5 Bay Area Places To Find The Best All-Day Breakfasts
It's often said that breakfast in the most important meal of the day. For people in the Bay Area who want to start the day right, there are tons of excellent choices serving anything from classic breakfast dishes like bacon and eggs or waffles and pancakes to selections celebrating the region's diversity, such as breakfast burritos, Thai crepes or Northern Italian omelettes. Yet even with a vast collection of outstanding places to dine in the Bay Area, not all offer an all-day breakfast menu. If you're looking to find great places that serve breakfasts until its closing time, here are five of the Bay Area's best.
1115 Willow St.
San Jose, CA 95125
(408) 294-1125
www.billscafe.com
A local favorite for nearly 40 years, Bill's Café is known for outstanding service, excellent food and classic breakfast cocktails. The thriving family-owned business offers a number of breakfast dishes until closing, from obligatory classics like bacon and eggs to "South of the Border" specialties like Jalisco Scramble and Morning Quesadilla. Other recommended breakfast dishes include Belgian waffles, French toast and several different varieties of omelettes and eggs Benedict. Bill's Café also features a full bar, offering favorites like Bill's Famous Bloody Mary, Bill's Famous Mimosa and Mexican coffee, along with craft beers and excellent wines. Now with five locations in San Jose, including the original in the Willow Glen neighborhood, Bill's Café is set to open two more locations soon — in Palo Alto and Pleasanton.
(credit: Crepevine.com)
Crepevine Restaurant
740 Farmer's Lane
Santa Rosa, CA 95405
(707) 577-8822
www.crepevine.com
Featuring gourmet coffee, cage-free farm eggs and locally sourced fruits and vegetables, the Crepevine Restaurant is a very successful family-run business. And with at least one location in every portion of the Bay Area, it won't take long to find the closest one. Recommendations from the breakfast menu include Egg-ceptional dishes with a local twist, such as the Santa Rosa and the Petaluma, Benedictions like the New Orleans and Costa del Sol, pancakes including gluten free and a wealth of its specialty, sweet or savory crepes. Other Crepevine Restaurant locations include San Francisco, Oakland and San Jose. Breakfast is served until closing time at 10 p.m. on weeknights and 11 p.m. on weekends.
Eggs Benedict from Mama's. (credit: Joanne Boston)
Mama's on Washington Square
1701 Stockton St.
San Francisco, CA 94133
(415) 362-6421
www.mamas-sf.com
Located in San Francisco's lively North Beach neighborhood, Mama's is one of the great landmark diners of the Bay Area. In business at the same location for more than 50 years, first-time visitors can expect a line of hungry customers waiting to get in, especially on weekends or after church services from neighboring Saints Peter and Paul Church. Yet the overwhelming consensus amongst past customers who highly praise the food and service say it's is well worth the wait. Top choices from the acclaimed breakfast menu include Mama's French Toast, M'Omelette's and Mama's Benedicts, with choices like North Beach (prosciutto and grilled tomato) and Norwegian (smoked salmon). Listed by Zagat as one of the Top 50 Best Restaurants in San Francisco, Mama's has also been featured in several other national media outlets, such as Condé Nast Traveler, Time Magazine, Rachel Ray's Vacation, The Travel Channel and the Food Network.
Mama's Royal Café
4012 Broadway
Oakland, CA 94611
(510) 547-7600
www.mamasroyalcafeoakland.com
In business since the 1970s, Mama's has all it makes as a can't miss diner in the East Bay. It's a classic breakfast nook with a retro counter, great service and food so great it's garnered national attention. Top favorites from the all day menu include house favorites like eggs Benedict and omelettes and other specialties like breakfast burritos and tofu scrambles. Among other superb choices worth a try include lox, onions and scrambled eggs, Italian sausage, zucchini and parmesan frittatas and lunch items like the Dagwood burger and Greek salad. Mama's Royal Café has been featured in national media outlets such as the New York Times, Zagat and Travel.com.
Nini's Coffee Shop
1000 N. Idaho St.
San Mateo, CA 94401
(650) 348-9578
www.facebook.com/Ninis
This year's winner for best breakfast from a recent Bay Area reader's poll, Nini's certainly lives up to the hype. Quietly tucked away in an unassuming neighborhood yet right off Highway 101, visitors can expect what one recent customer explained as"the kind of diner that's in movies. You know, the one where you walk in and the waitress knows you". While hearty breakfast staples like ham and eggs and biscuits and gravy are on the menu, Nini's teriyaki steak and eggs and Wally's Country Oldies are also huge favorites. Also ranked at the top among Trip Advisor's "Places to Eat in San Mateo," Nini's is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year.