OT: Best breakfast places in the Bay Area

14,429 Views | 103 Replies | Last: 11 yr ago by movielover
beeasyed
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tim94501;842244083 said:

900 Grayson is destroying bsc


+1 on Grayson. housemates and I nearly went once a week for the chicken & waffles. great hangover cure.
gobears725
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elderbear;842244184 said:

Red Onion on Pinole Valley Road - basic lumberjack menu with crazy low prices.


never had their breakfast. solid burger joint though for lunch
blungld
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Cal88;842244169 said:

As far as breakfast/brunch offerings, Berkeley>>>NYC. I was pretty disappointed with Vaselka and the other places I've tried up and down Manhattan and Brooklyn.




Maybe if our enemies were better informed, they'd hate the original home of granola instead, Switzerland and Germany.

The best breakfast dish in the world is only found in the French-speaking parts of Switzerland, the "croute au fromage", which is a thick ham sandwich drenched with white wine and topped with cheese (usually a combination of emmenthal and gruyere). It's baked in the oven till you get a nice golden cheese crust then topped with a fried egg.




Holy crap that looks good. Vaselka is not amazing, but solid. I'm Ukrainian so I like the beets and pretty authentic perogi and stuffed cabbage.

The breakfast at Pastis is another favorite.

In Bay Area I would go to Marti's place in Alameda for their Swedish pancakes. Also loved Bette's slow cooked scrambled eggs. Rick & Anne's is good but a tad overrated and wait can be brutal. For your standard breakfast I always went to Homemade Cafe. Dim Sum in SF is always fun. Cafe Fanny was the shizzle. A decent substitute is Rockridge--great latte and decent bakery.
NYCGOBEARS
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blungld;842244671 said:

Holy crap that looks good. Vaselka is not amazing, but solid. I'm Ukrainian so I like the beets and pretty authentic perogi and stuffed cabbage.

The breakfast at Pastis is another favorite.

In Bay Area I would go to Marti's place in Alameda for their Swedish pancakes. Also loved Bette's slow cooked scrambled eggs. Rick & Anne's is good but a tad overrated and wait can be brutal. For your standard breakfast I always went to Homemade Cafe. Dim Sum in SF is always fun. Cafe Fanny was the shizzle. A decent substitute is Rockridge--great latte and decent bakery.

Cal88 has never done a NYC brunch with NYCGOBEARS. That's the problem.
Oski87
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Farm egg pizza is great.
The Duke!
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Cal88;842244169 said:

As far as breakfast/brunch offerings, Berkeley>>>NYC. I was pretty disappointed with Vaselka and the other places I've tried up and down Manhattan and Brooklyn.




Maybe if our enemies were better informed, they'd hate the original home of granola instead, Switzerland and Germany.

The best breakfast dish in the world is only found in the French-speaking parts of Switzerland, the "croute au fromage", which is a thick ham sandwich drenched with white wine and topped with cheese (usually a combination of emmenthal and gruyere). It's baked in the oven till you get a nice golden cheese crust then topped with a fried egg.




I had this dish several times last year. The only thing that ever disappointed me was the price. But that can be said of anything in francophone Switzerland.

That being said, I have never considered it a breakfast dish.
blungld
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NYCGOBEARS;842244680 said:

Cal88 has never done a NYC brunch with NYCGOBEARS. That's the problem.


Neither has Blungld.
NYCGOBEARS
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blungld;842244807 said:

Neither has Blungld.


We should work on that!
Cal88
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Do we need slim-fit suits for this?
tim94501
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BearyWhite;842244089 said:

bsc?


Brown sugar cafe
StillNoStanfurdium
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If you're looking to get pretty trashed in the AM or Noon, you have to check out Monteros on Solano/San Pablo (formerly Cafe Biere in Emeryville) which has a bottomless mimosa option with 10+ different fruit flavors and an owner which encourages lots of drinking.
longseeker
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Started with non-fat yogurt and honey and blackberries. Was still hungry so made a toasted sandwich with Milton's whole wheat bread and curried chicken salad using yogurt in place of mayo and hot tea. Most other times at home it's Old Fashion Oatmeal with raisins, blueberries, honey and cinnamon. Or a veggie omelet.

Then I read every post here and most of the pictures made me queasy!

When I do go out for breakfast I like Bette' Ocean View Dinner, the Egg Shop in Montclair, the place in Emeryville (Grayson's?), even Lin an Lu's for the one huge Oatmeal pancake topped with warm blueberry sauce and hot coffee.

Miss the huge scones at Bakesale Betty's.... Like the potato and ham tart and a cappuccino under The Dome at Westfield Mall in the City.

I would not make a good dining partner with many here, but I enjoyed reading some of your favorite breakfast/brunch sites and may drop into a few of them.
novabear1
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Across the bay, I used to love Kate's Kitchen in the lower Haight.
jyamada
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Hopscotch in downtown Oakland has a cheap steak and eggs that's pretty good.

Five in the Shattuck Hotel serves a great waffle with whipped cream and apples in cinnamon sauce.....they don't have it too often anymore, though. For those in San Diego, try the Belgian waffle at the Torrey Pines golf course diner.....the best!

Camino because it's so close and convenient.
goldenokiebear
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Lois the Pie Queen
Outerlands in SF, about 45th and Judah. It's way the hell out there, but has a great brunch - but get there and put your name on the list early. Great eggs in jail, dutch pancakes, breads, and an amazing hot ginger lemon apple & asian pear cider. http://outerlandssf.com/
BearyWhite
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novabear1;842244925 said:

Across the bay, I used to love Kate's Kitchen in the lower Haight.
I love their coffee; IIRC it's flavored w/ chicory and from a place called San Francisco's Best Coffee, but those may both be incorrect. it's just dense and good.
BearyWhite
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tim94501;842244862 said:

Brown sugar cafe


ah, duh.

in my defense it's 'bsk'
movielover
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No love for Millie's Kitchen in CoCo County for the basics?
Bear_Elegance
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How come no one yet has mentioned The Meritage at the Claremont Hotel for brunch, especially Sunday champagne brunch??

That place has the best breakfast (well, okay, it is actually brunch) in the East Bay.


86Oski;842243491 said:

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.
GoBears58
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Kenisngton Inn is awesome.. then Homemade cafe.
BearyWhite
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For quick reference and to indulge my OCD I compiled the discussion into a list. Typos and mistakes are expected. Go eat.

[FONT="Arial Black"][SIZE="3"]East Bay[/SIZE][/FONT]
Oakland
Mama's Royal Cafe - Broadway near 41st
Aunt Mary's Cafe - Telegraph and 44th
Lynn & Lu's on Grand
Camino
Brown Sugar Kitchen
Lois the Pie Queen
Seminary Coffee Shop aka ALS
Bakesale Betty's
Hopscotch
Denny's (and one or two other locations)
Metro Cafe (Montclair)
Egg Shop (Montclair)
Montclair Bistro (Montclair)

Berkeley
Rick & Ann's
La Note
Saul's
Sunnyside Cafe
Cafe Fanny (RIP) (but granola still available in stores, for granola-eating hippies)
Fatapple's
The Claremont - buffet at The Meritage ('but it's like 50 bucks')
Crepevine on Shattuck (multiple locations)
Homemade Cafe - Dwight/Sacramento
Bette's Oceanview Diner (4th st)
900 Grayson
King Pin Donuts
Five, in the Shattuck Hotel

Emeryville
Doyle's

Albany
Sam's Log Cabin
Royal Cafe
Jodie's Luncheonette
Montero's (bottomless mimosa)

Rockridge
Oliveto - downstairs
Rockridge Cafe
Somerset Cafe (RIP)
Crepevine

Alameda
Ole's Waffle Shop
Jim's Homestyle Diner
Hob Nob (bloody mary bar, bottomless mimosas)
La Penca Azul (Mexican breakfasts) (also on Bay Farm Isl)
Blue Dot Cafe
Marti's

San Leandro
5th Wheel

Kensington
Kensington Inn

[FONT="Arial Black"][SIZE="3"]North East Bay[/SIZE][/FONT]
Pinole
Original Red Onion

Rodeo
Flippy's

El Sobrante
Cafe Soleil

[FONT="Arial Black"][SIZE="3"]East East Bay[/SIZE][/FONT]
Lafayette
Chow
Artisan Bistro
Millie's Kitchen

Walnut Creek
International House of Pancakes (multiple locations)

Pleasant Hill
Giant Chef Burger

Castro Valley/Hayward
Val's

Livermore
Railroad Cafe

Pleasanton
Dean's Cafe

San Ramon
Katy's Korner

[FONT="Arial Black"][SIZE="3"]San Francisco[/SIZE][/FONT]
Sweet Maples
Mama's ( Washington Square)
Dottie's True Blue Cafe (SOMA)
Kate's Kitchen
Outerlands
HRD (3rd St.)
Sears Fine Foods (Union Square)
Blue Bottle Coffee (Union Square)

[FONT="Arial Black"][SIZE="3"]South Bay[/SIZE][/FONT]
Fremont
Country Way

[FONT="Arial Black"][SIZE="3"]Further South Bay[/SIZE][/FONT]

Monterey
First Awakenings

Seaside
Breakfast Club

San Diego
Torrey Pines Golf Course diner

[FONT="Arial Black"][SIZE="3"]Just Cut It Out[/SIZE][/FONT]

Midwest Somewhere
Shoney's (many, many locations)

New York City
Vaselka
Pastis

French-Speaking Switzerland
Who knows, but be sure to get the frying pan full of fat
blungld
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What a list! Thanks. Publish as a guide book.


Pastis is in NYC.
Out Of The Past
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The Station House Cafe in Pt. Reyes Station. I particularly like the huevos rancheros, and the corned beef hash.

When I cook at home I eat either a vegetarian pasta, or a combination of black beans, onions, and black olives cooked stove top with brown rice in a saute pan. Great in a tortilla. Nothing like that and a glass of red to start the day.
movielover
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What a list! Kudos.

Walnut Creek, add Hubcaps, large windows, great service.

A Great Dives / Bargains Thread is needed next! (Entrees under $10 or $15?)
MolecularBear007
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Bearywhite, you forgot BK on 16th and Mission. Those four month old microwaveable pies...to get shanked for.
Bear_Territory
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Alamo Cafe....in Alamo
davetdds
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Thanks Beary. I'm good now for at least 6 months.lol
okaydo
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BearyWhite
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okaydo;842245653 said:


This tweet will come back to haunt him when he shows up to spring camps 30 lbs overweight
86Oski
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Thanks for compiling the list, Beary. If you hadn't done your good deed for the year, you have now.

One suggested change: delete the "crepes place on college.". That is a Crepevine (in rockridge), which you've listed elsewhere.
Go!Bears
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6bear6;842243830 said:

Just remember Dr. 6bear6 is watching out for you. We need all the Bear fans we can handle.


It's the mix, poor diet plus watching Cal football. It's a time-bomb.
tim94501
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BearyWhite;842245666 said:

This tweet will come back to haunt him when he shows up to spring camps 30 lbs overweight


Lmfaaaaaoooooo @ overweight! !!! 30 lbs would do that man some good
slider643
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For SF:

Plow - Potrero Hill - ricotta pancakes! neighborhood feel, long lines on weekend
Just for You Cafe - Dogpatch - beignets! neighborhood feel
Dynamo Donuts - maple bacon donuts! four barrel coffee, great for breakfast on the run
BearyWhite
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tim94501;842245671 said:

Lmfaaaaaoooooo @ overweight! !!! 30 lbs would do that man some good

well, good point, but I don't think donut weight is what he needs..
movielover
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Johnny's Donuts, Lafayette, often sells out early.

I had a breakfast once at an Irish bar in the Richmond (SF)... on the weekend... it was like I was in Ireland, except for the American football on the tele. It was wonderful.
 
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