The Best Breakfast Spots in New York City (2024)

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Balthazar (SoHo)

Breakfast at SoHo institution, Balthazar instantly transports you from SoHo to Paris. The brasserie has a very popular weekend brunch, but for a more low-key meal, stop by for a weekday breakfast. It's a serene opportunity to enjoy favorites like eggs florentine, cafe au lait, and pain au chocolate.

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Dominique Ansel Bakery (SoHo)

Just a few blocks up from Baltazar,this SoHo bakery has both counter and table service, and a year-round greenhouse garden area in the back. Home of the original cronut that will have people waiting for hours in line, the pastries are the biggest draw here. The DKA, a croissant-like pastry with a caramelized exterior, is a crowd favorite while the blossoming hot chocolate is perfect Instagram bait. For more savory options there are also egg sandwiches, quiches, and soup.

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Barney Greengrass (Upper West Side)

Located in the Upper West Side, Jewish deli Barney Greengrass is famous for its smoked salmon, sturgeon, and Nova, which can be enjoyedwith eggs or a traditional New York bagel with cream cheese and capers. If you're looking for something a little different, try the cheese blintzes or chopped chicken liver salad.

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Clinton Street Baking Company (SoHo)

Clinton Street Baking Company has been drawing crowds for its amazing pancakes since it opened in SoHo in 2001. If you want to avoid a long wait for brunch, try to dine during the week, but if you're craving breakfast for dinner, they also serve a selection of breakfast items in the evening. If you're lucky enough to visit during pancake month, you have the opportunity to sample unique flavor combos like blueberry yuzu or Mexican chocolate.

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Buvette (West Village)

Inspired by European traditions and established in the West Village neighborhood by Chef Jody Williams, Buvette New York offers pared-down breakfast and brunch menus of French classics. Whether you want a waffle sandwich or steamed eggs with smoked salmon, there are plenty of options, both indulgent and healthy, to enjoy in this easy-going spot.

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Bubby's (Tribeca)

Bubby's has been a Tribeca staple since 1990, offering classics like smoked salmon bagels, eggs Benedict, and huevos rancheros to hungry diners. While quite popular as a brunch spot on weekends, weekdays at Bubby's are relatively quiet and calm.

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Shopsin's (Lower East Side)

If you're looking for an "only in NYC" breakfast experience, look no further than the legendary Shopsin's Restaurant, which is located inside the Essex Market on the Lower East Side. Keep in mind the rules, though, as there are no reservations, no groups larger than four, and no ordering the same thing as someone else at your table. Otherwise, prepare yourself for a dense menu of pretty delicious food and possibly foul language.

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George's New York (Financial District)

For a quintessential diner experience in the Financial District, swing by George's New York, a neighborhood stalwart since the 1950s. Expect typical diner fare like chocolate chip pancakes, eggs with hashbrowns, and a number of specialty omelets.

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King David Tacos (Financial District and Brooklyn)

Starting as a food cart shelling out Austin-style tacos across New York, King David Tacos now has a brick and mortar headquarters in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn. The grab-and-go spot is a great place to grab a quick bite in the morning.The BPEC taco contains bacon, potato, egg, and cheese while the bacon is replaced with refried beans in the Queen Bean and Mexican chorizo in the Or'izo taco.

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Café Habana (Nolita)

For a Cuban-Mexican brunch, consider stopping by Café Habana on weekends after 10 a.m. but before 4 p.m. The menu is short, with only seven items but it includes classics like huevos rancheros or enchiladas suizas, chicken enchiladas topped with a tomatillo sauce and crema and served with rice and black beans. People with sweet tooths will enjoy the challah french toast topped with whatever fruit is in season.

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Veselka (East Village)

Founded in 1954, Veselka is a Ukrainian diner with breakfast served all day, and a menu featuring challah French toast, latkes, pierogis, and blintzes alongside domestic breakfast favorites like bacon and eggs. For specialty pierogis and eggs Benedict, be sure to come for weekend brunch, served from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. This cheap, no-hassle restaurant almost always has a table open, even during the busy morning commute hours.

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Daily Provisions (Union Square)

If you're in a hurry to grab something to go, the fast service at Daily Provisions is pretty much unbeatable in Manhattan—but the breakfast sandwiches don't suffer in quality just because they come out fast!Try the maple cruller or the cream cheese everything croissant from the bakery for a real treat. If the Union Square location is out of reach, there are other outposts in West Village, the Upper West Side, and near Hudson Yards.

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Cookshop (Chelsea)

Cookshop—owned and operated by Marc Meyer, Vicki Freeman, and Chris Paraskevaides—is a great place in Chelsea to grab a seasonal breakfast treat before exploring the nearby High Line elevated walking path. The menu changes often but frequently features a mix of healthy and comfort foods like biscuits with jam or a grain bowl with a poached egg, chickpeas, beets, olives, and cherries. It opens at 10 a.m. on weekends and at noon on weekdays.

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Good Enough to Eat (Upper West Side)

Good Enough to Eat's menu more than lives up to its name—the delectable breakfast options at this Upper West Side restaurant include some truly unique takes on American comfort food. Think omelets stuffed with apple slices and swiss cheese or pancakes that use a mix of oats, cornmeal, and two types of flour. For a taste of classic American cooking, try the bacon-studded waffles or the corned beef hash with buttermilk biscuits.

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Sarabeth's Restaurant (Upper West Side)

Sarabeth's Restaurant is a popular posh restaurant chain serving traditional American fare with some slightly decadent modifications. With four locations in Manhattan including Central Park South, Park Avenue South, and Tribeca, you'll have plenty of chances to stop into one of these establishments no matter where you're starting your day in the city. The French toast is a crowd favorite and the skillet cinnamon bun with earl grey icing is especially decadent. For savory fare, consider the Sarabeth quiche, with onions, ham, and gruyere cheese, or eggs Benedict

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Penelope (Kips Bay)

Head to Penelope for a great meal in a country-chic setting at Penelope. Try the B.B.L.T., a double-bacon, arugula, and tomato sandwich on toasted sourdough. Or try the Hangover Bowl with pastrami hash, red potatoes, and caramelized onions topped with two poached eggs and Hollandaise sauce. Those with a sweet tooth should sample the buttermilk pancakes served with blueberry compote and Vermont maple syrup.

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The Smith (Midtown East)

If you don't mind navigating the crowds of Midtown East, The Smith on 2nd Avenue is a great location for a quick or leisurely breakfast. This swanky American bistro offers traditional favorites likesteak and eggs,vanilla bean french toast, and a ranchero scramble. The weekend brunch menu boasts a raw bar, churro waffles, and an omelet with goat cheese, roasted red peppers, herbs, and mixed greens. There are also locations in Nomad, Lincoln Square, and East Village.

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Dimes (Lower East Side)

The California-style kitchen at Dimes offers a variety of health-conscious dishes in a tidy, small cafe on the Lower East Side. Combining the traditional diner feel with a West Coast flair for eco-friendliness, the menu at Dimes includesfruity and savory options like the carob acai bowl with honey, bananas, dates, cinnamon, coconut milk, almond butter, and granola or two tacos with scrambled eggs, mango salsa, cheddar, avocado, and hot sauce.

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Friend of a Farmer (Gramercy Park)

Located in Manhattan's Gramercy Park neighborhood, Friend of a Farmer brings a Vermont farmhouse to the city. The family-owned restaurant offers farm-to-table meals prepared country-style.Try out the farmer's market omelet (with spinach, sauteed mushrooms, and cheddar cheese) or the fresh crab Benedict for a savory meal. For a sweet breakfast treat, sample Carrie Dee's buttermilk apple pancakes.

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Jack's Wife Freda (SoHo/Little Italy)

With locations in both SoHo and the West Village, this family-owned restaurant chain serves up a hybrid of American and Mediterranean breakfasts in rustic-chic dining rooms. The flagship location in SoHo has very limited space, so tables typically fill up quickly during the morning rush. The entire menu is served all day but breakfast highlights include a green tomatillo shakshuka and rosewater waffle.

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Brooklyn Bagel & Coffee Company (Chelsea)

No trip to New York City is complete without having at least one NY-style bagel, and the best place to get one in a hurry is at the Brooklyn Bagel & Coffee Company in Chelsea (or Astoria, Queens if you're visiting the borough).Featuring unique cream cheese spreads like jalapeño asiago, lox, and honey bacon sriracha as well as a multitude of bagel varieties, Brooklyn Bagel is the epitome of the New York breakfast meal to-go.