NYC Brunch -- Times Square / Theatre District

Dine in the clouds, 21 floors above Times Square, at the Hilton's Above restaurant. Other spots may have more imaginative food, but not this view.

Brunch served: Sat. & Sun. 12-3
Takes reservations? Yes
I'd order ... bagel with salmon, oatmeal & berries

Get your celeb-chef fix at Bobby Flay's Bar Americain, known for bold flavors and a convivial atmosphere.

Brunch served: Sat. & Sun. 11:30-2:30
Takes reservations? Yes
I'd order ... shrimp & grits, smoked chicken pot pie

Count on W Hotel restaurants like Blue Fin for stylish, sexy design and a big-city vibe.

Brunch served: Sat. & Sun. 11:30-4
Takes reservations? Appears to take them for breakfast, lunch & dinner but not brunch
I'd order ... jumbo egg sandwich with black forest ham, chocolate ricotta pancakes

Where else in the U.S. but NYC can you find not one but several different well-regarded Belgian restaurants? BXL Cafe would be my pick for a Belgian brunch.

Brunch served: Sat. & Sun. starting at 11:30
Takes reservations? Yes
I'd order ... Belgian waffle, truffle & cheese croquettes

Fair prices and relatively few tourists are draws at Caffe Cielo, serving Northern Italian fare.

Brunch served: Sat. & Sun. 11-3:30
Takes reservations? Yes
I'd order ... sweets & cappucino

image: celebbest.com

If you want a bit of theatre with your meal, try Ellen's, known more for its singing waitstaff than its food, although the retro sweets sound tasty.

Brunch served: limited breakfasty options served all day
Takes reservations? No
I'd order ... apple strudel & a milkshake (it's New York ... you can walk off anything)

I'll be meeting a friend for brunch at Marseille in a few weeks -- yum! A Yelp reviewer's characterization of this place as "Pastis without the hype" sealed the deal. Will report back after dining.

Brunch served: Sat. & Sun 11-3
Takes reservations? Yes
I'd order ... Moroccan omelette, frittata verde

Breakfast is all they do at Norma's, and for my money, it's the best brunch in NYC -- or at least the best I've tried. The biggest problem you'll have here, besides paying the tab (admittedly, it ain't cheap), is choosing from the vast, super delectable menu options. This is breakfast food on steroids, or "brunch porn," as Zagat's has colorfully called it. Book ahead and make this your big meal of the day.

Brunch served: Mon.-Fri. 7-3, Sat. & Sun. 7:30-3
Takes reservations? Yes
I'd order ... the flat-as-a-pancake crabcake is an obsession for me, but seriously, I could eat the whole incredible menu -- you've gotta see it to believe it

I had the pleasure of brunching at Thalia once with a friend from Brooklyn and really enjoyed it. Not a huge number of breakfasty dishes, but what they had was nice, and so was the drink they threw in with entree.

Brunch served: Sat. & Sun. 11-3
Takes reservations? Yes
I'd order ... lobster benedict, brioche French toast

On trips to Mexico I've fallen in love with Mexican egg dishes, so I'd welcome a brunch at the classy Nuevo Mexicano Toloache.

Brunch served: Sat. & Sun. 11:30-3
Takes reservations? Yes
I'd order ... huarache, chilaquiles