Best Brunch Alternative to Chloe's

On any given sunny weekend morning, the corner of Church and 26th streets is jammed with people waiting to get into Chloe's, a tiny Noe Valley brunch institution. But what those hungry-looking people apparently don't know is that half a block away is a gem of a restaurant with a beautiful courtyard, outstanding breakfasts, and no line. Fattoush is a tasty Middle Eastern restaurant, but its weekend brunch menu features the kind of cholesterol-heavy American fare we crave: corned beef hash topped with baked eggs; a scramble made with spinach, feta, olives, and almonds; even a crab cake Benedict that'll make your doctor pale with worry. (Yes, you can get the omelets with egg whites, if you must.) So the next time you have a hankerin' for a hearty breakfast, head right past that long line and make a beeline into the inner sanctum.