Combining the first and second meals of the day may seem a bit superfluous to some, but going for brunch has long been a weekend destination for many Calgarians.

According to Jodi Perrin, co-owner of Dairy Lane Café, brunch is a “community social gathering” that everyone should try at least once.

“I think most people plan to meet up for brunch because it’s a great reason to get together on the weekend,” she said. “It’s definitely a great excuse for Calgarians to get out of the house and meet up with friends and relax.”

Whether it’s the meal’s social aspect or the alluring smell of pancakes served late in the morning that lures you into a weekend brunch date, The Weal has got you covered with the city’s best cures for a rumbling tummy.

Dairy Lane Cafe
319 19 St N.W.

With a focus primarily on local and organic ingredients, the mid-morning fare at Dairy Lane is as fresh as it is filling. Breakfast dishes range in price from $9.50 for two eggs any style to $16 for the three-egg omelette—a culinary behemoth that features sausage, back bacon and Gouda cheese. No one at your brunch excursions will be left out at this café, though, since its menu boasts alternatives and options for both vegans and those of the gluten-free persuasion.

Pfanntastic Dutch
Pannenkoek Haus
2439 – 54th Ave. SW

The saying “Go big or go home” can accurately be applied to describe the monstrous meal that is in store for Pfanntastic’s patrons. The pancake purveyor serves up over 80 variations of savory and sweet Dutch pannenkoeks – which are impressively large crepes that measure 12 inches in diameter. The restaurant’s most popular item is the savory Rosit, Ui, Spek en Kaas (potato, onion, bacon and cheese) pannenkoek, which runs at $12.95, but the adventurous can take a stab at customizing their dream pancakes for a base price of $6.95 plus the cost of each additional topping. But if oversized pancakes aren’t your thing, there’s a wealth of menu options ranging from soups and salads to omelettes and sandwiches.

 
Diner Deluxe
804 Edmonton Trail N.E.

Featured on the Food Network’s You Gotta Eat Here, Diner Deluxe is a subtly retro joint with 1950s décor. Despite its faint vintage flair, the dishes cooked up there are anything but traditional with its grilled grapefruit appetizers and its meatloaf hash ($14.95) that marries the flavours of meatloaf, eggs, and hash browns with red pepper jelly. For a more decadent brunch experience, try the french toast, which gets a makeover when regular bread is swapped out for either honey oat or dark chocolate sourdough breads and is topped off with berries and a dollop of vanilla cream cheese.

 
Cora’s
Various locations

This Canadian franchise is a well-known brunch hotspot, with 131 locations across the country. For a natural sugar high that won’t send you crashing and burning, the Samira Wake Up fruit plate ($12.25) is a nutritious choice that is piled high with sliced fruits that arrive in an elegant plated arrangement that’s almost too pretty to eat. For a more substantial brunch fix, there’s the CrepOmelette ($13.50) – a gut-busting, Hollandaise sauce-covered crepe lined with a cheddar omelette that’s served with a generous helping of fruits and toast.

 
Nellie’s
Various locations

With a dedicated weekend brunch menu that supplements its regular breakfast fare, Nellie’s means business when it comes to quieting grumbling stomachs. New life has been breathed into traditional Eggs Benedict with Nellie’s Bennies ($11.95) which adds toppings such as ham, crab, or fresh veggies, and the Banana Bread French Toast ($9.75) is an indulgent way to delve into brunch. However, for those watching their waistlines, Nellies also offers a lighter version of it’s starter with the Lite Brunch combo ($10.50) – a dish that comes with grilled banana bread, yogurt and fresh, seasonal fruits.