Best Places to Brunch in Chattanooga

When it comes to eating out, brunch reigns supreme for opportunities to try unique flavors, for lingering and savoring. Fortunately, Chattanooga is rich in brunch options that range from the adventurous and high end to the cheap and comforting. Here are our top pics for a local Sunday indulgence:

Chato Brasserie has the best hollandaise sauce in town. If you are an eggs Benedict devote, this is the place to go. Their varieties of eggs Benedict are inventive and flavorful, and they have plenty of other exciting options, including breakfast pizza. On a recent visit, a friend remarked their breakfast burrito is one of the most authentic takes on the Tex Mex classic he'd had since leaving the Southwest. It's certainly not the cheapest brunch in town, but it's worth every last penny. On the Northshore, its location also makes it perfect for window shopping and walking until your head is cleared of the delicious mimosas and bellinis.

Foodworks is across the street from Chato, Foodworks is one of the oldest and most popular brunch spots in Chattanooga. Their $1 mimosas are a deal that can't be beat, so show up early. Foodworks is always packed on Sunday. Their brunch menu features more lunchy items than variations on eggs Benedict, and one notable item is the chicken and waffles, a Southern classic done well. Right next door is Knitting Mill Antiques, which is the perfect place to wander as you digest, making your Sunday complete.

Hair of the Dog is ostensibly a bar, but it's brunch offering is a welcome means of recovering from a late Saturday night at HOTD and gear up for a Sunday evening of more revelry. Because it's a bar, HOTD's brunch fare is much more akin to its regular pub offerings than to a classic brunch menu. Nevertheless, the cheesy hash brown casserole is the perfect comfort food and hangover remedy, and breakfast burritos are full of eggs and beer-soaked sausages, and the champagne prices are fair. The real draw is HOTD's Bloody Mary Bar, which lets patrons find their perfect blend with a selection of mixes, hot sauces, and garnishes.

Easy Bistro is famous in town for its delectable top-shelf brunch. You can rest assured that the flavor pairings will be inventive, unique, and centered around Easy Bistro's special blend of fresh seafood, and a New Orleans style of Frenchy-Southern sensibilities. Eggs Benedict with tangy gulf oysters, smoked salmon tartine, delicate omelets  and house-recipe cocktails from the best mixologist in town make this a brunch not to be missed.

Aretha Frankenstein's is primarily known for three things: out of this world pancakes, fantastic burritos, and long waits. The waits are well worth it. Aretha's popularity is so loyal and enduring that it was able to reopen even after a fire gutted it several years ago. It's pancakes are so well-received that the mix is now sold all over town. Clear your Sunday, show up early, and settle in for a delicious meal at a one of a kind cult favorite breakfast spot.

Blacksmith's Bistro's farm-fresh top-notch cooking and beautiful patio create an unbeatable brunch combination of dining that is both delicious and al fresco. Vegetarians can rejoice over the fried green tomato eggs Benedict, while the Croque Madame with brioche and hollandaise is a unique offering. Blackey's cooking is outstanding, and though the menu is pretty standard with the typical shrimp n' grits, omelets, etc., you can rest assured that you would be hard pressed to find better takes on these standbys. After brunch, take a stroll through the beautiful Forest Hills Cemetary or a ride on The Incline Railway.