Everyone knows New York is the bagel capital of the world, but there’s way more going on in the NYC breakfast scene than lox and schmear. From reinvented classics to cultural fusions, any trip to New York City must include exploring the city’s food scene.
If you’re wondering where to eat breakfast in NYC we’ve got you covered – from Malaysian street eats to Japanese toast and old-school diners, here are 5 of the best breakfast spots in NYC that go beyond the bagel—and are totally Instagrammable!
Where to eat breakfast in NYC?
Quick Links
Golden Diner – Chinatown
Top Tip
Make sure you go during the week and before 10 am to skip the line.
Unique breakfast NYC?
Tucked under the Manhattan Bridge, Golden Diner, takes classic America staples and fuses them with Asian flavours – like their signature Korean-style egg sandwich with scallion hash browns and Gochujang aioli, giving their visitors a unique breakfast in NYC!
The diner is retro, cool and off the beaten track. It’s popular with locals and recently its Honey Butter Pancakes have gone viral for their thick, fluffy texture and served with a unique salted honey-maple butter, giving the diner both sweetness with a hine of umami.
Since getting viral it can get super busy with locals and visitors alike, so be sure to plan your trip accordingly. It’s suggest the Korean-style egg sandwich if you’re eyeing up lunch options.
Kopitiam – Lower East Side
Best international breakfast NYC?
Best international breakfast NYC? That’s easy – Kopitiam. The restaurant brings Nyonya breakfast culture to NYC, welcoming its visitors to Nyonua crusine, primarily a hybrid of Chinese and Malay flavors drawing ingredients and techniques from both cultures along with sprinkles of influences from the Portuguese, Dutch, and the British.
The restaurant is family run and mostly employees elderly single Asian women and college women who are determined to carry forward the family’s recipes and preserve the cooking traditions of their ancestors.
My must try suggestion is their signature Nyonya Kaya toast and a strong kopi (Malaysian-style coffee). Kaya is a sweet, creamy coconut jam and is often infused with pandan, a fragrant tropical leaf that gives it a vanilla-like aroma.
Davelle – Lower East Side
Top Tip
Davelle is probably the most photogentic breakfast spot – take your polariod camera!
Japanese breakfast NYC?
Yep, it’s available. If you want a Japanese breakfast in NYC than look no further than Davelle. It’s a tiny, stylish café which specialises in shokupan, a thick, fluffy Japanese milk bread. The toppings range from sweet (matcha cream cheese) to savory (mentaiko mayo), all of them plated like works of art. The Japanese breakfast culture is rapidly growing in NYC and Davelle is leading the charge.
I’d suggest trying the miso avocado toast or yuzu honey butter toast and pair it with a sweet and creamy azuki latte. The yuzu honey butter toast is a personal favourite, its warm, pillowy milk toast slathered with yuzu-infused honey butter. The yuzu adds a slight citurs tang that cuts through the richness, making each bite sweet but bright.
B&H Dairy – East Village
Classic NYC breakfast spot?
So you want a classic NYC breakfast spot. Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered! B&H Dairy is a cherished East Village institution that’s been around since 1938. It offers a nostalgic dining experience with a menu rich in Eastern European comfort foods.
B&H Dairy is a cherished East Village institution, serving classic kosher dairy fare since 1938. As one of the last remaining kosher dairy lunch counters in New York City, it offers a nostalgic dining experience with a menu rich in Eastern European comfort foods.
This place is deeply New York – and the one spot I’d suggest you must not miss! Even if you can’t visit all the suggestions on the list, make sure you carve out some time for this one!
The front is narrow but hard to miss beneath its vintage-style sign, and inside its cozy – its another Instragrammable spot, very cool and very vintage.
There’s lots of egg plates on the menu as well as potato pancakes and breakfast sandwiches, so make sure you swing by for a real hearty New York brekkie.
La Cabra – East Village
Best pastry breakfast NYC?
No feeling a hot dish? want to indulge in the best pastry breakfast NYC has to offer? Look no further than La Cabra, one of my favourite unique breakfast spots NYC.
This East Village staple brings a slice of Copenhagen to NYC’s breakfast scene. This Danish café is celebrated for its meticulously brewed coffee and exceptional pastries.
I’d suggest the fragrant cardamom spicy buns and the flaky, buttery croissants. They cafe has a bit of a cult following and are widely regarded as the best pasteries in New York City.
Best breakfast NYC
Without a doubt, I say the best breakfast NYC will be found at Davelle – a personal favourite.
Non-touristy brunch NYC
If you want to experience a non-touristy brunch NYC look no further than the list above – they all have exceptional brunch options. B&H Dairy would be my top choice but it does get busy there – try going earlier or be prepared to wait.
Unique breakfast spots NYC
All of the above are unique breakfast spots NYC – but Golden Diner is a really hidden gem – it’s not mega famous yet, so make sure you get there first and lead the charge.