10 Great Brunch Spots In Dallas' Park Cities

Located in Highland Park Village, Cafe Pacific is a Dallas institution and is the grown-up version of your “neighborhood bar and grill.” There are no T-shirts, shorts or flip flops allowed, so it’s a wonderful stop after early church on Sundays. Some of the best entree choices include the lobster omelet, boasting fresh lobster, asparagus, tarragon and whipped goat cheese, the orange and ricotta crepes, with a Grand Marniere butter sauce, and the crab cakes eggs Benedict. If you don’t want eggs, try the non-traditional shrimp and grits, with a parmesan polenta instead of traditional grits, or the wagyu steak Oscar, with jumbo lump crab meat and a Bernaise sauce that will make your head spin.

While Cafe Pacific is fairly traditional, Bistro 31 has a distinctive European design and feel. From gorgeous custom Murano chandeliers to white oak herringbone floors, the Art Deco style only enhances the classic brunch fare. Two of the top contenders on the menu are the lemon ricotta pancakes with a blueberry compote and short rib hash, a richer version of the classic corned beef variety, with peppers, fingerling potatoes and two sunny side up eggs. If French pastry is more to your liking, you will enjoy the almond croissant and pain au chocolat. For the truly decadent, add a side of Maine lobster mac ‘n’ cheese to anything.

With a sleek, modern design and comfortable, welcoming staff, the 10-year-old brainchild of Joseph Palladino (Coal Vines) and Phil Romano (Eatzi’s, Romano’s Macaroni Grill and Fuddrucker’s) has a lovely bistro feel. The Park Cities location offers a wonderful variety of choices for brunch; you can start with homey buttermilk biscuits or donut holes and continue with classic eggs Benedict and the omelet bar. The adventurous can also enjoy French toast with a twist, coated in Capt. Crunch cereal and topped with sliced strawberries and cinnamon whipped cream or the Southern favorite, chicken and waffles, served with Vermont maple syrup and sausage gravy. Don’t forget the wood fired pizzas; the white pie and the margherita are simply irresistible.

This restaurant is a fabulous choice for a relaxed and comfortable brunch. With a dog-friendly patio boasting a fireplace, you and your furry friend can enjoy an afternoon here. Great choices for brunch include the ginger whiskey French toast with house-infused ginger whiskey apples, cayenne almonds and Chinese five-spice whipped cream, or the French fondue with lavender honey, brandied currants and candied walnuts, served with grilled bread. They even have 13 specified brunch cocktails and a sparkling bar with your choice of sparkling wines, house made cordials, fresh fruits and juices.

This French restaurant feels rather like you’re sitting at a sidewalk cafe in Paris. With a small but perfectly formed menu, Toulouse pays homage to not only France, but its American port of New Orleans and its Dallas location near the Katy Trail. The Katy Trail Omelet composed of egg whites and filled with fontina cheese, spinach and mushrooms, is the go-to choice for health conscious cyclists and runners.. For those with a hearty sweet tooth, try the orange French toast topped with powdered sugar, berries and whipped cream or the New Orleans-style beignets with cappuccino sauce.

With a name like Bread Winners, the menu doesn’t disappoint. Down home favorites served here include a Southern Benedict with pulled pork, “frizzled” onions and poached egg on a buttermilk biscuit and topped with Henry’s Hot Sauce hollandaise, cinnamon roll French toast, and bananas foster waffles that are drenched in a warm banana caramel sauce with fresh bananas and whipped cream. All are worth the wait on weekends.

A restaurant that specializes in soufflés, Rise No.1 is the creation of owner Hedda Dowd. Hedda spent a great deal of time in France as a child, learning the art of sweet and savory soufflés. The treat in visiting Rise No.1 is not only in the cuisine and the feeling of community, but who you may see, as former First Lady Laura Bush is a frequent patron. Appetizers include the famous Marshmallow Soup and an international cheese cart, and favorite savory soufflés boasted are the jambon and Gruyere, truffle-infused mushroom, smoked salmon and escargot. The chocolate soufflé is a given for dessert.

Angela’s Cafe is a stereotypical diner with a Mexican-inspired twist. Its original location proved to be too small for its popularity and it expanded to a larger site in the same center. Favorite menu items include the chocolate chip pancakes, breakfast tacos made with your choice of flour or corn tortilla and a choice of sausage, bacon or potatoes with your eggs and cheese, and the Texas-size monster omelet filled with Cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses, onions, green peppers, tomatoes, ham, bacon and sausage. After all, we are in Texas, we might as well go big!

For those wanting a luxurious brunch with a Texas twist, the restaurant at The Mansion at Turtle Creek is the quintessential experience. Begin brunch with a bottomless mimosa or Bloody Mary, or a Texas margarita with jalapeño. The Texas theme continues with a smoked brisket Benedict made with poached eggs and piquillo peppers on a biscuit and topped with béarnaise sauce, and a Texas Breakfast of biscuits and gravy, two eggs, breakfast sausage and potato. For partiers, the Hangover Special includes, two sunny side up eggs, Hatch chili bratwurst, with mushroom rosti (hashbrowns) and a beer.

Ida Claire is a funky little spot just up the Tollway on Beltline in Addison with an outdoor garden and an Airstream trailer that can be used for private parties, as well as several outdoor tables. While they do have a fun Wednesday Ladies Night (Rose in the Garden) with half-price rose wine from 4pm to close, their brunch is a real treat. Their Chicken on a Biscuit (crispy chicken, peppered cream gravy, aioli, spinach, roasted tomato and sunny side up egg on a fluffy biscuit) makes the Kentucky Colonel look like an amateur.