Best SF Bay breakfasts?

[jschyun]

I was just eating a slightly bland (but still pretty damn good) veggie nest at Venus in Berkeley, and I was thinking I should find out where you guys eat breakfast. I'm talking about an American style breakfast, with eggs and sausage and stuff like that, but I like croissants or pain au chocolat for breakfast, or even jook.

Right now, I would say my best American breakfasts of all time have been at Ella's or at Fatapples. Won't you please help me expand my horizons?

[Hest88]

I love Venus, probably because I'm not big on sweet stuff for breakfast.

We've been going to Crepevine in Rockridge as our local brunch place. Better than the Rockridge Cafe and without the wait of Rick and Ann's or Mama Royal's. I don't know when Crepevine started doing real food (as opposed to just crepes) but they have good scrambles and pancakes, etc. Cash only, though, unless they've changed.

[chezcherie]

la note on shattuck. will be there this weekend, college-shopping with brilliant middle son. yum!

[Margaret Pilgrim]

I have never eaten here (because I never go out to breakfast at home), but many surveys put Dottie's True Blue Cafe522 Jones St, San Francisco, at a par or better than Ella's. From what I understand, the line is the same for both.

[Squeat Mungry]

Dottie's is excellent, but go early and be prepared to wait. The same is true for my other two favorites, Mama's on Washington Square and Kate's Kitchen in the Lower Haight.

2223, Chow and Zuni all do a decent weekend brunch.

Squeat

Edit to add: I used to love Bette's in Berkeley, but haven't been there in ages.

Edited July 26, 2004 by Squeat Mungry (log)

[Hest88]

la note on shattuck.

We keep trying to go, but the line is too line. I just don't like breakfast food for breakfast well enough to tolerate such a long wait. If only more places served breakfast for dinner!

[chezcherie]

We keep trying to go, but the line is too line.

the line is too line. also too long.

we broke ourselves in easy, by going on a weekday morning first. once we knew it was lovely, we didn't mind the wait so much.

[Julia'sChild]

I have never eaten here (because I never go out to breakfast at home), but many surveys put  Dottie's True Blue Cafe522 Jones St, San Francisco, at a par or better than Ella's.  From what I understand, the line is the same for both. 

Dottie's is worth the wait. Sit at the counter and watch Kurt Abney at work. Get the coffee cake with frosting. Nice "Jazzy" feel with only jazz playing and jazz posters on the walls. Small and not a great part of town. All fresh baked breads and pastries. Really great.

[ludja]

hey jschyun,

Here are two places, one in SF and one in Palo Alto... (you said, SF Bay area... )

Both places are for classical eggs and pancakes breakfast.

In SF, I like

It's Tops Coffee Shop

1801 Market St

(at the corner of McCoppin Street)

San Francisco

CA 94103

It's been in operation since the 30's and has a great old diner feel. I almost always order the buckwheat pancakes, with some eggs and bacon or blueberry pancakes. (One breakfast item I was less than happy with (ordered these once) was the waffles--but I love the buckwheat pancakes). It's kind of traditional "fueling stop" for us on our way up to hikes in the Headlands or up in Pt. Reyes. It will keep you fueled for awhile!

In the Palo Alto area I can really recommend Joanie's Cafe on California Ave. They make great, crispy, buttery hashbrowns from grated potatoes!!! (This is enough to put them very high on my list). Also great omelettes and other egg dishes. If you're down in this neck of the woods at breakfast or brunch time, a great choice.

Food is not my top reason for going The Ramp on a weekend morning/brunch but it's always a nice relaxing time here, sitting outside, right on the bay. A Bloody Mary is always part of my order... The breakfast food is good enough.

Just thought of another Peninsula place I like,

The Country Gourmet in Mountain View and in Sunvyale. I've only eaten there for breakfast and brunch--but it is very good. Excellent omelettes, pancakes and french toast. (Don't let the name scare you off; it's been a successful local restaurant (2 locations now) for almost 20 years. Their menu is a little more, "healthful" --they sub eggwhites for some of the eggs, serve delicious fruit purees and fruit with the pancakes, etc. but all the food is very good. Lots of nice vegetables in the omelettes. They also make stuff like Eggs Bennedict, etc but they might also have fresh tomatoes in the dish, etc.

[Gary Soup]

If you happen to be in SF Chinatown for brekkers, two got-to's (or maybe you've been there, done that) would be Uncle's, at Clay and Waverly for an American-style breakfast, and Hing Lung on Broadway for Chinese.

Uncle's doesn't have quite the charge that they did when they had a counter, but they still have 50's style banquettes and properly greasy ham 'n' over-easy. Hing Lung has the corner on the youtiao market (made fresh all day at the front of the shop). It's the place to go for the youtiao wrapped in a rice noodle (I don't know the name, it's kind of a donut cheung fun) and for jook, which you can get by the cauldron as well as the bowl.

Speaking of breakfast in Berkeley, is anyone old enough to remember the Egg Shop and Apple Press on Shattuck? It was my regular Sunday morning omelette stop, ca. 1970. I'd usually see Tom Hayden and Robert Scheer at a corner table, talking quietly (probably conspiring against Our Republic).

[cupcake250]

Wolfgang Puck's Postrio--i think on Post Street has an amazing brunch..the ravioli with quail eggs are not to be missed....

[winesonoma]

Garden Court Cafe in the town of Glen Ellen. The best biscuits and gravy. Weekend breakfast special are always good. Crepes and fruit that sort of thing.

[JAZ]

Cafe For All Seasons on West Portal used to have a very nice weekend brunch, but I haven't been in a couple of years, and I'm not sure if they do weekday breakfasts.

[Poppy Quince]

Here's another vote for La Note in Berkeley, particularly when it's warm enough to enjoy the lovely patio in the back.

And in SF, Absinthe in Hayes Valley serves breakfast, the highlight of which is a bowl of warm polenta with mascarpone, walnuts and maple syrup. Puts pancakes in the shade!

[Really Nice!]

I'm crushed. I was going to write, "What, no mention of Sears?"

Then I did a search to find the address and came across this.

I am truly crushed. This was our mecca everytime we came down for a visit.

[Gary Soup]

I'm crushed. I was going to write, "What, no mention of Sears?"

Then I did a search to find the address and came across this.

I am truly crushed. This was our mecca everytime we came down for a visit.

Uncrush yourself.

Good news for Sears fans

[Really Nice!]

I'm crushed. I was going to write, "What, no mention of Sears?"

Then I did a search to find the address and came across this. 

I am truly crushed. This was our mecca everytime we came down for a visit.

Uncrush yourself.

Good news for Sears fans

We need clickable smilie of Snoopy dancing across the screen.

Thanks Gary!

[jschyun]

Thanks for the recs! You guys have given me a nice list of places to try.

For some reason, I thought La Note was just a little French restaurant. I'll have to try that one first.

[Squeat Mungry]

jschyun, you should also check out Original Joe's downtown in the Tenderloin for breakfast sometime. They do breakfast the way they do everything else: professionally and old-school.

I've been meaning to write this place up for a while. They butcher (from primals) and age their own meat, and have done so since God knows when. If you sit at the bar, you can watch every step of the preparation of your meal. If you choose a table, well -- the waiters defy description, in that they don't even need to be described -- they just come with the package. For my money this place actually edges out Tadich's for old-time San Francisco authenticity.

Cheers,

Squeat

Original Joe's

144 Taylor St

San Francisco, CA 94102

(415) 775-4877

[CtznCane]

JD's on Castro Valley Blvd in Castro Valley

[marlena spieler]

if you go to original joes and its not breakfast time, order a zabaglione. its not on the menu, they whip it up with lots of wine, egg yolk and sugar. its yummy, a little sweet for my taste, but full of alcoholic punch.

LOVE original joes.

grew up on their jores special. eggs, ground beef, mushrooms and spinach all scrambled up. i ate it with ketchup. i wonder if i'd still love it now (haven't had it in decades).

otherwise, dottie true blue is a delight.

and tartine has wonderful bakery goods, in the croissant vein. its on the corner of 18th and is it valencia?

in glen park there is a great old time breakfast place, on the corner.....ooops i forgot both name and address exactly. and on west portal there is also a very cute one, really good, about half a block down from the starbucks, oh, its the village cafe.

x marlena

[Squeat Mungry]

and tartine has wonderful bakery goods, in the croissant vein. its on the corner of 18th and is it valencia?

Close. It's 18th/Guerrero, and I second the recommendation.

[MsMelkor]

and tartine has wonderful bakery goods, in the croissant vein. its on the corner of 18th and is it valencia?

Close. It's 18th/Guerrero, and I second the recommendation.

I really enjoyed Tartine when I was there a couple of weeks ago, although their croissants were a little on the burnt side. Seems like a common problem in this area.

[JAZ]

in glen park there is a great old time breakfast place, on the corner.....ooops i forgot both name and address exactly.

x marlena

Do you mean Tyger's? It's on the corner of Diamond and Chenery.

[jschyun]

and tartine has wonderful bakery goods, in the croissant vein. its on the corner of 18th and is it valencia?

Close. It's 18th/Guerrero, and I second the recommendation.

Wow, you're good.

Where do you go besides Tartine for croissants/pain au chocolat?