Weekend Brunch in the Twin Cities

Weekend brunch — best enjoyed at an hour that in many cities would be considered “breakfast” — is a beloved ritual in the Twin Cities. This is an early-rising town, even on the weekends. Great bets for hearty breakfasts built on local ingredients include downtown Minneapolis’s Hell’s Kitchen (80 S. 9th St., Minneapolis, 612/332-4700, www.hellskitcheninc.com [1], Mon.–Fri. 6:30 a.m.–2 p.m., Sat.–Sun. 8 a.m.–2 p.m.) and South Minneapolis’s The Zumbro (2803 43rd St. S., Minneapolis, 612/870-7855, www.thezumbro.com [2], Tues.–Fri. 7 a.m.–2:30 p.m., Sat.–Sun. 7:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m., Mon. closed) and French Meadow Bakery and Café (2610 Lyndale Ave. S., Minneapolis, 612/870-7855, www.frenchmeadowcafe.com [3], Sun.–Thurs. 6:30 a.m.–9 p.m., Fri.–Sat. 6:30 a.m.–11 p.m.).

For a morning repast focused more on pastries than on eggs and bacon, head for the croissant-filled display case at Bread and Chocolate (867 Grand Ave., St. Paul, 651/228-1017, www.cafelatte.com [4], Mon.–Fri. 6:30 a.m.–6 p.m., Sat.–Sun. 7 a.m.–6 p.m.) or to one of Turtle Bread’s two tasty locations (3421 44th St. W., Minneapolis, 612/924-6013, daily 6:30 a.m.–8 p.m., and 4762 Chicago Ave. S., 612/823-7333, daily 6 a.m.–9 p.m.).