By Morgan O'Connor
Bay Area Breakfast Restaurants
The
San Francisco Bay Area is home to some amazing food. From the understated elegance of Berkeley's Chez Panisse to the taco trucks on the streets of San Francisco, the area offers delicious food to suit every taste. Your breakfast options in the area range from French food to typical American breakfast fare.
La Note
If you're in the East Bay and craving French food for breakfast, visit La Note in downtown Berkeley. The indulgent breakfast options include French toast filled with a chocolate hazelnut spread then topped with powdered sugar, cinnamon brioche soaked in orange water batter then fried and topped with lavender honey, and lemon gingerbread pancakes served with poached pears. If you're looking for something less sweet, try the potato and caramelized onion omelet served with potatoes or two eggs any style served with home fries and merguez sausage.
La Note
2377 Shattuck Ave.
Berkeley, CA 94704
(510) 843-1535
lanoterestaurant.com
Jimmy Bean's
Another East Bay option is Jimmy Bean's, a sister restaurant of the famous Lalime's. The breakfast offerings are creative American fare. Try the smoked salmon scramble with cream cheese and chives, the chorizo sausage scramble with salsa fresca and cheddar cheese or the mushroom and goat cheese omelet, all served with home fries, three sauces and your choice of toast. You also can choose from classic favorites such as blueberry pancakes, homemade waffles and two eggs with chicken apple sausage, home fries and toast.
Jimmy Bean's
1290 6th St.
Berkeley, CA 94710-1402
(510) 528-3435
jimmybeans.com
Brenda's French Soul Food
Great French food isn't limited to the East Bay. Brenda's French Soul Food, located in the Civic Center district of San Francisco, serves up some tasty French and Creole cuisine. Try a beignet stuffed with your choice of chocolate, Granny Smith apples and cinnamon honey butter, or crawfish, scallions and cheddar cheese. If you want eggs, try the andouille and cheddar omelet with cheddar cheese, scallions and sauce piquant or the gulf shrimp and goat cheese omelet with caramelized onions and topped with tomato bacon relish. Of course, no French breakfast spot is complete without French toast---here it's topped with a toasted pecan sauce.
Brenda's French Soul Food
652 Polk St.
San Francisco, CA 94102
(415) 345-8100
frenchsoulfood.com
Squat and Gobble Café and Creamery
The Haight-Ashbury district is a popular part of San Francisco among residents and tourists alike. If you're spending the morning here, visit the Squat and Gobble Café and Creamery, located near the corner of Haight and Ashbury. The cuisine includes huevos rancheros, an eggless tofu scramble with various mushrooms sautéed in peanut sauce and a dish called "Triple Gobble"---eggs, buttermilk pancakes and either bacon, ham or chicken apple sausage. If you're really in a San Francisco mood, try one of the omelets named after various San Francisco districts.
Squat and Gobble Café and Creamery
1428 Haight St.
San Francisco, CA 94117
(415) 864-8484
squatandgobble.com
Resources
About the Author:
Morgan O'Connor has been writing professionally since 2005. Her experience includes articles on various aspects of the health-insurance industry for health-care newsletters distributed to hospitals as well as articles on both international and domestic travel.
Photo Credits:
golden gate bridge image by Ian Duggan from <a href='http://www.fotolia.com'>Fotolia.com</a>
