As the sun's rays shine through the swaying palm trees and sweet-smelling jasmine flowers and the morning fog slowly disappearing, Angelenos love starting their weekend by sipping expertly foamed cappuccinos at sidewalk cafes or linger over spicy Bloody Marys. The combination of perfect weather and abundant morning dining options makes Los Angeles a premier breakfast destination. So it’s no wonder a recent study by LoveHolidays ranked our city among the top three in the nation for breakfast and brunch.
While New York and Las Vegas edged us out of the number one and two spots, Los Angeles earned its bronze medal through ample dedicated breakfast joints, coffee shops, bakeries, and – most importantly – quality, inventive morning fare celebrated on over 200,000 annual social media posts. As Angelenos, this comes as no surprise. We actively seek out the best places to kickstart our days, with LoveHolidays recording over 25,500 local searches for beloved breakfast havens. From Jewish delis serving bagels and lox to Mexican cafes dishing up huevos rancheros to farm-to-table eateries featuring avocado toast with petite greens, Los Angeles offers endless morning meal options to satisfy every craving. Some of our top spots are:
- Sqirl - This trendy spot on Virgil Ave is renowned for its innovative jams, creative toast options like the beloved sorrel pesto rice bowl, and iconic ricotta toast with house-made jam.
- Cofax Coffee - A cozy cafe in the Fairfax district serving excellent coffee and breakfast fare like the hearty breakfast burrito and flavorful chilaquiles.
- Petit Trois - An intimate French eatery by Vinny Dotolo and Jon Shook featuring decadent pastries like the famed chocolate fresh brioche and savory classics like omelettes and croque monsieurs.
- Millie's Cafe - A longstanding Silver Lake staple dishing up comforting basics like fluffy pancakes, overstuffed breakfast burritos, and perfectly crispy home fries in a casual retro diner setting.
- Destroyer - A bright, hip daytime spot in Culver City plating colorful dishes like the charred avocado toast, egg sandwiches on housemade English muffins, and buckwheat crepes with seasonal toppings.
The study methodology speaks to locals’ passion for starting our days off right. LoveHolidays analyzed factors such as search volume for breakfast restaurants, dedicated morning dining establishments, bakeries, coffee shops, average coffee prices, and social media chatter specific to breakfast and brunch. Out of the 35 largest cities in the nation, Los Angeles ranked third overall – affirming our status as a premier morning food destination across measures.
While other cities may boast more bakeries, Los Angeles has over 175 spots offering fresh croissants, muffins, and pastries to kick off our days. From small mom-and-pop shops baking artisanal sourdough loaves to European-style patisseries churning out decadent chocolate croissants, we have no shortage of sweet and savory baked goods options. Pair this with 2,403 dedicated breakfast and brunch restaurants and 310 coffee shops concocting expertly crafted caffeine beverages, and we lead the nation when it comes to the abundance and variety of morning dining establishments.
This extensive range of eateries makes sense, considering Los Angeles’ immense culinary diversity. As a city celebrated for fusing global flavors and pioneering inventive new dishes, it seems only natural that our breakfast and brunch menus also stand out. Whether you crave Chinese congee or Taiwanese soupy pancakes, Guatemalan huevos or Costa Rican gallo pinto, Persian kuku sabzi frittata or Moroccan shakshouka baked eggs, you can find it all here fresh each morning.
The LoveHolidays ranking speaks not only to the creativity of local chefs pushing boundaries with global morning flavors but also to Los Angeles’ classic breakfast fare done right. From the fluffiest buttermilk pancakes drizzled with maple syrup to braised short rib hash with perfectly poached eggs, we know how to nail the comforting morning meals that keep customers coming back. Our iconic sunny-side-up eggs with roasted tomatoes and toasted sourdough can hold their own against ANY big-city rivals.
While prices remain affordable relative to other metropolises, don't mistake reasonable costs for lack of quality. Angelenos can sip expertly sourced, roasted, and prepared coffee from world-class baristas without breaking the bank, with LoveHolidays reporting average cup prices around $4.42. A small price to pay for the skilled roasters and talented latte artists continuing to elevate LA’s bustling café culture.
The LoveHolidays breakfast index ultimately proves what locals feel intrinsic: Los Angeles provides an atmosphere for starting off each new day that is second to none nationwide. As we fire up the espresso machine, watching the morning marine layer give way to bright blue skies outside, prepare to dig into a Meyer lemon ricotta pancake stack while sunlight filters through the blooming jasmine...what’s not to love about breakfast in LA? We confidently predict our city will move up in next year’s breakfast rankings with inventive new dishes from over 2,400 dedicated morning restaurants. After all, the early bird gets the worm – and plenty of acclaim when delivering top-notch morning meals.
