Restaurant brunches are easy to mock. Author and chef Anthony Bourdain describes brunch as "punishment block for the B-team cooks." I have to admit that I've looked down at a plate of eggs or pancakes and wondered why I'm eating something I could make at home for a tenth of the price in about 10 minutes.

But brunch is worth eating out because it's more than a meal, it's a state of mind. What looks like a simple frittata or French toast is actually a balm to restore your sanity. This meal is all about taking a quick morning necessity and transforming it into a luxurious break from routine. At brunch, calories don't count, whole grains are only as healthy as they are delicious and it's OK to drink before noon. And there's no cleaning up afterward. Here are some places I've visited recently as well as some I hope to try in the future. More restaurants than ever are serving brunch (even if they don't call it that) and creative options abound.

The Harris Grille on Ellsworth Avenue in Shadyside serves brunch on Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. to the same crowd of young and young-at-heart East Enders that pack the patio for sunny weekday happy hours. Thirteen dollars gets you coffee or tea, a morning-appropriate alcoholic beverage, a cup of fruit and the entree of your choice (except for the flank steak, which is $16). Good morning-after choices abound, including "a whole lotta strata," which was like an extra-eggy, savory ciabatta French toast, with a few vegetables and plenty of cheddar cheese thrown in.

The Monte Cristo, a smoked turkey and ham sandwich battered and fried like French toast and sprinkled with powdered sugar, is the perfect choice for someone who can never choose between savory and sweet options.

The Elbow Room across the street sticks almost exclusively to egg cookery. The menu includes omelets ($7.50-9.50), a fluffy artichoke, sun-dried tomato and zucchini frittata ($7.50) and two kinds of eggs benedict ($8.50-$9.50). Brunch is served Saturday and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Don't forget about the lovely patio behind the restaurant.

The Square Cafe in Regent Square is one of the most popular brunch spots in town, especially among the stroller set. A diverse crowd of diners, quirky touches such as the squared-off oversized coffee mugs, and scrumptious brunch food with a slightly healthful spin give this place the feel of an upscale diner in Berkeley, Calif.

The spring menu includes some delicious new options, including a surprisingly sophisticated smoked salmon omelet ($11). The secret to this dish lies in adding the bountiful slices of smoked salmon after the eggs are done, so it doesn't get unpleasantly cooked.

Many college students may sleep their Sundays away, but you'll find at least a few up in time for brunch at Kiva Han on Craig Street in Oakland (though they may still be in their pajamas). The breakfast sandwiches and wraps were substantial without being too heavy. This isn't the kind of brunch that will leave you falling asleep over your empty plate. Try the California wrap with two eggs, sprouts, a salty-sweet sun-dried tomato spread and avocado ($7.95). The grilled pita bread was crispy yet chewy and did a great job holding the sandwich together until almost the end. While there are vegetarian and vegan options, all entrees come with a choice of two sides including bacon and sausage.

Looking for something a little quirky? On the South Side check out one of the Gypsy Cafe's theme brunches, which combine traditional brunch dishes, the Gypsy Cafe's eclectic mix of influences from Italy to the Middle East, and chef/owner Jim Dietz's love of all things Comicon-related.

A recent X-Men brunch menu listed items such as Deadpool's Double Strawberry Pancakes ($8); Professor X Porridge ($7.50) made from dried cranberry, apricot, fresh pear, toasted almond and bulgur wheat cooked with butter, honey, brown sugar and spices; and Gambit's spicy shrimp salad ($9), tiger shrimp broiled in lime butter over mixed greens with spicy salsa and cheddar. They taste just as good whether or not you catch all the references.

You can indulge your inner backpacker with a trip to Your Inner Vagabond inLawrenceville. The buffet brunch is $10 per person and BYOB and includes a variety of international dishes from the menu as well as some special dishes just for brunch, with plenty of vegetarian and vegan options. On Sundays there's live jazz during brunch, which is served from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., and they plan to start serving on Saturdays as well.

To continue the traveling theme, why not turn your weekend into a real mini-vacation by experiencing the breakfast foods of foreign climes? At Piper's Pub on the South Side the English breakfast includes baked beans, bangers (sausages), two fried eggs, tomatoes and sautéed mushrooms served over toast ($8.95). Brunch is served Sunday until 3 p.m.

Many popular foreign foods are traditionally eaten at breakfast, such as Chinese dim sum. You can try a variety of dim sum at New Dumpling House, Squirrel Hill, on Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. At Pacific Ring in Squirrel Hill dim sum is ordered off of the menu during the week, but is available with traditional cart service from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. At Golden Palace in Robinson, there also is a wide variety of dim sum available off of the menu, with cart service from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m on Saturday and Sunday.

Dosa, a south Indian specialty similar to thin pancakes made from rice and split lentil flour, is another breakfast food that restaurants in the U.S. serve as dinner. It's true that these crisp crepes stuffed with mashed potatoes and served with a variety of condiments are delicious any time of day, but at the Udipi Cafe in Monroeville you can order them starting at 11:30 a.m. and enjoy a slightly more authentic experience.

Whether you want tea with your dim sum or coffee with your eggs, one lovely hallmark of the weekend is a chance to sit and savor a mug of coffee or tea. While the quality of hot beverages at many brunch places leaves much to be desired, a number of local cafes offer a few simple brunch options, along with pastries and baked goods.

The pancake bar at Affogatto in Bellevue is a well-kept secret. The cafe will be closed this weekend for some repairs but starting next week it will be serving its pancakes Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Two pancakes with two ingredients will run you $3. Best of all, there are dozens of toppings to choose from, running the gamut from all kinds of fruits to chewy oats or coconut to flavors like peppermint.

21st Street Coffee and Tea in the Strip District is focused mostly on coffee and tea, but it does make delicious, chewy, lightly sweet liege (Belgian-style) waffles until about noon. Unfortunately, its waffle maker is in the repair shop, so give it a call to make sure it's back before heading there for waffles.

Blue Horse in Mt. Lebanon also offers liege waffles Saturday and Sunday, starting at 9 a.m., as well as a few kinds of quiche daily.

On Sundays at Aldo in Mt. Lebanon, co-owner Rich Westerfield makes seasonal quiche. I've never tried the quiche, but if it's as good as his soup, I'm missing out.

With so many great options across the city, don't let another weekend pass by without getting out of the house to try some place new. Brunch is a luxury, not a necessity, so it might seem like an easy expense to cut; but, it's easier on the wallet than dinner -- or therapy -- and a few hours of relaxation over a simple meal may just be the perfect cure for the stress of day-to-day life.

• 21st Street Coffee and Tea, 50 21st St., Strip District, 21streetcoffee.com, 412-281-0809
• Affogato, 613 Lincoln Ave., Bellevue, www.bigreda.com, 412-761-0750
• Aldo, 675 Washington Road, Mt. Lebanon, quiche Sunday only, www.aldocoffee.com, 412-563-1220
• Blue Horse, 1535 Washington Road, Mt. Lebanon, bluehorsecoffee.com, 412-341-6114
• Elbow Room, 5744 1/2 Ellsworth Ave., Shadyside, www.b2restaurants.com/theelbowroom, 412-441-5222.
• Golden Palace, 5920 Steubenville Pike, Robinson, 412-489-5398
• Gypsy Cafe, 1330 Bingham St., South Side, brunch, Sunday, noon to 3 p.m., www.gypsycafe.net, 412-381-4977
• Harris Grill, 5747 Ellsworth Ave., Shadyside, www.harrisgrill.com, 412-362-5273.
• New Dumpling House, 2138 Murray Ave., Squirrel Hill, 412-422-4178
• Pacific Ring, 1900 Murray Ave., Squirrel Hill, www.pacificringpittsburgh.com, 412-421-3338
• Piper's Pub, 1828 E. Carson St., South Side, www.piperspub.com, 412-381-3977
• The Square Cafe, 1137 S. Braddock Ave., Regent Square, www.square-cafe.com, 412-244-8002
• Udipi Cafe, 4141 Old William Penn Highway, Monroeville, 412-373-5581
• Your Inner Vagabond, 4130 Butler St., Lawrenceville, www.yourinnervagabond.com, 412-683-1623

Brunch places recommended in past articles:

• Casbah Mediterranean Kitchen and Wine Bar, 229 S. Highland Ave., Shadyside, bigburrito.com/casbah, 412-661-5656
• Dozen Bakeshop, 3511 Butler St., Lawrenceville, dozenbakeshop.com, 412-621-4740
• Coca Cafe, 3811 Butler St., Lawrenceville, www.cocacafe.net, 412-621-3171
• Point Brugge, 401 Hastings St., Point Breeze, www.pointbrugge.com, 412-441-3334
• Crepes Parisiennes, 207 S. Craig St., Oakland, 412-683-1912; 732 Filbert St., Shadyside, 412-683-2333
• Cafe Tazza D'Oro, 1125 N. Highland Ave., Highland Park, www.tazzadoro.net, 412-362-3676
• Oh Yeah Ice Cream and Coffee Co., 232 S. Highland Ave., Shadyside, www.customswirl.com, 412-253-0955
• China Millman can be reached at 412-263-1198 or cmillman@post-gazette.com. Follow China on Twitter at twitter.com/chinamillman.
  First published on May 14, 2009 at 12:00 am