There's no doubt that brunch is critical to many San Franciscans, and it runs the gamut from, say, the $18 pork belly to that $5 french toast with Mrs. Butterworth's. While we're addicted to the latter, we adore the former. Nothing cleans away a bender's residue like a sublime brunch experience. And with that, here are our top 10 picks for perfect brunch spots in San Francisco.

Brenda's French Soul Food
Brenda's has everything you need for a hangover-stopping weekend meal: their shrimp and grits is the stuff brunch dreams are made of, the choice of crawfish, Granny Smith or straight-up chocolate beignets can't be beat. Arrive hungry don't miss their signature hangtown fry with crispy oysters and bacon and scallion scramble. — Rose Garrett
652 Polk (at Eddy)

Foreign Cinema
Still a Mission staple after all these years, Foreign Cinema's outdoor-ish brunch can be enjoyed almost year round beneath the projector screen showing (what else?) films from around the world. Menu items range from breakfast bites like gourmet "Pop Tarts" and pecan sticky buns to creative egg dishes like truffle omelets and balsamic fried eggs. If you're struggling, the hangover soup to get you through your Sunday. (11 a.m. - 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday) — Andrew Dalton
2534 Mission Street (at 21st Street)

Mama's
Sure, this North Beach staple has lines 'round the block, even on weekdays. But you owe yourself at least one visit to see what the fuss is about (hint: it's the homemade berry jam). After fifty years in business, the tourists are very in the know, but Mamas' selection of pancakes, scrambles and benedicts are worth the wait. Don't miss the homemade Kugelhopf (brioche bread with golden raisins, cinnamon, dates and almonds). — Rose Garrett
1701 Stockton (at Filbert)

Nopa
We hesitate to tell anyone who doesn't already know that Nopa does good brunch because, well, the place is stupidly packed 7 days a week as it is. Everything's pretty great, from the baked eggs to the fried pickles to the butter-basted eggs with tasso ham and cream, and of course there's always the burger. But you will wait a while if you don't have a reservation, or you'll end up hovered around that communal table feeding at the trough with the rest of the yuppies.— Jay Barmann
560 Divisadero (at Hayes)

Nopalito
Nopa's little hermosa does the same stellar Mezcal or Tequila Bloody Marias as the flagship around the corner, but with a uniquely Mexican breakfast flair. Go for the brunch staple Chilaquiles or the Huevos de Caja for a tortilla-based take on eggs benedict. The Inner Sunset location also boasts a sunny back patio and an expanded menu of tortas.— Andrew Dalton
306 Broderick Street at Oak Street, 1224 9th Ave at Lincoln Way

Outerlands
Somewhere, out near in the wilds of Ocean Beach, there's a place where you can get dutch pancakes cooked in cast iron, slow cooked farm eggs and cracked farro grits, and of course, the signature Eggs in Jail. That place is Outerlands, where a sea-bleached wood ambiance and salt air lend that special touch to the city's most fog-shrouded brunch. (Warning: Long lines, anywhere up to three hours, are not uncommon.) — Rose Garrett
4001 Judah (at 45th Avenue)

Park Tavern
Over in North Beach the bustling evening scene at Park Tavern has spawned an equally bustling brunch scene, but really the reasons to go here are the excellent pancakes, the cast-iron baked eggs with gruyere, spinach and serrano ham, and the brunch cocktails like their "Boozy Smoothie" with bourbon, espresso, and banana. Added bonus: warm pastries from Starter Bakery.— Jay Barmann
1652 Stockton (at Filbert)

Presidio Social Club
It's one of the only reasons to go to the Marina (in our opinion), and Presidio Social Club succeeds always in feeling like a genuine escape from the city, while still being in the city. They do a decent rendition of chilaquiles, a good burger, and you'll never go wrong with the meatloaf, but the main draw here is having an airy room to sit with a friend on a bright Sunday morning, with some sunglasses on, drinking a Bellini and comparing notes about whatever went down last night. — Jay Barmann
563 Ruger (at Lombard, in Golden Gate Park the Presidio)

Schmidt's
Where to find brunch in the Mission that isn't overrun with hipness and fashion fatigue and would-be Mark Zuckerbergs? Check out Schmidt's sometime. It's tucked down one of those blocks that doesn't get a ton of foot traffic, and it's an off-shoot of the equally unpretentious, and very German Walzwerk, which has been serving up schnitzel without a smile at the other end of the neighborhood for well over a decade now. Brunch centers around sausage and beer, some excellent waffles with lingonberry cream, and some deeply German stuff like a pan-fried pork and veal terrine with a fried egg on top, and the fischplatte (fish platter) with house-cured gravlax and marinated herring. — Jay Barmann
2400 Folsom Street (at 20th Street)

Zuni Cafe
We don't have a lot of fond hangover memories, but one of the fondest is sitting down to brunch at Zuni (Sundays only) and through bleary eyes seeing the Zuni burger arrive in front of us, rosemary focaccia wafting up to our noses, a glass of champagne just barely starting to take the edge off. You feel like a civilized human here, and given that the burger is only offered at lunch and brunch, and given that we never go out to lunch, Sunday is pretty much the only time to get it. It comes with pickled onions but make sure to get some blue cheese too, and some shoestring potatoes. And maybe some baked clams to start.— Jay Barmann
1658 Market (at Rose)

Honorable mentions

Boogaloos: 3296 22nd Street (at Valencia)

Mission Beach Cafe: 198 Guerrero (at 14th Street)

Spruce: 3640 Sacramento (at Locust)

SanJalisco: 901 South Van Ness (at 20th Street)

Jay Barmann, Rose Garrett, and Andrew Dalton contributed to this piece.

Foreign Cinema (Photo: Jennifer Yin)