15 Best Breakfast Spots from Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives

Scroll For More Photos

1 / 16

House-Cured Ham with Redeye Gravy — Lake Effect Diner (Buffalo, NY)

The owners here pride themselves in the lengthy processes that go into their food. The ham is house-cured — a process that starts days before it's served — and served with homemade redeye gravy.

More About

2 / 16

Nectarine Scones — W.O.W. - Worth Our Weight (Santa Rosa, Calif.)

Made daily by volunteers, nectarine scones are a staple here. With fresh nectarines and a soft, crumbly texture, they'll be your new favorite breakfast pastries.

More About

3 / 16

Pancakes — Grampa's Bakery & Restaurant (Dania Beach, Fla.)

Even though it started as a small bakery, Grampa's has turned into a full-fledged restaurant, serving up some of the area's favorite pancakes — always made from scratch.

More About

4 / 16

Homemade Biscuits and Gravy — Ruth's Diner (Salt Lake City)

Since 1930, Ruth's has been a local staple. And part of the reason is their unforgettable biscuits, made fresh and topped with creamy homemade gravy.

More About

5 / 16

Belgian Waffle — Schooner or Later (Long Beach, Calif.)

People come from all over to try Schooner or Later's breakfast, especially this monstrous Belgian waffle with bananas, strawberries, blueberries and whipped cream.

More About

6 / 16

Huevos Rancheros with Pulled Pork and Pico de Gallo — W.O.W. - Worth Our Weight (Santa Rosa, Calif.)

It might be easy to find huevos rancheros on your local spot's breakfast menu, but it probably doesn't come with housemade pulled pork on the side. Pair that with fresh pico de gallo and you've got a breakfast worth getting out of bed for.

More About

7 / 16

Maple Bacon Donut — Nickel Diner (Los Angeles)

While everything at Nickel Diner is made from scratch, nothing catches your eye quite like their Maple Bacon Donut. The glaze has maple syrup in it, and the whole creation is topped off with crispy bacon.

More About

8 / 16

Breakfast Pork Chops — Matt's Big Breakfast (Phoenix)

There's no freezer in the kitchen here, so everything is made with fresh ingredients — including their famous chops for breakfast. The meat is marinated in basil pesto and is served with classic breakfast fixings.

More About

9 / 16

Waffles and Bacon — Matt's Big Breakfast (Phoenix)

When a place serves only breakfast, you know they have to have a killer waffle. The batter is mixed by hand, and the finished product comes out piping hot with butter and warm maple syrup — the real kind.

More About

10 / 16

Chipped Beef — Mustache Bill's Diner (Barnegat Light, NJ)

Bill Smith has been serving the same things for 35 years: "It's every basic — but it's every basic done the best it can be done." That includes his chipped beef over rye, which is a local favorite that's made in-house.

More About

11 / 16

Grits and Grillades—Louie & The Redhead Lady (Mandeville, La.)

It might not sound like something off of a breakfast menu, but grits and grillades (veal patty) is actually a very traditional start to the day in Louisiana. With slow-cooked gravy on top and smooth grits on the bottom, it's a "breakfast that eats like dinner," according to Guy.

More About

12 / 16

Cyclops — Mustache Bill's Diner (Barnegat Light, NJ)

The original Mustache Bill is still working the kitchen after starting at age 14. His specialty is the Cyclops — a traditional pancake with an egg in the middle. Per his standards, the dish doesn't get served if the yolk is broken.

More About

13 / 16

Guy-Shaped Pancake — Mustache Bill's Diner (Barnegat Light, NJ)

In case you want to get a little creative with your breakfast, Bill will make you a custom pancake, freehand on the grill. For Triple D, it was this Guy-shaped pancake, but you can request whatever design you're in the mood for.

More About

14 / 16

Schultzy's Mess—Schooner or Later (Long Beach, Calif.)

As one patron describes it, Schultzy's Mess is "everything you want in a breakfast, thrown on a plate, ready to roll." It includes potatoes, peppers, ham, onions, eggs and cheddar cheese. Oh, and it's served with toast.

More About

15 / 16

The Jose — Al's Breakfast (Minneapolis)

It's the narrowest restaurant in Minneapolis — only 10 feet wide — but it's not skimping on flavor. The Jose is named after an old customer and includes two poached eggs, salsa and cheddar cheese on top of hash browns.

More About