Philly has no shortage of weekend brunch spots, but your options are more limited during the week. So whether you're faking a sick day, catching up with a friend who's in town, or just enjoy waking up early enough to eat a peaceful meal by yourself before enduring a stressful day at the office, here are 15 great places to know about.
If it seems like everyone's always telling you to go to Hungry Pigeon, it's probably because they are. But there's a reason everyone loves it so much, and it's because of how easy it is to stop into Hungry Pigeon at any time of the day, for any meal, and leave wanting to come back in two hours as soon as your stomach tells you it's time to eat again. The menu will be a little different anytime you come here, but their chicken sausage and seasonal dutch baby are two of the best things you can eat for breakfast in Philly. And if you're on the fence about the bread basket, trust us and order it - life's short and the sticky bun is very good.
On the weekends, Cafe Lift is packed with people still feeling the effects of the night before, waiting anxiously for a plate of cannoli french toast. But if your office is closed for the day, or you've decided to call in "sick" with "food poisoning," there's nowhere better to take advantage of the rare weekday brunch. They serve breakfast food every day until 3pm - especially important to note since they're also BYO.
Café La Maude in Northern Liberties is one of the best places you can spend a morning in Philly. This NoLibs French-Lebanese BYOB serves everything from lemon ricotta pancakes topped with poached apples and caramel sauce to brisket huevos rancheros, along with La Colombe coffee, and they do it seven days a week. On the weekend, you'll likely spend at least 45 minutes waiting for a table, so come on a random Wednesday when you're supposed to be at a "doctors appointment" instead to avoid the lines.
Commuting on Amtrak is, at the very least, better than being seated in between an arguing couple who keep exchanging passive-aggressive glances on the Megabus. So if you're forced to take an early morning Acela back from NYC and want something better than a day-old sandwich from the Pret in 30th Street Station before you head into the office, Walnut Street Cafe is your best bet. It's an all-day cafe less than five minutes from the station, and their breakfast options range from yogurt and granola to shakshuka and super thick brioche french toast.
Middle Child, a small all-day cafe in Midtown Village, is one of the rare spots that's actually crowded during weekday breakfast hours - probably because it's right across the street from Jefferson. So if you want to eat your Herschel Waker breakfast sandwich uninterrupted by people talking about how inaccurate Grey's Anatomy is or the weird feet they've seen recently, you're going to have to time your visit for right before a shift change.
The Dutch is a little neighborhood breakfast spot in Pennsport that we wish was around the corner from where we live. They serve breakfast every day until 3pm, and have a Dutch/European menu with everything from a dutch baby and omelets to a very solid Reuben. Come by during the week to avoid the long wait that plagues pretty much every brunch place within city limits, and to get one-on-one service from the friendly staff.
Sometimes breakfast just means eating a yogurt or a protein bar - something small that will give you enough energy to propel yourself from your bed to the office. But then there are other times when you wake up so hungry that your imagination runs wild with all of the weird food combinations you want to be piled on a plate in front of you. For those times, head to Honey's for latkes and their signature "Honey Cristo," made with challah french toast and ham. It's cash-only and doesn't take reservations, but during the week you shouldn't have any problem securing a table.
If for you, breakfast means a side of smoked fish and a bagel topped with a dollop of cream cheese the size of your fist, you should start your mornings at Queen Village's Famous 4th Street Deli as often as possible. You also have the option of taking your order to-go, which probably means making all of your deskmates jealous - especially when it's the morning after a company-sponsored Happy Hour.
One of the worst parts about breakfast is that it always includes making a decision between going for something sweet or something savory. Fortunately, Little Spoon's made that decision a bit simpler by splitting their menu into two columns - one with all the sweet options and another with the saltier stuff. The chilaquiles are practically breakfast nachos, the Reuben hash is unmissable, and you'll be sorry if you don't get at least one buttermilk pancake for the table. If you really can't make a decision, you can mix the two columns and get their savory cheddar and chive pancakes topped with apple whipped yogurt.
After one too many breakfasts involving overpriced avocado toast and a six-dollar latte topped with what you think might be art of a dog riding a skateboard, you need something simpler. Luckily, Fishtown has Sulimay's. This cash-only diner on Girard feels stuck sometime in the 1970s and serves classic breakfast dishes like chicken and waffles (topped with poached eggs and hollandaise) and more inventive things like PB&J french toast.
Some mornings you wake up ready to conquer the world. And then there are others when the only thing you want is a plate of cheesy eggs and potatoes, served with a side of more fried things. On mornings like this, Sam's is here for you. This Bella Vista spot has been around for more than two decades, and though it's nothing fancy, the service and food are consistently great.
Unless you're really into those protein packs from Starbucks that include an egg and a few nuts, there aren't too many great weekday breakfast options around Rittenhouse Square. That's where Res Ipsa comes in. It's an all-day cafe that makes especially great breakfast sandwiches and sides of potatoes - all of which you can quickly pick up on the way to work without missing your 10am call with someone halfway around the world.
On weekends, High Street on Market is full of families taking a break between guided tours of Independence Hall and the Betsy Ross House. So, generally speaking, it's tough to get in here without at least a 45-minute wait or somehow sneaking past the hostess and pretending like you're supposed to be at this empty table. During the week, though, breakfast here is manageable, and it's worth making a pre-work trip for the breakfast sandwiches and pastries, as well as Old Bay potatoes that put standard hash browns to shame. Plus, they have a cereal milk cocktail topped with Fruity Pebbles that's probably the only acceptable excuse for drinking before noon on a weekday.
When it's nice outside, there's no better place to eat breakfast than on Front Street Cafe's back patio. They're open every morning at 7am and have a big menu that includes everything from chicken and waffle bites to white chocolate cream-stuffed french toast. If you're on more of a health kick or need somewhere to stop by for a quick bite after an early morning spin class at City Fitness next door, they also do solid acai bowls and quinoa oat porridge topped with apple compote.
Comfort & Floyd is kitschy, but the kind of kitschy that'll remind you of your second-grade classroom. There's a mural on the wall with the restaurant's name in mismatched letters, and there are children's books sitting on the windowsill. The best part about eating breakfast here during the week is that they do an Early Bird Special, which is from 7am to 9am and includes two eggs, home fries, and toast for just $5.
Whether you're looking to face-plant into some pancakes or host a birthday brunch, these are the best places in Philly for your favorite weekend meal.