Bring on the Brunch!

The weekend (and every other weekend!) is the perfect time to guzzle a mimosa and go big on brunch, and there’s certainly no shortage of Lowcountry kitchens cooking up the perfect concoction of breakfast and lunch cuisine. From omelets comprised of locally-sourced seafood to savory gravy biscuits and decadent French toast plates, find a menu that meets your colossal craving.

82 Queen

If cozy courtyard dining is your thing then reserve a table for two at this historic eating hole in downtown Charleston’s French Quarter, where the towering magnolia tree provides the perfect natural ambiance for a romantic brunch occasion 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Foods like the crispy chicken and biscuits and southern tomato pie will keep you returning for seconds and thirds. There’s also salad options, including one with fried oysters and another with country sausage. Also, wash down each bite with a specialty cocktail like the Bloody Mary made with Old Bay seasoning. 843-723-7591, 82queen.com

Bohemian Bull

Check out this popular Folly Road eatery, known as an upscale rustic tavern and beer garden. Take the family for a special “boho brunch” anytime between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. on Sundays, and find a sunny patio spot to dine together. Start with fried mac-n-cheese bites and a Bloody Mary; and for mealtime consider a crab cake or black bean benedict entrée. Or maybe it’s the buttermilk fried chicken biscuit smothered in sausage gravy calling your name. For an instant sugar rush pop some red velvet doughnut holes! 843-225-1817, bohemianbull.com

Grace & Grit

This Mt. Pleasant rustic retreat’s long, wooden tables, comfy booths, and high wood-beamed ceiling in the dining space—capped by a bar at one end—is unique, welcoming and the perfect place to fill up on hearty eats during weekend brunch. Salivate over seasonal produce and house-cooked bacon that’ll hook you the moment the first bite hits your palate. Find Southern favorites like grits, butterbeans, cornbread and fried chicken sure to hit your hunger spot. 843-698-4748, graceandgrit.com

Halls Chophouse

Feel the Spirit move with a full bar and live entertainment during Sunday Gospel brunch inside this family-owned and operated downtown Charleston hangout. Enjoy an array of a la carte cuisine from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., but keep your table humming and toe tapping to the music until 3 p.m. Dig into fare like a hearty steak omelet or a heavenly dish comprised of lavender-scented brioche French toast. Feast on seafood staples like oysters Rockefeller or tasty breakfast eats like apple-sage sausage and pepper jack grits. 843-727-0090, hallschophouse.com

Husk

Celebrate Southern ingredients and historic vibes inside this Victorian-era home with a modern interior design. Make brunch—served Sundays here—more memorable at a venue Southern Living Magazine awarded top props to in 2011. Cuisine is certainly unique, and the menu frequently changing. Past selections have ranged from wood-fired buttermilk biscuit French toast—with apple cider caramel—to beef and farro piccolo stew or a simple cheeseburger. But one thing never changes: Ingredients are always Southern, made from the freshest meat and produce from across the region.  843-577-2500, huskrestaurant.com

Magnolias

Plan a romantic brunch date at this historic dining nook downtown, where the vibe is upscale and the brunch menu, available 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, keeps the front door revolving on the weekend. The menu is littered with seafood sure to please the palate. How about sampling the Lowcountry benedict with blue crab remoulade or salmon frittata; Unique eats also include the duck confit omelet and meatloaf hash. Or perhaps you need to satisfy a sweet tooth with banana pudding stuffed French toast—complete with peanut butter syrup and Applewood-smoked bacon. 843-577-7771, magnoliascharleston.com

Maybank Public House

Plan a weekend escape to James Island and include Saturday or Sunday brunch at this Maybank Highway hotspot, where the dishes are picturesque and the bar keeps a number of beers on tap. The special weekend meal is served 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Salivate over a Mediterranean scramble or fried-green tomato benefit; or opt for more simple Southern staples like shrimp ’n grits, warm biscuits ’n gravy and the three-stack tower of pancakes, served with fresh berries upon request. 843-203-6461, maybankpublichouse.com

Mercantile and Mash

This East Bay Street eatery is a favorite hub for indulging on gourmet fare. This kitchen’s Sunday brunch, available 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., is certainly like none other in the Lowcountry, allowing hungry patrons to feast on the famous “Mac Attack,” featuring popular bone marrow bread pudding with pork belly, poached egg and hollandaise, according to staff. While brunch is only one day a week, the kitchen recently added an all-day breakfast menu with healthy cuisine like avocado toast and the juevos ranchero wrap.  843-793-2636, mercandmash.com

Rusty Rudder

Head on over to Mt. Pleasant for award-winning grub you don’t have to dress up for to enjoy. Gather family or friends and choose to do brunch inside or on the outdoor patio, featuring a tiki bar, fireplace, cozy lounge seating and opportunity to watch sports on the tube. Brunch is served 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sundays, when you can fork up a variety of salads, omelets or heartier entrees like steak and eggs or deep-fried French toast stack. Also, choose to start the meal with crap dip or calamari. 843-388-3177,rustyruddermtp.com

Stella’s

Craving international flavor reminiscent of the Mother country? This Grecian-style, family-owned kitchen is decades old and a haven for Sunday brunch that won’t break the bank. Try the crab benedict, lamb of leg or “strifti spanakopita” with poached eggs, which the menu markets as mirroring the spiraled look and tantalizing taste of one served in an Athens bakery. For a unique treat, order the “tsoureki,” a Greek Easter bread French toast with almonds and topped with sour cherries, toasted pistachio and whipped Greek yogurt. 843-400-0026, stellascharleston.com

The Palmetto Café

Drive on down to Meeting Street and hang out inside the Belmond Charleston Place hotel, where this luxurious café is sure to hit the spot for that early afternoon brunch craving—served 8 a.m. to noon on Saturdays and until 1:30 p.m. on Sundays. Choose to dine inside or outside among the eye-catching greenery and trickling sounds of the fountain. The menu offers a selection of specialty coffees and healthier plates like the exotic fruit served with vanilla bean yogurt. Top a Belgian waffle with walnuts or chocolate chips, or dive into a smoked salmon dish or breakfast sandwich. 843-722-4900, belmond.com

Trotters

While this contemporary but classy brunch nook is tucked inside the Town and Country Inn, located along West Ashley’s Savannah Highway food hub, its doors are open to anyone in the community wanting to dine. For just under $22, feast on Southern cuisine 12-3 p.m. on Sundays. The brunch menu changes each week but guests can always be sure of a few staple breakfast, seafood and Southern comfort items: garlic mussels, fried chicken and a superb meaty omelet station. 843-571-1000, townandcountryinn.com