America's breakfasts are legendary. From eggs Benedict and pancakes to burritos, beignets, and rice bowls, the diversity of dishes on offer is so enormous that you could live off breakfast for the rest of your days and never be bored. Whether you’re looking for a quick coffee and a croissant before work, feeling hungry after a long night shift, or rounding off an indulgent weekend, here’s where to get the best breakfast near you.
Click or scroll through our gallery to discover the best breakfast spots in every US state.
Our selections are based on genuine user reviews, awards and accolades, and the first-hand experience of our team. They're also regularly checked and updated.
If you’re craving a good old-fashioned Southern-style diner breakfast, Salem's is the place to go. Open from the crack of dawn, the cozy joint – known for its hefty breakfast plates – has a legion of loyal followers. Choose from options like a sausage, egg, and cheese wrap with cheesy grits, a smoked sausage and egg biscuit sandwich, and a Philly cheesesteak omelet. Reviewers praise the generous serving sizes, affordable prices, and very warm welcomes.
Alaskan breakfast spot Snow City Cafe has been feeding happy customers in downtown Anchorage since 1998. It's known for its house versions of classic dishes, such as Kodiak eggs Benedict (featuring poached eggs, king crab cakes, green onions, and Béarnaise sauce) and stuffed French toast made with a baguette, berry cream cheese, toasted walnuts, berry butter, and syrup.
With three bustling locations around Arizona, hip brunch spot Prep & Pastry has the weekday crowds hooked on its fancy coffees and pastries, while the weekenders pile in for creative brunch dishes. Standouts include the Cast Iron Duck Confit, featuring braised duck, cherries, over-easy eggs, potatoes, and goats’ cheese mousse, and the Monte Cristo: a ham, Swiss cheese, and pineapple-jalapeño mascarpone French toast sandwich.
Never had a breakfast bánh mì or a 'shiitake benny'? These are just two of the unusual, but extremely popular, breakfast choices at the community-focused Root Cafe. The former is modeled on the Vietnamese sandwich and features scrambled eggs (or tofu), carrot and radish pickles, jalapeños, cilantro, garlic mayo, hoisin sauce, and sriracha in a baguette. The latter is a spin on eggs Benedict, with grilled shiitake mushrooms, greens, and feta thrown in. Customers say it’s a place worth shouting about.
The home of delicious Millionaire’s Bacon – the thickest, chewiest pork rashers you’ve ever tasted, slow cooked in sugar and spicy peppers –Sweet Maple is a neighborhood hangout known for its delicious breakfast offering. Other popular choices include the Athenian Omelet (with mixed mushrooms, olives, arugula, and goats' cheese) and a Japanese-inspired dish called SM Omurice, featuring scrambled eggs, rib-eye steak, spinach, potato, jasmine rice, and pan sauce.
One of the most authentic all-American breakfast spots around, Nat’s Early Bite is hard to beat. Its doors open at 7am, so locals can get their morning fix of hearty options like pork chops and eggs, corned beef hash Benedict, and hot cakes with a choice of bacon, sausage, or ham. In the mood for something sweet? Try the French toast topped with sliced bananas and crunchy walnuts.
A cute breakfast and lunch place with a menu that reflects a number of diverse cultural influences, Onefold has two locations – one in Uptown, and one in Union Station. Its breakfast burrito is a hearty tortilla stuffed with scrambled eggs, Mexican cheese, duck fat-fried potatoes, pork green chili, and bacon, chorizo, or sausage. The congee, a savory rice porridge topped with duck confit, a poached egg, scallions, ginger and chili oil, will keep you full until lunch.
Breakfast gets seriously creative (and indulgent) at this much-loved spot in historic Willimantic. The main menu is enormous and packed with every kind of omelet, breakfast sandwich, and Benedict you could imagine. Regulars also recommend keeping an eye on the constantly changing specials board, which has previously featured delights such as a hash brown Benedict, loaded Southwestern breakfast fries, and a peanut butter chocolate chip waffle.
One for the early risers, Helen’s Sausage House opens shop at 4am to begin slinging its iconic sandwiches, which are up there with the best in America. Helen's famous breakfast dogs feature two exceptionally good sausage links, plus a fried egg and melted cheese, in a bun. What’s more, this quirky roadside restaurant's interior has a strong Elvis Presley theme.
Since opening in 2017, Marlene’s Original Breakfast Sandwich, a food truck with outdoor seating and a selection of seriously good egg-based sammies, has caused quite a buzz. Customers can’t get enough of The Special, featuring kielbasa, Gouda, a fried egg, herbs, and spicy mayo in a Cuban baguette. However, everything on the menu gets good reviews, so you can't go wrong.
This artisan bakery in Miami knows a thing or two about baking delicious bread and pastries. Choose from favorites like almond croissants, spinach and artichoke boureka pastries, and pains au chocolat. In the mood for something heartier? There’s a delicious selection of hot and cold meals, too, including a frittata sandwich with green romesco, avocado, and sriracha aioli, and French toast with pecan butter, cream, and berries.
The food at Southern-style breakfast and lunch spot Atlanta Breakfast Club is described by customers as phenomenal. Dishes such as well-seasoned, crispy fried chicken with Belgian waffles and syrup, and peach cobbler French toast, along with a fun party atmosphere, add up to long, but worth it, wait times. Visit in the week or early in the day – it might be a little less busy.
Fans of sweet pastries will be in heaven at Leonard’s Bakery, which dates all the way back to the 1950s. Its specialty is malasadas, Portuguese fried donuts with a golden, crispy exterior and soft, fluffy center. Customers love that they’re served hot and fresh, coated in cinnamon sugar and filled with fruit-flavored cream. Great for the early risers, it’s open from 5.30am onwards. The bakery also has a fleet of food trucks that stop at various locations around Honolulu.
Everyone knows the place to go when you’re in need of a strong coffee and a hearty breakfast in Boise is the bustling Goldy’s Breakfast Bistro. The extensive menu includes frittatas, a smoked salmon hash, pancake stacks, and a dish called Andalusian eggs (poached eggs with marinara sauce, chorizo, and peppers). Plus, you can customize almost anything with extra toppings. It’s totally worth the wait time.
Hearty American breakfasts are what Wildberry Pancakes and Cafe is all about. There are four outposts throughout the state, and each one gets rave reviews from customers. Top menu choices include a classic eggs Benedict, which comes with thick slices of real ham, house-made Hollandaise, and a side of hash browns, and the Mexicana skillet, an overloaded pan of hash browns, cheese, chorizo, jalapeños, avocado, and your choice of eggs.
A smart breakfast and lunch spot that's been open since 1989, Cafe Patachou is buzzing every day of the week. Looking for a light bite? Check out the thick, buttery wholewheat toast sprinkled with cinnamon sugar. In the mood for something heavier? Go with the Cuban Breakfast, a fresh dish featuring a fried egg, Cheddar, avocado, sour cream, and spinach-jalapeño pesto, served over rice and beans. The spot has grown into a mini-chain over the years, and there are now eight locations around the city.
Loud and colorful, The Breakfast Club lends itself to casual breakfast meetings and weekend brunches alike. Its busy menu is full of indulgent choices, including loaded hash browns, bacon and egg tacos, and a huge, juicy beef burger called the Rise and Shine, which comes topped with ham, bacon, Gouda, and a fried egg. The pancakes and French toast options are equally decadent and delicious.
Customers love the tiny Ladybird Diner in student-centric Lawrence because even its most basic dishes, such as avocado toast, are made exciting with quality ingredients: local sourdough is topped with mashed avocado, two eggs of your choice, and chili crisp oil. Meanwhile, the buttermilk fried chicken sandwich comes stacked with pickled corn relish and jalapeño cream cheese.
No ordinary fast casual restaurant, DV8 Kitchen is an enterprise that offers second chance employment to people in the early stages of substance abuse recovery – and the quality of the food and service is second to none. It’s known for its cinnamon rolls with cream cheese frosting, and its breakfast burrito, which comes packed out with steak, scrambled eggs, potatoes, peppers, and salsa. There are two branches in Lexington, both of which get excellent reviews.
It’s hard to separate out the genuinely good restaurants from the tourist traps in New Orleans; however, once you’ve visited Ruby Slipper, you'll be glad you persevered. Its specialties include shrimp and grits (made by sautéing shrimp with pork, peppers, and onions in a buttery sauce, then serving it over creamy grits), and the best biscuits and gravy customers claim to have ever tasted. It’s so popular, you have to add your name to a waiting list even during the week – though there are now seven locations to choose from.
Old-fashioned establishment Bayside American Cafe is as much known for its outstanding service as its carefully crafted breakfast plates. Think: eggs Benedict with smoked sausage, house-made corn cakes, poached eggs, and spicy Hollandaise, and giant cinnamon bun pancakes. Brunch runs from 7am until 2pm, which is early enough to fit in a bite before work.
Customers can’t stop talking about the quality of the breakfast at Miss Shirley’s Cafe. Its Coconut Cream Stuffed French Toast, made with challah bread and brûléed bananas, has even appeared on Food Network’s Diners, Drive-ins and Dives. Meanwhile, its Southern Slammer Sandwich, featuring fried green tomatoes, smoked bacon, smashed avocado, Cheddar, and a fried egg on pumpernickel bread, has been called the best in America multiple times. There are three locations in Baltimore, and one in Annapolis.
At Good Friends Cafe, a tiny local diner in West Dennis, everything is memorable, from the house-made bread to the Hollandaise sauce. The shaved steak omelet (with three eggs, onion, peppers, mushrooms, and American cheese) and the eggs Benedict dishes are among the top menu choices. The service also goes above and beyond – customers are offered free mugs of coffee as they wait. There's just one thing to note: it’s cash only.
When you want fast, friendly service and to eat alone at the bar, stopping for breakfast at the cool-without-trying-too-hard Dime Store is a no-brainer. The 'Bennys' (the restaurant's name for eggs Benedict) range from cheesesteak to spinach, tomato, avocado, and mushroom, and they include a huge portion of breakfast potatoes – and the light and fluffy omelets are delicious, too. Past customers say the place is a must-try.
The omelets at Hen House Eatery, a much-loved breakfast restaurant in Minneapolis, are something to behold. The namesake Hen House Omelet is filled with chicken sausage, hash browns, caramelized onions, mushrooms, and mozzarella, then topped with creamy béchamel. It sounds hearty, but it still feels light and crunchy – all thanks to the odd-but-delicious inclusion of apples, almonds, and spinach. Doesn’t take your fancy? You can also build your own.
According to locals who’ve been frequenting this quaint café for years, the best breakfast in Oxford can be found at Big Bad Breakfast. Popular with everyone, from students to retirees, the spot is known for its Big Bad Breakfast skillet with three scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, ham, onions, hash browns, Cheddar, and toast or a buttery biscuit on the side. The service is very attentive, too.
A restaurant with hot drinks as good as its food, Songbird knows what it’s doing when it comes to coffee. The Combo breakfast sandwich – aged Cheddar, smoked bacon, a poached egg, and honey stacked inside toasted sourdough bread – also has something of a cult following. It's meaty, cheesy, and extremely delicious.
Family-owned breakfast and lunch restaurant Echo Lake Cafe, near Glacier National Park, has been around since the 1960s. The secret to its success? Nearly everything that comes out of its kitchen, from the bread to the chorizo sausage, is made in-house, from scratch. The eggs Benedict, served with house-made Hollandaise, and the huevos rancheros (fried corn tortillas topped with beans, fried eggs, tomatoey ranchero sauce, and avocado) are firm favorites. The coffee cake is a must-try, too.
At classy Midwestern breakfast spot Good Lookin’, you’ll find one of the most attractive (and delicious) breakfast burritos you’ve ever eaten. A flour tortilla is stuffed with scrambled eggs, Cheddar, Mexican cheese, chorizo, tater tots, aioli, and salsa, toasted on the outside, then garnished with more cheese, sliced green chilies, and pink pickles. Equally stunning, the chicken fried steak is drowned in chorizo gravy and served alongside two over-easy eggs. Satisfied patrons say they’ve never had a better breakfast in their life.
Away from the strip, Mr. Mamas Breakfast and Lunch is the place locals go to eat breakfast. Think: huge chicken-fried steaks in sausage gravy, breakfast burritos with fresh green salsa, and sugar-dusted pancake stacks. The prices are good, the portions are huge, and some of the waitstaff have worked here since day one. It’s no wonder it inspires repeat custom.
Located on the aptly named Sugar Hill, Polly’s Pancake Parlor is a rustic diner that's known for its deliciously light pancakes, and it's been delighting customers since 1938. Choose a batter from options such as cornmeal, buckwheat, and oatmeal, plus add-ins like chocolate chips and blueberries, or order a sampler. The real fun starts when the 'Maple Tray' arrives – loaded with real maple syrup, a maple sugar shaker, and maple frosting in a squeezy bottle – at no extra charge.
If complicated coffee orders are your thing, Griot Cafe, a tranquil all-day café with Afro-Caribbean influences, is for you – your friendly barista will remember exactly how you like it. The Gri-Oat Latte (a double espresso shot, oat milk, honey, and coconut) is one of its specialties. The food is also worth visiting for, especially the pillowy, chocolate-filled Kenyan beignets and the savory chicken, fish, beef, and vegetable turnovers.
At quirky Jimmy’s Cafe, where the walls are covered in photographs of celebrities named Jimmy, the offering is exactly what you’d expect from a New Mexican establishment. There’s huevos rancheros, breakfast enchiladas, quesadillas, and burritos, and most items incorporate a delicious, creamy green chile with just the right amount of heat.
Trendy breakfast spot Banter was made for the Instagram era with its pleasing pink walls, green foliage, and food served on eclectic ceramic plates. Lovers of savory foods should check out the Golden Folded Eggs: delicious scrambled eggs, mushrooms, top-quality crispy bacon, salad, and avocado on sourdough. Meanwhile, dessert fans might like to try the Nutella Stuffed French Toast, complete with berries and maple syrup.
Part bakery, part restaurant, this hip spot in New York City is loved for its stellar selection of savory breakfasts. Expect classic dishes like eggs Benedict, huevos rancheros, and fried chicken and waffles. If you’re more of a sweet breakfast kind of person, try one of the pancake stacks (choose between blueberry, banana-walnut, and chocolate toppings) – whichever you go for, it'll come finished with warm maple butter.
Social enterprise Community Matters Cafe is a light and spacious restaurant that employs graduates from Charlotte's local addiction recovery program. There are some stand-out items on the menu, including pulled pork Johnny Cakes: cornmeal pancakes made with jalapeños, bell peppers, and corn, topped with sweet, braised pulled pork, a fried egg, scallions, and a honey ginger glaze. The ingredients complement each other perfectly.
Really decent coffee is a big draw at Twenty Below Coffee Co, an industrial-chic café that sources beans ethically and roasts them in-house. Customers also love the various breakfast plates, including toast loaded with mozzarella, prosciutto, herbs, poached eggs, and other toppings, and the fresh cakes and pastries.
Modern Maplewood Kitchen and Bar is a brightly lit, ultra-casual restaurant where you order at the counter and seat yourself. It’s open all day, but it's particularly good for breakfast. The lemon ricotta pancakes, which come with seasonal fruit, a berry compôte, maple syrup, and butter from grass-fed cows, are highly recommended, as are the chilaquiles with chorizo and black beans.
Looking for a big cowboy breakfast? Cattlemen’s Steakhouse, one of the oldest continuously operating joints in the state, opens its doors at 6am. There are omelets, hot cakes, Texas toast, and French toast, but the real star of the show here is the steak and eggs, which comes with hash browns and buttered toast or a biscuit. Choose your cut from T-bone, rib-eye, sirloin, or filet mignon. Inexpensive and with generous portion sizes, this place is Oklahoma City’s best-kept secret.
Open nice and early, Cheryl’s on 12th is a charming café owned by the incredibly passionate Cheryl and Ed Casey. Its signature (and most-ordered) dish is Portuguese fried rice with linguiça (a Portuguese sausage flavored with onion, garlic, paprika, and other spices), avocado, and scallions. It looks divine – and, taste-wise, it has just the right amount of spice.
A fan favorite, Sabrina’s Café is a cool and quirky brunch restaurant with a vintage feel – thanks to its wavy orange and brown wallpaper – and a bright and breezy outdoor patio. At the Art Museum outpost, the colossal cannoli French toast, made with challah bread, cannoli cream, wild berry sauce, whipped cream, and crunchy cannoli crumbles, is the menu item of choice.
Parisian-inspired bakery Ellie’s keeps itself well-stocked with what are probably the best croissants in Rhode Island, as well as what’s definitely some of the best monkey bread in the whole of the USA. Plus, Ellie’s signature egg and cheese breakfast sandwich is set off by the most flavorful tomato jam. If you have a big appetite, add bacon, sausage, smashed avocado, a second egg, or greens for an extra cost.
The giant fried chicken biscuit with pimento cheese and pepper jam served at clean, bright, American-style brunch restaurant Millers All Day is something to behold. Firstly, it’s huge – the size of a regular sandwich, rather than a biscuit – and secondly, the chicken is breaded by hand and well seasoned for an intense flavor. Everyone who orders it says it’s amazing.
Pizza isn't usually our first thought in the morning, but Josiah’s Breakfast Flatbread, served at the laid-back, farmhouse-style Josiah’s Coffeehouse and Cafe, is essentially just that. Similar to a Turkish pide, this oval-shaped flatbread is loaded with sausage gravy, scrambled eggs, shredded mozzarella, Parmesan, Cheddar, bacon, roasted red peppers, and scallions – and customers love it. The coffee is also said to be excellent.
Trendy brunch spot Milk & Honey is absolutely worth the hype. Customers rave about the friendly service, and, if there’s a line, there’s a digital waitlist that shows you how many tables are in front of you. The menu features pastries, shareable salads, and fancy meat and cheese-topped sourdough toasts. A favorite is the Hot Mess, a bacon and egg biscuit with avocado, pickled red onion, hot pepper jam, chipotle cream, and cheese. The fresh juices and coffee are also superb.
Thinking of visiting the Canadian-owned Maple Leaf Diner? Make sure you have an appetite. Its chicken and waffles, which have appeared in the press many times, arrive at the table stacked into a tower with crisp bacon, strawberries, whipped cream, and cream puffs. Alternatively, order a few dishes and share.
Set up in 2014, this lively bistro and bakery is one of the best spots in Houston for fresh, tasty breakfasts. Common Bond has plenty to choose from, from shrimp and cheesy grits to sausage, egg, and cheese sandwiches. Visit on a weekend and tuck into one of the many brunch flatbreads – the most popular option comes with bacon and egg, crispy potatoes, mozzarella, maple syrup, and salsa roja. There are five locations across Houston.
For finger-licking French toast and a plate-sized pancake sandwich filled with fried eggs and bacon, visit The Park Café, a neighborhood breakfast spot located in Liberty Park. Besides its unbeatable, no-frills breakfast plates, the location is idyllic – it was just made for an early morning or weekend stroll.
The quaintest New England breakfast place you’ve ever seen, Up For Breakfast’s dining room is reached by heading up a set of stairs as if entering someone’s home. Inside, you’ll find a yellow-walled café that looks like it hasn’t been renovated since the 1990s. Long-time favorites include French toast, eggs Benedict, and pancakes with a side of blueberry venison sausage. Make sure you save room for the delectable strawberry-rhubarb scones.
The Bee & The Biscuit is the cutest tearoom in Virginia. The menu is bursting with breakfast favorites, including sirloin steak and eggs, crab Benedict, and mascarpone-stuffed orange and challah French toast. Plus, it has interesting lattes, such as a honey lavender and Cinnamon Toast Crunch latte, for those looking for something a little different.
If you can't fly to Honolulu at the drop of a hat, Kona Kitchen in Seattle will satisfy all of your Hawaiian food cravings. This beloved spot is famous for its delicious breakfast dishes, including pineapple-stuffed omelets, saimin noodle soups, and build-your-own loco moco plates. The latter is a classic take on the Hawaiian dish, featuring rice, a hamburger patty, a fried egg, and gravy – but diners can choose from a choice of toppings, too, from Portuguese sausage to SPAM.
Located in a charming wooden house just up the hill from Main Street, Fayetteville favorite Wood Iron Eatery is known for its bohemian vibes and brilliant breakfasts. On the menu you'll find mouthwatering dishes like burritos, sandwiches, chilaquiles, and an incredible creation called Loaded Napoleon Tots: tater tots piled high with avocado, scallions, aioli, candied bacon, and sour cream. Customers say it's a transcendent experience.
The ultimate breakfast joint, Mad Rooster Cafe has something for everyone. From frittatas and omelets to waffles, pancakes, skillets, and scrambles, you name it, it’s on the menu. Looking to try something different? Check out the customer favorite: chilaquiles. A traditional Mexican breakfast food, it features fresh corn tortilla chips topped with salsa, Jack cheese, Cheddar, eggs your way, and skirt steak.
Glamorous Persephone Bakery is the place to go for a good breakfast in Wyoming. A James Beard Foundation Award semi-finalist, the café serves an indulgent croissant breakfast sandwich with two eggs, melty Gruyère cheese, your choice of ham, bacon, or heirloom tomato, and Dijon aioli, which regularly receives the highest of praise. It also has a good variety of espresso drinks.
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Last updated by Lottie Woodrow.