Best Breakfast Places in New York City

Your most important meal of the day is about to turn into your favorite. After all, breakfast sets the stage for the rest of your day! And if you're looking for the perfect breakfast spots, look no further than New York City and its five boroughs. Stopping in for a light, early morning meal is the best recipe for keeping you going. It’s a respite in the busy rhythm of our daily lives. It's also a phenomenal place to cure your hangover.

Of course, no two breakfasts are the same. Some people crave the tall stack of pancakes with butter and maple syrup, and the waffle with a dollop of their favorite flavor of ice cream. Some people like the classics: ripe-off-the-pan scrambled eggs with a side of crispy bacon, and a freshly baked toasted bagel with butter and jam on the side. Others, still, prefer to be more adventurous with their most important meal of the day. How about an avocado and feta mash on toast with chili flakes and pepitas?

From New York's famous bagel shops to diners serving french toast and eggs, here are the best places in the Big Apple to have your most important meal of the day.

Rustic Table

It's impossible to not like a cozy, little restaurant like Rustic Table. Their food is farm fresh, so you'll be enjoying everything from scrambled eggs to zaatar feta scones. You can see this farmland theme in its presentation. It all started after they picked out a comfortable spot in the city, and built a farmer's table from reclaimed wood.

Rustic table has a Mediterranean twist, and they want you to enjoy the entire experience, whether you're sitting in or taking out! Their Early Lunch is a crowd favorite: slow cooked Prime Angus Beef, served in a skillet with cooked chickpeas, avocado and arugula. It's topped off with a sunny side egg, sliced almonds and Tahini.

Find more information on the Rustic Table website. You should also follow them on Twitter at @rustictablenyc and Instagram at @rustictablenyc.

Russ & Daughters Cafe

Referred to by the New York Times as "One of the 10 Best New Restaurants in New York," with more praise from Pete Wells. Russ & Daughters Cafe opened in 2014 on the 100th anniversary of Russ & Daughters, the original shop.

Here, expect to find smoked salmon slicers who are experts at their craft. They do their magic right in front of you. This is not only one of the best spots for your most important meal of the day; you can stop in for a light nosh, brunch, lunch, cocktails, dinner, or a special occasion.

Find more information on the Russ & Daughters Cafe website. You should also follow them on Twitter at @LoxPopuli and Instagram at @russanddaughters.

Little Collins

Little Collins is named after the busy street in Melbourne, Australia. It's not your average breakfast spot: the music transports you to somewhere that isn't New York City, and the unique menu items go above beyond the usual scrambled eggs breakfast.

Their coffees and espressos taste phenomenal, and it is the best way to start your day and compliment your healthy meal. You'll feel refreshed and ready for the day walking out of Little Collins. They have a ton of healthy options like 'The Sweet Uncle Fred,' toasted banana bread with ricotta, berries, honey and almond brittle, and 'The Smash,' avocado and feta mash on toast with chili flakes and pepitas.

Find more information on the Little Collins website. You should also follow them on Twitter at @LittleCollinsNY and Instagram at @littlecollinsnyc.

Veselka

Veselka has been blessing the East Village with traditional Ukrainian food for over 60 years. Customers crowd into this cozy Ukrainian coffee shop for goulash, borscht, pierogi, and other Ukrainian classics. It started as a humble newsstand and is now a twenty four hour meeting place for foodies. Know what's even more incredible? It never left its original location on the corner of East Ninth Street and Second Ave.

Veselka Fast Facts: they make about 3,000 pierogi per day, 2,500 potato pancakes a week, and 5,000 gallons of borscht a year. How could you not want to see this delicious Ukrainian taste factory in action?

Find more information on the Veselka website. You should also follow them on Twitter at @veselkanyc and Instagram at @veselkanyc.

Times Square Diner

What would this list be without a classic New York diner? How could this list neglect to include the classic American breakfast? They'll serve you everything you need to quench your breakfast hankering: scrambled eggs and eggs-over-easy, french toast, salads, waffles, coffee and much much more.

As per the standard for American diners, they're open twenty hours and seven days a week. Thank them later for satisfying your guiltless 3am hankering for a chicken wings and nachos supreme! They also offer delivery and pick up all day, every day.

Find more information on the Times Square Diner and Grill website. You should also follow them on Facebook.

Jack's Wife Freda

Freda and Jack met in the 1930s in Johannesburg, where they later married. Through their food and concept, they proved that the American Dream was real and alive, and it was fueled by classic American-Mediterranean cooking and cocktails.

Jack was from Israel and Freda was from South Africa, and their collective cooking knowledge was unrivaled. It brought fresh flavor to the urban New York scene. They have two locations now, one on Lafayette Street and one on Carmine Street.

Find more information on the Jack's Wife Freda website. You should also follow them on Facebook and Instagram at @jackswifefreda.

Barney Greengrass

Barney Greengrass is that delicious restaurant deli, and store on Amsterdam Ave, on the beautiful Upper West Side of Manhattan. Believe it or not, and it's still true if you don't, Barney Greengrass started up back in 1908. Talk to your New York born grandparents about it.

They won the James Beard Foundation Award for Excellence in 2006, and it has a food rating of 24 on Zagats, which is third highest among New York City delis. Here, you can find multiple generations of delicious breakfast items. The specialty of the house is its "smoked fish" items like nova lox, sturgeon, sable, and white fish. Yum!

Find more information on the Barney Greengrass website. You should also follow them on Facebook Twitter at @BarneyGreengras and Instagram at @veselkanyc.

Westway Diner

Westway Diner is one of those family owned and operated restaurants that locals will love forever. It specializes in the most important meal of the day, but has mastered the rest of your important meals, too! You'll be impressed with the murals that line one of the walls and depicts life in the "Big Apple."

Searching for a place that serves breakfast all day? Craving a french toast feast for dinner? Westway Diner does it, and does it well. It's conveniently located, and if you're from New York, you're likely to see somebody you know when you walk through that door.

Find more information on the Westway Diner website. You should also follow them on Facebook and Twitter at @WestwayDiner and Instagram at @veselkanyc.

Doughnut Plant

Here are the doughnuts of your dreams, and they have all natural, high quality ingredients. They have seasonal options made fresh daily, and they make their own jam filling. Don't expect to walk out with a plain-old doughnut because this is one of the best doughnut shops in New York City.

Doughnut Plant offers yeast doughnuts, filled doughnuts, cake doughnuts, and more. Full disclosure, I've never heard of a cake doughnut before hearing about Doughnut Plant, and they have made it wildly popular. Another major recommendation is the Tres Leches, an authentic "three milks" cake, delivered in the form of a round cake doughnut. To wash it all down, they've introduced Doughnut Plant Coffee, which they roast, and refer to as "the most delicious coffee in the world."

Find more information on the Doughnut Plant website. You should also follow them on Twitter at @DoughnutPlantNY and Instagram at @doughnutplant.

Amy's Bread

Amy's Bread is simply a classic in the world of Bread. Especially in New York. They have such a wide selection you can be confident to find exactly what you're looking for when you walk in. Whether it's bread for toast, something sweet like a cake or one of their world famous croissants, you'll be back for more.

Everything here is made by hand, so you can expect to feel that sort of love as one of their main ingredients. This is probably why many famous restaurants in New York City buy their bread at Amy's Bread. In case you'd like to serve their crusty breads and pastries in your home, they also cater and deliver locally. Not in New York? They ship nationwide and sell a must have breakfast cookbook for you to buy.

Find more information on the Amy's Bread website. You should also follow them on Twitter at @amysbread and Instagram at @amysbread.

Ess-a-Bagel

Back in 1976, a bagel shop called Ess-a-Bagel popped up on 21st Street and 1st Avenue. More recently, this same bagel shop opened up in midtown Manhattan by popular demand. Ess-a-Bagel has eighteen cream cheese flavors including apple cinnamon, Oreo, sun-dried tomato, and other seasonal additions.

Within two years, their hand-rolled bagels were voted the best in the Tri-State area, while continuing to earn their national acclaim. Their cookies, muffins, rugelach, pastries, and cakes have withstood the test of time. Andtheir espresso and cappuccinos are brewed to your personal taste.

Find more information on the Ess-a-Bagel website. You should also follow them on Facebook and Twitter at @EssABagel.

Brooklyn Bagel & Coffee Company

Brooklyn Bagel & Coffee Company uses mouth watering ingredients, while at the same time keeping your health in mind. They use only unbleached and unbromated flour which eliminates toxins from your diet. If you're a health-nut, this is one of the best foods to eat in the morning. They also offer gluten-free options!

They have locations in Chelsea and Astoria. In addition to their own unique flavors of cream cheese and their Cream Cheese Flavors of the Week, they have freshly squeezed orange juice, Kettle boiled-bagels and a seriously loyal following the New York Tri-State area.

Find more information on the Brooklyn Bagel & Coffee Company website. You should also follow them on Twitter at @bkbagel and Instagram at @bkbagelny.

Tisserie

Only good things come when business experience mixes with a devoted appreciation for food. Tisserie was the brain child of Ronald Harrar and his family back in 1998. The business began to take off in Venezuela, especially after receiving the Venezuelan Gastronomic Society's Golden Fork Award.

The real success came when the Harrar brothers wanted to take over the Manhattan Bagel Scene. Now, Tisserie is catered towards everybody from the average New Yorker to the more high-end and corporate clientele. They became a crowd favorite for pastries, imported coffees, fresh sandwiches, soups, and salads.

Find more information on the Tisserie website. You should also follow them on Twitter at @Tisserie and Instagram at @tisserie.

Clinton St. Baking Company & Restaurant

There must be something about tiny, comfortable spots to enjoy your breakfast that make them so dang humble and desirable. Most New Yorkers recognize Clinton St. Baking Company & Restaurant as a comfort-food superhero, with American Classics that are made with locally sourced, high quality ingredients.

Brooklyn born chef Neil Kleinberg is the co-owner. He has been on The Today Show, Good Day New York, Martha Stewart Living, and Real Food on PBS to name a few. He has even appeared on Food Network's cooking show Bobbly Flay.

Find more information on the Clinton St. Baking Company & Restaurant website. You should also follow them on Facebook and Instagram at @clintonst_sg.

Penelope

Penelope's has that secret blend of herbs and spices! It's a fresh take on mom's recipes in an equally home-y environment. It offers so much more than the standard New York bakery, seeing as it also acts as a cafe and a full service wine bar. Located on Lexington Avenue, Penelope is a collection of talented chefs combined with a menu that liberates itself from the norm.

So who is Penelope, and what is the inspiration behind this successful restaurant? Penelope is the name of the 19-year old pet turtle of restaurant founder Jennifer Potenza.

Find more information on the Penelope website. You should also follow them on Twitter at @PenelopeCafe and Instagram at @penelopecafe.

Tenth Avenue Cookshop

Tenth Avenue Cookshop started with a truly unreal selection of food and wine connoisseurs. It presents the perfect combination of American food and sets itself apart from other restaurants in Chelsea through its quality and design. Loyal customers get a balanced mix of familiarity and new flavors, seeing as they offer appealing seasonal dining options.

Cookshop's breakfast menu takes the egg and turns it into something incredible. Take their specialty Cookshop Breakfast, for instance. We are talking two fried eggs, Lancaster grits, applewood bacon, Italian sausage, a buttermilk biscuit and jam. Best of luck reading that without driving over there tomorrow morning to order one for yourself.

Find more information on the Cookshop website. You should also follow them on Twitter at @CookshopNY and Instagram at @cookshopny.