Thousands of restaurants serve brunch in this city. Of course, it seems like everyone goes to the same spots each week, making standing in line a New Yorker’s weekend-long ritual. While we plead guilty of adding fuel to that fire (see our Top 10 Brunches Worth Getting Out of Bed For), we thought it fitting to point out spots that serve up some damn fine food without the agonizing scrums. For every swarming morning venue, there’s another, equally impressive setting, from the restaurants that locals laud, like Village, to those surprisingly open on the heels of their hot nightlife scenes, such as Stanton Social, to the off-the-beaten track joints with bonuses, like outdoor dining at Harlem’s Hudson River Café. Why go to a crowded Mott Street dim sum hall when you can enjoy elbow room in the Noho knockoff of Chinatown Brasserie? Or why not opt for something completely different, like the chocolate-themed brunch at Seppi's? Diners have the same chances (slim to none) of spotting Bobby Flay in the morning at Mesa Grill as the filled-to-the-gills dinner service. And if you’re not feeling so brunchy after all, destinations like Hill Country serve favorites from their regular menu in addition to eggs and grits. So forget the weekend wait. At one of the 10 venues below, you'll find a filling surprise outside the usual brunch boxes.