Sunday
Jul112010
CTbites Shout Out: What's Your Favorite Breakfast Spot?
Do you have a favorite diner, greasy spoon, or pre-commute take-out spot? When your family rolls out of bed on a Saturday morning, where do you drive for that all-important first meal of the day? Or if you're like me, is there a restaurant you'll make any excuse to get to (whether it be on a Monday or a Sunday), to satisfy that breakfast craving? To signal the start of a new day, where do you go for the goods?
Sound off CTbites! What are your favorite breakfast haunts?
Post Your Shout Out below for a chance to win a FREE CTbites Coffee MUG...the perfect breakfast accessory.
(Winner will be announced on August 2nd)
tagged 
CTbites Shout Out, breakfast
CTbites Shout Out, breakfast
Reader Comments (44)
Cafe neat in Darien. Best coffee anywhere!
Hands-down it has to be O'Neills in Bethel, CT. They serve their maple syrup in sealed small disposable packages. They use lard and shortening unapologetically. They fry pounds and pounds of bacon. They call their cheese “American.” They don’t give a sh*t about me or my egg white preferences. These are all things that would usually make me run, not walk, out of an establishment. But not O’Neill’s. They hate me, I love them and it just works.
Current Cravings:
Valencia Luncheria in Norwalk
Nicholas Roberts Gourmet Bistro in Norwalk
Rosie in New Canaan
S&S Dugout in Southport
Elvira's, at Old Mill in Westport, is a great spot for breakfast. After a jog with a friend or on the way to the beach with the kids, I grab a cup of coffee and an egg sandwich. If there is time, we eat breakfast outside while enjoying the view. The feta and spinach omelettes are delicious. Stacey and Nicky and the rest of the family at Elvira's could not be nicer.
Depending on which family member you ask, the answer will differ. Here are our family's top spots:
*When we all want to bike to breakfast: Doc's Cafe, they always have good strong coffee and a nice selection of muffins. We also just realized they make a good egg white and bacon sammie on an English muffin.
*When we want to lounge around for a while: SoNo Bakery. John and his crew are always fun to watch, try to to score a seat by the tall glass windows and watch the bakers do what they do best. The kids can easily spend an hour watching them while we enjoy a delicious baguette and the paper.
*Most favorite breakfast place, but a bit of a drive: Le Pain Quotidien. Any excuse to sit at the long tables, pour warm cups of coffee, and eat copious amounts of bread, jam and hazelnut spread. The atmosphere is always warm and relaxing and we never leave without at least a few goodies for later in the day.
*Best take-home for breakfast in bed (hint, hint): Gold's Deli. Although I am the only one in my family who enjoys a nice bagel and lox, my sweet husband knows just where to go to get the goods. They have good smoked salmon, chopped liver, whitefish and the best fresh squeezed OJ- their rugelach is consistently good too.
Harborview in Bridgeport is my family's go-to place. My 6-yr-old lives for the huge, delicious pancakes (plain or loaded with choc chips), my husband goes for a Cuban sandwich, and I usually get the breakfast burrito.
Home on the Range in Bridgeport. Always yummy and the owners are always super friendly - AND they support local purveyors
Hmmmmmm..... Lakeside diner, stamford. Who hasn't had a craving for the best pancakes the likes Southern CT has ever tasted on a lazy Sunday morning? It is worth the wait, I promise! Oh, did I mention the homemade donuts?
You can't talk about a serious breakfast in Fairfield County without mentioning Orem's Diner in Wilton. A local institution, Orem's fires on all cylinders at breakfast, which is why on any given morning you're likely to find the place serving business networkers, families, journalists, politicians, landscapers, financial advisors and their clients, contractors and countless others. From eggs over medium with sausge (my default setting) to blueberry pancakes and everything in between, Orem's is a great place to go.
While waiting for my daughter at the Yale Bowl we stumbled on the best brunch at Bella's Cafe (www.bellascafect.com) in the village of Westville. Amazing eggs benedict, and french toast with tropical fruit and syrup to die for. The service was great, coffee was delicious and a great crowd. It was really an unexpected treat when expecting a quick muffin and coffee. Evidently Lena's is also suppose to be wonderful and right across the street. (www.lenascafeandconfections.com)
Although it's not CT, Blind Charlies in Pound Ridge is fantastic and well worth the drive. Just over the border from New Canaan, this small cafe serves up the best chocolate chip pancakes and omlettes EVER! The food is fresh, the coffee fantastic and the service is outstanding. You can even sit outside during the summer.
Mine looks a lot like Steph's:
-Nicholas Roberts
-Valencia Luncheria
-Country Cow (Fairfield)
-New Canaan Diner
Nice call on Blind Charlie's, good coffee and they really know how to cook (& not overcook) eggs.
Isabel and Vincent's Patisserie in Fairfield - a real French patisserie with wonderful pastries and small quiche in a variety of flavors. Illi coffee.
SoNo Bakery in South Norwalk
They have the best Stuffed French Toast, variety of breakfast sandwiches and pastries, al made to order. During the weekend its best to get there early or else the place is packed included the outdoor setaing. The staff are friendly and its a great place for families & kids. It's my regular breakfast spot especially for Sunday Brunch!
Our hands-down favorite in Greenwich is Le Pain Quotidien. (Also in New Canaan).
Kid friendly service, warm atmosphere and food that's delicious AND healthy.
The Belgian waffles are a big favorite (ok, maybe not SO healthy), omelets, and outrageous european-style hot chocoate. My husband loves the farro oatmeal or smokes salmon tartine. I had the rhubarb jam on a croissant last month and thought I'd died and gone to heaven! Bring home a loaf of 5 grain bread and enjoy it as toast for the rest of the week! (if it lasts that long...!)
- Helen's Luncheonette in Stamford
- Bedford Street Diner in Stamford
Both are very local bfast spots with Helen's being on the smaller end and dare I say "dive". Both places are guaranteed amazing bfast spots!
King's in Newtown on RT 25- great for families - busiest on Sunday for brunch - can sit in outdoor porch.
I am a BIG fan of Valencia Luncheria in Norwalk and i"m still pushing for S & S Dugout in Westport. My kids always ask to go to the Olde Blue Bird Inn in Easton and that wins "hands down" in the charm department.
I don't have breakfast recommendation, but I LOVE the mugs! Will you be offering them for sale? FABULOUS gift idea for some of my favorite foodies!
Here are our usual hits:
bacon, egg, and cheese on the go: Country Cow (Fairfield) where you can call your order in and pick it up.
bacon, egg, and cheese with time to sit: Firehouse Deli (Fairfield). My kids love the french toast and sausage, too.
Pancakes: Bluebird Cafe (Easton). They offer real maple syrup too.
Donuts: Coffee an' (Westport). The glazed donut is a light pillow and the coconut twist is awesome.
I'm in search of a place that makes pumpkin and/or sweet potato pankackes, so any recs would be appreciated. I've had both at Bluebird as weekend specials but they aren't "everyday" offerings.
foleyd7-Good call on Coffe An'. Those donuts are dangerously close to home for me, but I would drive ANY distance for that Coconut Twist.
Collins Diner in Canaan.
Sunday Brunch at Cafe Lola in Fairfield was an amazing experience
I second (or third) Coffee An' in Westport! Love the glazed with a nice hot cup of coffee. Didn't see it on the list until I scrolled further down, but definately a good recco.
There's so many good reasons to go to Valencia's. For me, it's Arepas with Egg, Chorizo and Cheese -- loaded with green sauce and some add'l green stuff on the side to dip. It's unreal! Just last week I went with a Brazilian friend who told me I had to try the Brie and Mango Arepas. I'm always up for a new taste, so I gave it a try. It was a great discovery -- the only drawback -- not a green sauce contender (so says my Brazilian friend)... Lastly, the juice is to die for!