Best Brunch Restaurants in Washington Heights (North)
9 hand-picked restaurants, critic-reviewed and ranked
Last Updated: February 2026
Our Top Pick
Terravita
A polished Uptown brunch spot marrying modern American plates with a cocktail-forward dining room.
Notable Picks
#1
Terravita
8.7
Terravita is Washington Heights’ destination brunch room, where lemon–ricotta pancakes, salmon eggs Benedict, and avocado toast share space with cocktails in a polished dining room. Locals use it when they want a sit-down weekend brunch that feels closer to downtown than a neighborhood diner.
Must-Try Dishes:
Lemon & Ricotta Pancakes, Salmon Eggs Benedict, Avocado Toast with Poached Egg
What Makes it Special: A polished Uptown brunch spot marrying modern American plates with a cocktail-forward dining room.
#2
Cafe Buunni
8.2
Cafe Buunni is a narrow Pinehurst café specializing in Ethiopian coffee drinks, lattes, and light breakfast bites. Regulars treat it as a morning ritual spot for serious espresso, Wi-Fi, and a small rotation of pastries and breakfast sandwiches.
Must-Try Dishes:
Dulce Heights Latte, Almond Croissant, Ethiopian Macchiato
What Makes it Special: A coffee-first café built around Ethiopian beans and quietly executed breakfast staples.
8.1
Dutch Baby Bakery is a full-service Washington Heights restaurant and bakery where cast-iron Dutch babies, waffles, and brunch plates meet a shelf of babkas, cakes, and cookies. Guests treat it as a sit-down brunch spot first and a source for well-made pastries and coffee refills second.
Must-Try Dishes:
Savory Dutch Baby, Banana Coconut Waffles, Brioche French toast
What Makes it Special: Southern-leaning brunch restaurant where Dutch babies share space with house-baked pastries.
8.1
The Uptown Garrison is an all-day New American spot and bar where coffee and laptops in the morning give way to brick-oven pizzas, chicken and waffles, and cocktails at night. It’s one of Hudson Heights’ most flexible rooms, used equally for brunch, casual dates, and late-evening drinks a block from the A train.
Must-Try Dishes:
Chicken and Belgian Waffle, Brick Oven Margherita Pizza, Meatball Melt Sandwich
What Makes it Special: An all-day neighborhood anchor that handles everything from espresso to cocktails in a single, design-forward space.
Tinto Tapas Restaurant & Wine Bar is a Spanish-leaning spot in Hudson Heights where weekend brunch borrows from the tapas menu—think gambas al ajillo, tortilla española, and croquetas—with a serious wine list. It reads more like a sit-down brunch for sharing plates and cava than a pancakes-and-eggs café.
Must-Try Dishes:
Gambas al Ajillo, Tortilla Española, Empanadas de Costilla
What Makes it Special: A Spanish tapas and wine bar that treats brunch like a long, shareable tapas session rather than an eggs-only meal.
8
Forever Coffee is a compact bagel-and-coffee shop on 181st where brioche BECs, breakfast tacos, and espresso drinks anchor the morning. It runs more like a grab-and-go breakfast line than a café, with online ordering and counter pickup keeping the flow quick.
Must-Try Dishes:
Brioche B.E.C., Bacon, Egg 'N' Cheese on Everything Bagel, Veggie Breakfast Sandwich
What Makes it Special: A breakfast-sandwich shop built around customizable BECs, bagels, and espresso.
Worthy Picks
#7
181 Cabrini
7.9
181 Cabrini is a relaxed corner bistro in Hudson Heights serving a New American menu that leans on soups, salads, tacos, burgers, and brunch plates with Latin accents. Regulars treat it as a neighborhood living room for lingering over coffee, wine, and shareable plates on a quiet stretch of 181st Street.
Must-Try Dishes:
181 Cuban Sandwich, Oven Baked French Toast, Turkey Burger
What Makes it Special: Corner-bistro energy with a broad American menu, from brunch classics to burgers and tacos, plus a full espresso and wine setup.
7.7
Hudson View Restaurant is a classic corner diner overlooking 181st and Fort Washington where omelets, waffles, and brunch platters come with bottomless coffee. It’s the reliable full-breakfast option when you want table service, big plates, and a crowd that ranges from hospital staff to neighborhood regulars.
Must-Try Dishes:
Challah French Toast, Eggs Benedict, Three Eggs Brunch Special
What Makes it Special: An old-school diner where big breakfast plates and endless coffee anchor the room.
7.6
High Hill Diner is a bright, modern Hudson Heights diner that threads classic New York breakfasts with a short list of Greek comfort dishes. Spanakopita, pastitsio, and moussaka show up alongside pancakes and burgers, making it one of the few sit-down options in the zip code for a proper Greek-leaning dinner plate.
Must-Try Dishes:
Spanakopita (Greek Spinach Pie) with Greek Salad, Pastitsio Dinner with Village Greek Salad, Moussaka with Side Greek Salad
What Makes it Special: A new-school neighborhood diner where Greek favorites like spanakopita, pastitsio, and moussaka share the menu with all-day breakfast.