The 100 best dishes and drinks in Los Angeles 2015: Breakfast and brunch

Born in Santa Barbara, Backyard Bowls made its way to Beverly Boulevard this year with a sleek, minimalstic design and fantastic acai bowls. It's not just that the sizeable bowls are well worth the money you'll be spending on them, but that the mangoes taste like they've been plucked straight from the trees, the bananas are always perfectly ripe, and the blended acai is consistently creamy. $8.95-$14.95. - Erin Kuschner

This apple sausage omelet may sound strange, but it’s one of the best items at Rod’s. Sweet apple chunks and spicy sausage are folded into a golden omelet and topped with a massive layer of Jack cheese. Put simply, it’s hangover food at its finest. $9.95. - Erin Kuschner

For most of us, shakshuka is inherently delicious, but this Mediterranean staple at Bowery Bungalow has the added special ingredient of basturma, a ridiculously seasoned and air-dried cured beef. Every bite is packed with flavor and what can only be described as “zing.” $12. - Jakob Layman

Fighting the brunch crowds at Blu Jam Café, which has locations in Sherman Oaks, Hollywood and Woodland Hills, requires a special kind of patience. Thankfully, the Florentine Benedict here makes up for it. A pair of expertly poached eggs sit on an English muffin, topped with fresh spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, mushrooms and Brie cheese, and a generous helping of hollandaise seeps onto a neighboring pile of roasted potatoes—though, they can always be swapped out for fruit if you're already feeling guilty enough. $13.95. - Erin Kuschner

This new, Instagram-friendly coffee shop (seriously, try not taking photos of the patterned floor) offers robust coffee from Heart Coffee Roasters, but it's the quiche with Brie and leeks that won us over. The filling is so light that it's like sliding your fork into custard, and a hefty helping of pepper balances the Brie's sweet aftertaste. $6. - Erin Kuschner

Among the many reasons why weekend crowds continually congregate here for breakfast and brunch: the corned beef hash Benedict. This dish swaps the English muffin for a bed of corned beef hash, a mix of meat, potatoes and spices for a stick-to-your-ribs base. Two hollandaise-drenched poached eggs top the hash, while a solid helping of potatoes leaves you wondering if maybe the yogurt and fruit would have been a healthier choice. Just kidding. $12.50. - Erin Kuschner

We tried Belle's Bagels—which you can order online and pick up from La Perla Bakery—at this year's Eastside Food Festival, and now we can't stop thinking about them. Rolled by hand, the goods are made fresh daily, and include traditional picks like this Ras el Hanout bagel topped with labne (strained yogurt), pistachios, pomegranate, date molasses and olive oil. Prices vary. - Erin Kuschner

The breakfast tacos aren't always on the menu at the Anchor, but when they are, we'd advise you to order them pronto. Sometimes they come with scrambled eggs and chorizo; sometimes they come with huge chunks of lobster; but they're always equipped with a sprinkling of cilantro and a side of dipping sauce. Pair it with a mimosa for the best way to start your weekend. $11. - Erin Kuschner

This bright and airy Spanish cafe in Woodland Hills serves breakfast all day long, which is perfect because we could eat the patatas bravas for lunch, too. The dish is a stick-to-your-bones delight, with cubed and lightly fried potatoes covered in sweet chorizo, serrano ham, a mildly spicy brava sauce and aioli. A sunny-side-up egg tops the dish, bringing the whole thing together. $13. - Erin Kuschner

Seats are hard to come by on weekends at this new breakfast and brunch spot from Ludo Lefebvre, Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo—so if you can get here during a weekday, do it. The poached egg here comes buried in potato mousseline (think: the creamiest mashed potatoes you've ever had) and chorizo jam, and topped with marigold flowers. It's well worth the wait. $10.85. - Erin Kuschner

You just braved a 45-minute line to get brunch at Sqirl on a Saturday morning, now it’s time to reward yourself with our favorite weekly special on the menu. Every ingredient in this dish, from the biscuit to the poached egg, makes an impact on its own, but put them together and smother it all in gravy and you’ve got yourself a religious experience. $14. - Jakob Layman

Lincoln is a champion of savory bowls, but the best one at this Pasadena cafe is their breakfast version, made with white beans, fennel sausage, onion and a poached egg atop a bed of greens. The best part? You can get it any time of day, which you'll definitely want to. $10. - Erin Kuschner

This roving bagel truck is not only making some of the best bagels in Los Angeles, but they're making some of the best breakfast sandwiches to boot. The Game Over is a cheddar bagel stuffed with scrambled eggs, bacon, sliced tomato, beer cheese and jalapeno spread, though you'll want to add some sliced up avocado, too. Be prepared to wait a solid 15-20 minutes after ordering—everything, including those scrambled eggs, are made to order. $8. - Erin Kuschner