What are the best brunches on the South Shore? Mimosas, benedicts and omelettes, oh my
From eggs benedict to juicy burgers, brunch marries the best of two worlds: the sweetness of breakfast and the savory flavors of lunch.
With so many different places to eat on the South Shore, we asked our followers on Facebook for recommendations, and they came back with a buffet of answers.
Where did the tradition of brunch begin?
"As is the case with many culinary traditions, the origins are a bit hazy," says a Smithsonian article on the topic of brunch.
Maybe it started with multi-course meals of eggs, meats, bacon, fresh fruit and sweets before the English hunt. Maybe it started with Catholics fasting before Mass and then sitting down for a large midday meal.
No matter where it began, it is not a tradition that is disappearing anytime soon.
From Egyptian baklava to Western omelets to French toast to mimosas, here are some of the best brunch places on the South Shore.
Yaz’s Table, Abington
One of the most popular suggestions on our informal Facebook poll, Yaz's Table brings American classics with a Mediterranean twist. The restaurant prides itself on making all its dishes from scratch with fresh and locally sourced ingredients. The menu ranges from Egyptian baklava to a Super Green Omelette with eggs, spinach, feta, tabbouleh and roasted cherry tomatoes, with a side of chickpea salad and toast.
Brunch hours: 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Tuesday-Friday; 8 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Saturday-Sunday
Reservations: First come, first serve; parties cannot be larger than six people
Outdoor dining: Yes
Phone: 781-421-6118
Address: 1209 Bedford St.
The Mug, Marshfield
“Great food, large portions, great prices, warm and friendly staff,” according to one reviewer. The Mug has a 4.6 rating on Google. The restaurant offers classics including eggs benedict, omelets and more. Open for more than 40 years, it also serves lunch favorites including club sandwiches, burgers and salads.
Brunch hours: 7 a.m.-2 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday
Reservations: First come, first serve
Outdoor dining: No
Phone: 781-837-6668
Address: 6 Webster St., Webster Square
Corner Cafe, Marshfield
Only a two-minute drive from The Mug is Corner Cafe. Reviewers online rave about this restaurant, with one describing it as “the best breakfast/lunch place in the area hands down.” It also has a 4.6 rating on Google. Eggs benedict come in a variety of forms, such as Smoked Salmon Eggs Benedict.
Brunch hours: 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Wednesday-Monday
Reservations: First come, first serve
Outdoor dining: No
Phone: 781-837-8150
Address: 2000 Ocean St.
Strawberry Fair, Norwell
Located in an old-fashioned farmhouse in Norwell, Strawberry Fair is a homey and cozy destination. Brunch cocktails include homemade sangria and mimosas. Customers can buy a jar of strawberry jam to take home. French toast, waffles and more are offered, with salads, quiches and more to put the lunch in brunch.
Brunch hours: 8 a.m.-2:30 p.m. daily
Reservations: First come, first serve
Outdoor dining: Yes
Phone: 781-878-7878
Address: 14 Pond St.
The Olympian, Braintree
Although this diner is not a traditional brunch place, our readers on Facebook recommended it highly. Online reviewers backed up our readers' recommendations. One Google reviewer said, “Great servers, excellent prices, and the food as if grandma was in the kitchen!” It's open until 7 p.m. weekdays. People can grab brunch late into the day. With classic diner fare like like buttermilk pancakes and scrambled eggs, diners can go back to a simpler time. The restaurant offers brunch plates such as eggs benedict in many different ways.
Brunch hours: 6 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Friday; 6 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday-Sunday
Reservations: First come, first serve
Outdoor dining: No
Phone: 781-848-8505
Address: 17 Hancock St.
Toast, Hull
One reviewer on Google passionately describes Toast as the “best place on the South Shore for breakfast/brunch. Excellent coffee, fresh orange juice, waffles, pancakes, eggs, sausages − damn! I'm hungry just thinking about it!” The restaurant offers eggs benedict, and reviewers recommend trying the Banana French Toast and Burnt Toast, which people describe as a creme brulee-style French toast.
Brunch hours: 7 a.m.-2 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday
Reservations: First come, first serve
Outdoor dining: No
Phone: 781-925-5221
Address: 121 Nantasket Ave.
Farmer’s Daughter, Easton
Sure, Easton isn't quite the South Shore. But this place is worth a mention. A restaurant with locations in Easton and Sudbury, this restaurant offers Chicken and Waffle Benedict and a yolkless omelet. The brunch includes a "boozy brunch" menu, too - like the Warm French Toast Martini made of orchata cinnamon cream rum, cinnamon whiskey, vanilla vodka, steamed milk, cinnamon and powdered sugar.
Brunch hours: 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday-Friday; 7 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday-Sunday
Reservations: First come, first serve
Outdoor dining: Yes
Phone: 508-297-0286
Address: 122 Main St.
Mad Hatter, Weymouth
Mad Hatter has a 4.4 rating on Google. “Try the breakfast pizza AND lobster eggs benedict ... yummy,” one reader said. For diners with a sweet tooth, there's the Nutella stuffed French toast and homemade crepes.
Brunch hours: 7 a.m.-3 p.m. daily
Reservations: madhatterwey.com
Outdoor dining: Yes
Phone: 339-201-4247
Address: 969 Washington St.
Jimmy’s Broad Street Diner, Weymouth
This diner offers classic diner food such as pancakes and home fries alongside more brunch-style meals. One of these is hash benedict, a “superb variation on eggs benedict.” Bacon is substituted by hash and home fries, topped off with hollandaise sauce. The diner also offers a Hellenic Greek Omelet, which is a four-egg omelet filled with gyro meat, tomatoes, spinach and feta cheese.
Brunch hours: 7 a.m.-7 p.m. daily
Reservations: First come, first serve
Outdoor dining: No
Phone: 781-337-6620
Address: 122 Broad St.
More: South Shore café's scones, sandwiches bring crowds from miles around
Rozafa Mediterranean Bistro, Quincy
Rozafa's brunch menu includes steak tips and a Tuscan Breakfast omelette − tomatoes, baby spinach, gorgonzola and crispy prosciutto.
Brunch hours: 8 a.m.-3 p.m. daily
Reservations: For parties of 10 or fewer: resy.com/cities/qnc/rozafa-bistro?date=2023-10-18&seats=2
Outdoor dining: Yes
Phone: 617-657-5111
Address: 1089 Hancock St.
Restaurants in Quincy Center: Where to get the best food and drinks
Do you have another suggestion? E-mail Fernando Cervantes Jr. at fernando.cervantes@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: Brunch on the South Shore in Massachusetts: 11 restaurants to try
