From world-renown Southern bells to hidden neighborhood gems, here are a few Harlem restaurants I’ve tried out for brunch within the last year! Most of these brunch spots are located on Malcolm X Boulevard, which is very walkable from the Metro-North Station over at Harlem-125th Street.

The Grange

I visited The Grange in December of 2021, so it was fairly quiet, which made for a nice brunch to catch up with my friend who I hadn’t seen at all during the pandemic (unless you count Zoom calls). In any case, I always like to make a reservation ahead of time, so book one on the OpenTable app. The Coffee Lemonade is everything!!! Even if you don’t think it sounds good, you have to at least ask for a sample to try it. For the intrigued foodies, here’s the rundown of cocktail ingredients for this customer favorite: coffee brandy, cold brew, lemon juice, lemon zest, and turbinado syrup. I was feeling a little bit picky, so I ended up ordering the Baby Kale & Quinoa Salad, which had mizuna, mandarin orange, pickled red onions, orange reduction, and honey-lemon vinaigrette. Apparently, “mizuna” is just a fancy word for those fresh leafy greens in the salad. This dish is also a good vegan and gluten-free option for anyone with dietary restrictions.

Archer & Goat

I started off with a Hot Toddy to warm me up, after having walked to the restaurant from the train station. For food, we both ordered the Chicken Arepas and they did not disappoint. And for dessert, by recommendation of our amazing waiter, we ordered the Flan. I love, love, love flan and even though this one wasn’t the same texture that I’m used to, I really enjoyed it.

I ordered the Silent Lion, which the waiter told me was a customer favorite. My friend ordered the Ilegal Cocktail because she loves mezcal tequila.

Melba’s

I ordered the Strawberry Henney because the waitress recommended it. Don't let the sweetness fool you; this cocktail packs a punch. For my meal, I enjoyed the Country Catfish Strips Dinner with two sides, so I chose the Cheese Grits and A$AP Yams. My friend had the Mango Margarita and Chicken & Eggnog Waffle, which either comes with dark or white meat. My only negative comment was that they were late opening up the restaurant and didn’t seem to be in a rush to get anyone seated.

Sylvia's

This Harlem landmark has been serving up some of the best Southern comfort food for over fifty years. I’ve certainly heard from a more mature demographic that Sylvia’s isn’t what it used to be. But I wanted to check it out for myself. I’m pleased to report that I was pleasantly surprised.

I definitely suggest that you make a reservation on Resy, before visiting because the line to get in is so long as it is, especially for a Gospel Sunday Brunch. Between all of the tourists and churchgoers just getting out of their Sunday Services nearby, I can only imagine how long it would take to get seated if you don’t have a reservation. Also, keep in mind that because they are short-staffed, your visit may take over an hour more than you expected. My party was seated 45 minutes late even though we had a reservation and then our food took another half hour to get to us.

However, while the food was great, I was disappointed with the limited menu. Like many restaurants affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, Sylvia’s was short-staffed so the service was very slow. And with no resident bartender on staff, the cocktail menu was missing a lot of customer favorites that I read rave reviews about like the Waiting to Exhale, Perfect Alibi, The Lenox, and That Guy's Drink. Hopefully, with some time, they’ll be able to hire more and serve up a full menu like before. Fingers crossed!

Don’t forget to pick up a bottle of Sylvia’s Hot Sauce on your way out! I love a spicy hot sauce with some flavor.

Brunch on B*tches!