Mary even features a chicken wing garnish. Brunch is served from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Sundays. Photo by Jacob Lewkow.
BLTs for LGBTQs: Aut Bar; 15 Braun Ct., Ann Arbor; 734-994-3677; autbar.com: The Aut Bar caters to the LGBTQ communities and their friends, families, and allies. Functioning as a restaurant and a bar, the second level is 21 and older only. And, since 1986, there’s been a popular Saturday (11 a.m.-3 p.m.) and Sunday brunch (10 a.m-3 p.m.). Here, Mexican specialties are standouts, including breakfast burritos, huevos motulenos, and Saturday’s $5 huevo ranchero special.
Where you can brunch like royalty: Cafe Muse; 418 S. Washington Ave., Royal Oak; 248-544-4749: Sometimes a place can be a brunch destination without ever seeming to use the “B” word. The menu is breakfast and lunch, and prevails from 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., offering such brunch direct hits as stuffed French toast, vanilla bean waffles, steak and eggs, and mushroom scramble with Boursin and truffle oil. Add specials that change weekly and the potations mixed up at the full bar, and you have the makings of a brunch of champions.
Find the French inflection: French Toast; 40370 Five Mile Rd., Plymouth; 734-335-6533: Think about what’s best about French inspiration — rich sauces, zigzags of chocolate sauce sprinkled with powdered sugar — and feast your eyes on that brunch menu: crab cakes Benedict, ham and Brie omelet, smoked brisket hash, eggs cochon, lobster mac, beignets with chocolate sauce, and much more. Brunches are a la carte and 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
A little bit of all things brunch: Honest John; 488 Selden St., Detroit; 313-832-5646: On the one hand, HoJo’s doesn’t have brunch. The eatery has served breakfast all day since, like, forever. And it’s a very popular breakfast, as those who’ve waded in trying to find a table late on a weekend morning can attest. It doesn’t have a huge patio: more like three tables with a view of the parking lot. What does it have? A kitchen that makes breakfast dishes look easy, a reputation for serving it until closing time, a wide mix of customers, a decent Bloody Mary, and parking.
When you want to be up above it all: 1917 American Bistro; 19416 Livernois Ave., Detroit; 313-863-1917: Back in 2009, before the Avenue of Fashion began heating up in earnest, the Studvent family chose it as the place to give American soul food a bistro presentation. That gamble has paid off: Customers are drawn by the menu, the fresh smoothies, the hot drinks, and the full bar. Best of all is the a la carte Sunday morning brunch, which starts at 10 a.m. Don’t miss the rooftop patio, where tables with umbrellas provide an oasis for weekend relaxation.
Rock, roll, and really good food: PJ’s Lager House; 1254 Michigan Ave., Detroit; 313-961-4668: Barbecue tempeh, anyone? Or vegan biscuits and gravy? This Corktown dive has made a name for itself offering lust-worthy vegan and vegetarian brunch options such as these. You can also get shrimp and grits and corned beef hash if you’re a carnivore. The place is a bar, so your alcoholic beverage options are essentially limitless, but they do offer a Bloody Mary and a house mimosa.
For a seasonal, specialty brunch: Sweet Soul Bistro; 13741 W. McNichols Rd., Detroit; 313-862-7685: Owner Toya Green opened her lounge and restaurant in June. On the first Sunday of the month, Green offers a specialty brunch with seasonal items. Sure, there’s brunch standards like omelets and waffles, but also expect selections like salmon croquettes, catfish, and fish tacos.
For brunch Spanish-style: Aventura; 216 E. Washington St., Ann Arbor; 734-369-3153: Between 10 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays, Ann Arbor has an authentic Spanish brunch at Aventura, where influential Valencian chef Raúl Cob recently redid the menu. Expect Spanish-style omelets, flat breads, soft baguette sandwiches, and egg dishes. The bar offers “almost bottomless” mimosas for $16 with brunch, and a build-your-own Bloody Mary bar. Plus, it’s in one of Treetown’s oldest buildings, with exposed brick walls and archways, and plush velvet chairs and banquettes.
Where brunch is freshly made, right before you drink it: Local Kitchen and Bar; 344 W. Nine Mile Rd., Ferndale; 248-291-5650: Don’t expect to find Zing-Zang and well vodka in the Bloody Marys here. Instead this classic brunch beverage is concocted with house-made mix, Tito’s vodka, fresh lime, and olives. Mimosas are crafted with fresh-squeezed orange juice and brut Veuve Ambal. For noshing, guests can order from a small menu that includes eggs Benedict, a beef brisket breakfast burrito, among others.
Fun, funky, and filling: The Morrie; 511 S. Main St., Royal Oak; 248-216-1112: The Morrie describes itself as an “eclectic neighborhood roadhouse” with distinctive cocktails. They also have brunch, which they serve from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. every Sunday. Hits include a Nashville-style hot chicken and waffles stack, an Asian ramen salad, and more.
Pop over for the popovers: Original Pancake House; 19355 W. 10 Mile Rd., Southfield; 248-357-3399: They don’t serve booze, but you will find a menu filled with to-die-for pancakes, corned beef hash, and a dish called the Dutch Baby, which is a popover seasoned with vanilla and cinnamon. Expect to wait if you come during peak brunch hours. They’re open from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. every day.
Brunch here and you’ll never shop when you’re hungry: Bistro Joe’s at Papa Joe’s Market; 34244 Woodward Ave., Birmingham; 248-723-9400: Nosh on Nutella crepes, a Wagyu beef burger, and chorizo omelets inside this unique Birmingham eatery from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. every Saturday and Sunday. They put on a slammin’ Bloody Mary bar where you can pack your drink with so much celery, peppers, tomatoes, vegetables, mushrooms, and greenery, you’ll have trouble finding the straw.
When a watering hole offers ample nourishment: Three Blind Mice 101 N. Main St., Mount Clemens; 586-961-6371: Smack in middle of downtown Mount Clemens, this bar offers a huge beer selection and a popular Sunday brunch. It runs 9 a.m.-2 p.m., and for $13.95 you get pretty much everything you’d expect: biscuits and gravy, sausage, eggs, hash, French toast, crepes, pancakes.
When stomachs rumble, tumble into Trumbull: Woodbridge Pub; 5169 Trumbull St., Detroit; 313-833-2701: The unsung hero of Cass Corridor, Woodbridge Pub serves up fresh dishes made with locally sourced ingredients that will fill your belly with nutrition and your mind with ease. They serve a simple selection of brunch items every Sunday morning from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. including huevos rancheros, a Monte Cristo sandwich, corned beef hash made with Wigley’s corned beef from Eastern Market, and more. Not up for stuffing your face after a night of overindulgence? An order of eggs and an English muffin will only cost you $4.
Palatable and playful: Toasted Oak Grill & Market; 27790 Novi Rd., Novi; 248-277-6000: Toasted Oak, the hybrid shop-eatery that opened in 2010, earned our attention early on for its creative small plates. That innovative, almost festive spirit brims over into the brunch menu, which includes dishes with welcome tweaks, such as fruit bruschetta, hazelnut crunch French toast, and waffles with buttermilk-fried chicken cooked with Zeppelin Bend whiskey. And speaking of whiskey, Toasted Oak has one of the best selections in Michigan.
Too much of a good thing: Café Zola 112 W. Washington St., Ann Arbor; 734-769-2020: The brunch menu at this popular Ann Arbor spot can be intimidating, with multiple pages of dozens of options, all of them safe bets — including crepes, omelets, a Monte Cristo, and plenty of ethnic options, such as Turkish brunch (olives, cheeses, hard-boiled egg, and vegetarian dolmas). Brunch is served 7 a.m.-4 p.m. daily.
Brunch is for vegans too: Om Café; 23136 Woodward Ave., Ferndale; 248-548-1941: For two years now, Om has offered a weekend brunch featuring a rotating a la carte menu of creative breakfast and lunch dishes churned out by vegan chef Matthew Helsel in the kitchen, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays. It’s vegan and good for you, and there’s no liquor, but the sweets might get you that sugar high.
The small city with a big, big brunch: Cork; 23810 Woodward Ave., Pleasant Ridge; 248-544-2675: Sunday brunches are 10 a.m.-2 p.m. and the menu features all your favorites given a bit of an uptown twist. Taters and Hollandaise, huevos Benedictos, a scramble with mushroom and ricotta, and more. Those buzz-building morning potations abound as well, from mimosas and Marys to Spanish coffee with the rim crusted with cinnamon sugar.
The original big, big, big, buffet: Fishbone’s; 400 Monroe Ave., Detroit; 313-965-4600; more locations at fishbonesusa.com: For more than 20 years, Fishbone’s Greektown location has had a brunch so big it became a legend. It’s still going, from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. every Sunday, with breakfast items, an omelet station, seafood, a dessert table. You can basically grab everything from a fistful of bacon to a tray full of sushi.
To Brunch like a Beiruti: Harmonie Garden Cafe; 4704 Anthony Wayne Dr., Detroit; 313-638-2345: No, there’s no booze, and the 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday buffet is all Middle Eastern. But the proximity to Wayne State University, the reasonable price ($10.99), and the fact that it’s friendly to vegans, vegetarians, and carnivores merit its mention.
When you want ‘buongiorno’ with your brunch: Andiamo Royal Oak; 129 S. Main St., Royal Oak; 248-582-9300: While most Americans associate Italian with dinner, Andiamo runs a respectable Sunday morning brunch with an a la carte menu of hearty fare with Italian flair, including not just a stacked Bloody Mary bar, but a mimosa bar as well.
Rise (like they do) in the east: Shangri-La; 4710 Cass Ave., Detroit; 313-974-7669: There aren’t many options for authentic dim sum in metro Detroit, but fortunately Shangri-La offers a formidable menu of the traditional Chinese tea brunch. For those who can’t decide on just one thing, Shangri-La’s small plates are perfectly priced for experimentation, and great for a group.

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