On Glenwood Avenue in Minneapolis’s Near North neighborhood, chef Wendy Puckett serves her much-loved soul rolls: portions of soul food like greens, fried chicken, and mac and cheese rolled up into an egg roll wrapper and fried. Favorites are the aforementioned Nanny, the 9AM with eggs, turkey sausage, and Wendey’s Hot Mess sauce, or the Trell, made with French fries, gravy, and jalapeño. Wendy’s also serves other brunch options like chicken and waffles, caramel cakes, and the “Broadway Special” — smothered chicken over rice and gravy.

This intimate French bistro from chef Steven Brown serves a delicate omelet du jour on its focused and elegant brunch menu. Try the shrimp toast on Bakersfield sourdough with trout roe, the shakshouka en cocotte with lamb bacon and harissa, or the French toast with pork belly and chai whipped cream. For drinks, Saint Genevieve offers Vietnamese coffee, French press, mimosas, and bloody marys. Brunch hours are Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. — make a reservation ahead of time if you can.

The Lynhall’s brunch offerings are divided into separate breakfast and lunch menus (9 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.) at both its original Lyn-Lake location and its newer Edina spot. The restaurant serves salmon tartines, rye crepes, shakshouka, and refined omelets (try the duck confit with caramelized red onions) in its sunny dining hall, plus a selection of cocktails, sparklings, and wines. But the real standouts are the pastries — lavender and pistachio croissants the size of small loaves of bread, stuffed with rich pastry creams.

This classic south Minneapolis restaurant has been serving Cuban favorites and classics for more than 20 years. Order the Basque stew — eggs with a Creole stew of Spanish chorizo, ham, and vegetables — or the slow-cooked ropa vieja with eggs and plantains. Victor’s has a great coffee menu, too: try a cafe con leche sweetened with a house sugar paste, and pick it up at the little sliding glass window out front. Its cozy, newly renovated dining room and tropical-themed patio are now open for breakfast and lunch, Wednesday to Sunday from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. — Victor’s doesn’t take reservations.

Soul Bowl started as a hit soul food pop-up on Lowry Avenue in north Minneapolis — after opening their restaurant at Graze food hall in the North Loop, chef Gerard Klass and co-owner Brittney Alice Klass expanded to a new location on Chicago Avenue in Richfield. Their menu is well-suited for brunch: build a bowl with bases like yellow rice or mac and cheese, then add plantains, yams, and black-eyed peas, and meats like jerk chicken and cajun salmon. Otherwise, try the fried chicken and waffles, or cheesecake with peach cobbler. Note that Soul Bowl is closed on Saturdays.

Employee-owned since 2020, this quirky downtown Minneapolis icon serves infamous lemon ricotta pancakes (sell-your-soul-to-the-devil amazing, reviewers attest), dense sausage bread made with dates and black currants, and walleye hash and eggs. If you’re looking for a hearty brunch choice, Hell’s Kitchen also offers a bison flank steak benedict, served with a poached egg and tangerine-jalapeño hollandaise. Make a reservation ahead of time if you can.

After abruptly closing during the summer of 2020, Lush’s beloved drag brunch has returned under new ownership. This time around, it’s welcomed local biscuit favorite Betty and Earl’s into the kitchen: for brunch, try the lemon and blueberry biscuit, the baked French toast with cinnamon cream cheese, or the bacon cheddar biscuit brushed with garlic butter. Bottomless mimosas are on the menu too. Drag brunch runs every Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Shows tend to sell out a few weeks in advance, so plan ahead — and dress up, if you want: Saturday night’s outfits are welcome at Sunday morning’s Lush.

Ideal Diner, built in 1949, is one of the oldest establishments on the Central Avenue food corridor in Northeast Minneapolis (look for its neon sign near 14th Street). Historically, the diner served Northeast’s working class communities — today, it’s one of the few spots in the Cities you can get a cup of coffee for $1.75. Brunch dishes are served all day: try the “Polish Man” breakfast of two eggs, Polish sausage, and hash browns, or the Nordeast omelet with steak and caramelized onions. The buttermilk short stacks are remarkably fluffy, too. Groups should note that Ideal Diner has just 14 stools, and one counter.

It’s all in the crust at Hot Hands. For brunch, choose from the savory pie selections — veggie pot pie, buffalo pot pie, or chicken pot pie (folklorically known as one of Minnesota’s best) — or sweet pies like caramelized vanilla with an oatmeal cookie crust, raspberry hazelnut with brown butter streusel, or banana cream, topped with a mascarpone that looks like fluffy ski moguls. Also on the menu are a variety of biscuit pairings, a breakfast sausage roll, and other pastries. Dine-in, takeout and delivery are all available.

An excellent spot for breakfast carbs, Colossal Cafe serves giant caramel rolls, crumbly biscuits, and yeast-based pancakes that rise to impressive heights. Try the simple short stack with maple syrup, or the signature topping of honey-brown sugar syrup, apples, walnuts, and slices of brie cheese. Other classics like omelets, frittatas, and breakfast sandwiches are available as well. Colossal also sells take-and-bake options that can be ordered in advance. Open for dine-in and takeaway.

Step into chef Justin Sutherland’s Handsome Hog for a smoky, southern-style weekend brunch menu. Try the rock shrimp and grits, the ham-brined chop with eggs, or the house benedict with apple butter and Cajun hollandaise. (Sutherland serves southern cooking that’s hard to find elsewhere in the Twin Cities.) For drinks, try a bacon Old Fashioned or a bourbon bloody mary. Make a reservation ahead for dining inside or on the patio (weather permitting).