United States California Best Breakfasts in San Francisco By Ingrid Taylar Ingrid Taylar Freelance Writer Ingrid is writer/photographer covering civic and cultural issues and events in San Francisco. She also independent book researcher credited in 16 best-selling books and in four book series. TripSavvy's editorial guidelines Updated on 09/09/21 Fact checked by Michelai Graham Fact checked by Michelai Graham Michigan State University American University Michelai Graham is a technology and business reporter who has written for The Urban Institute and Scoop News. She reports for AfroTech, Lifewire, and The Plug. TripSavvy's fact-checking Close up of Eggs Benedict with liquid egg yolk and bechamel sauce, served with potato. Alexander Spatari/Getty Images Whatever your breakfast style, San Francisco has you covered. There's a type of breakfast eatery for every personality, and ample spots to choose from in most every SF district. Whether you decide on a long, lingering gourmet meal of cornmeal pancakes or banana French toast, or opt for a quick breakfast sandwich or plate of beignets to share, here are the city's best places to start your morning off right. 01 of 14 Just For You Cafe Just For You Cafe View Map Address 732 22nd St, San Francisco, CA 94107-3424, USA Get directions Phone +1 415-647-3033 Web Visit website Relocated from its Potrero Hill space to a colorful locale in SF's Dogpatch neighborhood (south of Mission Bay and Oracle Park), Just for You Cafe has long been delighting its customers with a diverse menu of breakfast eats the includes huevos rancheros, breakfast burritos, and cinnamon sugar beignets made-from-scratch. Choose from both indoor and outdoor seating, or saddle up to the counter for an old-fashioned diner-style experience. 02 of 14 Dottie's True Blue Cafe Dottie's True Blue Cafe View Map Address 28 6th St, San Francisco, CA 94103, USA Get directions Web Visit website Small, cozy, and always bustling, Dottie's is a legendary SF eatery that's just has popular as it's been since first opening at its former Jones Street location in the 1990s. There's a constant line out the door at this perennial favorite (now located along the city's Mid-Market corridor), which serves up American fare such as three-egg omelets and whole wheat buttermilk pancakes with pure maple syrup, though Guy Fieri, of "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives," says it's the grilled chili-cheddar cornbread with jalapeño jelly that truly puts Dottie's on the map. The restaurant sold to new owners in 2017 but its quality remains top caliber. 03 of 14 Zazie Zazie's Cafe View Map Address 941 Cole St, San Francisco, CA 94117, USA Get directions Phone +1 415-564-5332 Web Visit website Plan your timing right and you might score a seat in Zazie's tree-shaded backyard patio — an ideal spot for enjoying this charming bistro's French-inspired offerings. Just a few blocks south of the bustling Haight-Ashbury, Zazie breakfast menu includes numerous kinds of egg benedict, delicious gingerbread pancakes (served with Meyer lemon curd and Bosc pears), and savory Croque Monsieurs and Madames, the latter topped with a sunny-side-up egg. The restaurant is also one of the first in San Francisco to be tip-free. 04 of 14 Mama's on Washington Square Joanne Wan/Flickr/CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 View Map Address 1701 Stockton St, San Francisco, CA 94133, USA Get directions Phone +1 415-362-6421 Web Visit website Like Dottie's True Blue Cafe, Mama's in North Beach is a local institution — meaning you can expect a long breakfast line. But one that's worth it, according to the restaurant's bevy of fans, for its variety of Benedicts, French toast (including a best-seller made with house-based cranberry-orange bread), and “M'Omelette's” and a family atmosphere that Mama herself instilled here before passing in 2000. In fact, loyal patrons have been flocking to Mama's since the mid-1960s, and the corner spot attracts both locals and visitors alike. Continue to 5 of 14 below. 05 of 14 Kate's Kitchen View Map Address 471 Haight St, San Francisco, CA 94117-3505, USA Get directions Phone +1 415-626-3984 Web Visit website Wainscoted walls, tables dressed in red-vinyl cloth, and a U.S. map mural that's been overlooking diners for decades provides the atmosphere for this longtime breakfast stalwart. Tucked along Haight Street in SF's Lower Haight neighborhood (between the Upper Haight and Halley Valley), regular menu and daily chalkboard special provide a variety of start-your-day options, including the New England Flannel Hash and the French Toast Orgy, a filling plate of orange-spice french toast topped with fresh fruit, yogurt, granola, and honey. 06 of 14 Ella's Ella's American Kitchen View Map Address 590 Van Ness Ave, San Francisco, CA 94102-3227, USA Get directions Phone +1 415-441-5669 A bit off-the-beaten-path (though easily accessible by both the 43 Masonic and 1 California MUNI bus lines) in the city's Laurel Heights enclave, Ella's is known for its selection of “from-scratch” comfort cuisine and classic American dishes. Start your meal with a fresh fruit plate or some house-made sticky buns, then choose from a selection of eats that includes buttermilk waffles, a chorizo scramble, and an omelette brimming with mouthwatering bacon and cheddar cheese. Weekend brunch offers additional creative fare — like Ella's famous strawberry ricotta pancakes. 07 of 14 Eagle Cafe Eagle Cafe View Map Address Pier 39, Space A-201, San Francisco, CA 94133, USA Get directions Phone +1 415-484-1282 Web Visit website San Francisco's Eagle Cafe has an interesting and unlikely history, given its location in the heart of touristy Fisherman's Wharf. In the 1920s, the building itself was a hash house — one located along the city's northern waterfront and serving a mixed crowd of bus drivers, longshoremen, and artists. It moved to its current Pier 39 location in 1978, and today features incredible views of Alcatraz along with a breakfast menu that ranges from Salmon Benedict to Banana and Pecan French Toast. A handful of breakfast cocktails help the food go down smoother. 08 of 14 Pork Store Cafe Pork Store Cafe View Map Address 1451 Haight St, San Francisco, CA 94117-2910, USA Get directions Phone +1 415-864-6981 Web Visit website A popular greasy-spoon that's been feeding hungry patrons in the Haight for decades, the Pork Store is known for its crispy hash browns, chicken apple sausage, and drool-worthy chicken and waffles. Endless cups of coffee are also the norm, along with vegetarian and vegan options. The Pork Store has a sister restaurant on 16th Street in the Mission. Continue to 9 of 14 below. 09 of 14 Homeskillet Homeskillet View Map Address 1455 Market St, San Francisco, CA 94103-6004, USA Get directions Phone +1 415-864-0888 A casual American breakfast spot along Market Street, just east of Mid-Market, Homeskillet is the perfect stop for a quick bite or a little lingering. Order at the counter on entry from a selection of omelettes, breakfast sandwiches and double-stacked hotcakes filled with such goodies as bananas and chocolate chips, then grab a number and the staff will deliver the food directly to your table. There's plenty of people-watching out the large windows overlooking 6th Street, as well as plenty of seating for solo diners. 10 of 14 Brenda's French Soul Food Kimberly Vardeman/Flickr/CC BY 2.0 View Map Address 652 Polk St, San Francisco, CA 94102-3328, USA Get directions Phone +1 415-345-8100 Web Visit website Breakfast at Brenda's can sustain you for an entire afternoon, especially if you start your meal with a pre-entree plate of beignets to share. House favorites at this French Southern-inspired eatery (just a few blocks north of City Hall) include California's own Hangtown Fry — a scramble done up in true Brenda's style with crispy oysters and bacon — and the Shrimp & Grits topped with spicy tomato-bacon gravy. Grits, biscuits, and Bloody Marys are also par for the course here, along with a changing array of chalkboard specials. Brenda's has a sister property (Brenda's Meat and Three) in SF's NOPA neighborhood on Divisadero Street. 11 of 14 Sweet Maple Ruth Hartnup/Flickr/CC BY 2.0 View Map Address 2101 Sutter St, San Francisco, CA 94115, USA Get directions Phone +1 415-655-9169 Web Visit website Expect a line out the door — for good reason — at this relatively new neighborhood eatery in Lower Pacific Heights. Sweet Maple is known for its relaxed vibe and creative offerings: items like deep-fried Dixie bacon drizzled with Tabasco Honey sauce; syrup infused with Jack Daniels whiskey, and everything from a chicken mango melt breakfast sandwich to a selection of “Morning Pizzas.” It's a large space that's warm and welcoming, with ample indoor seating and some outside tables as well. Morning cocktails (think espresso martinis and bitter mimosas) are also on the menu. 12 of 14 Tartine Manufactory T.Tseng/Flickr/CC BY 2.0 View Map Address 595 Alabama St, San Francisco, CA 94110-1348, USA Get directions Phone +1 415-757-0007 Web Visit website An off-shoot of the iconic Tartine Bakery on Guerrero and 18th streets, the Mission's massive 5,000-square-foot Tartine Manufactory opened in August 2016 to much fanfare, and has been drawing in crowds since. It's an airy space, with plenty of windows and it's own floor-to-ceiling bread oven and a variety of serving stations — from a central counter for breakfast items to a “Grab-and-Go” station for espressos and pastries. All the food is in-season and baked goods (pain au chocolat, fruit muffins, teacakes, etc) are made fresh on the premises daily. Continue to 13 of 14 below. 13 of 14 It's Tops Coffee Shop Cyril Fluck/Flickr/CC BY 2.0 View Map Address 1801 Market St, San Francisco, CA 94103-1107, USA Get directions Phone +1 415-431-6395 Web Visit website Perhaps the closest you'll get to an East Coast diner in San Francisco, It's Tops is old-school at its best. The tiny corner space along Market Street has been serving up authentic American eats since 1935 and not much has changed, including the eatery's knotty pine walls and cherry red booths. There are '50s-filled jukeboxes on the tables, and the servers wear vintage uniforms straight out of the same era. Customers saddle up to the counter (or hold out for a booth) to dine on omelettes, waffles, and some of the best hot cakes around. Pro tip: the banana and peanut-butter pancakes are worth any wait. 14 of 14 Outerlands Naomi Yamada/Flickr/CC BY 2.0 View Map Address 4001 Judah St, San Francisco, CA 94122, USA Get directions Web Visit website Both architecturally stunning and incredibly appetizing, Outerlands completely transformed SF's beachside Outer Sunset when it first opened in 2009, bringing a warmth and coziness to the area — not to mention some of the best baked bread in town. With its reclaimed wood interior, open kitchen, and a menu made up of locally sourced organic fare that slightly expands for weekend brunch, featuring such items as Cornish chicken toast and a dutch pancake cooked in a cast iron pan, Outerlands is definitely worth the trek, and you can walk off your meal along Ocean Beach after. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Share Pin Email Tell us why! Submit Share Pin Email