A plate set in the morning sunlight, filled with three waffles, two sunny side up eggs, and a pile of bacon. — Waffles, bacon, and eggs from the Joint.

12 Essential Breakfast Spots Around Boston

Start the day right here

by Erika Adams Updated Oct 2, 2023, 10:08am EDT

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Waffles, bacon, and eggs from the Joint.

| Erika Adams/Eater Boston

by Erika Adams Updated Oct 2, 2023, 10:08am EDT

Put away that sad, burnt toast and lukewarm coffee: The restaurants on this list take the first meal of the day very seriously. Crisp waffles, buttery grits, and pillowy egg yolk buns abound in and around Boston. While some of the spots also do weekend brunch, these 12 restaurants were chosen with weekday breakfast in mind — the doors open early, service is prompt, and the hearty breakfast fare is top-notch.

Looking for a leisurely weekend brunch spot instead? Check out some top options in and around Boston here. Only eat breakfast sandwiches in the morning? Head right this way.

Sofra Bakery & Cafe

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The daytime sibling to citywide Mediterranean favorites Oleana and Sarma, Sofra is the place to go for sweet and savory Lebanese, Turkish, and Greek fare just after sunrise. The shakshuka is excellent, as is the Turkish-style breakfast with soft-boiled egg, feta, and veggies, and the asure, a flavorful pudding made with chickpeas, milk, rose water, and apple butter. And yes, the correct move is ordering one of every breakfast pastry to go.

1 Belmont St, Cambridge, MA 02138

(617) 661-3161

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Flour Bakery + Cafe

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Flour is a breakfast mainstay around Boston. This Central Square spot is one of ten locations where they are churning out consistently good egg sandwiches and a standout baked French toast made with focaccia, dusted in powdered sugar, and drizzled in maple syrup. Or, assemble an entire breakfast at the pastry case. Start at the stacks of ham and cheese croissants and don’t miss the homemade pop-tarts.

190 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02139

(617) 225-2525

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A sandwich stuffed with egg, tomato, and arugula sitting on a white plate near a windowsill. — Flour’s breakfast sandwich.

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Great Taste Bakery & Restaurant

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From the sausage rolls to the molten egg yolk buns, Great Taste knows how to produce an unbeatable breakfast spread. It’s hard to go wrong on the menu, but be sure to nab the fried turnip cakes, custard rolls, and any of the sweet or savory buns.

63 Beach St, Boston, MA 02111

(617) 426-8899

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Café Sauvage

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Parisian bistro Café Sauvage is a newer spot in Back Bay and, on the weekends, it's an extremely tough time to get a table at brunch time. Opt instead for a weekday breakfast, and dig into croque madames, crepes, and omelets with either coffee or cocktails depending on how the day ahead is looking.

25 Massachusetts Ave, Boston, MA 02115

(857) 277-0075

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Two slices of toasted bread with ham and cheese in the middle and a sunny side up egg on top. A small salad of lettuces is on the side of the plate. — The croque madame at Café Sauvage.

The Friendly Toast

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The Friendly Toast is a reliably weird and wonderful place to hang out for breakfast. The restaurant originated in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and has since brought its scrambled egg rolls, hash brown bowls, and doughnut breakfast sandwiches to six locations in Massachusetts, including this nearly eight-year-old Back Bay spot.

35 Stanhope St, Boston, MA 02116

(617) 456-7849

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Charlie's Sandwich Shoppe

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Sure, “sandwich” is right there in the name, but don’t let that fool you into thinking Charlie’s is just a lunch destination. Swing by to start your day with crisp-edged stacks of griddle cakes topped with your choice of goodies like walnuts, bananas, and cranberries. The generous banana bread French toast is a must-try, too. If savory is more your style, find plenty of omelets and breakfast sandwiches on the menu.

429 Columbus Ave, Boston, MA 02116

(617) 536-7669

A plate with two blueberry pancakes on a red table. — Blueberry pancakes at Charlie’s Sandwich Shoppe.

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Milkweed

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Like other spots on this list, Milkweed is typically overrun during weekend brunch hours, but diners will find a much more relaxed atmosphere during the weekday breakfast window. Take advantage of the relative quiet to linger over shakshuka, steak and cheese egg scrambles, and dutch baby pancakes topped with blueberry compote and strawberries. The restaurant’s grilled “love muffins,” topped with a generous scoop of butter, may taste more like dessert than breakfast, but an order isn’t complete without one.

1508 Tremont St, Boston, MA 02120

(617) 516-8913

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A chocolate muffin sliced in half with butter melting on top. — That gorgeous grilled muffin. The flavors change frequently; here, it’s chocolate.

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Soleil

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Southern-inflected breakfast spot Soleil in Roxbury is a must-stop for salmon cakes served with a creamy, unfortunately-not-bottomless remoulade, crispy smashed potatoes, buttery grits, and more, all orchestrated by acclaimed Boston chef Cheryl Straughter.

2306 Washington St, Boston, MA 02119

(617) 541-9000

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A plate of breakfast food sits on a red serving tray with a cup of light pink remoulade to spread on the salmon cakes. — Scrambled eggs, salmon cakes, potatoes and toast from Soleil.

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The Joint

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The breakfast menu at the Joint is full of the usual suspects — pancakes, waffles, huevos rancheros — but the restaurant shines in the execution. Sure, it’s pancakes, but these are fluffy, buttermilk beauties with just a touch of crispiness around the edges. The fist-sized, golden brown Belgian waffles, served alone or topped with fried chicken, are a crowd-pleaser too.

605 Centre St, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130

(617) 477-3197

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A blue plate filled with waffles, bacon, two eggs, and a side cup of syrup. — Waffles, bacon, and sunny-side-up eggs at the Joint.

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McKenna's Cafe

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McKenna’s Cafe is a decades-old Dorchester institution that knows its way around a solid breakfast. Diners are spoiled for choice here, from the Irish breakfast with black and white pudding to the breakfast burritos, egg sandwiches, and 15 — yes, 15 — different types of omelets.

107-109 Savin Hill Ave, Dorchester, MA 02125

(617) 825-8218

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Blue Mountain Jamaican Restaurant

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Blue Mountain is one of the city’s top destinations for classic Jamaican breakfast fare, including ackee and saltfish, and callaloo, a flavorful mix of stewed greens. Pair any order with banana porridge and a couple of flaky patties to round out the meal.

884 Morton St, Boston, MA 02126

(617) 533-7255

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One 2019 Restaurant Opening to Know in Every Boston Neighborhood

Rubato

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This stylish, welcoming Hong Kong-style cafe has just about everything one needs for a satisfying start to the day. Dip crunchy you tiao, or fried dough, into housemade soy milk and grab a spam-and-egg bolo bao for a quick, delicious meal. For savory breakfast fans, the bowl of rice rolls with cubes of tender brisket is one of the finest ways to start the day.