5 San Diego Restaurants Land on Yelp’s ‘Top 100 Places for Brunch’ in US

Brunch. It’s a small word that brings big joy to bellies. In San Diego County, five restaurants are so beloved for their brunch offerings, they’ve landed on a list of the best places for brunch in the United States.

Yelp released its list Wednesday of the "Top 100 Places for Brunch" in the country in 2019. The San Diego-area eateries that made the cut are Beach Plum Kitchen in Carlsbad (No. 8), Cody’s La Jolla (No. 35), Great Maple (No. 37), Sea180 Coastal Tavern in Imperial Beach (No. 40), and Duke’s La Jolla (No. 96).

According to Yelp, the list was compiled based on Yelp reviews received by eateries across the country in the brunch category. Yelp considered both the rating and volume of the reviews, a rep for the website said, "while accounting for the overall volume of reviews in each business’s area in order to level the playing field for businesses in areas with lower review volume."

Yelp user Raychel R. posted this mouthwatering picture at Beach Plum Kitchen in Carlsbad of the eatery's Strawberry Shortcake Pancake and Eggs Florentine Benedict.

Beach Plum Kitchen, located at 6971 El Camino Real, Suite 201, in San Diego’s North County, serves breakfast hashes, omelets, and a breakfast biscuit sandwich, to name a few dishes. Yelp reviewers also praise the restaurant’s Lemon Pancakes and coffee.

Cody’s La Jolla – long housed inside a cozy location on Girard Avenue, near the ocean – is known for its Awesome French Toast topped with strawberries, as well as its omelets and eggs benedict. The brunch spot is currently in the process of relocating to 1025 Prospect St., so, for now brunch fans will have to wait to grab a bite.

A message posted by the eatery on Instagram on April 19 said the relocated restaurant would reopen this summer. A thread of comments in response to the post showed patrons are eagerly awaiting the eatery’s return.

San Diego's Great Maple is known for its delicious maple bacon doughnuts, among other dishes.

Meanwhile, Great Maple – located at 1451 Washington St. in San Diego’s Uptown area – is known for its decadent bacon maple doughnuts and seasonal, fresh plates. Last spring, the eatery landed on an annual list compiled by OpenTable also of the 100 best places to brunch in the country. Great Maple also runs a location in La Jolla.

Yelp user Cayla Marie H. had the hash at Sea180 Coastal Tavern in Imperial Beach.

Sea180 Coastal Tavern – an oceanfront spot located at 800 Seacoast Dr. in Imperial Beach – whips up dishes like the Churro French Toast Stack crusted with cereal and the Strawberry Banana Nutella-Stuffed French Toast. The eatery is run by San Diego’s powerhouse Cohn Restaurant Group. Yelp reviewers seem to love the food there as much as the sweeping views.

Yelp user Grayson S. posted a photo of the island-inspired Moco Loco at Duke's La Jolla.

Finally, Duke’s La Jolla, located at 1216 Prospect St., offers island-inspired cuisine including Duke’s Moco Loco featuring chuck, brisket and hanger grind, over rice, topped with a fried egg and gravy. Yelp reviewers say there’s typically a wait to get into Duke’s but the oceanfront view and food is worth it.

The quintet of local brunch-friendly restaurants is in good company. Yelp’s list names these restaurants, in order as the top 10 in the U.S. for brunch: