Best Brunch in Los Angeles: 10 Spots Ranked by Neighborhood

1 The short answer: top 3

Gjelina (1429 Abbot Kinney Blvd, Venice) is the most consistently excellent brunch in Los Angeles. The wood-fired kitchen turns out Moroccan baked eggs, labneh toast with grape jam and sea salt, and 9-grain pancakes from a seasonal menu that shifts week to week. The shaded patio is the place to sit. Reservations open on OpenTable about two weeks out; weekend slots disappear fast, so book on Thursday.

Republique (624 S La Brea Ave, Mid-City) occupies a 1929 building that was originally a Charlie Chaplin film studio commissary — the coffered ceilings and arched windows are genuinely impressive before a plate arrives. Chef Walter Manzke's Croque Madame with house-cured ham and Gruyere and the Brioche French Toast are the standards. The pastry counter at the front is worth arriving early for on its own. Counter-service format: order at the pass, find a table, food comes to you.

Sqirl (720 N Virgil Ave, Silver Lake) launched dinner service in spring 2026, confirming it remains an operating and expanding restaurant. The daytime counter is still the reason people line up. Order the ricotta toast with seasonal jam, the Sorrel Pesto Rice Bowl, or the Creme Brulee Brioche Toast. Arrive before 9:30 AM on weekends or plan to wait 20-30 minutes.

2 The full ranking

All 10 spots were verified as currently operating as of October 2026. Sources for this list include The Infatuation's LA guides, Time Out Los Angeles (updated February 2026), OpenTable's July 2026 roundup, and Discover Los Angeles' Spring 2026 dining updates. Addresses and nearest transit or landmarks are listed so each entry works as a 'near me' reference. None of the spots is a chain.

3 How we ranked

The list was built using local reputation from multiple independent sources, ingredient quality as described in recent reviews, consistency across visits, value for the price tier, atmosphere, and how accessible the spot is for visitors who may not have a car or know the city well.

Gjelina ranks above Republique because the wood-fired kitchen shows more range across the whole menu — nearly every item has a reason to exist, and the seasonal approach means the food is different every few weeks. Republique is strongest in its pastry counter and French-influenced preparations, which are genuinely among the best in LA, but it shows more inconsistency further down the menu. Both are worth visiting on their own terms.

Sqirl ranks third over Gjusta because the sit-down counter format at Sqirl creates more of a destination experience, even if Gjusta's ingredient sourcing is equally serious. Gjusta ranks #4 because the quality-to-price ratio is exceptional and it opens earlier than any other spot on the list.

This list is our picks — not a claim to objective rank. Call it informed local opinion. No venue paid to appear.

4 Best for...

Best on a budget: Gjusta (Venice) or Bottega Louie (Downtown). Both are counter-service with most items under $22 and no pressure to tip at restaurant rates. Gjusta's smoked fish plates are worth every dollar; Bottega Louie's pastry spread rivals Republique's at a meaningfully lower price point.

Best for first-time visitors to LA: Gjelina. The Abbot Kinney corridor encapsulates the Venice experience — walkable, eclectic, and close to the canals and the beach. A 30-minute walk to and from Venice Beach makes for a full morning without a car.

Best for groups: Bottega Louie seats large parties comfortably, opens early, and the pastry counter gives everyone something to do while the table gets organized. Bacari Silver Lake's small-plates format also works very well for four to six people who want to share.

Best for a long, unhurried morning: Hatchet Hall in Culver City. Wood-fired cooking, excellent outdoor seating, and a neighborhood pace that does not rush you. Sunday brunch runs 11 AM to 3 PM — no need to race across the city before noon.

Best fully plant-based option: Gracias Madre in West Hollywood. The whole menu is vegan and nothing reads as a compromise. The mango-habanero margarita is one of the better brunch cocktails on this list regardless of dietary preference.

5 By neighborhood: where to go based on where you are staying

Venice / Abbot Kinney: Gjelina (#1) or Gjusta (#4). They are four blocks apart. Gjusta opens at 7 AM for pastries and coffee; Gjelina opens at 11 AM on weekends for sit-down brunch. Doing both in sequence is a morning that locals actually do.

Silver Lake and [Los Feliz](/us/blog/los-feliz-los-angeles-neighborhood-guide): Sqirl (#3) for the signature ricotta toast and the counter-service experience that helped define Silver Lake's food identity. Bacari Silver Lake (#8) if you want to sit down with a group and share Venetian small plates. Mirate (#10) in Los Feliz if you are eating near Griffith Park — its new 2026 brunch menu brings a Mexican-Californian angle to a neighborhood that lacks strong brunch options.

Downtown LA: Redbird (#5) at 114 E 2nd Street for the most dramatic dining room in the city — the retractable glass ceiling over a former cathedral rectory near Little Tokyo is genuinely unlike anything else in LA. Bottega Louie (#6) on Grand Avenue if you have a large group or want great pastries within walking distance of the Pershing Square Metro stop.

West Hollywood and Mid-City: Republique (#2) on La Brea for the best French-influenced brunch in the city, inside a building with real architectural history. Gracias Madre (#9) on Melrose if anyone in your group is vegan or plant-based — the entire menu qualifies.

Culver City: Hatchet Hall (#7) is the clear pick. The wood-fired brunch in a relaxed Westside setting has a dedicated local following.

6 Practical questions

Do I need a reservation? For Gjelina, Republique, and Redbird: yes, especially on Saturday and Sunday. Book through OpenTable three to five days in advance. Gjusta, Sqirl, and Bottega Louie are counter-service and do not take reservations — the trade-off is arriving at or before opening to skip the line.

What time does brunch end? Most spots serve brunch Saturday and Sunday only, running from around 10 or 11 AM to 2:30 or 3 PM. Bottega Louie opens earlier (9 AM Saturday, 8 AM Sunday). Sqirl runs 8 AM to 4 PM daily, with weekends the busiest stretch. Gjusta opens at 7 AM daily and serves all-day.

Is parking difficult? Yes, particularly in Venice and West Hollywood. Abbot Kinney has metered street parking that fills by 10 AM on weekends; biking or rideshare is the better option from nearby areas. Republique has a $14 valet on the building's south side. Bottega Louie and Redbird are within walking distance of multiple Downtown Metro stops — the Pershing Square station (B/D lines) is 0.1 miles from Bottega Louie.

How long is the wait on weekends? Expect 30-45 minutes at the most popular spots — Gjelina, Sqirl, and Republique — if you arrive between 10:30 AM and noon without a reservation. Arriving at opening eliminates the wait at nearly every counter-service spot on this list. The line at Sqirl moves faster than it looks.