The best breakfast restaurants in Chicago

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The best breakfast restaurants in Chicago

22 Best Breakfast Restaurants in Chicago for Starting the Day

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A variety of dishes at a tablePhotograph: Courtesy of Irene's

The best morning spots in Chicago will help you rise and shine with eggs, pancakes and plenty of coffee.

Friday March 8 2024

Photograph: Courtesy of Irene's

Morgan OlsenJeffy Mai

The only thing that makes getting out of bed enjoyable is breakfast—fluffy eggs, a mug of piping-hot coffee, a stack of pancakes and a pile of greasy bacon. Your mother was right: Breakfast really is the most important meal of the day. The best breakfasts in Chicago are served bright and early (usually well before the best brunches in Chicago) and available every day of the week. Many of the spots on this list also pour some of the best coffee in Chicago to help you get through that Monday-to-Friday grind (and if you're looking for something boozier, be sure to check out the finest bottomless brunches Chicago has to offer). So rise and shine with a hearty meal from the best breakfast restaurants in Chicago.

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Best breakfast in Chicago

If you're the kind of person who searches every breakfast menu for French toast, Batter & Berries is your mothership. The restaurant's world-famous recipe comes in four varieties—from caramel with candied walnuts to zesty lemon and sumac. Regulars know that the best way to order is through the French Toast Flight, which affords you a taste of each.

Despite opening at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, it didn’t take long for this Rogers Park diner to build a name for itself. Lines out the door are common occurrences, and it’s easy to see why once you sit down. The sizable menu offers something for every palate, from omelets and Benedicts to pancakes and waffles—with the option to customize each dish to your liking. If you’ve got a sweet tooth, the churro French toast is a can’t-miss.

Though Uncle Mike’s Place has been around for over three decades, favorites like longganisa, Filipino sausage, and bangus (the unofficial national fish of the Philippines) didn’t make it to the menu until around 2008. When the economic recession pushed them to innovate, owners Michael Grajewski (the Uncle Mike) and Lucie Grajewski leaned on Lucie’s Filipino heritage. Among old-school leather seats and steaming griddles, you’ll find both American and Filipino dishes, including tocino with eggs and spam and egg sandwiches.

Wildberry Pancakes & CafeWildberry Pancakes & Cafe

A bright and airy Croatian cafe, Doma is one of our favorite hidden gems in River North. You can drop by in the morning for some killer breakfast sandwiches, avocado toast, buttermilk pancakes or cevapi served with flatbread and roasted red pepper eggplant spread. And because it’s counter service and offers Wi-Fi, it’s also a great place to post up for a few hours and get some work done.

Tre KronorTre Kronor

Although it relocated across the street in 2019, Daley's is one of the oldest restaurants in the city, having been in operation since 1892. But there’s no time for this homey diner to dwell on the past—the space bustles with a mix of Woodlawn locals and University of Chicago students, especially in the mornings, when they gather for the ethereal Belgian waffles (offered with a side of juicy chicken wings), hearty Denver omelettes and warm, buttery biscuits.

Hungover rock stars, early-rising soccer moms and everybody in between seem to flock to this bright, cheery spot for fancy morning cocktails and a bite or two. Among the run-of-the-mill numbers on the menu are some dishes worth the often-very-long wait. The chocolate tower French toast—no doubt the menu’s pièce de résistance—is a creamy, luxurious pile of chocolate bread smothered in what is essentially melted banana crème brûlée. It’s definitely more dessert than breakfast, but sweet tooths won’t complain.

Chef-owner Manny Mejia, a restaurant vet who previously worked at breakfast spots like M. Henry and Marmalade, whips up globally-inspired twists on sweet and savory favorites. The eclectic menu includes options like sourdough French toast stuffed with Canadian bacon, a caprese omelet, a breakfast torta and skillets loaded with chorizo, veggies and more. A second location is in Hermosa.

With outposts in River North, Streeterville, Fulton Market, the Loop and Oak Brook, Beatrix is a reliable morning standby no matter where you wake up. And because most locations open by 7am, it's also a great option for early risers. Grab a pastry and coffee from the bakery if you're in a rush, or take a seat and enjoy heartier dishes like blackberry-topped lemon pancakes, the smashed avocado toast or spicy shakshuka. The Power Greens juice—with kale, romaine, celery, pineapple and mint—is just the boost you need to power through the week.

Been there, done that? Think again, my friend.

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Been there, done that? Think again, my friend.

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