Paperboy

"You’ll need to plan a few weeks in advance if you want to guarantee yourself a table at Paperboy during prime brunch hours on the weekend (reservations book up fast, but you can always try your luck with a walk-in). There’s a countertop you can post up at to get the traditional “diner” experience, a few tables inside, and a downstairs patio that looks out onto East 11th street through a wall of breeze blocks. Order the bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich if you want to see what helped Paperboy go from a trailer to a two-story brunchery, or take advantage of the fact that there’s a real kitchen by ordering braised pork and sweet potato hash, and steak and eggs with chimichurri. Getting a table at lunch on a weekday at Paperboy is easy. Getting a table during peak brunch hours on a Saturday or Sunday requires some combination of luck, crossed fingers, and intense planning. Reservations open up on the first of the month on a rolling two-month basis, so you can start planning about 60 days out. But if you’re willing to eat at 2pm, you can usually snag a table just a few weeks out. Spontaneous brunch? They accept a limited number of walk-ins, but be prepared to wait an hour or two." - nicolai mccrary, raphael brion, matthew jacobs

"Once upon a time, Paperboy was a wee breakfast trailer chefs recommended to their friends. Now, it’s a restaurant fixture of Central East Austin with an always-crowded dining room, a rooftop patio overlooking the city, and a second location on the way on South Lamar.  It still serves many of the dishes that made it popular, like the Texas hash with sweet potatoes, kale, pork, egg, and pecan mole, along with a buttermilk cornmeal pancake, biscuits, and toasts. Order online to skip the wait." - Erin Russell

"This food truck-turned-Central East Austin restaurant is all about that daily brunch game. The menu is classic Austin, offering everything like sweet and savory pastries, brown butter pancakes, migas, and loaded toasts. Drinks round out the meal with coffee, cocktails (including a spicy bloody mary), and juices. Brunch hours are 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday through Sunday. Takeout orders can be placed online; there are indoor and outdoor dine-in services." - Nadia Chaudhury

"Paperboy has come a long way from its humble origin as a popular East Side food truck selling breakfast sandwiches, parfaits, and cinnamon toast. Now, they’re a quintessential brunch spot, also on the East Side, but with a dining room and a rooftop patio. Their claim to fame may have been the BEC sandwich, but there’s a strong menu of toasts, hashes, and even steak and eggs for your friend who’s still on a keto diet. There’s also a full cocktail and coffee menu, whether you’re in recovery mode or are still trying to keep the party going from last night." - nicolai mccrary, adele hazan, raphael brion

"This trailer-turned-restaurant is where you go to enjoy a great BEC on a rooftop patio overlooking East 12th Street. Expect to find lots of breakfast and brunch classics on the menu, including lox plates, cinnamon toast, and migas. It gets especially busy during the weekend from 11am-2pm when people like to pair food with mimosas. The solution is simple—show up early when you can enjoy the same menu (and drinks) and be out the door before the sun finishes pre-heating." - nicolai mccrary