Early To Rise, Scratch Made Brunch

"There are clearly plenty of phenomenal brunch places in SF. But brunch spots where almost everything is made from scratch? You’ll only find that at Early To Rise, a daytime spot in NoPa with one of the best bagels in town. Extra thick slices of bacon are cured in house, fluffy donuts get rolled through sugar and filled with earl grey cream, and pancakes arrive drenched in tangy blueberry syrup. The airy space, which is made up of about 75% window, is usually packed—just know that there are no reservations, so you’ll probably have to wait for a table." - ricky rodriguez, julia chen 1, lani conway

"The bagel at Early To Rise is, like almost everything else on the menu, made from scratch in-house. They’re not too bready and are rolled in a salty-garlicky mix you’ll clean off the plate. Get it as a lox sandwich—this version comes with chive schmear, lox, tomato, red onion, and a generous heap of capers. It’s best enjoyed from one of the booths at this NoPa spot, preferably with a mug of hot coffee in one hand and a housemade donut in the other. " - julia chen 1

"As of February 29, chef Andrew McCormack’s former pop-up Early to Rise has a permanent home in the NoPa neighborhood. In the former Automat space, the sunny restaurant serves a tight menu of breakfast and brunchtime fare with many of the ingredients including butter, jam, challah, hot sauce, sausage, and even bacon made on-site. Start with an order of the sugar-dusted doughnuts or a New York-style bagel before moving on to heartier options including eggs Benedict or a one-of-a-kind potato pancake." - Dianne de Guzman, Eater Staff

"Mexican cuisine, in San Francisco, is woven into the fabric of everyday life. New Mexican cuisine, however, isn't as prevalent. Green Chili Cafe provides a little taste of Santa Fe, including some incredible stews and slow roasted red chile pork. The setting is casual and the food is delicious." - Upperquad

"Avoiding discomfort is important at breakfast, too, which is why Early To Rise earns points for their counter stools. The NoPa brunch spot mostly has tables and booths, but if you end up at the coffee bar you won’t have to call your chiropractor on your way out. These chairs hit all the marks—they’re smooth and taut, have a footrest built into the legs, and are ideal for anyone who just spent $300 on a “high-density” mattress topper. Enjoy a house-made bagel and lox from your leather throne. " - julia chen 1