It’s a perfect mid-morning meal combining all the classics – eggs, breakfast meat, plump pastries and fluffy flapjacks. How could one possibly improve upon brunch, a near-perfect feast in its purest form?

Browse a few local menus and you’ll find a host of tasty and unique plates, many of which are the signature brunch item at their respective establishment. Here is a tempting sampling of some of Columbus’ best brunches.

A Late-Morning Fiesta
Many Columbus eateries are embracing Tex-Mex cuisine on their brunch menus. At Barrio (Downtown Columbus), dive into a hot plate of chilaquiles, broth-stewed tortilla chips with scrambled eggs smothered in queso fresco and served with sour cream and salsa (add chicken or pork for extra flavor). Diners at Eggfast (24 E. 12th Ave.) can try migas, scrambled eggs stirred up with tortilla chip pieces and chorizo sausage and served with warm tortillas. Short North establishment Surly Girl Saloon has a round up of Southwestern-inspired brunch items: one standout is the black bean huevos surlitos, an oven-toasted tortilla covered with eggs and black beans, then topped with avocado slices and a kickin’ ranchero sauce. Finally, try the carne asada y huevos at Cantina Laredo off Polaris Parkway, which features eggs and grilled steak accompanied by sautéed poblano peppers, onions and chimichurri sauce.

An Eggs-cellent Twist
Poached egg dishes have become a staple on several area menus. A classic brunch item at Lindey’s in German Village is the Eggs Lindey’s, two poached eggs over petite filet mignon served atop an English muffin with tasso hollandaise sauce and a side of seasonal fresh fruit. For a little variety, try the avocado Benedict at Grand Day Café in Grandview, which comes with poached eggs atop fresh avocado slices and served on a toasted English muffin. The dish is finished off with a creamy hollandaise sauce and crumbled bacon.

Let Them Eat (Pan)Cakes
You want pancake variety, you got it. Northstar Café (Clintonville and Short North) offers up Cloud Nine pancakes, ricotta pancakes topped with fresh banana slices and maple syrup. Sage American Bistro (Clintonville) puts a different spin on the dish with fried eggs and Johnny cakes, two fried eggs served atop cornmeal pancakes, paired with apple cider-cured bacon, chorizo aioli and pickled red cabbage and green onions. At ZenCha Tea Salon in the Short North, try the Earl Grey’s choice pancakes, which come with baked apples, honeyed walnuts, raisins and Earl Grey syrup (which is made in-house).

The Sweet Stuff
Brunch eaters with a sweet tooth will love the French toast and other sugary delights found throughout Central Ohio. At Bel-Lago Waterfront Bistro in Westerville dive into a creamy crème brulee French toast, served with a side of bacon and seasonal fresh fruit. Though not found on the menu, the Starliner Diner in Hilliard serves up a heavenly French toast of its own – they cube up the diner’s special Cuban bread, which is made in house, batter it, fry it up and sprinkle it with powdered sugar. At The Suisse Shop on Polaris Parkway, satisfy your brunch cravings with mini fruit tarts, filled with cream pudding and fresh fruit, or with one of the bakery’s other pastry delights scaled down in size for the brunch crowd, such as bear claws and cinnamon rolls.

Cultural Concoctions
Several local establishments also serve specials that are popular in other parts of the world. ZenCha serves okonomiyaki, a traditional Japanese dish of savory pancakes with yaki sauce and mayo, shiitake mushroom, cabbage, onions and grilled chicken or seafood topping. At Mozart’s Café & Bakery (Clintonville and North Market), sit down to a “Tyrolean Special,” an Austrian dish of fried potatoes and onions with diced black forest ham, bacon and two fried eggs, all served with whole wheat toast and European raspberry preserves.

Stop in at Fadó Irish Pub at Easton and enjoy the all-day Irish breakfast, which comes with eggs, Irish sausages (“rashers”), black puddings, white puddings, tomatoes, mushrooms and pan-fried potato bread (called a “boxty”). German Village visitors will want to try the corned beef hash at Katzinger’s Delicatessen, served with fried eggs and buttered rye toast.

Buffet, Baby!
No brunch story is complete without mentioning the ubiquitous brunch buffet, a popular item around the Columbus area. Many local establishments put their own spin on this Sunday favorite. Standouts include The Polaris Grill (on Polaris Parkway) known for its “jazz brunch,” jazz music paired with delicious buffet items such as smoked salmon. At The Worthington Inn (649 High St.), patrons savor the buffet’s slow-roasted prime rib, served with a horseradish cream on the side. J. Liu (Dublin and Worthington) unveiled a new brunch buffet in February, stocked with Italian items, Asian stir fry, prime rib, omelets, seafood and other delights. The Short North’s Union Café features an omelet station, as well as a make-your-own Bloody Mary bar.

Wash It Down With …
Speaking of the Bloody Mary, all that eating surely made you thirsty, and several restaurants pride themselves on their breakfast cocktails. Surly Girl offers three degrees of spicy – the Sassy Mary, Surly Mary and Psycho Mary (replete with house-infused pepper vodka, spicy Bloody Mary mix, sriracha hot sauce and an Old Bay rim). At Sage, refresh your palate with a variety of mimosas, Bellinis and other champagne cocktails.

Kate Seegraves is assistant editor of CityScene.