The 11 Best Breakfast Spots In Miami guide image

MIAGuide

The 11 Best Breakfast Spots In Miami

Because you get a little difficult when you don’t have breakfast.

Whether you’ve accidentally stayed out all night at a club that never closes or are faking a sick day and want something beyond cereal, it's nice to have a handy list of reliably great breakfast spots. And that's exactly what this guide is for. Some of these Miami restaurants are dedicated exclusively to breakfast and some just do the early morning meal justice. These are our favorite breakfasts in Miami.

THE SPOTS

Caracas Bakery MiMo

If you’re in the mood for a breakfast that involves bread, Caracas always makes sense. The MiMo cafe can get busy on the weekends, but we have never regretted waiting for their excellent mushroom toast. The Venezuelan bakery works well for any and all laidback breakfast plans—and has a takeout-only location in Doral if you happen to be closer to that and want the best cachitos in town.

Chug’s is a great mix of vintage and modern. It has the DNA of a classic diner, but serves food that's exciting and interesting. The interior has a familiar diner aesthetic, with booths, counter seating, and laminated menus you can flip through on each table. The food is the main reason you come here, though. It’s a great call for a quick coffee and pastelitos, but also works if you want to eat like a bear preparing for hibernation. If you’re trying to do the latter, make sure to get the excellent cast iron pancake or La Completa, a hefty plate of three eggs, potatoes, and Cuban toast.

This MiMo food-truck-turned-bagel-shop makes the best bagels in Miami (and the occasional rogue baked good, like rugelach or knishes). Just know it’s pretty much all takeout and you have to order on the early side because they sell out a lot (especially on weekends). You can pick from around eight bagel sandwiches. We’re partial to the King Guava, a salty/savory work of bagel art that includes guava jam, crispy potato sticks, and a fried egg. There are a couple tables in the shop’s back patio, as well as two great picnic options nearby: Legion Park (just across the street) and Morningside Park (a mile south, but better for a picnic thanks to a plethora of benches).

Jimmy’s is a classic, and one of our absolute favorite diners in Miami. It does all the things a great diner is supposed to do. There are leather booths that suck you in like quicksand and counter seating where you can comfortably dine solo and chug coffee. You can get an order of eggs with hash browns and sausage links for under $10, then come back for lunch and grab a patty melt on rye. But dinner isn’t an option at Jimmy’s—it closes around 4pm—even though they shot that dinner scene in Moonlight here.

Zak can be a bit nuts during busy season and doesn't take reservations. But we still firmly believe the Kosher bakery is worth braving even the winter Wynwood crowd. Plus, they do that thing where they'll text you when your table is ready, which allows you to kill time by wandering around Wynwood for 30ish minutes. When you're seated, prepare for delicious forms of bread that include: an outstanding salmon Reuben, a perfect bagel, and more minimal (but delicious) toasts and pastries.

As long as it’s not Sunday—the one day a week this classic Cuban spot is closed—Enriqueta’s is a great breakfast option. Breakfast specials (like eggs with a protein, Cuban toast, and cafe con leche) are well under $10. There's also a novela of big sandwiches. We generally go with the pan con bistec or the croqueta preparada, which is basically just a Cubano with croquetas stuffed inside.

MLK is a Liberty City classic with a steady stream of regulars who all seem to be on a first-name basis with the staff. The menu leans Southern soul food with a little bit of a Caribbean seafood influence. Anything on the menu with the word “fried” in it is the move—especially the fried fish options. The wings and waffles are also really good. This is a big takeout spot, but there are tables inside in case you want to eat there.

It’s not a gallery and they don’t sell donuts. It’s a narrow breakfast spot with low vinyl stools that overlook a griddle—and it’s also been a Key Biscayne institution since 1972. The walls are covered in photos of Key locals, and the counter’s footrest has indented footprints from regulars. Service is fast and friendly, the pancakes are fluffy, and the coffee is strong. But you can’t go to the Donut Gallery without ordering the Ted’s special. It’s an open-faced sandwich with ham, bacon, tomato slices, American cheese, and two fried eggs on an English muffin.

Since 1981, this Pinecrest diner on US1 has been a place for inner-children to stable their imaginary horses and pretend back pain doesn’t exist. Cattle horns crown dark private booths, saddles adorn paneled walls, and servers greet you by name. Wagons West is basically a small Cracker Barrel with local flair, friendly service, and much better food. We like the massive Wagons West steak benedict—two poached eggs drenched in hollandaise are served on top of skirt steak with onions, tomatoes, and crispy potatoes.

Jackson Soul Food is an Overtown institution. As the name implies, they’re known for soul food, and they’ve got a big selection of simple breakfast dishes like eggs and sausage, pancakes, and some breakfast sandwiches. But one of the best things you can get here is their fried catfish, which works just fantastically as a breakfast dish, especially if you get a couple of eggs and bacon on the side.

Coral Bagels is a casual spot that—despite its misleading name—is on edge the of the Grove. They’re open for breakfast and lunch—but this is definitely a breakfast spot. It’s normally pretty crowded (especially on the weekends) with UM kids looking for pancakes or a bagel. It’s a solid option for an easy diner-style breakfast, whether you’re a hungover college kid or just someone looking for a decent bagel.

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photo credit: Cleveland Jennings / @eatthecanvasllc

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