The Absolute Best Brunch in Cary

Sunday brunch in Cary demands a strategy. One morning you're splitting oysters at Doc B's, the next you're waiting in line for a proper egg everything bagel at New York Bagel & Deli.

We hit eleven spots, from the golf pub slinging Korean chicken sandwiches to a coffee shop that remembers your name. You can find a table with a Bloody Mary and three games on TV, or you can chase the quiet crab cake at Academy Street.

Just pace yourself. Your pants will thank you.

Doc B's Restaurant

Highlights
Best meal in ages
Oysters with mango slaw
Lobster roll shines
Ribs earn rave reviews

I walked into Doc B's expecting a decent meal. I left wondering why I don't eat here every weekend. The oysters with mango slaw were a bright, briny shock. The lobster roll shines, all butter and sweet meat. My companion ordered ribs and barely spoke until they were gone. Best meal in ages. The room is loud, but you won't care. You'll be too busy eating. It's not cheap. It's worth it.

You might also want to check out the best brunch in Southlake.

Craft Public House

Highlights
Big portions, massive desserts
Excellent, attentive service
Solid local craft beer list
Tons of TVs for games
Menu breadth, limited veg options

Craft Public House is a sports bar that wants to be a brunch spot. It mostly works. Portions are enormous. Desserts are massive. The service is attentive, almost annoyingly so. They refilled my coffee before I asked. The beer list is solid, all local. Tons of TVs, so you can watch three games at once. The menu is broad, but vegetarians will struggle. I saw one salad and a lot of meat. I left full. I'll be back for the game.

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The Flying Biscuit Cafe

Highlights
Friendly, professional service
Savory-sweet chicken and waffles
Pancake taco with mild sweetness
Not-too-sweet for Asian tastes
Solid, if pricey, brunch staple

The Flying Biscuit Cafe is a brunch staple for a reason. Chicken and waffles lands the sweet-savory balance. The pancake taco is a gimmick, but it works. Mild sweetness, not cloying. For Asian tastes, it's refreshingly restrained. Service is friendly and professional. They didn't rush me. The price is a bit high for what you get. But the food is solid. I'd call it dependable. Not thrilling. Just good.

You might also want to check out the best brunch in South Florida.

Cha House Cary

Highlights
Savory snacks meet sweet tea
Staff remembers your name
Hospitality outshines the drinks
Great for bringing friends
Worth enduring the smell

Cha House Cary is an odd place. Savory snacks meet sweet tea. The drinks are fine, but the hospitality is better. They remembered my name. That never happens. It's a warm, crowded room. Great for bringing friends. You'll linger longer than planned. The smell is a problem. It's greasy and sweet and stays on your jacket. Endure it. The service outshines the menu. And the menu isn't bad.

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Academy Street Bistro

Highlights
Brooke's cocktails and service
Top-notch crab cake sandwiches
Inviting atmosphere, skilled staff
Fresh ingredients shine through

Academy Street Bistro feels like a secret. The room is inviting, low light, good music. Brooke makes the cocktails. She also remembers how you take your eggs. The crab cake sandwich is top-notch. Fresh, lump meat, no filler. Ingredients shine. You can taste the quality. Service is skilled and calm. It's a place for a slow, proper brunch. You won't rush. You won't want to.

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Pro's Epicurean Ristorante

Highlights
Caprese almost perfect, needs basil
Porchetta with chimichurri impresses
Menu stretches beyond typical Italian
Sandwiches gone by five o'clock
Service quick, friendly, professional

Pro's Epicurean Ristorante is not your typical Italian joint. The menu stretches. Porchetta with chimichurri impressed me. The caprese was almost perfect. It needed basil. Just a little more. Sandwiches were gone by five o'clock. Good luck. The service is quick, friendly, professional. They know the menu. They keep your water full. It's an odd mix of comfort and ambition. It works.

You might also want to check out the best brunch in Fort Worth.

Lugano Ristorante

Highlights
Fast, friendly service
Reliable seven-year favorite
Kid’s menu at ten dollars
Gluten-free options available
Happy diners leave full

Lugano Ristorante has been reliable for seven years. I've lost count of my visits. The service is fast and friendly. The kid's menu is ten dollars. That's fair. Gluten-free options exist, and they're not an afterthought. Diners leave full. I always do. It's not exciting. It's consistent. There's a comfort in that. You know what you'll get. You'll get it well.

You might also want to check out the best brunch in Fort Lauderdale.

Hank's Downtown

Highlights
Creative cocktails, expertly made
Cauliflower steals the show
Generous fried chicken portion
Full menu at the bar
Memorable shareable plates

Hank's Downtown is where you go to be impressed. The cocktails are creative and expertly made. The cauliflower steals the show. I don't understand how. It's just cauliflower. But it's magic. The fried chicken portion is generous. You'll have leftovers. The bar serves the full menu, which is rare. Shareable plates are memorable. The room is lively, even loud. You'll forgive that. The food earns it.

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Esteamed Coffee

Highlights
Kind, fast, personable service
Cozy space with many seats
Good coffee, quick pickup
Supports special needs training
Walkable downtown location

Esteamed Coffee is a simple place. Coffee, pastries, seats. The service is kind and fast. They remember your order. The space is cozy and fits many. Good coffee, quick pickup. I was in and out in ten minutes. It supports special needs training. That matters. It's walkable from downtown. It's not a destination brunch. It's a dependable stop. I'll be back.

You might also want to check out the best brunch in St Augustine.

RSVP restaurant

Highlights
Salmon fillet cooked perfectly
Excellent food quality overall
Professional, warm staff
Great for drinks and dinner
Calm atmosphere despite noise

RSVP restaurant is a misnomer. You don't need an invitation. But you'll feel welcome. The salmon fillet was cooked perfectly. Flaky, moist, not overdone. Food quality is excellent overall. The staff is professional and warm. They make you feel like a regular. The room is calm, despite the noise level. It's a great spot for drinks and dinner. I'd call it quietly impressive.

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New York Bagel & Deli

Highlights
Genuine Northeast-style bagels
Efficient service despite crowds
Properly tangy, crustless cheesecake
Egg everything sandwiches shine
Worth the inevitable wait

New York Bagel & Deli is the real deal. Genuine Northeast-style bagels. Chewy, dense, with a proper crust. The egg everything sandwiches shine. The cheesecake is properly tangy and crustless. Service is efficient, even when it's crowded. And it's always crowded. You'll wait. Accept it. The wait is part of the experience. The payoff is worth the line. Just don't come hungry and impatient.

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The Albatross Golf Pub

Highlights
Korean chicken sandwich wins
Crispy, well-seasoned tots
Great smash burgers to go
Bloody Mary and espresso martini
Fun, busy weekend atmosphere

The Albatross Golf Pub is strange. Golf and Korean fried chicken? Somehow, it works. The Korean chicken sandwich wins. Crispy, spicy, sweet. Tots are well-seasoned and crisp. The smash burgers are great, especially to go. The Bloody Mary is solid. The espresso martini is a surprise. The weekend crowd is fun and busy. You'll share a table. You'll make friends. You'll eat well.

You might also want to check out the best brunch in Johns Creek.