We round up the metro's best breakfasts and brunches, from gloriously greasy diners to chef-driven cafes, to satisfy your morning hunger pangs.

October 2009

Ah, breakfast! Our day’s first meal is innocent and uncomplicated, our palates so fresh that a steaming bowl of steel-cut oats tastes great. Breakfast is reliable. It’s quick, cheap, democratic. Communal newspapers, friendly servers,bottomless coffee, and easy banter with the grill guy figure big.

In our roundup we sought places that offered cooked breakfast and left out the mochaccino palaces and bakeries (which we rated a year ago; read it at mspmag.com/features/dining/bakeriesrising). All serve real breakfasts to nourish your day and do it seven days a week, unless otherwise noted. My personal favorites are designated “Beth’s Pick.”

--By Beth Dooley | Photographs by Craig Bares