I tried posting this thread on the food board (yes, BI has a food board) a few months ago, but it died a quiet, un-responded to death. It's the off-season, so I'll try it here.

What are your favorite breakfast spots in the Bay Area?

I live in Oakland, and would say that Mama's Royal Cafe on Broadway near 41st is my favorite...very basic, old-fashioned breakfast place.

Lynn & Lu's on Grand is okay...nothing special but it hits the spot.

I've been to Camino, which some of my "foodie" friends love...I liked it, but it was a little too avant garde for my breakfast tastes.

I went to the Crepes place on College once, but my three favorite breakfast dishes are (1) eggs, (2) eggs and (3) omelettes, so that place isn't one I would go to regularly.

I also tried Aunt Mary's Cafe on Telegraph and 44th once. It has a lot of Southern dishes. I liked it, but the Mrs. didn't, so we haven't been back.

Where else? I know a lot of folks like Rick and Ann's.

doyles in emeryville

fat apples in berkeley

Oliveto breakfast downstairs. Great coffee, good atmosphere and interesting food. I usually get the egg pizza.

sam's log cabin in albany

Love Rick and Ann's. Chow in Lafayette.

Rick & Ann's but usually a wait
Royal Cafe in Albany -- normal diner fare, usually short line
La Note on Shattuck, Berkeley -- a little frenchy take on breakfast
Jodie's in Albany, near where Solano goes under the BART tracks -- seats like 6 people plus four outside, an experience
Metro Cafe in Montclair -- just started weekend brunch a couple months ago, so it's empty
Brown Sugar Kitchen on Mandala Parkway in Oakland -- full of hipsters, great southern food. love the shrimp and grits but I usually love shrimp and grits.

look forward to hearing more ideas

La Note

Rockridge Cafe, on College Ave in Rockridge ,natch.

Country Way, Fremont. Mounds & heaps of good classic breakfast fare.

Flippys in Rodeo

cant say that ive had too many breakfast places but

Cafe Soleil-El Sobrante-local owners, great, thick country gravy on the biscuits and gravy. they do a country style of Loco Moco as well, hashbrowns, two biscuits, bacon, 2 sausage patties, cheese and country gravy smothered over it all.

gobears725;842243530 said:

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cant say that ive had too many breakfast places but

Cafe Soleil-El Sobrante-local owners, great, thick country gravy on the biscuits and gravy. they do a country style of Loco Moco as well, hashbrowns, two biscuits, bacon, 2 sausage patties, cheese and country gravy smothered over it all.

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725, do you have a cardiologist on-call? I worry for you if you eat like that all the time.

Saul's
Sunnyside Cafe
Cafe Fanny
Fat Apple's

6bear6;842243539 said:

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725, do you have a cardiologist on-call? I worry for you if you eat like that all the time.

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haha, they actually have some healthy food as well, chicken apple sausage, eggs and hashbrowns is another dish i used to get. its a little place in the town i grew up in. dont live there anymore, so sadly my cardiologist is losing business. but its packed on weekends.

tommie317;842243541 said:

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Saul's
Sunnyside Up Cafe
Cafe Fanny
Fat Apple's

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Sadly Cafe Fanny is no more

Ole's Jim's Alameda
5th Wheel San Leandro

Already mentioned
Rick and Ann's and La Note in Berkeley

Ole's and Jims in Alameda. Jims is more old style with typcal breakfast stuff but like mom used to make

Sweet Maples in S.F.

The Buffet at the Claremont is awesome but like 50.00 per person.

Montclair Bistro in Oakland Hills ( in Montclair district)

Artisan Bistro in Lafayette... I like this one a lot

davetdds;842243559 said:

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Montclair Bistro in Oakland Hills ( in Montclair district)

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I didn't even know they do breakfast/brunch. The Egg Shop next door is pretty good and is where people line up on weekends.

Crepevine on Shattuck (multiple locations throughout the Bay Area)

Lois the Pie Queen in Oakland - especially if you like Fried Chicken breakfasts. Sam's Log Cabin in Albany also makes great fried chicken wings.

BearyWhite;842243571 said:

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I didn't even know they do breakfast/brunch. The Egg Shop next door is pretty good and is where people line up on weekends.

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Maybe just a Sunday Brunch thing.

In addition to Jim's and Ole's, let me add:
Hob Nob - bloody mary bar and bottomless mimosas
La Penca Azul - not sure if they still do it, but when they were called La Pinata, they had Mexican breakfasts with hand made tortillas.

calalum81;842243617 said:

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In addition to Jim's and Ole's, let me add:
Hob Nob - bloody mary bar and bottomless mimosas
La Penca Azul - not sure if they still do it, but when they were called La Pinata, they had Mexican breakfasts with hand made tortillas.

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Yes. I live in harbor bay on Bay farm island. The main one ( La Penca Azul ) on Park St. has a second one over where I am. ( smaller ) They do a great breakfast. Also in Alameda, Blue Dot cafe and Marti's ( Older style , like Jims )

Brown Sugar Kitchen in Oakland is awesome for breakfast.

Couple of place in the city that are good but with insane lines:
Mama's on Washington Square (Telegraph Hill/North Beach)
Dottie's True Blue Cafe (SOMA)

I also like Homemade Cafe at Dwight/Sacramento in Berkeley.

Shocked no one has mentioned the following:

a). Bette's Oceanview Diner (4th St, Berkeley)
b). Mama's Royal Cafe (41st & Broadway Oakland)
c). Chows in Lafayette (or San Ramon)

Cal Junkie;842243640 said:

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Shocked no one has mentioned the following:

a). Bette's Oceanview Diner (4th St, Berkeley)
b). Mama's Royal Cafe (41st & Broadway Oakland)
c). Chows in Lafayette (or San Ramon)

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Mama's is in the post starting the thread...great place.

kjl80;842243629 said:

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Dottie's True Blue Cafe (SOMA)

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+1. Although Dottie's is north of Market, in the Tenderloin.

It's been 14 years since we moved from Castro Valley, but back then Val's Burgers was as well known for their breakfasts as their burgers. Prices appear to be much cheaper than the breakfast places down here in Mexico's finest city.

http://www.allmenus.com/ca/hayward/107364-vals-burgers/menu/breakfast/

Beware the Menu was scanned by less than perfect OCR software. I really don't think they serve 'Tuna buttermilk pancakes'. Ranch Steak and eggs makes a good dinner....

Still stuck down in

Higher Costs, Lower Pay, San Diego

Sears Fine Food -- Union Square in SF: http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=kabam

patzcalski;842243649 said:

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+1. Although Dottie's is north of Market, in the Tenderloin.

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Actually Dottie's is indeed in SOMA, on 6th between Market/Mission. It used to be in the Tenderloin a year or two ago.

Great place but long lines- same with Mama's in Washington Square.

Also, not for everyone, but HRD on 3rd is a really tasty divey place for breakfasts with a Korean fusion twist...

When I visit from LA, the places I like to go are:

Mama's Royale Cafe in Oakland,
Millie's in Lafayette,
and Blue Bottle Coffee by Union Square

Oh I should also mention the best pancakes I've ever eaten ANYWHERE were at Somerset Cafe in Rockridge......lemon ricotta pancakes. Even my wife can't make me orgasm like those pancakes did.

I love those pancakes too. My wife makes them for me all the time.



http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/lemon-ricotta-pancakes-10000000682689/

Bette's Diner wrote the book on pancakes, literally.



Their buttermilk pancakes are just about perfect, but I usually get a main dish (usually the "California", poached eggs and ham with potatoes, pictured below) then split the banana souffl oven-baked pancake for dessert:



Maybe one of the best measures of a brunch establishment is the homefried potatoes, theirs are excellent too, just look at those beauties:



Everything on their menu is really good, it hasn't changed much if at all since they opened in the 80s, even the meatloaf is a treat, smothered with a marsala cream sauce:




SF has great food, but for brunch/breakie nothing can beat Berkeley/Oakland.

86Oski;842243491 said:

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I tried posting this thread on the food board (yes, BI has a food board) a few months ago, but it died a quiet, un-responded to death. It's the off-season, so I'll try it here.

What are your favorite breakfast spots in the Bay Area?

I live in Oakland, and would say that Mama's Royal Cafe on Broadway near 41st is my favorite...very basic, old-fashioned breakfast place.

Lynn & Lu's on Grand is okay...nothing special but it hits the spot.

I've been to Camino, which some of my "foodie" friends love...I liked it, but it was a little too avant garde for my breakfast tastes.

I went to the Crepes place on College once, but my three favorite breakfast dishes are (1) eggs, (2) eggs and (3) omelettes, so that place isn't one I would go to regularly.

I also tried Aunt Mary's Cafe on Telegraph and 44th once. It has a lot of Southern dishes. I liked it, but the Mrs. didn't, so we haven't been back.

Where else? I know a lot of folks like Rick and Ann's.

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There's this place in Oakland. I think it's called Denny's. Also, the International House of Pancakes in Walnut Creek is pretty good, as well.