Best Brunch Near Columbia University and the Upper West Side | The Ellington
The best brunch near Columbia University on the Upper West Side
Broadway between 105th and 110th Street serves a community that tends to eat well and know what it wants. Columbia faculty, Morningside Heights residents, families who have been on the Upper West Side for decades. On a Saturday or Sunday morning, this part of the neighbourhood comes alive around Riverside Park and along the Broadway corridor. Finding somewhere to sit down for a proper brunch in this stretch, with food worth ordering and a room worth staying in, is a more specific problem than it sounds.
The Ellington is at 2745 Broadway between 105th and 106th Street. Weekend brunch runs Saturday and Sunday through the afternoon. For anyone eating near Columbia University or spending a morning in Riverside Park, the walk is short and the table is worth booking.
What makes a good brunch on the Upper West Side
The best brunch spots earn regulars through repetition. A dish that comes out the same way every time. A room that does not rush you. The Ellington brunch menu is built around specific ingredient choices — tasso ham, chipotle hollandaise, apple bacon — a mimosa deal that puts the build in your hands, and a Saturday afternoon pace that suits the neighbourhood.
For the eggs section
The Farmers Flatbread is the order for anyone who has not had it before: fried eggs, tasso ham, short rib, potato, onion, brie, sriracha, hollandaise, and home fries on one plate. It sounds like a lot and it earns every component. The Ellington Benedict brings tasso ham, portobello mushroom, pepper jack, and chipotle hollandaise on a whole wheat muffin. The Nova does smoked salmon, poached eggs, and classic hollandaise for those who want the familiar version done properly.
The Huevos Rancheros- fried eggs, refried black beans, corn tortilla, cotija, pico de gallo, tomato salsa, is one of the more complete versions of the dish available in this part of the Upper West Side. The California Omelette with avocado, apple bacon, tomato, and cheddar covers the straightforward end of the menu without cutting corners.
For the sweet side
Double Cut French Toast with mascarpone whipped cream and pure maple syrup. Chicken and Waffle with buttermilk battered chicken, strawberry compote, and maple syrup. The Peanut Butter and Chocolate Belgian Waffle with caramelized banana. Saturday morning regulars tend to come back for this section specifically.
Build your own mimosa
A full bottle of bubbly and your choice of two juices — orange, mango, grapefruit, cranberry, pineapple, or passion fruit — for $37. Add a shot of Aperol, St. Germain, PAMA, or vodka for $3. You control the ratio and the pace through an afternoon that runs as long as you want it to.
Brunch near Columbia University
The blocks immediately around Columbia University are dense with quick-service options — coffee, bagels, grab-and-go. A full-service brunch room within walking distance, with a kitchen doing real work and a menu broad enough for a group with different preferences, is a rarer find up here.
The walk from the Columbia main gate at 116th and Broadway takes around ten minutes heading south. From Riverside Park at 105th, it is two minutes. The room handles tables of two and larger groups without either feeling like an afterthought. For anyone looking for food near Columbia University that goes beyond the immediate Morningside Heights strip, 105th Street and Broadway is worth the walk.
The kids menu
French Toast, Scrambled Eggs and Bacon, Chicken Fingers and Fries, or a Mini Burger — any choice for $10 with juice, soda, or lemonade included. The kids menu is straightforward and keeps the table moving for adults who want to eat well alongside it.
How to book
Reservations are on Resy. Weekend tables move, so booking ahead is sensible. You can also call directly on (212) 281-3011. Walk-iThe Ellington is at 2745 Broadwayns are welcome when space allows.
For more on the brunch menu and what the kitchen does at The Ellington, the full guide is at the hidden lunch gem on Broadway.
From the same team
Ellington in the Park is a seasonal outdoor restaurant at Riverside Drive and West 105th Street, overlooking the Hudson. Open through the warmer months, first come first served, with space for groups from 20 to 500. Large bookings can be arranged through the party reservations page or by calling (929) 325-1004.
Further into the city: Tara Rose in Murray Hill at 384 Third Avenue, Tara Mor at 150 West 30th Street near Madison Square Garden, and The Red Lion on Bleecker Street in Greenwich Village — live music seven nights a week.
The Ellington | 2745 Broadway, New York, NY 10025 | (212) 281-3011 | Book on Resy | View the brunch menu