The 10 Best Seattle Brunch Spots for Special Occasions and Everyday Delights

Taking the family out for brunch is a time-honored tradition for special occasions, holidays or just relaxed weekend mornings. After all, brunch classics offer something for all ages, whether it’s eggs Benedict or French toast topped with berries and whipped cream.

However — as every parent who has chased a toddler around a dining room while their food got cold knows — not all brunch spots are great for bringing the kids. We’ve found the best family-friendly restaurants that offer something delicious for everyone.

Keeping in mind that some kids can sit through a formal brunch while others would prefer to color in their comfy clothes, we’ve ranked our picks from casual to fancy so you can find the right fit for your family.

GasLamp Bar and Grill, Issaquah

A sports bar may not be what parents initially have in mind for a family brunch spot. But think again, the locally owned, family-friendly GasLamp Bar and Grill has been an Issaquah staple for 54 years. They serve breakfast daily from 9 a.m.–noon and have a kids breakfast menu. With coloring pages and crayons in hand, smaller appetites can enjoy kid-size French toast, cheesy hashbrowns, pancakes or eggs while adults indulge in crab cake Benedict or chicken and waffles, along with many other choices. Adults can add on a mimosa for $4 on Saturdays and Sundays during breakfast hours, or a beer from one of the 14 taps.

First & Union Kitchen, Snohomish

This local Snohomish restaurant serves up breakfast and brunch seven days a week. Sit inside or out in the covered and heated outdoor area. The kids menu includes favorites such as medallion pancakes, cinnamon rolls, burgers and hot chocolate. Adults can choose from an extensive menu with varieties of omelets, Benedicts, pancakes, biscuits and gravy, and more, along with freshly baked bread from the Snohomish Bakery next door. Large groups, take note: Tables at the restaurant are limited to parties of five or fewer. Weekends are quite busy and the restaurant does not take reservations, so plan to arrive early.

Snohomish Bakery also offers counter service with a limited food menu, as well as espresso drinks and baked goods. If you plan to get a pastry, you are welcome to visit the bakery first and bring your treat into the restaurant. This is also a good idea to keep kids occupied while you wait for a table.

StoneHouse Cafe, Seattle

With its cozy cabin feel and Lake Washington views, StoneHouse Cafe is a great casual spot for breakfast. You order at the counter and are given a buzzer to let you know when your meal is ready. The menu offers a wide range of breakfast items such as breakfast burritos, eggs Benedict, chicken and waffles, chicken fried steak and more. Though there isn’t a specific kids menu, staff will offer suggestions for smaller appetites. The outdoor patio offers ample space for kids, strollers and even pets. There is also a grassy area where kids can run around if they need to get the wiggles out. Dress in layers if you plan to eat outside.

Cafe Flora, Seattle

If you are looking for creative vegetarian cuisine, this is your brunch. Cafe Flora serves brunch on weekends, 8 a.m.–2:30 p.m. Choose to sit in the light-filled atrium, cozy dining room or outdoor patio and try inspired vegetarian and vegan dishes that even carnivores will enjoy. The gorgeous décor and floral motif add to the ambiance. Choose from hummingbird pancakes (caramelized pineapple, whipped cream cheese and candied pecans), carrot cake Belgian waffles, or biscuits and gravy made with mushroom gravy and your choice of rosemary or plain biscuits. The kids menu offers an egg scramble, hummingbird pancake, carrot cake Belgian waffle and black bean burgers. They don’t take reservations for brunch, so be prepared to wait on weekends.

Keep your eye out for special events, too, like this year’s English spring tea experience.

Portage Bay Cafe, multiple Seattle locations

Open seven days a week for breakfast, brunch and lunch, this café serves up local, organic and sustainable foods with ingredients sourced from the Pacific Northwest. I visited the 65th Street location recently, and everything we tried was delicious. I ordered the avocado toast — fresh and tasty bread topped with microgreens, a poached egg and a balsamic drizzle. We sat outside on the patio, which not only featured heat lamps throughout the area, but a small heater just for our table, too. Each chair was draped with a cute blanket in case it got chilly.

A highlight is the toppings bar, which comes with any order of pancakes or French toast and offers a variety of fresh berries, fruit, nuts and organic whipped cream. I have a daughter with a peanut and tree nut allergy, and was pleased to learn that there are no peanuts in the facility. Instead of a trip to the toppings bar, she was served her own bowl of berries and whipped cream from the kitchen to avoid cross-contamination.

The kids menu comes with crayons, and the pancakes on the menu are a kid favorite. I found the restaurant to be very kid-friendly (there was even a stepstool in the restroom for littles to stand on for handwashing). The menu includes vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free options. They get very busy on weekends, so I recommend making a reservation to avoid a wait.

McMenamins Pub at Elks Temple, Tacoma

This is one of my family’s favorite dining spots. McMenamins Pub at Elks Temple not only offers a great breakfast menu from 7–11 a.m. daily, but going there is a fun adventure. There is so much to see on all seven floors of Elks Temple, and even a secret room to find.

Kid favorites on the breakfast menu include the baby Belgian waffle and the scramble. After you nosh on one of the Benedicts, French toast or waffles, get ready to explore!

You can get a “Wandering Map” from the front desk to help in your quest to find the secret room — or just roam. McMenamins Pub is on the fourth floor with expansive views of Foss Waterway and Commencement Bay. Head to the Old Hangout for an island vibe that includes tiki torches and a waterfall, play a game of pinball or shuffleboard at Doc’s Bar, or see the Puget Sound from the mezzanine. On the seventh floor, look up to see tons of chandeliers hanging from the ceiling and look down into the indoor atrium.

Reservations are recommended, especially on weekends.

Ray’s Cafe, Seattle

Mark your calendars for Easter brunch at Ray’s Cafe. Located in the same building as Ray’s Boathouse, this café only offers brunch on special occasions. You can expect a holiday buffet with appetizers, salads, entrees and desserts. The buffet will have breakfast items until 3 p.m.

And even though it’s not brunch, Ray’s incredible lunch menu deserves a mention. Ray’s Cafe also features a kids menu including housemade chicken fingers, parmesan and butter pasta, burgers, grilled salmon and more, plus ice cream and a cookie for dessert. Kids will love the fun marine life facts and coloring on the kids menu. Great water views offer lots to look at while waiting for your meal. Listen for the barking sea lions in the water and possibly even see a couple of those guys lounging on rocks offshore.

Salty’s on Alki, Seattle

Salty’s award-winning breakfast buffet is back! Families can once again indulge in the all-you-can-eat seafood buffet while enjoying the gorgeous views. Fill your plate with Sunday brunch classics plus Pacific Northwest cuisine such as chilled Dungeness crab legs, oysters on the half shell, and prime rib. Kids and adults alike will love the towering chocolate waterfall and the bounty of other sweet treats. Although the restaurant’s pricing is on the higher end, it comes with an all-you-can-eat buffet and fresh seafood. Plus, the price per person is scaled based on age, and best of all, kids younger than 4 eat for free.

With the sweeping views, kids will have plenty to look at when they aren’t staring at the chocolate waterfall. Make reservations, this brunch is very popular.

Cedar + Elm, Kenmore

Cedar + Elm is an upscale restaurant at The Lodge at St. Edwards Hotel in Kenmore that is welcoming to children. With Bravo’s Top Chef Luke Kolpin at the helm, the restaurant uses local and seasonal ingredients. They even use produce from their Chef’s Garden and honey from their apiary.

Brunch is offered on Saturdays and Sundays, 7 a.m.–2 p.m. With cozy indoor seating at open booths or the terrace on sunny days, kids can enjoy hand-pressed juices while the grown-ups sip creative cocktails. The brunch menu includes entrees such as brioche French toast, eggs Benedict, hearth-roasted mushroom frittata and more. The kids menu offers chicken tenders, pasta and cheeseburgers. Allergies are accommodated — just be sure to communicate with your server. There is a vegan and gluten-free chocolate raspberry muffin on the menu, too.

Reservations are recommended, and valet parking is free when dining at the restaurant. A Discover Pass is not needed if you use the hotel valet parking.

You can make reservations online, including for special events. The Easter and Mother’s Day brunches feature a three-course, family-style meal. There is also afternoon tea on Thursdays and Fridays.

After you eat, take a stroll along the miles of trails in this state park to enjoy the beautiful scenery (just bring a change of shoes if you dress up for brunch). Kids will enjoy the playground in the park, too, just a five-minute walk from the restaurant.

The George Restaurant, Seattle

Located in the newly remodeled historic Olympic Fairmont Hotel, The George is a modern brasserie focusing on seasonal cuisine. It is an elegant space with soaring ceilings, geometric marble floors, an art deco bar, pink velvet chairs and cool hanging light fixtures.

The prix-fixe brunch menu offers a choice of two or three courses: Beginnings, Main Event and Sweet Endings. Both start with a beverage choice of bubbles (champagne, mimosa or Bellini) or juice (orange, grapefruit, apple, pineapple or green). Also included is the Scone Trolley.

Before we even ordered, a server rolled by with the trolley, piled high with fresh scones. The server gave us our scones on plates accompanied by scoops of our topping choices, which included strawberry jam, whipped cream and honey butter. For brunch, I opted for a Beginning (autumn bisque) and a Main (prawns and biscuits), while my husband chose a Main (chicken and waffles) and a Sweet Ending (creme brulee). Everything was beautifully presented and delicious.

The Little Chef’s Menu includes more casual items such as buttered pasta, fish, steak and cheeseburgers. Kids will enjoy the drawing tablets that staff supply to use at the table, and they will love the Scone Trolley (especially since they can ask for the trolley to stop by again for more).

There is also lots to look at both in and around the restaurant if you need to take a walk around with a kiddo. Although this is a high-end restaurant, it felt warm and welcoming rather than stuffy.

You’ll definitely want to make reservations. There is valet or self-parking next door (operated by ACE Parking) that has a discounted rate of $15 for two hours. Across the street, the Financial Center has parking for $10.

They have a few family events coming up as well to celebrate Easter Sunday and Mother’s Day.