One of the major culinary trends that has hit San Francisco restaurants over the past year is the welcome return of weekend brunch service at many restaurants. Brunch is a personal favorite; not only does it serve many different functions (breakfast or lunch at a wide range of times), but it also features great dishes and awesome drinks (mimosa or bloody mary anyone!).

With that in mind, over the next few months, I am taking a brunch tour of the city. While there are some great places that have been serving brunch for years like Foreign Cinema, Canteen and Nopa (just to name a few), I’ve decided to focus on restaurants that have just started up brunch service this year. First stop on the brunch tour: Beast and the Hare in the Mission.

The unassuming restaurant on Guerrero Street just started brunch service in July. The colorfully quaint dining spot offers a fairly standard menu: items include eggs benedict/florentine, a scramble, french toast/pancakes, duck hash and Monte Cristo. Nothing too fancy, but all pretty satisfying. The watermelon mimosa is a tasty surprise hit, a bit different from your normal mimosa or bloody mary (which sadly, they do not offer). Plenty of other beers and wines are also an option.

Service is terrific, both fast and efficient and very friendly. Overall, the restaurant has a very homey, neighborhood feel to it. There is plenty of seating, including at the bar and a large communal table in the center of the room. For those who love to people watch, I suggest the two tables for two tucked in by the window.

For the beginning of “my tour,” Beast and the Hare gave me a nice introduction back into brunches in San Francisco. Nothing too fancy or out of this world, but a satisfying meal and experience none the less.

Beast and the Hare is open for brunch on Sundays only, from 10-3.

• Tag: Beast and the Hare, brunch, Guerrero Street, Mission District, Restaurants