America's 'Best Brunch City' Is A Cool California Destination Perfect For Café-Hopping

If you're looking for the Bay Area's best brunch spots, San Francisco might be one of the first places to come to mind. But as it turns out, brunch seekers should look a little further south instead. San Jose, California, may be best known as the cornerstone of Silicon Valley, but foodies will tell you it's also the place to be for weekend brunch — whether you're after a cute and cozy cafe or live music and inventive cuisine.

In fact, in 2023, the city was even ranked as the "best brunch city" in the country by Brunch Expert. According to the study, although major cities like Los Angeles, New York, and Chicago had the highest number of brunch places overall, San Jose came out on top on a per-capita basis, with around 12.2 brunch places per 10,000 residents. The survey evaluated 37 cities across the U.S. with a population of at least 500,000, and used Yelp to count the number of brunch spots.

Whether you're hankering for an upbeat vibe with bottomless mimosas or a relaxed cafe, San Jose's brunch scene has something to offer. Uncle John's Pancake House is a local favorite, boasting a 4.6 rating on Google. The homey spot serves diner classics and breakfast dishes ranging from omelettes to chilaquiles to chicken and waffles. For more elevated yet approachable meal, The Table opens for brunch on weekends, offering dishes like lemon ricotta pancakes, smoked salmon Benedict, and a bacon and oyster frittata. The restaurant, which has been open since 2012, showcases local, seasonal ingredients — and yes, it offers bottomless mimosas during brunch.

Another local staple is The Breakfast Club at Midtown, which has multiple locations across Northern Californi; its San Jose branch opened in 2016. You'll find classic bacon and eggs, scrambles, and a wide array of Benedicts (toppings range from lox to linguica sausage), plus fun dishes like "b'fast chow mein," breakfast enchiladas, and raspberry cream French toast. San Jose's brunch scene also includes lively spots like The Poor House Bistro, whose Sunday brunch includes New Orleans-style fare like jambalaya scramble, beignets, and pain perdu, or "lost bread," a take on French toast, alongside live music.

If you're looking for a low-key cafe instead, San Jose has plenty of those too — like MoonBean's Coffee, which serves a variety of classic and specialty beverages and breakfast sandwiches. The Vietnamese-inspired coffee shop Lacàphê is one of the city's top-rated cafes on Yelp, offering innovative drinks such as ube matcha lattes, coffees topped with avocado paste, and kumquat juice blended with plum and mint. 

All things considered, San Jose may just be one of California's coolest destinations. Beyond cafe-hopping, San Jose offers plenty for visitors. You can stroll along Silicon Valley's "Rodeo Drive," check out the city's nightlife scene, or enjoy live music or theater at one of San Jose's many venues. 

One of San Jose's top-rated hotel options is Hayes Mansion San Jose. The 4-star hotel was built in 1905, and is part of the Curio Collection by Hilton, offering stylish, luxurious accommodations with features like on-site dining and a fitness center. To get there, fly into San José Mineta International Airport — one of the least crowded airports in America, so you don't have to waste any time before heading off to brunch. If you're looking for another brunch-centric city to visit, consider Victoria, the brunch capital of Canada.