5 best places to get breakfast or brunch in Gainesville  

Coconut French toast, cinnamon roll, and Belgian waffle from Covey Kitchen + Cocktail's Sunday Brunch.
Coconut French toast, cinnamon roll, and Belgian waffle from Covey Kitchen + Cocktail's Sunday Brunch.
Photo by Marston Photography for Covey Kitchen + Cocktails.

Looking for a way to start your day just right? These five restaurants offer breakfast and brunch menu options that range from upscale to casual.  

Afternoon  

Afternoon exterior
Photo by Olivia Hanna Afternoon exterior

Located at the heart of Gainesville, Afternoon serves up fresh, homemade breakfast options with trendy twists. This is the concept of brunch’s grown-up, sophisticated sister. Afternoon sources all of its ingredients locally.    

Some fan favorites are the Dutch Baby with Florida orange slices, thyme and maple syrup or the shakshuka served with crusty sourdough bread made in house.  

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Afternoon roasts its own coffee, which is served in-restaurant and can be bought by the bag so you can enjoy it again later at home.  

  • Hours: 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Thur.-Tues.  
  • Location: 231 NW 10th Ave. 

43rd Street Deli and Breakfast House

Inside the West Location of 43rd Street Deli and Breakfast House
Photo by Olivia Hanna Inside the West Location of 43rd Street Deli and Breakfast House

Sometimes, the heart wants a simply cooked, down-to-earth breakfast. 43rd Street Deli fits the bill with a comforting breakfast menu that has been served for over 35 years.  

With a large, traditional breakfast menu it’s hard to go wrong with the classics like pancakes, French toast or a traditional breakfast plate. The house special is biscuits and gravy for Southern comfort classic. 

An added bonus: both locations are stocked with a stack of Mainstreet Daily News newspapers each Wednesday, so you can catch up on the latest headlines while you eat.  

  • Hours: 7 a.m.-3 p.m. Mon.-Sun. 
  • South Location: 3483 SW Williston Road 
  • West Location: 4401 NW 25th Place  

East End Eatery  

East End Eatery exterior
Photo by Olivia Hanna East End Eatery exterior

Located on the east side of Gainesville is the quirky and quaint East End Eatery, which serves breakfast and lunch daily. Its all-day breakfast gets rave reviews from the Gainesville community.  

East End offers eggs benedict as its main staple with three different variations of the classic offered daily. East End also offers several other tasty breakfast options—some that can be made vegan as well—such as the huevos rancheros and the tempeh scramble.  

  • Hours: 9:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Mon.-Fri.  
  • Location: 1202 NE 8th Ave. 

HASS Kitchen 

HASS Kitchen exterior
Photo by Olivia Hanna HASS Kitchen exterior

A new concept on University Avenue is centered completely around avocados. The modern, eye-catching design at HASS Kitchen makes it a nice place to grab brunch with a group.  

With avocado in the name, of course, the classic option is a beautifully arranged and delicious avocado toast which can be customized to your liking.  

Untraditional pairings include French toast garnished with berries and avocado, avocado yogurt parfait or smoothies made with avocados.  

  • Hours: 9 a.m.-10 p.m. Wed.-Sun. (serving brunch 9 a.m.-3 p.m.) 
  • Location: 1220 W. University Ave.  

Covey Kitchen + Cocktails  

Covey brunch at table inside the restaurant
Photo by Marston Photography for Covey Kitchen + Cocktails. Covey brunch at table inside the restaurant

A fine-dining experience located in the Hotel Eleo, Covey Kitchen serves Florida-inspired dishes and offers an upscale brunch perfect for a special occasion or whenever you want to treat yourself. Covey Kitchen landed on Yelp’s Top 100 Restaurants in the USA list in 2022.  

Unique finds are the cinnamon roll served with Florida orange cream cheese frosting, fish and grits or the coconut French toast made with Cuban bread.  

  • Hours: 7 a.m.-9 p.m. Sun.-Sat., 10 a.m.- 2 p.m. Sunday brunch  
  • Location: 1514 SW 14th Street 

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Kim A Popejoy

You should have included The Clock Restaurant! Iconic, approaching 50 years in town and still serving delicious classic southern cuisine.