The best breakfast spots in Los Angeles

Walter and Margarita Manzke's Californian-French eatery offers an artisan breakfast menu on both weekdays and weekends (a word of warning: the late morning brunch scene gets particularly intense). Years in, the ever-changing pastry selection and now-iconic dishes like the ricotta toast topped with seasonal fruit and wildflower honey never fail to please—and a weekday breakfast here is one of the quieter ways to experience one of the best restaurants in the city. As you take in the space's high ceilings and faux-rustic charms, don’t forget the legacy of it all: Built in 1929, the building first served as Charlie Chaplin's office before becoming home to the late Mark Peel and Nancy Silverton's Campanile—so those Benedicts and croissants come with a side of history.

No detail goes unaccounted for at Destroyer, where otherworldly presentation and high-quality ingredients combine for the most aesthetically pleasing breakfast (and brunch) in town. Helmed by Jordan Kahn, the same critically acclaimed chef behind nearby Michelin-starred Vespertine, the pricey, counter service-style daytime café draws crowds on late weekend morning, but arrive early or come on a weekday to slather house-cultured butter with seasonal jam on their Icelandic seeded rye bread or dig into the avocado confit—Destroyer’s truly high-fashion take on avocado toast. While the menu hasn’t changed much in recent years, I found on a recent visit that signatures like the yogurt and blueberries and the housemade pastries were as good as ever.

The longtime 101 Coffee Shop now has a fresh coat of paint, a well-stocked pastry case and the same old-school fare in the care of Zack Hall and the team behind Clark Street Bakery, and that's exactly how we like it. Unlike a true greasy spoon, the no-frills breakfast food is carefully cooked and seasoned—meaning you'll have a delicious morning meal here, every time, plus access to some of the city's finest pastries. For more casual counter service, head to the Clark Street outposts in Echo Park and Brentwood, where you can enjoy fried egg sandwiches and housemade bagels with lox in a quicker, more takeout-friendly patio setting.

With locations in Culver City, Woodland Hills, Pico-Robertson and soon-to-open Beverly Hills, Alexander Phaneuf and Or Amsalam's once-tiny bakery focused on naturally leavened breads has grown into a best-in-class breakfast destination in its own right. The same detail-oriented baking process goes into Lodge Bread's excellent coffee cake and other pastries, as well as toasts and sandwiches, and the tea and coffee are top-notch as well. Indulge in their humongous cinnamon rolls slathered with cream cheese icing, or opt for the toast topped with ricotta and jam; for those who prefer savory over sweet, the luscious eggplant hummus with the Jerusalem bagel or a warm piece of pita will more than satisfy.

Though the ranch-to-table ethos might no longer generate as much buzz today, Salt's Cure's pancake-oriented offshoot, Breakfast by Salt's Cure, is one of the best breakfast options in the city. Head to West Hollywood and Santa Monica (as well NYC’s West Village and Brooklyn) for chef-owner Chris Phelps's effortlessly delicious griddle cakes and a casual order-at-the-counter situation, or visit the Hollywood original starting at 9am for the full-service experience. Either way, Salt's Cure has become our favorite laidback breakfast and brunch destination to keep in our back pocket—and hopefully, it'll soon be yours too.

The newer, larger second location of Vivian Ku’s beloved Silver Lake eatery offers a major menu upgrade: Taiwanese breakfast staples like purple rice fan tuan and daikon rice cakes from 8am to 11am. Luscious thousand-layer pancakes stuffed with basil and cheese, plus a smattering of other dishes from Highland Park’s Joy on York, are available as well. The Downtown outpost’s expansive open-air patio, plentiful seating and relatively central location make for a wonderful, centrally located Taiwanese breakfast—and if you arrive for a late breakfast, you can turn it into brunch as well.

If your ideal breakfast is at a greasy spoon, this cash-only diner in downtown Culver City is the place for you. Delicious, hearty dishes like biscuits and gravy and country fried steak are most people’s go-to orders here, though you’d be equally as happy with one of their platter-sized pancakes generously studded with chocolate chips or blueberries. Plus, unlike most other breakfast and brunch restaurants in town, S&W’s retro ambience and everyday crowd dials way, way back on the tryhard L.A. vibes, making this locals’ only spot our favorite place to let our hair down before 2pm.

For the past 40 years, John O'Groats has offered the best no-frills breakfast and lunch on the Westside, plus some of the best biscuits, fried chicken and fish and chips in town. Weekend morning waits can get hectic, but the friendly staff and generally relaxed crowd of families and locals keep the process of dining at this beloved daytime eatery from feeling far less stressful as some others on this list. Everything is simple and made with care, but what we like best of all is the utter lack of pretension on display here, every day of the week.

Known and locally renowned for its affordable Taiwanese breakfast menu, Huge Tree Pastry is a no-frills spot in a Monterey Park strip mall that offers several excellent budget-friendly dishes, including fantuan: bundles of sweet purple or white wrapped around scrambled egg, fried youtiao (cruller doughnuts), pork floss and pickles. You can also find scallion pancakes, pan-fried radish cakes, baked sesame bread and full-sized youtiao, which are perfect for dipping into a cup of steaming hot soymilk (available in both sweet or salty). Note: Cash only.

This former pop-up has found a semi-permanent home as a takeout window operating out of Dada, an upscale Echo Park grocery store, restaurant and bar. While the signature crispy fish sandwich inspired by McDonald’s Filet-O-Fish and other items make for a solid lunch if you find yourself in the area, where chef-owners Anna Sonenshein and Niki Vahle truly distinguish themselves with their breakfast items. Available until 11am on the days Little Fish is open, the menu consists of two mouthwatering congees (one made with striped bass, the other vegetarian); a classic breakfast sandwich that uses Lowry Hill Provisions ham; a Bub and Grandma’s smoked fish tartine; pillowy cottage cheese pancakes served with sour cream and housemade jam; and a whimsical shrimp-based breakfast sausage sandwich served on coconut bread sourced from Silver Lake’s Café Tropical.

For almost four decades, this Inglewood eatery has served the South L.A. neighborhood heaping breakfast platters, plus daily specials like smothered oxtails (Wednesdays) and chittlins (Fridays and Saturdays). While the wait for a table can climb up to an hour on weekends, early mornings and weekdays are generally a less chaotic way to enjoy the Serving Spoon’s old-school French toast with fried chicken or one of their combination breakfast plates. Slide into one of the diner’s red leather booths or take a seat at one of the wooden stools at the counter—there’s nothing like a hearty, old-school breakfast to start the day.

On the far end of West Hollywood, June Intrachat’s modern Thai restaurant quietly serves one of the only Thai breakfast offerings in town, and it’s even offered all day. Highlights of the breakfast and lunch menu includes khao kai jiew (Thai ground chicken omelet) rice bowl and the “It’s a Joke,” Intrachat’s signature rice porridge. For a Thai take on your average breakfast skillet, order the kai-kata—a flavorful, savory blend of fried eggs, lap cheong sausage and ground chicken topped with green onions and served with a side of sliced baguette.

This casual Hong Kong-style café in San Gabriel and Rowland Heights serves an affordable Chinese breakfast menu (available 8–11am) that includes congee with various toppings and a few variations on cheung fun (steamed rice rolls), which come to your table soft, velvety and ready to be doused with sweet soy sauce. Wake yourself up with Hong Kong-style milk tea or coffee and an extra helping of carbs in the form of soy sauce chow mein or a sugary pineapple bun. Just know that we don’t recommend coming here with more than six; unlike Chinese banquet-style dining rooms, the tiny no-frills space isn’t particularly suitable for large groups.

One of the best examples of Googie architecture still in existence, this iconic diner offers one of the city’s best all-day breakfasts, and the high-quality service has kept morning crowds thick since it first opened in 1958. While also convenient for travelers flying in and out of LAX, a meal here is a chance to step into a piece of L.A. history. Plus, their plates of fried chicken and waffles rival the best in the city, and the hearty portions are just right to make sure you stay full, no matter how long your flight.

Angelenos in the know flock to this neighborhood coffee shop in Historic Filipinotown, where owner Naomi Shim's pastry skills and cooking prowess transform your standard coffee-and-a-pastry into a full-fledged artisan breakfast experience. While their Instagram is full of limited-run seasonal creations like tomato danishes and passionfruit fruit pie, you can always depend on their all-day menu of heartier breakfast fare, like the braised pork shoulder-based Doubtless Burrito and the seven-grain pancakes topped with apple verjus and maple cinnamon butter.

One of the Westside's finest breakfast and brunch spots, Huckleberry offers straightforward farm-to-table plates like a fruit-studded porridge bowl and a breakfast bowl topped with housemade chorizo. If you're in the mood for umami, it's hard to go wrong with the fried egg sandwich that features the trinity of gruyere cheese, Niman Ranch bacon and housemade aioli on country toast. Both the crowds and menus thin on weekdays, but you'll also get a chance to breathe at this Santa Monica stalwart while still enjoying equally delicious breakfast food.

Located kitty-corner from Gold's Gym, you can usually spot this upmarket deli and bakery in Venice from the brunch line snaking out the door on weekend mornings. Unlike sister restaurant Gjelina on nearby Abbot Kinney, Gjusta opens daily at 7am, meaning early risers and weekday visitors can indulge in one the city's best (and most expensive) breakfast meals here with little to no wait for a table. The pastries never fail to deliver, and the gourmet breakfast menu is all-around consistent, from a gourmet ham and egg sandwich with Gruyere and spicy harissa ketchup to the honey-drizzled almond butter toast on sprouted rye bread.

Every day of the week, this no-frills café with locations in Pasadena and Silver Lake serves generously portioned breakfast and lunch plates. While you’ll find the Silver Lake location packed with locals nursing their hangovers on late weekend mornings, Millie’s is also one of the neighborhood’s most dependable weekday breakfast joints, with quick service, homemade granola and an array of messes and scrambles that will help you get your life together whether you’re on the way to work or trying your best to sober up after a long night out on the town.

For those who consider burritos the platonic ideal of breakfast food, this colorful blue-and-white café offers one of the city's finest new-school iterations. Stuffed with smoked potatoes and your choice of protein (we like the meaty chorizo, or the Bludso's hot link), each one is filling, rich and flavorful—the perfect contrast to the zing of Cofax's housemade salsa that comes on the side. Located on the streetwear-heavy stretch of Fairfax, the original storefront has just a few seats available, but a roomier second location in Culver City offers a tad few more tables for dining in.

The throwback Eagle Rock diner serves cage-free eggs in various forms: scrambled with smoked salmon and roasted beets, folded into herbaceous mushroom omelets or—maybe the best way—any way you want, alongside house-made sausage. Belly up to the breakfast counter or grab a cozy booth for a hot cup of coffee along with buttermilk pancakes, Belgian waffles and thick-cut French toast, which are available all-day at this cheerful neighborhood gem.

From Marilyn Monroe to Bad Bunny, the downstairs coffee counter at the Beverly Hills Hotel has seen and served them all—and while the classic diner fare isn’t anything special, the Pink Palace’s Hollywood history and old-school feel of the place have long made the Fountain Coffee Room a great place for a destination-worthy L.A. breakfast. In the morning, you can’t go wrong with the famous silver dollar pancakes or a classic eggs Benedict, but locals also swear by the faithful array of no-frills sandwiches and salads well past breakfast time.