The best spots for waffles in America

This Fairfax “wafflerie” shows no restraint when it comes to its liege-style waffle, towering yeasted beauties studded with Belgian pearl sugar. Light and fluffy within while crisp on the outside, the plain waffle makes an excellent breakfast or snack all on its own—but where’s the fun in that? It's better to load on plenty of high-quality toppings, such as creamy speculoos or spiced cookie spread, melted milk chocolate, sea salt caramel sauce, and, okay, fresh fruit if you want to be “healthy.”

Like much of Portland’s best food, these genre-defining waffles are served to-go from, yes, a window (you can enjoy the buttery creations at some nearby picnic tables). The liege-style waffles, adapted from a classic Belgian recipe, come sweet (crusted with pearl sugar, chocolate-dipped) or savory (with accouterments such as bacon, ham, and cheese). We adore the spicy bacon cheddar jalapeño option, a golden waffle scattered with fresh chopped peppers, draped with thick-cut bacon, showered with grated cheddar and drizzled with house-made avocado-tomatillo salsa.

Chef Andrew Curren, the genius behind local favorites Irene’s and Italic (now closed), and his team consistently deliver elevated comfort food using top-notch ingredients at this classed-up diner. Open around the clock, the restaurant serves an all-day breakfast—like any self-respecting diner should. We heartily endorse the chicken and waffles: marinated boneless, skinless fried chicken breast and thigh, glossed with brown sugar butter and drizzled with Grade A Michigan maple syrup.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Salt and Sugar Cafe and Bakery (@sscbballard)

This adorable breakfast is known for two things: fancy toasts (date jam, spinach pesto) and waffles. Happily, both items are rendered perfectly, mainly the wildly creative waffles available in flavors like the savory Washington, with baked-in pancetta, a cap of melty cheddar, plus apple butter and fresh sliced apples. We also love the sweet cobbler, scattered with fresh blueberries, homemade streusel, a dollop of whipped cream and maple syrup.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Bea Bea's (@beabeas.breakfast)

Sure, Bea Chanchaisri sells sandwiches, salads, and burgers at Bea Bea’s in Burbank. But people flood her retro dining room, which sports a '70s color scheme of brown, orange and yellow, mostly for the pancakes and waffles. They come in tried-and-true combinations, like bananas, rocky road, and strawberries, and Nutella. Or just go for the plain jane, which is anything but boring, which the menu promises (and delivers) as "an extraordinary Belgian waffle." Yes, there’s maple syrup for good measure.

This Belgian-waffle eatery, beloved for its towering Belgian-style waffles, started as a food truck back in 2007 but soon expanded to multiple locations across New York City. Now, there are even locations in Denver and at the Mall of America. Post up at the counter or a table for savory offerings like the 2nd Street Salmon Special (capers, lemon dill sour cream) and Wake Up, Grumpy (egg, bacon and cheese), or stay classically sweet by loading your waffle with toppings such as speculoos, maple syrup and strawberries. Wash them down with a cup of Belgian hot chocolate.

This Allapattah staple is a favorite among Miami brunchers and lunchers for its filling but wholesome family-friendly fare, like omelettes, french toast and a selection of sandwiches. The chocolate-dipped waffle is the way to go at breakfast and brunch: an indulgent cocoa-lacquered waffle topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and mounded with fresh whipped cream and tart strawberries. The chicken & waffle sandwich is another great (very filling) way to get your waffle fix.

This spacious Austin cafe is the perfect place to while away an afternoon with a mug of strong Counter Culture coffee, preferably on the restaurant’s leafy patio. Its creative menu is stacked with hippie-influenced but deeply delicious fare, such as an indulgent chia pudding with coconut milk and maple syrup. As for the waffle, we recommend the waffle trio, which comes with three flavors: churro with caramel drizzle, maple peanut butter and chocolate, and cream cheese with mixed berries. If you're not done there, dig into the chicken and waffles, served with honey butter, pecans, maple syrup, and powdered sugar.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Two Hands™️ (@twohandsrestaurant)

The lemon poppy seed at Two Hands waffle arrives looking so pretty you’ll want a photo of it above the mantle. Half of it is decorated in ribbons of mascarpone dotted with strawberries and edible flowers. Then little crispy wisps of the waffle jut out like fleur-de-lis on an antique picture frame. You just might feel guilty drenching it with bergamot maple syrup and taking that first bite--but trust us, you’ll be glad you did.

This classic San Francisco spot is well hidden down an alley in SoMa that you’d almost miss it—that is, if it weren’t for the scent of waffles wafting through the air and the constant crowds lined up outside the window waiting to get their fried chicken fix. Two pieces of crispy chicken and two smaller Belgian waffles make for a perfectly filling (if not slightly indulgent) weekday lunch. The good news for those who don’t want to eat chicken and waffles while sitting on a loading dock is that you can now order and eat your grub at Victory Hall & Parlor, right next door.

This homey Hollywood cafe is beloved for its huge, breezy patio, best enjoyed while sipping on The Waffle’s signature double-sized mimosas. The comforting menu offers more than a dozen varieties of sweet and savory Belgian-style waffles: choose from a milky Tres Leches waffle made with yellow cake batter, a bacon-laced Applewood Smoked variety, and more. We’re partial to the relatively simple but satisfying pecan waffle, studded with baked-in toasted pecans and topped with addictive candied pecans.

Now a well-traveled San Francisco institution, Blue Bottle started as a small, independent coffee roastery in the Bay Area in the early aughts. Today, the chain counts locations in New York, Los Angeles and Tokyo, where it brews its signature strong, fresh-roasted java. But in-the-know breakfasters flock to BB’s Ferry Building Cafe for a hot ticket item that has nothing to do with beans: the kitchen’s made-to-order caramelized Belgian waffles. Deeply burnished and buttery, they’re studded with Liege pearl sugar and go great with a cup of joe.

One Off Hospitality Group’s shrine to beer, pork and seafood puts out a stellar brunch on weekends, including one of the fluffiest, lightest waffles. It’s topped with a trio of honey butter, maple syrup and jam, like a choose-your-own-adventure waffle experience. We suggest a side of thick-cut maple-braised bacon to do The Publican's waffle right.

This storied West Loop diner has been open since 1923 and, over the decades, it has become a beloved Chicago spot known for its fresh, lovingly prepared takes on classic luncheonette fare like fluffy omelettes and griddled patty melts. At breakfast and brunch, the way to go is the Belgian-style waffle, golden-brown and made with a malted batter. We like to split the difference between sweet and savory with Lou Mitchell’s special pecan and bacon specimen, shot through with savory bacon bits and crispy nuts.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by PiNCH Kitchen+Bar (@pinchmiami)

Nestled inside a small white house on Biscayne Boulevard, Pinch Kitchen is a neighborhood gem. The waffle here is topped with the necessities: maple syrup, whipped cream and seasonal berries. If your sweet tooth is unsatisfied, follow it with the homemade baba au rhum, a buttery dark rum cake drizzled in a sweet sauce with a scoop of thyme gelato.

This perennially popular restaurant, which has several Atlanta locations, specializes in elevated Southern fare, such as fried green tomatoes with goat cheese and lump crab cakes with harissa cream. At brunch, the must-order is the malted buttermilk waffle, a towering, golden Belgian-style specimen lavished with Vermont maple syrup and nutty toasted pecans.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Walnut Café (@walnutcafeboulder)

This beloved Colorado café has served Western-influenced diner fare for over thirty years, with two locations in the Boulder area. As at any café worth its salt, the griddle options for pancakes and waffles are extensive, with creative flavors like banana walnut and blueberry cornbread. We’re partial to their seasonal waffles, such as the fall concoction topped with pecans and fresh apples and drizzled in caramel.

A compound word representing “waffles” and “Wallonia,” a southern region of Belgium, Waffallonia serves authentic liege-style yeasted waffles that are tall, golden brown and full of deep craters for sopping up toppings like whipped cream, chocolate sauce and fruit. When your sweet tooth is particularly demanding, go for a waffle sundae heaped with local Dave and Andy’s ice cream.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Early Bird Diner (@earlybirddiner)

This early-to-open, late-to-close diner is an all-day favorite in Charleston, where hungry early birds and buzzed night owls alike can load up on from-scratch Southern fare such as biscuits and gravy, shrimp and grits and country-fried steak. One of the restaurant’s most popular dishes—and deservedly so—is its exemplary chicken and waffles, a pinnacle of the form that pairs perfectly golden waffles with juicy, pecan-encrusted fried fowl, finished with a sweet-savory drizzle of honey mustard and maple syrup.