Chef Ricardo Zarate and the Los Balcones team in Studio City are serving an artful mash-up of Peruvian flavors and traditional brunch classics during weekends. The menu includes a chile relleno-stuffed breakfast burrito and Tiger prawns with scrambled eggs.

Small Town serves up brunchtime basics in a comfortable setting. That means soft-scrambled eggs with potatoes, things on toast, and even a Dutch baby.

Innovative California fare from chef Hunter Pritchett is what it’s all about at this Los Feliz spot. Dig into the smashed avocado focaccia for something light or the burger with house-made Cheez Whiz for something heftier.

Spoonfed is the work of Sean Loeffel, a longtime front of house lead at various places across the city, and chef Carlos Monterroso, formerly of Doheny Room. Choose the the chia parfait for something light or go big with the Oaxacan omelette with braised pork and guacamole.

For a brunch experience that intrigues and delights, look no further than Aussie-Fijian chef Louis Tikaram’s E.P. & L.P. On the menu is a house made coconut yogurt, fried chicken with Hong Kong-style waffles, and congee, of course.

Royce Burke of Secret Lasagna fame has turned his attention to yoga studio Hyperslow, opening a breakfast and lunch cafe dubbed Yarrow. The multi-talented chef is focusing on innovative preparations of vegetables like carrot tartines and a breakfast burrito with mushroom, zucchini, and charred lemon romesco. Don’t skip the beet-tinted farro salad, loaded with crunchy cucumbers, tomatoes, and roasted carrots.

For the most innovative brunch in town, look to chef Jonathan Whitener’s Koreatown hotspot. There’s a Jerusalem bagel with smoked salmon roe, lebni, and herbs on the menu, as well as a coconut waffle with koji and blueberries. The cocktail offerings are just as thoughtful, so definitely plan on imbibing.  

Steve Samson’s Fashion District restaurant may very well be Downtown’s best mid-morning spot. The brunch-friendly Italian fare is back after a kitchen fire hiatus, and ranges from Appenine breakfast plates with heirloom beans and roasted pork belly to lemon ricotta pancakes and Bolognese-drenched burgers.

It’s brunch time in West Adams and chef Keith Corbin’s California-soul menu has something for everyone. There are cornmeal pancakes with brown butter-maple caramel, steak and eggs, and of course, avocado toast on Tartine bread. Bottomless mimosas for $20 are never a bad idea.

The brunch-time offerings at Pikoh are available from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. The most interesting dishes, like the sweet potato gnocchi and kimchi fried rice, are listed under the Provisions section of the menu.

This reborn classic steakhouse is the ideal launchpad for a beach day in Malibu. With a refreshed interior and updated menu, the Golden Bull serves everything from ribeye steak hash to buttermilk pancakes, all of which goes wonderfully with a bright orange mimosa.

Brunch is an all-day affair at this French-inflected spot. Settle into a classic French omelet with soft cheese and chives or buckwheat crêpes with a runny egg. Sparkling-wine mimosas are a must.

Chef Ari Taymor opened this pop-up-turned-permanent restaurant in Santa Monica’s former Fork in the Road. Brunch highlights include a green pea pancake, smoked salmon hash with seaweed hollandaise, and smoked brisket with Anson Mills grits.

The award for the simplest brunch menu goest to Comfort LA. There’s just one item on its menu, a Brunch Special that includes five wings and two waffles. Additional waffles and syrup are available for a nominal fee.

Head to El Segundo for Jackson Kalb’s take on brunch. The chef cooked previously at Factory Kitchen and NYC’s Union Square Cafe, so it’s no surprise the food is solid. For traditionalists, there are eggs Benedict served on a house-made English muffin and lemon ricotta pancakes. And for those in the mood for something heartier, there’s fried chicken served on a pancetta-Parmigiano-maple biscuit.