Best San Francisco Family Brunches

San Francisco is known for its eclectic cuisines and scrumptious organic fare. Combine that with the California sunshine and blissful water views and brunch is never just a meal in the city by the Bay.

Here are some our top choices for family brunches in San Francisco:

For the Shabby Chic Tot: It’s unlikely that you will ever hear of Axis Cafe or be able to find it on the tourist circuit. But in a residential neighborhood that’s a 10-minute drive from Union square you will find one of San Francisco’s best family brunch places. The indoor lounge is cozy with couches and fireplaces but the outdoors is particularly appetizing on a sunny day (of which Potrero has many), with its shamianas and lounges and outdoor heaters. It is one of the larger spaces in San Francisco which means you don’t have to worry about your kid flinging his mashed potatoes onto the next table and there is a little playhouse for the older ones to entertain themselves in. Axis offers an inventive brunch menu and a kids’ menu which includes all your hot favorites like fruit, mac and cheese and and scrambled eggs. Call ahead to see how crowded they are before you go.

For the Urban Hipster Tot: Foreign Cinema is an institution in San Francisco, and offers a stylish yet accessible brunch every weekend. Start off with oysters, dig into hirame and ahi tartare tostadas and finish up with a Pilsner and apple omelet with fontina, black truffle, créme fraiche and crispy Yukon Gold potatoes. Sound good? For the kids, the $7 menu includes carrot sticks, a pasta and a desert. Enjoy the outdoor patio and watch other SF hipsters devour carafes of white wine or Bloody Marys, while you hopefully can savor a Mimosa or two of your own. Added bonus: you get a taste of one of San Francisco’s most colorful and culturally rich neighborhoods, the Mission. Make reservations before hand, because this place fills up!

For the Culturally Savvy Tot: (Doesn’t count if you are Chinese), head over to the ever-popular Yank Sing at the Rincon Center for the best of the city’s deem sum lunches. Trolleys abound and everything is steaming hot and fresh, and while it does have that bustling feel don’t be fooled. Some deem sum here can cost $12-$15 a plate but it’s worth it. For the kids, let them play around with the chopsticks and order a fried rice or noodles off the a la carte menu. The Rincon Center is a 10 minute walk from Union Square so very easy to get to, and you can also get validated parking in the building. Unfortunately Yank Sing does not take reservations and expect to wait 30 minutes for a table on the weekends if you don’t get there early enough (11:30). It’s not horrendous: the kids are mesmerized by the sky waterfall in the center of the lobby and if they get really hungry, you can appease them with a dumpling from Yank Sing To Go next door. Final tip: if you are a chili oil lover, take home their special Yank Sing sauce sold only a the restaurant. Trust me, it’s worth it.

For the Homestyle Cooking Tot: No place like Stacks, nestled in the heart of Hayes Valley with its extensive menu of crepes, sandwiches, eggs and of course stacks of pancakes. The kids’ menu includes everything from mac and cheese, to a burger to eggs to pancakes. How’s that for choice? Stacks is a popular brunch spot with all demographics and they only take reservations for groups over 6. Get there early and enjoy complimentary coffee and iced tea while you wait.

For the Crabcakes Benedict Tot: No trip to San Francisco is complete without crab cakes and clam chowder and Waterbar does both exquisitely along with fabulous views of the Embarcadero and Bay Bridge. Although this would be a more upscale option than most of the other places on this list, the atmosphere is warm and friendly to all age groups. The only complaint is that the kids’ menu does have fish ‘n’ chips on it. What’s that about? The giant fish tanks inside serve as great entertainment for the little ones when they start getting restless (as long as they don’t think where their lunch is coming from) but if it’s a sunny day, a table outside is the way to go.

We’d like to give honorable mentions to Plow and Universal Cafe for their excellent brunches. Unfortunately they’re not the most kid-friendly places with small spaces and long waits.