If the smell of breakfast doesn't open your eyes in the morning, the cheery interior of this popular South Loop brunch spot will: Sunny yellow and bright blue walls combine with brushed metal accents and custom-made booths to create a room that's at once squeaky-clean, friendly and relatively private (a good thing considering the long lines that have quickly formed to fill every table in the place). Luckily, there's a large counter that helps cut the wait, and the owners plan to add outdoor seating this spring.

You don't need to be an egghead to guess what Yolk's specialty is; every eggy incarnation imaginable appears on the menu, from frittatas and omelets to scrambles, benedicts and skillets. But aside from all things ova, Yolk's been earning itself more than a few fanatical fans with its many varieties of French toast, including a lick-the-plate-worthy rendition stuffed with raspberry jam and cream cheese, and its line-up of eight different kinds of crepes, from fresh strawberry to peach cobbler.

Still stuck in the endless brunch debate of sweet or savory? "Upgrade" your toast to a specialty pancake, like two blackberry-banana beauties, with fruit both in the batter and piled on top. You'll be stuffed but too happy to care.

Lunch offerings center mainly around sandwiches, salads and burgers, most of which will set you back $8-$10. Brunch options hover around $8.

Average cost: <$10

Centerstage Reviewer: Kate Rockwood