What do you do on a Saturday morning? I go swimming with a group of friends, after which we head off to brunch. It's nearly always the same cafe, and I nearly always order the same thing (haloumi stack with poached egg and three-quarter skim latte, thanks for asking).

Good Weekend sits alongside brunch as a big part of many people's Saturday mornings. This, combined with our changing dining habits – many prefer going out for a lighter mid-morning meal than a big dinner these days – and brunch's evolution beyond eggs and smashed avo means that an issue celebrating our 52 Best Brunches had a certain inevitability to it. For this, our inaugural listing, Jill Dupleix and Dani Valent have nominated their go-to brunch venues, primarily across Sydney and Melbourne, but also further afield. Guided by their wealth of experience as professional food critics, their lists had the entire office salivating. -Katrina Strickland Good Weekend Editor

Brunch can be a million different things. Spicy baked shashuka in a leafy courtyard; vegan dumplings in the park; a sea-urchin muffin in a two-hatted restaurant; or an egg-and-bacon roll with a mouthwatering twist.

Welcome to our inaugural guide to the best on offer, designed with one thing in mind – to turn your good weekend into a great one.

■ Sydney's top 15 brunches

■ Melbourne's top 15 brunches

■ Elsewhere in Australia

■ Five of the best in regional Victoria

■ Five of the best in regional NSW