Brunch Bites: New Year's Day Edition

In this week's batch of brunch bites, we've rounded up restaurants serving brunch on New Year's Day. Here's where to nurse the hangover and christen 2016 in style:

 

Cantina Laredo
Chilaquiles at Cantina Laredo



Cantina Laredo: On Friday, January 1, Cantina Laredo kicks off 2016 with a Mexican-accented brunch chock full of chilaquiles, chicken fajita omelettes, crab cake Benedicts, and French toast with Mexican brandy butter. All this and more is available from 11:30 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. As an added bonus, the restaurant is offering complimentary mimosas, Bloody Marias, or non-alcoholic beverages with all brunch entree purchases. 

Shaw's Crab House: Beckon the new year in style with the decadent New Year's Day buffet at Shaw's Crab House. The River North staple does holiday dining well, so you'd be wise to pay a visit between 10:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. The main dining room buffet features a bounteous array of classic breakfast fare, plus Shaw's classics. The cost is $55 per person, and kids 12 and younger eat for free. The a la carte menu is also available and the oyster bar is operating from 10:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m. Half-priced oysters are on deck from 4:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. as well. 

Chop Shop: Lobster Benedict over polenta cakes. Bacon pancakes. Egg, cheese, and sausage skillets. Bottomless mimosas. It's all here at Chop Shop, which is open for New Year's brunch from 11:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m.! 

Stella Barra: The regular brunch menu is available on New Year's Day at Stella Bar, but with some special added bonuses. For instance, guests are encouraged to come in their pajamas. And diner in pajamas receive a gift certificate equal to their meal price for a future (pajama-less) visit. 

La Sirena Clandestina: Brazilian brunch is available all afternoon at La Sirena Clandestina, which is rounding out the day with live music and cocktails. Available from noon until 6:00 p.m., the brunch program includes family-style portions of feijoada and moqueca, along with a la carte fare like Brazilian-style fried chicken and casquinha de siri, a Brazilian baked crab creation. Local samba band Planeta Azul supplies the music for the day, while Anthony Mitchell and Daniel de Oliveira greet guests with complimentary pisco punch. Each glass of punch incorporates seven pomegranate seeds, which is a South American tradition for New Year's luck. Other cocktail options for the day include Bloody Marys, micheladas, and caipirinhas. Reservations are required and can be made by calling La Sirena. 

Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba!: This Lincoln Park mainstay is a classic for New Year's Day brunching. It's time once again for Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba!'s annual Pajama Brunch, which runs from 9:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. The 11th annual event comes with a build-your-own Bloody Mary bar and a miscellany of sweet and savory brunch tapas. Diners in pajamas, similar to Stella Barra, receive a gift certificate equal to their meal price. 

Municipal Bar + Dining Co.: The River North bar opens at 11:00 a.m. to catch all the college football action, and along with it guests can revel in a variety of brunch items. These include RumChata French toast, a chicken & waffles sandwich, and ham and eggs Beneidct. 

- Matt Kirouac

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