Best Brunch Restaurants in University Village
6 hand-picked restaurants, critic-reviewed and ranked
Last Updated: February 2026
Our Top Pick
Shuka
Large-format Eastern Mediterranean feasts, lively room, and serious cocktails.
Notable Picks
#1
Shuka
8.7
Since 2017, chef Ayesha Nurdjaja’s Shuka has anchored SoHo’s Eastern Mediterranean scene with mezze, kebabs, and shareable feasts in a loud, lively dining room and garden. Strong multi-platform reviews and a James Beard–recognized chef back up the menu’s balance of rustic spreads, grilled meats, and crowd-pleasing brunch plates.
Must-Try Dishes:
Whipped feta with pistachios, Fried halloumi, Shuka Feast for 2
What Makes it Special: Large-format Eastern Mediterranean feasts, lively room, and serious cocktails.
#2
The Dutch
8.6
The Dutch is a SoHo American restaurant and oyster room known for fried chicken, seasonal pies, and an all-day menu that works as well for brunching families as for evening celebrations. High ceilings, big windows, and polished service make it feel grown-up, but staff are accustomed to kids at brunch and early dinner, and the menu has plenty that reads as familiar comfort food.
Must-Try Dishes:
Fried chicken with biscuits, Crab-stuffed deviled eggs, Seasonal fruit or cream pie
What Makes it Special: A polished SoHo spot where fried chicken, oysters, and pies share the menu with kid-pleasing brunch and burger options.
#3
Banter
8.1
An Australian-style café on Sullivan Street known for avocado-laden plates, ricotta hotcakes, and all-day brunch standards. It’s a favored stop for lighter-feeling, produce-forward breakfasts that still eat like a full meal.
Must-Try Dishes:
Smash avocado toast, Banter Big Breakfast, Ricotta hotcakes
What Makes it Special: Aussie brunch hub balancing indulgent plates with fresher, veg-forward options.
8.1
Chef Paul Denamiel’s Little Prince has operated on Prince Street since 2013, serving a tight menu of bistro dishes in a compact, plant-framed room. It’s a neighborhood choice for steak frites, the much-talked-about French onion soup burger, and cozy brunches that feel more like a local hang than a destination spot.
Must-Try Dishes:
French onion soup burger, Steak frites, Steak tartare
What Makes it Special: Intimate neighborhood bistro known for its French onion soup burger.
#5
Mareluna
8
Mareluna is an Italian restaurant that flips into a leisurely, prosecco-friendly brunch with pastas sharing the table with eggs and pastries. The room skews moodier and more dressed-up than most cafés in the area, which makes brunch feel closer to a proper sit-down meal.
Must-Try Dishes:
Truffle gnocchi, Cacio e pepe, Tiramisu
What Makes it Special: Italian-leaning brunch where handmade pastas and eggs share the table.
Worthy Picks
#6
The Otter
7.9
Tucked inside The Manner hotel, The Otter does New England-leaning seafood with a chef-y twist, from crab agnolotti under Ritz crumbs to swordfish frites in a glossy peppercorn sauce. A dim, Art Deco-inspired room and a seafood-focused cocktail list make it feel like a quietly ambitious SoHo hideaway.
Must-Try Dishes:
Crab Agnolotti with Ritz Crumble, Swordfish Frites au Poivre, Scallop Crudo
What Makes it Special: Hotel dining room where playful, high-low seafood dishes meet moody Art Deco design.