Miami's Ten Best Breakfast Spots

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It's what kick-starts your metabolism and sets the tone for the hours to come. Whether you prefer a cubano and a cafecito or a hand-rolled bagel smothered in chive cream cheese, Miami has its fair share of midmorning-oriented eateries.

From vintage, grease-filled diners and Cuban cafeterias to hole-in-the-wall take-out windows and swank, chef-driven restaurants, Miami's best spots will let you have breakfast your way.  
10. Mazie's Soul Food Restaurant and Take-Out
What once was a standalone Dairy Queen is now a haven for homestyle, Southern-inspired grub. For more than 15 years, this hole-in-a-wall and its take-out window have served local patrons willing to take an unconventional detour for tasty eats. Mazie's, whose motto is "Where the homies meet," is situated near NW 75th Street in Liberty City. Find combo plates such as eggs, toast, home fries or grits, and bacon, ham, or sausage. There are à la carte breakfast sandwiches and lunch specials too, which include a choice of one starch, one side, and a main course with offerings like conch, barbecued ribs, fried fish, hamburgers, and meatloaf. Be sure to get an order of the turkey chicken wings too. Don't worry about breaking the bank — most items on the menu cost less than $5.
9. Ham & Eggery
A red barn-like space on the corner of NE 167th Street might appear bizarre to onlookers, but ask locals and they'll tell you it's one of Miami's go-to spots for breakfast. Since the 1960s, Ham & Eggery has whipped up everything from French toast with scrambled eggs and bacon ($7.99) to more than a dozen kinds of omelets ($5.99 to $12.99), creamed chipped beef ($7.99), biscuits 'n' gravy ($6.99), and a variety of burgers ($4.29 to $4.99). The eatery almost closed in 2012 when owner Akbar Malik sold the restaurant to a new owner who wanted to replace eggs and bacon with a dollar store filled with paper goods and random knickknacks. Luckily for the hungry masses, the dollar store fell through, and Malik now pays rent, keeping one of Miami's oldest and cheapest breakfast joints up and running. 
8. Wagons West Restaurant 
Late nights make breakfast before 11 a.m. difficult. Wagons West has a solution: breakfast all day. The Pinecrest eatery, situated inside Suniland Shopping Center, serves banana-nut pancakes, French toast, omelets, and crabcake Benedict through the evening. Pair your meal with coffee for less than $10. 
7. Jimmy's Eastside Diner
At this neighborhood joint, find classic diner fare in a relaxed and comfortable environment, which in Miami is a rarity. The Biscayne Boulevard eatery serves diner must-haves such as eggs, sausage, bacon, home fries, hash browns, toast, and orange juice. For something heartier, there are tuna melts, BLTs, and meatloaf. Jimmy's opens at 6:30 a.m. and serves breakfast all day. Most meals cost less than $10. Snag one before closing at 4 p.m.
6. Enriqueta's Sandwich Shop
On the corner of NE 29th Street and Second Avenue in Wynwood — amid shiny, new restaurants and selfie-taking tourists — stands Enriqueta's. The low-priced Cuban cafeteria serves authentic eats such as pan con bistec ($6.75) and medianoches ($6.75) all day long. For something more breakfast-centric, try the desayuno especial ($4.69) — two eggs, bacon or ham, Cuban toast, café con leche, and a cup of freshly squeezed orange juice. For something light and on-the-go, there's a bevy of smoothies and shakes. Either way, don't leave without a sip of café con leche ($1.75 to $3.75). 
5. Beachcraft
Inside Tom Colicchio's Beachcraft at the 1 Hotel South Beach, weekday breakfast gets pricey. But in this case, it's worth the splurge. Monday through Friday, the hotel eatery offers a full-service breakfast buffet, with two levels to choose from: Continental ($27) or Chef's ($39). Both include fresh fruits; homemade Danishes, croissants, and muffins; artisanal cheeses and charcuterie; a Greek yogurt station; granola and berries; salmon and bagels; and a cereal bar. The upgraded version also offers bites from an egg station and a waffle bar, as well as additional eats such as bacon, sausage, potatoes, and the chef's daily egg inspiration. Boozy drinks, like mimosas and bloody marys, are available à la carte. Make the cost worthwhile by spending a few hours tableside with limitless trips to the buffet.
4. Las Olas Cafe
If you're craving traditional Cuban fare but find yourself miles from the cafecito-filled streets of Little Havana, consider Las Olas Cafe. The South Beach eatery, located on the corner of Sixth Street and Euclid Avenue, is the perfect place for fresh-squeezed jugo, a quick coffee, and a variety of breakfast specials. Grab a breakfast combo ($3.99), which features a choice of eggs cooked any style with home fries or French fries, buttered Cuban toast, and a cup of café cubano, which can be swapped for a small juice. Be sure to bring cash because the restaurant isn't always credit-friendly.
3. Bagel Cove Restaurant & Deli
Ah, Jewish delis. The smell of freshly baked, hand-rolled bagels mixed with cream cheeses, soups, eggs, and potatoes is frequently found across New York, but not so much in Miami. If you're in search of an authentic alternative here at home, visit Bagel Cove in Aventura. There's guaranteed to be a wait for a table inside the small, diner-like restaurant, with everyone — from retirees to high-schoolers — eager for a true Jewish-American breakfast or lunch. Dine in or take out, with offerings including cold salads, meats, desserts like black-and -white cookies and rugelach, matzoh ball and chicken-vegetable soups ($3.99/cup, $5.49/bowl), nova or lox ($13.99), triple-decker club sandwiches ($10.49 to $12), and, of course, bagels. Bagel Cove is open daily until 4 p.m., giving you ample time to get your deli fix.
2. S&S Diner
Since 1938, S&S Diner has been a Miami staple. At the vintage-style restaurant, enjoy breakfast for around 3 bucks, which brings a plate of two eggs, potatoes, toast, and coffee or tea. There's biscuits, eggs, and gravy for $7.95 and French toast and eggs with potatoes or grits for $8.95. For something more substantial, consider roast turkey or chopped steak with onions and gravy. Pair your plate with an order of mashed potatoes. Times might change, but S&S has proven to remain the same, keeping its no-frills eats and bargain prices a constant for more than 75 years. 
1. The Social Club
At the Social Club inside the Surfcomber Hotel in South Beach, approachable, relatable, and utterly delicious breakfast and brunch offerings are served every day. The menu, crafted by executive chef Blair Wilson, is simple. It's a mixture of breakfast-driven dishes and a few lunch plates, each with the chef's personal touch, adding a smidgeon of uniqueness without getting too crazy. Blair recommends starting with an order of the doughnuts ($11) for the table to share. They're made in-house from scratch daily and come with two sauces — espresso hazelnut and dulce de leche. For the entrée, Wilson says the breakfast sandwich ($15) is the restaurant's bestseller; about 400 are sold each week. It's made with an over-easy egg, avocado, and heirloom tomatoes stacked atop two thick pieces of toasted challah bread. On the bottom slice, maple bourbon bacon jam is spread throughout, adding a sweet and smoky taste to the sandwich. Breakfast potatoes similar to tater tots are served alongside. Expect your meal to total about $30, which will surely keep you full through the better part of your day.

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