My dad isn't much of a breakfast person. Like me, he lives to eat, but that takes shape mainly as a lunch, dinner, and snack pursuit. I've never known him to go crazy over a fried egg sandwich, or to make pancakes of his own accord. Most days, he has toast, either slathered with peanut butter while still warm, or with gently crushed avocado, olive oil, and salt.
So Father's Day brunch is really for the rest of the family (and for the dogs, who each year anew act like they've never seen a muffin scrap before). My dad will attend, of course, but menu planning is dictated by the tastes of my sisters and mother. Enter the cinnamon rolls and the cream cheese frosting. And the custardy, soft-scrambled eggs. Oh, and the biscuits.
Below are 13 go-to brunch dishes that strike a perfect balance between being profoundly doable and feeling decadent enough for a special occasion. (The dogs have signed off on each one, too.)
1. Oven Scrambled Eggs
Just when you thought scrambled eggs couldn't get easier, here comes a completely hands-off method that lets you scale for a crowd. Leaving your hands free to, you know, taste-test bacon.
2. Buttermilk Waffles
Waffles make any breakfast feel like a party. These ones call in buttermilk for tang, plus extra butter (no explanation necessary). Top with the best maple syrup you can find.
3. Breakfast Fried Rice
Breakfast fried rice is not just as good as it sounds—it's better. Think: crispy bits, sharp vinegar, lots of soy, fried eggs...and yes, there's bacon.
4. Soft-Scrambled Eggs “Alla Gricia”
Meet the soft-scrambled eggs that take everything great about pasta alla gricia—the custardy creaminess, the salty cheesiness, the sheer bacon-y-ness—and turn it up about five notches. Start with a double batch if you know what's good for you.
5 Buttermilk Mochi Pancakes
For a stack of pancakes that are softer, more tender, and richer than standard diner fare, look to sweet rice flour. Greek yogurt joins the party for some extra welcome nuance.
6. Smashed Potato & Ramp Frittata
Want a quiche but don't feel like making crust? This cheesy frittata has a clever shortcut: Brown potatoes and mash them into the base, creating a crust-like layer you might not feel like sharing.
7. Martin Philip's Ginger Scones
These ginger-packed scones are laced with warming spices, and are so tender and flaky they may ruin you for all other breakfasts. Best consumed warm, in pjs.
8. Olive Oil & Maple Granola
If granola doesn't sound exciting enough for a celebratory brunch, then you've never tried this salty-sweet version. It's full of olive oil, brown sugar, and maple, and you'll be batting away hungry family members from the pan long before it hits the table.
9. Spaghetti Carbonara Frittata
This frittata take on classic Roman carbonara is deeply flexible—eat it hot! At room temp! With your hands the next day!—and perfect for company. Feel free to swap the pecorino for Parm, or the pancetta for bacon, and riff to your heart's content: No one would turn away some caramelized onions, for example.
10. Skillet Strata with Bacon, Cheddar & Greens
This extra-cheesy, bacon-filled skillet strata will be the lowest maintenance guest at your Father's Day brunch. It calls for prepped ingredients, but you can totally get away with prepping as you go—as Ali Stafford writes, "Dice the onion as the bacon crisps, cube the bread as the onion cooks, whisk the eggs and milk as the bread toasts."
11. Never-Fail, Two-Ingredient Biscuits
Did someone say "effortless, pillowy, two-ingredient biscuits?" These guys to the rescue. Use them to make brunchy biscuit sandwiches, or just split 'em open and slather with butter and jam.
12. Chocolate Babka French Toast
This stunning French toast swaps in chocolate babka—an Eastern European cake-like bread—for the classic white stuff. It's shockingly simple to pull together and decadent enough for a celebration.
13. Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting
Go on, make a pan full of fluffy, yeast-raised cinnamon rolls. Guarantee they'll go quick. Don't forget to top with cream cheese frosting, for good measure.
14. Buttermilk Drop Biscuits & Sausage Gravy
Homemade biscuits smothered in sausage gravy is as convenient as it is comforting and luxurious. Needing just 40 minutes and a decently stocked pantry, this variation of the breakfast classic is perfect for slow-starting Sunday mornings.
15. Cold Brew Negroni
It's Father's Day—celebrate with a low-effort coffee cocktail that masterfully balances richness and bitterness.
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