So many things make you fall in love with Chicago, from the transcendent local gardens hidden off the crowded roads to beaches with fresh water and gentle waves. But what everyone raves about the most is the thriving food scene and the diverse range of cuisine found on any block. Whether it’s 1 am or 7 am, you’re bound to breathe in sweet scents of late-night tacos or fresh-brewed coffee. While most aren’t particular about late-night food while inebriated, the same can’t be said for waking up early with a rumbling stomach. Whether you’re in the mood for a quick classic diner selection or an upscale dish, here are places where you can find the best breakfast in Chicago.
1. Kasama
This James Beard award-winning bakery and modern Filipino restaurant was conceptualized by chefs Genie Kwon and Timothy Flores—and has some of the most palatable sweet and savory pastries. This renowned restaurant has a counter-service breakfast menu in the morning and a tasting menu at night. Make sure to get here early because it’s first come, first serve, and there’s sometimes a line that trails blocks.
📍Address • Ukrainian Village • 1001 N Winchester Ave, Chicago, IL 60622
🥐What to order • Apple Butter and Cheese Croissant
2. Tre Kronor
Tre Kronor is a divine, dainty spot on the edge of Albany Park. If you’re looking for fresh air and the hum of birds singing in at dawn, this is the place to be—their rustic outdoor seating transports you to a bucolic countryside. And with a selection of sapid Scandinavian dishes that are warm and homestyle, you’ll soon be a repeated customer every time you need an escape from the city.
📍Address • Albany Park • 3258 W Foster Ave, Chicago, IL 60625
🇫🇷🍞What to order • Vanilla and Orange French Toast
3. Ann Sather
Ann Sather is a beloved staple in Chicago. Founded by Ann Sather herself, a vivacious career-driven restauranter. She wanted to create a breakfast restaurant in Chicago where people would come for homemade meals and feel affable hospitality as soon as they stepped through the door. It has three locations around the Chicago area and a notable breakfast menu.
📍Address • Edgewater Glen • 909 W Belmont Ave, Chicago, IL 60657
📍Address • Lakeview • 3415 N Broadway, Chicago, IL 60657
📍Address • Lakeview • 3415 N Broadway, Chicago, IL 60657
🥮What to order • Cinnamon Roll
4. Tempo Cafe
When you step in, it feels like the classic diner with regulars, where waiters are on a first-name basis with their patrons and refill their coffee right after being seated, asking, “Are you going to have the usual?” Tempo Cafe’s menu is filled with breakfast delights, including fluffy pancakes, build-your-own-omelet, and large skillets bound to be leftovers.
📍Address • Rush & Divison • 6 E Chestnut St, Chicago, IL 60611
🍳What to order • Build-Your-Own-Omelette
5. Wildberry Cafe
People usually prefer the classics, so remixes aren’t necessarily someone’s first choice. However, Wildberry’s signature pancakes are remixes that not only please the palate but will have you regret ordering plain pancakes all your life. Their pancakes are delicious, velvety, and flavorful—from Berry Bliss and Blackberry Key Lime Pie to Cinnamon Roll and Oreo S’mores, reminiscent of breakfast dessert.
📍Address • Magnificent Mile • 130 E Randolph St, Chicago, IL 60601
📍Address • New Eastside • 196 E Pearson St, Chicago, IL 60611
🥞What to order • Signature Berry Bliss Pancakes
6. Bang Bang Pie and Biscuits
One thing midwesterners are not known for is their biscuits, which is why Bang Bang Pie and Biscuits is a delicate treat that Chicagoans should appreciate. We don’t have to travel hundreds of miles south for an incredible southern breakfast feast; Bang Bang Pie and Biscuits is a rustic bakery with a rotating seasonal of homemade sweet, savory pies and biscuits, including the best breakfast in Chicago.
📍Address • Logan Square • 2934 N Milwaukee Ave Suite E, Chicago, IL 60618
🥐What to order • Sausage Egg and Cheese
7. Loaf Lounge
What better way to begin your morning than with a freshly-baked English muffin, country sourdough, or marble rye? Loaf Lounge indulges all your warm bread cravings with a delectable selection of mouth-watering breakfast sandwiches at every bite. From the classic sausage, egg, and cheese to smoked salmon, you can’t go wrong with wherever your taste buds pull you toward.
📍Address • Hyde Park • 1055 E 55th St, Chicago, IL 60615
🍳What to order • Three Egg Omelet
8. Little Goat Diner
Chef Stephanie Izard has made a name for herself in Chicago. After winning Top Chef Season 4, she took the city by storm, dominating the restaurant scene by opening up the coveted Girl in the Goat and Duck Duck Goat, among other restaurants, she branched out into the beloved breakfast space. When you step into Little Goat Diner, it feels like the classic place where you would get a cup of fresh-brewed coffee and read the morning paper, with its retro decorations, including its luminescent clock right above the cashier. Her signature flavors make her menu the best breakfast in Chicago, with This Little Piggy and Chili Crunch.
📍Address • Southport • 3325 N Southport Ave, Chicago, IL 60657
🍳What to order • Okonomiyaki
9. Roux Diner
There’s nothing like having beads thrown on you at Bourbon Street while slurping a Hurricane at night, only to wake up early to wait for a beignet from Cafe Du Monde, twirling to live jazz tunes. New Orleans is a magical place, and when you want a little taste of all its goodness, head to Roux. The NOLA-inspired restaurant is an all-day breakfast spot, from southern staples like classic beignets to scrumptious shrimp-&-grits.
📍Address • Hyde Park • 1055 E 55th St, Chicago, IL 60615
🍳What to order • Three Egg Omelet
10. Pearl’s Place
This is another southern spot that’s good for the soul. Deemed as a white-tablecloth restaurant, Pearl’s Place serves classic soul food such as golden fried chicken, melty mac and cheese, and signature breakfast food such as corn beef hash and homemade buttermilk biscuits. What’s made it unalike is its buffet menu. For $18.59, this has the best AYCE breakfast in Chicago that is delectable and rejuvenating.
📍Address • Bronzeville • 3901 S Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60653
🥮What to order • Homemade Buttermilk Biscuits
11. Tiztal Cafe
Originating from the Mega Mall juice bar in Logan Square, Tiztal is now the go-to breakfast spot for Chicagoans. The convivial atmosphere is noticeable when you enter the family-owned and operated restaurant. If you’re an omelet savant, this is where we recommend you go. The menu is decorated with many omelet options.
📍Address • Uptown • 4631 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60640
🥩What to order • Steak Chilaquiles
12. Nellie’s Restaurant
A staple of the Humboldt Park neighborhood, Nellie’s is the perfect fusion that harmonizes Puerto Rican Fare and American breakfast favorites. While the menu sprawls with Puerto Rican delicacies, and the open, cozy space with exposed brick makes it the place to bring the family. Not to mention they have the only Puerto Rican breakfast buffet in Chicago, so be sure to make your reservations in advance.
📍Address • Humboldt Park • 2458 W Division St, Chicago, IL 60622
🥣What to order • Coconut Oatmeal
13. Uncle Mike’s Place
This snug, providing only the essentials American-Filipino spot serves the hearty all-day breakfast you need to add for your next weekday breakfast outing. This is the place to go if you’re looking for a low-key breakfast joint while serving a delicious meal. The menu has a Filipino section, a fusion section, and a classic American breakfast section—appeasing the stomach’s morning mood.
📍Address • Humboldt Park • 2458 W Division St, Chicago, IL 60622
🍳What to order • Longanisa Breakfast
14. Sweet Maple Cafe
Their slogan, “It’s more than breakfast,” rings true to the warm and homebody atmosphere prevalent throughout Sweet Maple Cafe. Where people come to sip coffee and chat about their busy weekday or share stories embodies the restaurant. However, the breakfast is just as good, from their sweet milk biscuits to the not-so-plain buttermilk pancakes served with Vermont maple syrup; an array of items will have you coming back for more than the warm vibe.
📍Address • Near West Side • 1339 W Taylor St, Chicago, IL 60607
🥞What to order • Not-So-Plain Buttermilk Pancakes
15. Wishbone
This spunky-decorated restaurant will have you falling in love with the flying pigs mural as much as their mouth-savory breakfast options. Wishbone has Souther-inspired dishes with a Cajun Spin, including a Louisiana bowl, shrimp & grits with bacon, and splendid other breakfast options that will transport you to the south. Not only is their inside wildly fun, but they have a spacious patio in the back of the restaurants so that you can spend the rest of your summer mornings in bliss.
📍Address • West Loop •161 N Jefferson St, Chicago, IL 60661
🦐What to order • Shrimp & Grits with Bacon