Best Breakfast Ever - Your Favorites

[SmartCookie]

I absolutely adore Blackbird; the ambiance, the service, and the food. I have never had anything less than a stellar breakfast.

I've been more than 2 dozen times (!!).

The regular menu is incredible...the oxtail hash eggs beni is out of this world. Everything, and I mean everything, is freshly made, and the detail to even the smallest side is amazing.

Today I had a special of eggs scrambled with black trumpet mushrooms and a "soffrito" of ham, onion, and peppers. Served alongside was an amazing corn pudding that came out in 3 layers: they put a bit of squash puree in it, so the bottom was dense and sweet, the middle was creamy, and the top a crispy bit of corn bread. To bring it all together was a deeply seared broccoli raab with garlic.

Amazing!

A few weeks ago I had a special that was similar, though the scramble had smoked pork and chanterelles, with a side of potato and gruyere cake, and seared kale.

Yum!

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Blackbird Cafe
3800 Nicollet Avenue, Minneapolis, MN 55409

[NugarifiK]

San Pedro Cafe in Hudson is my go-to breakfast place. Tons of flavor in everything. The island omelette and huevos w/ chorizo are my favorites. Their ciabatta french toast is great and even better w/ fruit. Great bacon too. If you get anything outside of the french toast, get a side of the lemon habanero aioli...its amazing.

http://sanpedrocafe.com/

[L2k]

Need some b'fast options within walking distance of the Westin on 6th and Marquette. Only one I see so far here is Hell's Kitchen -- are there any other options for weekend breakfasting?

Thanks!

[baa]

I think Ike's on 6th Street is pretty good for breakfast.

[ChillyDog]

I'm never sure what is meant by "walking distance." Four blocks? A mile?

Top of mind is Haute Dish. It's about a 10 minute walk according to Google maps. A little beyond that is The Bachelor Farmer (Sunday only). Both are worth the walk.

Hell's Kitchen best meal is breakfast. Try the porridge. Try to ignore the kitsch.

[drew13000]

Key's is great. I think Manny's might do breakfast, too.

[Diana_mn]

I haven't tried it yet, but Dara Moskowitz Grumdahl had some early praise for the Belmore / New Skyway Lounge (one restaurant, two names). If I was staying at the Westin for the weekend, I'd probably give it a try.

Here was her early review: http://blogs.mspmag.com/dara/2013/01/...

[C6H8O6]

My top 5, in no particular order:

Lagos Tacos (Excelsior. My new favorite bike/refuel stop!!)
Maria's Cafe (on Franklin)
The Egg & I
Uptown Diner
Isles Bun & Coffee, thankfully a rare occasion but so good.

[shoo bee doo]

I had a wonderful breakfast yesterday morning at Firelake Grill in the Radisson downtown Minneapolis. I rarely have pork chops, but I was curious about the lightly smoked Duroc pork chop. It was totally out of this world along with red eyed gravy over a crunchy bisquit, cheesy grits, and basted eggs medium.

I was able to take half home to eat this morning and everything, including the basted egg, was just as awesome reheated.

Another wonderful thing was that it was not crowded and there was a quieter room where I could actually have a conversation with my companion. It's a little noisier near the kitchen.

The only problem with this place is you have to park in the parking ramp and it cost $5.00.

[foodiejoe]

I have to agree with the choice of Grand Cafe and add Victor's to this list. At Grand try the huevos, the Kobe corned beef hash, both benedicts, and the eggs en coquette...all stellar and service is very nice. I just noticed they have their outside patio open too. At Victors the pancakes and the pork dishes are worth waiting for. It's a small place but they do have outside tables too.

[anncolleen]

I like Blackbird too but while you are in the neighborhood you should try Grand Cafe. It is an amazing place - or several places. It is a busy, happening place on weekends, during the day but at night it is something else - soft light, good music - romantic. But the weekend brunch is simply stellar - Eggs Benedict or Huevos Rancheros are are favorites - but anything there is really special. I live nearby - eat there with regularity and have never been anything but extremely pleased. And while you are there you are right across the street from the best candy shop in town - Sugar Sugar. 38th and Grand S. in Mpls.

[bohemianclub]

The corn pancakes from Rick's Old Time Cafe were fab.

[KTFoley]

You will recognize them at Maria's Cafe on Franklin Ave.

If you really remember the decor from Rick's you will also recognize the framed & signed Maria's Fan Club notice that used to hang in Rick's ... back when she waited tables there.

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Maria's Cafe
1113 E Franklin Ave Ste 102, Minneapolis, MN 55404

[AnneInMpls]

Wow, KT - you're a restaurant resource par excellence! I remember Rick's, but didn't know that Maria worked there (I was a late-night customer). This is great TC restaurant history.

And now I'm hungry for some of Maria's corn pancakes with cotija cheese, hold the butter...

[ChillyDog]

The Food Network was at Maria's this week shooting a show.

Good for her! I'm sure it will boost business. Bad news for anyone who wants a table at prime times.

[njk]

I had forgotten about Rick's. What about Ruby's? I still dream about that giant pillowy 30 minute strawberry filled cake...

[semanticantics]

Went to Blackbird the past two weeks on the back of this post. They were nice enough to put the Black Trumpet mushrooms (I forage wild mushrooms, white button mushrooms don't do anything for me) in a frittata for me. I also had to Huevos Rancheros. Really enjoyed everything. Great breakfast.

[Db Cooper]

For cheap, nothing outdoes the all-day at Mickeys. Those hash browns fried in lard are like no other in the Twin Cities.

On the high end, no other brunch in town touches The Lake Elmo Inn in this diner's book. Huge variety all done at the highest level.

[ShinyCake]

I heartily second Bon Vie's eggs benedict. They also have excellent quiche. But they have a chronic cold-toast problem.

Citizen Cafe's eggs benedict beats Bon Vie's. The first time I had it there, it was so wonderful that I was afraid to try it again lest it not live up to its own standards. But it did. It's perfect.

[bob s]

My favorite breakfasts in the Twin Cities in no particular order.

1) Hell's Kitchen - Mahnomin porridge or Sausage Bread.
2) Maria's - Corn Pancakes or Mango Pancakes
3) Uptown Diner (or any of its siblings): Cajun breakfast or veggie Tex Mex
4) Bad Waitress - pancakes
5) Colossal Cafe - pancake
6) Edina Grill (or its siblings): Killer Banana Waffle or Salmon Scramble

These choices are for the food only. If we're talking the total experience, I'd throw in anything from Al's. I also just recently tried the Citizen Cafe for the first time and will have to explore its choices as well. Something from there may head into my personal top 10 list for breakfast.

[mtullius]

For pancakes, I'd take Al's Breakfast's pancakes over anywhere else's.....

[The Dairy Queen]

Of course you can't forget Al's!

Has anyone tried the St. Paul outpost of Colassal Cafe yet? We tried to go and it was mobbed, so we had to (unfortunately) duck out and go elsewhere...

~TDQ

[spahkee]

I have been there twice - 2 weeks in a row!!!! I have not been the Minneapolis one but I really liked the atmosphere in there. I tried their flapper with the maple syrup and then last week their flapper sandwich with the egg & cheese. I really like the flavor of the flapper but find that their thickness makes them feel/taste undercooked in the middle - I took half of my egg/cheese flapper home because it was so huge and re-baked it the next day and found that it actually tasted better as it crisped up on the outside and cooked up through the center.

Bottom line - I recommend it - check it out if you haven't gone. Both times, I went during the week -once around 7:30 and it was pretty quiet and the other time around 10am and it was crowded up I was able to get a table. Friendly service and the woman at the register is super nice.

[bob s]

If I was eating Al's pancakes at any place other than Al's Breakfast, I'd think they were fine but not superior. As I said before, I love Al's for the total experience but like the other pancakes beter.

[Seige]

I really love Bon Vie's pancakes too. Actually, I don't think I've ever had a breakfast there that I didn't like. Oh, and I forgot to add Tilia to my aforementioned list. :)

[shoo bee doo]

On Saturday mornings after the St. Paul Farmers Market, I love to go to breakfast at El Burrito Mercado. I love their chorizo and eggs. I usually have that with warm corn tortillas and a dollop of guacamole. I wish I had enough nerve to try their menudo as I see many folks come in for that.

[Fudist]

The Uptowner. Cafe on Grand for The Tex Mex or Cajun Breakfast.

[Haricotsv2]

Bon Vie's eggs benedict. Always and forever. 2nd, Magnolia's on the east side of St. Paul. Everything with a side of fried chicken.
Margi

[shoo bee doo]

I've been a fan of Bon Vie's eggs benedict for years. But there's another contender across the street now and they might become my favorite. The Cheeky Monkey version is very nice with homemade English muffins, nicely smoked ham and a nice hollandaise. My only complaint is that I would like the muffin to be toasted a little more because it's a little thicker than usual.

[Seige]

Haven't made it to Blackbird yet and I do consider myself a bit of a breakfast/brunch connoisseur. As far as favorites, the top of my list are definitely Bon Vie, The Strip Club, Meritage, and Heidi's.