Artisanal brunch

Early to Rise, NoPa

RESTAURANTS • First Word

NoPa newcomer Early to Rise is the perfect place to bring people who love brunch — and might even win over a few who wouldn’t usually be caught dead ordering eggs Benedict and mimosas at 10:30a on Sunday. The trick? Chef/owner Andrew McCormack and his team apply an artisan sensibility, casting the often-maligned weekend meal in a new light.

McCormack spent years working fine dining in New York and San Francisco before launching Early to Rise as a roving pop-up. Eight years later, he’s settled into a permanent space, on a bucolic corner of McCallister and Baker Streets. The airy dining room is designed for maximum weekend flow, with a long counter for solo diners and couples, rows of banquettes for four-to-six tops, and a few tables for larger parties.

On a recent Saturday at noon, the restaurant was full of young families and bloody-Mary-sipping weekend warriors, but it didn’t take long to snag a seat at the back counter. In addition to a few starters like donuts, bagels, and tangerine pudding, the menu includes six main courses, all traditional brunch dishes except for the “samusa potato pancake.” The most important detail on the menu is listed at the bottom: “Early to Rise proudly makes all of our charcuterie, preserves, hot sauces, bagels, and other breads by hand.”

Every component of the “Up & at ‘Em” combo was perfectly cooked, from custardy scrambled eggs to fluffy buttermilk pancakes. But the bacon stole the show, striking a perfect four-quadrant balance: sweet and savory, chewy and crisp. I’d be surprised if there was better bacon anywhere in San Francisco. On the vegetarian side of things, that samusa pancake was heavily spiced, garnished with squiggles of lime yogurt and tamarind — a real flavor bomb, nicely offset by an earthy roasted carrot salad. Order it for the table.

Midway through the meal, McCormack stopped by to check in and explain that the samusa pancake was actually a nod to one of his favorite dishes at Clement Street icon Burma Superstar. He also dropped by every other table around me for a brief, mid-meal chat. This practice is likely a carryover from the chef’s days in fine dining. It’s a nice flourish, but moreover, drives home the chef-driven nature of this new operation as not-just-another-brunch-spot.

One month in, Early to Rise still feels slightly under the radar. But if the concept of hyper-artisanal brunch sounds appealing, visit sooner than not. The crowds are coming. –Greg Morabito

→ Early to Rise (NoPa) • 1801 McAllister St • Mon-Fri 8a-2p, Sat-Sun 8a-3p • No reservations.