It’s the most important meal of the day, so make it healthful (and delicious): steel-cut oatmeal (with maple syrup and bourbon pecans) or poached eggs (with smoked Canadian bacon and baby spinach atop a roll with hollandaise).
Square One Dining, 4854 Fountain Avenue, at North Catalina Street (323-661-1109 or squareonedining.com).
Start your day with Italian pastries and strong coffee, or mangia meatball sandwiches and Napoletana-style pizzas come afternoon.
Bottega Louie, 700 South Grand Avenue, at West Seventh Street (213-802-1470 or bottegalouie.com).
Sandwiches and salads are the star attractions at Caroline Styne and Suzanne Goin’s 90210 marketplace slash cafe, but don’t miss goodies like fresh pastries or house-made granola and yogurt.
The Larder at Maple Drive, 345 North Maple Drive, between Alden Drive and West Third Street, suite 100, Beverly Hills (310-248-3779 or thelarderattavern.com).
Pancakes take the cake, with coffee and bacon following close behind.
The Griddle Cafe, 7916 West Sunset Boulevard, between Fairfax and Hayworth Avenues, Hollywood (323-874-0377 or thegriddlecafe.com).
Stands for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Get your daily fill of American nouveau cuisine with classic egg dishes in the morning, burgers at noon, and seared scallops at night. Brunch? Yeah, there’s that, too.
BLD, 7450 Beverly Boulevard, at North Vista Street (323-930-9744 or bldrestaurant.com).
Third time’s a charm for Suzanne Goin and Caroline Styne (Lucques, AOC). Well-heeled Westsiders stream in for a casual nosh at the bar or a dressier affair in the dining room. Homebodies take short ribs, charcuterie, and homemade bread from the market to go.
Tavern, 11648 San Vicente Boulevard, at Darlington Avenue, Brentwood (310-806-6464 or tavernla.com).
For your sweet side: freshly baked goods like ginger scones and chocolate croissants. For your savory: jalapeno and cheese pretzel rolls.
3 Square Cafe + Bakery, 1121 Abbot Kinney Boulevard, between Westminster and San Juan Avenues, Venice (310-399-6504 or rockenwagner.com).
Hipsters vie for couch seats by the outdoor fire pit and farm-style communal tables in front. Wood-fired pizzas and simple, rustic flavor make it worth the wait.
Gjelina, 1429 Abbot Kinney Boulevard, between Milwood and California Avenues, Venice (310-450-1429 or gjelina.com).
One of the best patios in town for a leisurely brunch surrounded by lush herbs and greenery. Aussie chef Jordan Toft whips up native dishes like bubble and squeak and a “big breakfast” for Angelenos.
The Eveleigh, 8752 West Sunset Boulevard, at North Sherbourne Drive, West Hollywood (424-239-1630 or theeveleigh.com).
See food? Eat it here. Grub on oysters, ceviche, and wild-caught fish while chugging inventive bevvies made with just-squeezed juice and jazzy fixings, alcoholic or not.
The Hungry Cat, 1535 Vine Street, at West Sunset Boulevard (323-462-2155 or thehungrycat.com).
An early-morning/late-night diner where staff in Western shirts serve modern American classics using free-range organic eggs and certified humane all-natural beef.
The Waffle, 6255 West Sunset Boulevard, between Vine Street and Argyle Avenue (323-465-6901 or thewaffle.us).
A beautiful boho crowd swears by the salmon rice bowls and nine-grain pancake (for brunch) at the Abbot Kinney mainstay. Word to the wise: It’s pronounced “ah-shay.”
Axe, 1009 Abbot Kinney Boulevard, between Brooks Avenue and Broadway Street, Venice (310-664-9787 or axerestaurant.com).
Grab a communal table at this popular Eastside mom-and-pop spot for the pastrami hash with sauerkraut and fried eggs, quiche Lorraine, or fried chicken sandwich with pickled green tomatoes.
Canele, 3219 Glendale Boulevard, between Edenhurst and Brunswick Avenues, Atwater Village (323-666-7133 or canele-la.com).
This Mediterranean-inspired cafe offers an outdoor patio for a long-lingering St. Tropez-style brunch (poached eggs with spinach, plenty of rosé wine, and an array of imported olive oils to pour on your food or purchase for home use).
Fig & Olive, 8490 Melrose Place, at North La Cienega Boulevard, West Hollywood (310-360-9100 or figandolive.com).
Burgers, beer, and more gastropubbery at the warehouse-like destination for hangover brunches and late-night tomfoolery (or is it the other way around?).
The York, 5018 York Boulevard, between North Avenue 50 and North Avenue 51 (323-255-9675 or theyorkonyork.com).
Try a Toad in a Hole (fried egg in toast) with smoked trout and horseradish cream, or a frisee salad with bacon lardons at the Thompson Hotel’s American bistro named for the protagonist in The Catcher in the Rye.
Caulfield’s, 9360 Wilshire Boulevard, Beverly Hills (310-388-6860 or thompsonhotels.com).
The folks behind Barbrix in Silver Lake have lightened up the old Bistro LQ spot with an open kitchen, light wood, and a full-time baker on staff. Don’t forget the cheddar biscuits.
Cooks County, 8009 Beverly Boulevard, between North Edinburgh and North Laurel Avenues, West Hollywood (323-653-8009 or cookscountyrestaurant.com).
Chef Robert Luna’s ground beef pickle tacos marry the Mexican staple with the ingredients of a burger. Try them with a tequila cocktail and chips on the patio.
Malo, 4326 West Sunset Boulevard, half a block east of Fountain Avenue (323-664-1011 or malorestaurant.com).
Around-the-world dining, with a menu that ranges from Mexican to Chinese to proper English to a farmers market station. Arrive early to score a primo patio seat.
Four Seasons, 300 South Doheny Drive, between Burton Way and West Third Street, Beverly Hills (310-273-2222 or fourseasons.com).
“Where should we eat?” is always a loaded question. But you’ve got Ammo’s American seasonal and organic fare for lunch and dinner.
Ammo, 1155 North Highland Avenue, between Lexington Avenue and Santa Monica Boulevard (323-467-3293 or ammocafe.com).
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