The 10 Best Breakfasts in New York
13 November, 2019
- Words by
- Haley Crawford
New
York
New
York
‘s brunch scene usually gets all the attention, but there’s
something that feels extra-special about going out for breakfast.
For those dining out before work (to treat a friend on their
birthday or to meet with a client) or getting some grub after an
early-morning workout, we’ve compiled a list of the best spots to
get your fix of freshly squeezed juice and eggs benny.
Start your day right at these NYC’s breakfast spots
restaurant
Lafayette
NoHo
A bright, spacious restaurant on the street of the same name,
Lafayette is a NoHo classic and beloved by students with visiting
parents, power lunchers and socialites alike. Despite its charged
reputation, the atmosphere here will transport you straight to a
bistro in Le Marais. There’s a bakery at the front for grab-and-go
coffee and some of the best baguettes and croissants in the city,
and the menu is exactly what you’d expect of a French restaurant.
Omelette with ham and brie de meaux, soft scramble with truffle and
salmon gravlax on an everything brioche are some of the staples, so
come here with someone you’d like to impress. The juices are also a
delight, with combinations such as blood orange, yuzu and
grapefruit to put a spring in your step.
restaurant
Dimes
Chinatown
A tucked-away Canal Street locale, Dimes is beloved by the cool
kids of the Lower East Side. The low-key interior design exudes
chilled California vibes and is the perfect place to go when you
need to slowly come back to life after a late night. Affordable by
NYC standards, it serves delicious açaí bowls smothered in almond
butter to keep you full until lunch and original takes on porridge
with sweet potato purée and pistachios. For something savory, order
the scrambled egg tacos with tomatillos and spicy mango salsa or
the hefty brekkie sandwich with cheddar and avocado. There’s also
an in-house deli for on-the-go smoothies and smoked salmon
bagels.
restaurant
The Smile
Noho
A favourite of Emily Ratajkowski and co., The Smile’s Bond
Street location is a fun place to start the day with a couple of
friends (and to do some celeb-spotting). Kick things off with a
workout at Box & Flow across the street before drifting down
the restaurant’s front steps for some grub. There’s an abundance of
healthy options here, so if you want to keep things going after
your workout, opt for the homemade almond butter on multigrain
toast, steel-cut oat porridge made with coconut milk or fruit salad
topped with Greek yogurt. If you’re looking for something slightly
more filling, the folded-egg sandwich with ham, gruyere and
caramelised onions on a Montreal-style bagel from the nearby Black
Seed shop is our top pick.
restaurant
Cafe Gitane
Nolita
Beloved by the French and Italian students of NYU who sip on
espressos at the outdoor tables with their puppies by their side,
Cafe Gitane is a chic alternative to the overcrowded restaurants of
Nolita. The Moroccan-style restaurant serves up baked-egg skillets
and a killer organic egg sandwich with roasted tomato and merguez
sausage on a brioche bun. For a sweet weekend brekkie, make sure to
get the fluffy strawberry-topped orange blossom waffle or the
crunchy home-baked granola (one of the best we’ve ever had),
chock-full of seeds, walnuts, oats and coconut oil. On a sunny day,
sit out on the terrace and enjoy Gitane’s freshly squeezed
watermelon or orange juice.
restaurant
Five Leaves
Greenpoint
The wood-lined interior at Five Leaves will make you feel as
though you’re on a weekend away in the countryside rather than in
Brooklyn. The baked goods here are fresh, with our top picks being
the banana and chocolate-chip muffin and blueberry friand paired
with a warm mug of milk and honey. For heartier fare, the green tea
noodles with a boiled egg are great for something new, and you
can’t go wrong with the ricotta pancakes topped with honeycomb
butter. Those on a health kick can opt for the brûléed grapefruit
or overnight oats with tart cherry and chia seeds.
restaurant
Egg
Williamsburg
This Williamsburg spot does all things Southern, and is one of
the best places to visit when you’re craving old-fashioned biscuits
and gravy. Its organic produce is all farm-to-table, as the place
owns Goatfell Farm in upstate New York’s Catskills region, so you
can bet the side of kale with your grits and eggs is the best you
can get. For something hearty, Amy’s brioche French toast with
Vermont maple syrup or the country-ham biscuit (also straight from
the farm) with homemade fig jam and Grafton cheddar are guaranteed
crowd pleasers. The minimalist space is as Brooklyn as it gets, so
come here to fuel up for a day of shopping around the neighbourhood
or before setting up shop at a nearby co-working space.
restaurant
Buvette
West Village
The absolute cosiest of breakfast options, Buvette is every West
Village local’s hideaway. This bistro has a bar, small tables and
an adorable terrace to stop by with friends for a quick bite or to
while away the hours with a good book. The French menu is
appropriately tiny, with a few classic egg dishes as well as
Belgian waffles and a croque madame topped with gruyère. In typical
French style, almost everything is sourced from local bakeries,
cheesemongers and farms close to the city so each dish is at its
freshest. Coming here for early-morning breakfast is key, as brunch
time can get hectic and often requires queueing.
restaurant
Clinton St Baking Co. & Restaurant
East Village
While snagging a table at Clinton St for a weekend brunch is
next to impossible, getting weekday breakfast here is the way to
go. This isn’t the place to come for a healthy bowl, though –
whether you’re prepping for a big day of walking around the city or
having a fun morning out with your flatmates, it’s a must-try in
the city for anyone with a sweet tooth. The brioche French toast
with caramelised bananas and buttery roasted pecans is the best
we’ve ever had, and we also highly recommend the buttermilk biscuit
sandwich or the chicken and waffles. If you’re here, order big or
go home.
restaurant
The Bean
East Village
While this branch of The Bean is not a table-service restaurant,
it has one of the most extensive lists of juices, smoothies and
bowls (with options for açaí, pitaya, coconut and green bases along
with plenty of toppings) in the city. For something more
substantial, there is a massive selection of baked goods including
lemon poppy seed scones, cinnamon coffee cake muffins and bagels.
This is the perfect place to start the day, and a great spot to get
some work done if you have your laptop in tow.