The Humble Restaurant That Brings San Francisco An Amazing Brunch Experience, 7 Days A Week

Crossing the threshold into the San Francisco brunch restaurant, Early to Rise brings an instant feeling of comfort — a direct reflection of the spirit of Southern hospitality it aspires to embody. After operating for eight years as a meandering pop-up, this eatery from chef Andrew McCormack finally settled into its permanent home within the San Francisco restaurant scene in 2024. 

Early to Rise occupies what was formerly Automat, a vending machine-style restaurant space in San Francisco's NoPa neighborhood. But, don't let the concepts of pop-ups and automated dining give you the wrong impression; this wildly popular brunch spot is an authentic ode to traditional, from-scratch cooking. McCormack himself is no fly-by-night amateur, having earned his culinary stripes in former roles at Michelin-starred Quince, as well as hist stints at The Modern and Jean-Georges. 

The South Carolina native enhances familiar brunch menus with ingredients that trek across the great American south. For example, the well-loved cheesy black-pepper grits began their journey westward from Anson Mills – a provider of native, stone-ground, and heirloom products in McCormack's hometown. Similarly, 200 pounds of peppers from a Lodi, California, farm fuel countless bottles of its annual, made-from-scratch Louisiana-style hot sauce. 

The real story chef Andrew McCormack writes with each creative plate is one of casual authenticity. It comes across in an elevated earthy way — with Early to Rise's thick-cut bacon, molasses ham, and breakfast sausage prepared from scratch using their in-house smoker, along with cultured butter, cheese, bagels, and english muffins emerging directly from hands-on baking and cooking spaces. Homemade crème fraîche adorns apple butter French toast, while fresh ricotta cheese — also made onsite — graces piles of the restaurant's blueberry ricotta pancakes.

The menu at Early to Rise rolls through brunch favorites including donuts and ambrosia, but quickly differentiates itself with items such as the little gem and summer squash salad — featuring heirloom cucumbers, squash blossom and a smoked yogurt & dill dressing — and the bagel and lox platter, which comes with smoked salmon and chive schmear tomatoes. Entrees hop from samusa potato pancakes to peach cobbler French toast. Meanwhile, the Southern classic, shrimp and grits, is transformed with poached shrimp and egg, roasted mushrooms, and roasted prawn broth. 

The beverage selection at Early to Rise features options from Signal Coffee and Leland Tea Company in East Bay, San Francisco, alongside house-made Bloody Marys and Greyhounds. However, if the northern California city isn't on your immediate radar, you can find a place closer to home with these 14 best brunch buffets across the U.S.