I discovered Cafe Reverie by complete accident one day when the restaurant I was intending to go to for brunch was full. I walked in expecting to settle for an uninspiring bagel or some such, but ended up finding probably my favorite cafe in the city. Situated in Cole Valley, the San Francisco’s brunch mecca, it’s definitely an overlooked gem. On the outside it looks like pretty much every other cafe. I don’t care too much for coffee so my hopes weren’t high, but I was pleasantly surprised. What they don’t tell you is that they boast a full brunch menu and a beautiful outdoor garden patio. It’s a much more relaxed vibe inside than most of the other go-to brunch hotspots; I, for one, prefer to eat outside under a tree rather than crammed in a noisy restaurant. The people working there are friendly and the crowd tends to be families and regulars rather than noisy groups of techies.

If two-hour lines aren’t your thing, I strongly recommend brunching here. It’s not too far off the beaten path and their pancakes can compete with any with an ambiance that is hard to beat.