Dining Guide | Rise and Dine: 6 of the best spots for breakfast in Phoenix

You’ve likely heard it your whole life and for a time paid marked attention to the belief that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. With busy lives and the bounty of convenience foods at the ready, some of us have lost sight of this adage. The entire month of September is devoted to breakfast, so this is the perfect time to get reacquainted with the best spots for breakfast in Phoenix. While breakfast at home or on the go may be a monotonous cycle of cereal, whole grain bars, scrambled eggs or toast, these Scottsdale breakfast spots are making it worth rolling out of bed a little earlier. Some local favorites are serving up innovative dishes that will make breaking the fast more exciting and enjoyable than any frosted flake or lucky charm ever could!

6 of the Best Spots for Breakfast in Phoenix

Dick’s Hideaway
6008 N. 16^th St. | Phoenix, AZ 85014 | 602.241.1881
Calling this spot a hidden gem is other figurative and literal. Unless you know in advance what is hiding behind the luscious bougainvillea bushes, you would possibly miss the culinary treasures behind its foliage. While the dining room is petite, that is no sign of the size of flavor coming out of the kitchen daily. Dick’s is a local favorite, largely for the hospitality that the staff provides whether you are a regular or a first timer. They are known for their spicy entrees, and their breakfast items are served up with the same New Mexican flavors. The classic Southwestern Huevos Rancheros is taken to the next level here with their signature red or green chile sauce and blue corn tortillas. If you have a big appetite, Vic’s Meatloaf and Eggs are the way to go. The dish is big on size and flavor and served with three eggs, beans and either potatoes or hash browns along with a flour tortilla. Use that tortilla to sop up every last fiery bit of chile sauce.

Fame Caffe
4700 N. Central Ave. | Phoenix, AZ 85012 | 602.314.4660
Fame Caffe is in what was once several past coffee houses, but the unfortunate luck of those spots doesn’t seem to have affected them one bit. The simple, yet sleek redesign of the space suggests the caliber of the menu. You won’t find anything at all too complicated on the menu, only precisely crafted dishes that are elevated by the quality of locally sourced ingredients and an expert hand. The usual suspects are all accounted for, like veggie scrambles, breakfast sandwiches and huevos rancheros, all done superbly. One serious standout on the menu is the Frenchie Toast. This dish is made ‘pain perdu’ style, which would be more of a dessert style in France, making it a decadent breakfast choice. The heady notes of vanilla and cinnamon dance through the thick slices of custard soaked bread. The Schreiner’s sausage served alongside the toast provides the perfect balance of sweet and spicy.

Scott’s Generations Restaurant & Delicatessen
5539 N. 7^th St. | Phoenix, AZ 85014 | 602.277.5662
The Snyder Family has been serving up authentic New York Kosher deli-style eats in the Valley since 1989 and not much has changed in that time. And why should it? Their bagels are consistently soft and chewy on the inside with a delicate, crisp exterior, exactly what you would expect from a NY style deli. There’s nothing terribly fancy or trendy on the menu, just tried and true comforting morning favorites. Dishes like Logan’s Latkes, three massive potato pancakes served with traditional applesauce and sour cream, are a reminder of waking up on the weekend at your Bubbe and Zayde’s house. You may not think that a Smoked Fish Platter is a breakfast food, but trust the Snyder’s. Enjoy a combination of lake sturgeon, belly or nova lox, baked salmon and whitefish (you get to pick three). This dish is all we need to convince us that old school is the best school.

Daily Dose Midtown
1928 E. Highland Ave. | Phoenix, AZ 85016 | 602.274.0334
Daily Dose Midtown has pretty much the most epic location in the Uptown area. Being right next to the 51 makes it a great place to pop in to before your morning commute or on the weekend with friends before a day of some serious shopping at nearby stores. The wide variety of menu items include a bounty of options for those with gluten allergies as well as vegetarians and vegans. I’m not sure of anywhere else that you can get breakfast bowls loaded with protein and vegetables on a bed of bamboo and basmati rice, garbanzo beans, wheat berries, green lentils and daikon radish seeds, do you? If you’re leaning away from healthy, one of their most raved about dishes are their Breakfast Nachos. Three kinds of cheese, jalapenos, chorizo, scrambled eggs, tomatillo salsa, pico de gallo, and red chili cheese sauce are piled on top of corn tortilla chips creating an addictive morning meal. There really should be a support group!

La Grande Orange Grocery
4410 N. 40^th St. | Phoenix, AZ 85018 | 602.840.7777
Some spots just get it, and La Grande Orange has been getting it for years. There is a pride in all of the items coming out of the kitchen and you can feel that the staff is happy to be there. The breakfast menu is impressive and covers every possible craving you might have and the retail grocery section offers some intriguing delights. You can get the standard eggs to order, some sweet French pancakes, but their breakfast burritos are where things get a little creative. A local favorite is the Ricky Martin. How could a breakfast burrito encapsulate all that spice and sass that is the Latin crooner? Mix up some eggs, tomato, cheese (obviously, right?), Fresno chili, mayo, artichokes and smoky Spanish chorizo, wrap it up in a whole wheat tortilla and you’ll be livin’ la vida loca all day long!

The Brown Bag
7575 N. 16^th St. | Phoenix, AZ 85020 | 602.997.3663
Looking to fuel up before a long day of meetings and conference calls or in need of replenishing your system after a long hike? The Brown Bag is an excellent way to fill up for a full day. This family run business treats every customer that walks through the door like another member of the family, often welcoming them by name. If you’re in a hurry, you can opt for their scratch-made bagels or pastries and you’ll definitely be pleased. If you have a little more time, their handcrafted breakfast sandwiches will really put a little pep in your step. The Kennedy is a local favorite, with its combination of briny bacon, smooth avocado, two eggs and cream cheese set between airy ciabatta bread. If you need a little more kick in the morning the Poncho is a great option, a combination of two eggs, chorizo, cheddar, jalapeno, tomato and onion all on that signature ciabatta.

*This article, written by Taryn Jeffries,  was originally featured in the September 2016 issue of Uptown Magazine.*

© Taryn Jeffries 2016