Brunch or breakfast: what's the difference?
They are often mixed up, yet everything sets them apart: the hour, the plate, the time you spend at the table. Here is how to tell them apart — and why, at Yona, we have picked our side.
Two meals, two moments of the day
Breakfast is the first meal of the day: eaten early, often standing up, and mostly on the sweet side — a pastry, a coffee, and the day is under way. It is done in a few minutes.
Brunch is a hybrid meal, born from squeezing “breakfast” and “lunch” together. It comes later in the morning, blends sweet and savoury on the same table, and replaces both breakfast and lunch on its own. Above all, it stretches out: you sit down, you share, you take your time.
What really sets brunch apart from breakfast
The hour
Breakfast is eaten on waking, early in the morning. Brunch waits for the late morning and happily runs into the early afternoon: it spans two meals instead of one.
The plate
At breakfast, sweet dominates by far. At brunch, sweet and savoury live side by side: pancakes and eggs sit next to sharing boards and fresh salads.
The length
Breakfast is dispatched in ten minutes. Brunch is savoured over one or two hours, long enough to dip into several plates and finish on a pastry.
The spirit
The first is a weekday reflex, often taken alone. The second is an occasion: with friends, family or your other half, you come to be together as much as to eat.
Three moods, three answers
You are in a hurry
A coffee and a sweet treat downed on the go: that is breakfast. Perfect on a weekday, before dashing off — and it can be ordered to take away too.
You have the morning free
No schedule, no constraints, and a craving to taste it all: that is brunch. You build your own assortment and never choose between sweet and savoury.
You are coming as a group
A birthday, a get-together, a table that settles in for a while: brunch wins every time, because it leaves room to talk.
Brunch settles the debate: you don't choose
This is where brunch differs most clearly from breakfast. Where the morning calls for a pastry, brunch lays generous savoury boards and eye-catching sweet treats on the very same table.
Refined sandwiches, fresh salads, eggs, fluffy pancakes and girly desserts: at Yona, the assortment is built to be shared. Pick, taste, go round again — and nobody leaves with a regret.
See the menu
Yona loves you ❤
Here, we look after you like a guest of honour: a table set with love, girly and gourmet plates, and just the right dose of pink to lift everyone's mood.
From the morning coffee to the afternoon brunch
In La Valentine, in the 11th district of Marseille, Yona does not ask you to decide in advance. The venue is open Monday to Sunday from 10am to 5pm, closed on Wednesdays, and the kitchen — so the brunch — is served until 4pm. These are summer hours, subject to change.
Come early for a coffee and a pastry, or settle in late morning for a proper brunch that lasts. Once the kitchen service is over, the tearoom takes over until closing time. And if you would rather stay home, a selection of the menu is available for delivery on Uber Eats.
Keep exploring the Marseille brunch
Sweet, savoury, on a Sunday or in a small group: here is what you need to sharpen your idea of the next gourmet date.
Want to go further?
Your brunch and breakfast questions
What is the difference between brunch and breakfast?
Breakfast is the first meal of the day: early, short and mostly sweet. Brunch comes later in the morning, blends sweet and savoury on the same table, and replaces both breakfast and lunch. It is also a far longer moment, made to be shared.
What time is brunch served?
Brunch is usually savoured late morning and runs into the early afternoon. At Yona, the venue is open from 10am to 5pm and the kitchen is served until 4pm — plenty of time to sit down without watching the clock.
Is brunch sweet or savoury?
Both, and that is exactly what sets it apart from breakfast. The menu blends savoury recipes and sweet delights, with a wide choice of drinks, so you can build the brunch that suits you.
Can I just have a coffee and a pastry at Yona?
Of course. Yona is a tearoom too: fragrant teas, coffees and girly drinks are served all day long alongside a gourmet pastry, even once the kitchen service is over.
Do I need to book for brunch?
It is highly recommended, especially at weekends or for a group: you can book your table in a few clicks through our online booking module.
Can brunch be delivered to my home?
Yes! Find a selection of the Yona menu for delivery on Uber Eats, to enjoy brunch at home, around La Valentine.
Book your brunch at Yona
A table in La Valentine or brunch delivered to your door: you now know which of the two you fancy.