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A plate of eggs Hussarde is carried by a waiter during breakfast t Brennan’s in 2016 — Eggs Hussarde from Brennan’s.

New Orleans’s Essential Breakfast Restaurants

21 greasy spoons, neighborhood cafes, and fine-dining icons serving up the most important meal of the day

by Clair Lorell and Beth D'Addono Updated Feb 16, 2023, 12:47pm CST

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Eggs Hussarde from Brennan’s.

| Josh Brasted/Eater NOLA

by Clair Lorell and Beth D'Addono Updated Feb 16, 2023, 12:47pm CST

Going out for breakfast is a special treat, whether it means sitting alone with a coffee and pastry at a favorite outdoor cafe, grabbing a well-wrapped breakfast burrito before a road trip or day at work, or gathering with friends for a lingering meal accompanied by a breakfast cocktail or two. Thankfully, New Orleans has a lot of breakfast spots to coax one out of the house, from neighborhood favorites known for New Orleans specialties to diners serving American classics, and iconic destinations that will turn any morning into a celebration.

For the purposes of this map, we’re distinguishing breakfast restaurants from coffee shops; here is a guide to New Orleans’s favorite coffee shops. Here are our top picks for where to enjoy the most important meal of the day in New Orleans.

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Russell's Marina Grill

Lakeview’s diner institution, Russell’s, has been legendary for breakfast and bloody Mary’s for most of its 25-year run. The breakfast options are completely satisfying, from fried chicken and waffles to a slew of egg specialties. Try the restaurant’s staple, the Egg Saints #33 with a grilled biscuit, alligator sausage, grilled tomatoes, poached eggs, and homemade country gravy, and save room for the housemade pies.

8555 Pontchartrain Blvd, New Orleans, LA 70124

Visit Website

The Egg Saints #33 Benedict from Russell’s Marina Grill.

Also featured in:

Where to Eat and Drink in and Around Lakeview

Buttermilk Drop Bakery

Buttermilk Drop Bakery isn’t just a bakery. It’s been a Treme favorite for around 15 years now, and while it’s known for its buttermilk drop — a fried and crispy sweet treat akin to a donut hole but different — it also serves a succinct menu of affordable breakfast items to a non-stop line of regulars. Expect the straightforward classics: grits, hash browns, omelets, meats, and pancakes.

Open in Google Maps

1781 N Dorgenois St, New Orleans, LA 70119

Visit Website

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Pagoda Café

Arguably the top breakfast taco destination in town, this beloved 7th Ward stand makes theirs with potatoes, egg, and cheese on a Mawi tortilla — with either house-refried beans, bacon, turkey bacon, or tofu — and served with green hot sauce.

1430 N Dorgenois St, New Orleans, LA 70119

Visit Website

Pagoda Cafe

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Wakin' Bakin'

Cozy Mid City charmer Wakin’ Bakin’ cranks out incredible breakfast options everyday from biscuits and gravy to numerous morning sandwiches and a queso burrito (get it with gravy) starting at 7 a.m. Options in Uptown and the most recent, in the French Quarter, are welcome expansions.

4408 Banks St, New Orleans, LA

Visit Website

Wakin’ Bakin’ Mid City.

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Biscuits & Buns on Banks

A huge menu of breakfast options at this Mid City spot includes classics and specials, from hearty servings of fruit-covered French toast to house-made fried andouille hash cakes. The biscuits at Biscuits & Buns really are outstanding. Oh, and that wafflewich is a mighty fine riff on a breakfast sandwich.

Open in Google Maps

4337 Banks St, New Orleans, LA 70119

Visit Website

Outside Biscuits & Buns on Banks.

Who Dat Cafe

Who Dat Cafe is a quaint locals’ joint on a pretty Marigny corner that serves the wonderful meal of breakfast Friday through Tuesday from 7 a.m. until 3 p.m. Here find perfectly cooked eggs, friendly service, and excellent coffee alongside omelets named Da Mandeville and Da Cajun, soft shell crab eggs Benedict, and specials like blueberry croissant French Toast and crab pie. It’s all pretty much as good as breakfast gets, and the setting is as pleasant as it comes.

Open in Google Maps

2401 Burgundy St, New Orleans, LA 70117

Visit Website

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Who Dat Coffee Cafe (@who_dat_coffee_cafe)

Also featured in:

Nonno’s Cajun Cuisine and Pastries

Chef Shermond Esteen Jr.’s delightful homestyle restaurant is in a new Marigny home, the former location of longtime breakfast haunt Horn’s. It’s better than ever with new digs, serving fluffy French toast, fragrant with cinnamon, steak and eggs, shrimp and grits, breakfast burritos and more. Also, that’s turkey or beef sausage on the plate; no pork is served at this friendly spot. Bottomless mimosas on Sundays.

Open in Google Maps

1940 Dauphine St, New Orleans, LA 70116

Alma Cafe

Melissa Araujo’s Honduran heritage informs every aspect of Alma Cafe in Bywater, from the photos on the walls to the coffee beans, sweets, and savory offerings on the menu. Traditional treats might include buñuelo macheteadas, a deep fried pancake topped with syrup, and cookie-like rosquillas. For breakfast, starting at 8 a.m., the Alma includes eggs, refried beans, plantains, avocado, homemade crema, and queso fresco. Avocado toast, biscuits, and omelets are also served.

Open in Google Maps

800 Louisa St, New Orleans, LA 70117

Visit Website

Campechano breakfast from Alma

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Elizabeth's

Home of praline bacon and some of the best bloody Marys in town, this Bywater breakfast icon does morning comfort food right — from fried chicken livers and eggs to breakfast po-boys. It also serves breakfast calas, a New Orleans specialty of deep fried rice balls. Elizabeth’s is open Thursday through Monday and there’s generally a wait on the weekends.

601 Gallier St, New Orleans, LA

Visit Website

Elizabeth’s.

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Clover Grill

Depending on who you ask, this French Quarter locals spot is best for a burger, late-night snack, or even later-night breakfast, all served 24/7. Sit at the counter for a view of Bourbon Street shenanigans and order breakfast anytime at this old-school divey diner.

900 Bourbon St, New Orleans, LA 70130

Visit Website

Also featured in:

Stanley Restaurant

Breakfast is served from 8 a.m. through the afternoon Thursday through Monday at this creative French Quarter gem off Jackson Square. Chef and owner Scott Boswell makes an eggs Benedict with fried oysters or house-made boudin, pancakes served with Louisiana cane syrup, and omelets sandwiched into a po’boy. Ask for a side of bacon and cheese grits no matter what the order.

Open in Google Maps

547 St Ann St, New Orleans, LA 70116

Visit Website

Brennan's

Good lucking finding another French Quarter white tablecloth restaurant open at 9 a.m. for breakfast. Brennan’s has been doing it up for more than 70 years, and its Creole menu includes eggs Hussarde, eggs Sardou, ricotta pancakes, and so much more. Please don’t forget to order a brandy milk punch. Serving Thursday through Sunday, with courtyard tables available.

417 Royal St, New Orleans, LA

Visit Website

A plate of eggs Hussarde is carried by a waiter during breakfast t Brennan’s in 2016 — Eggs Hussarde from Brennan’s.

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Commerce Restaurant

There’s one solid bet for a local breakfast in the heart of the Central Business District, and that’s Commerce, a classic daytime diner that’s been in the same Sicilian immigrant family for more than 50 years. It’s a true mom-and-pop spot, serving Southern morning-time specialties with a Cajun influence that are served all day. While not much has changed here over the years, since the pandemic Commerce has added weekend hours, bloody marys, mimosas, and alternative milks.

Open in Google Maps

300 Camp St, New Orleans, LA 70130

Visit Website

The Camellia Grill

This iconic Uptown greasy spoon, which opened in 1946, is known for waits out the door and a slew of diner-fare. That includes a huge breakfast menu with a focus on omelets, as well as grilled pecan pie, the orange Julius, and cheeseburgers. The inside of this legendary Carrollton Avenue diner has a counter with seating that winds through the restaurant.

626 S Carrollton Ave, New Orleans, LA

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Two Chicks Cafe

Stay or work by the Convention Center? Even if you don’t, Two Chicks is worth going out of the way for, and if you do, it should be a regular destination for breakfast or lunch. It’s a sunny, spacious spot serving up a simple but high quality menu of sweet and savory crepes, omelets and egg Benedict dishes, pancakes and parfaits, healthy juices and necessary bloody Marys. The restaurant recently expanded with a second location in the CBD.

Open in Google Maps

901 Convention Center Blvd #109, New Orleans, LA 70130

Visit Website

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Two Chicks Cafe (@2chickscafe)

Also featured in:

Where to Eat Near the New Orleans Convention Center

Cafe Porche & Snowbar

A cozy cafe known for its French toast, Cafe Porche combines two New Orleans pastimes: breakfast and sno-balls. It’s only open on weekends, making it a hot ticket, but a visit to this spot is a memorable one — speak to anyone who’s been for breakfast or brunch and they’ll gush about the restaurant’s warmth, friendliness, and overall quality. Choose from a few breakfast classics with the choice of bacon or smoked sausage, and keep an eye out for specials. Beyond the service, the super-thick, fluffy French toast topped with strawberries, bananas, and blueberries keeps people coming back weekend after weekend.

Open in Google Maps

1625 Baronne St, New Orleans, LA 70113

Visit Website

Also featured in:

Where to Eat Sno-Balls in New Orleans This Summer

Please-U Restaurant

This well-worn breakfast joint lives up to its name, earning a loyal following for straightforward platters of rib-sticking fare. Expect reliably good breakfasts that don’t break the bank, served all day. Open most days at 7 a.m.; closed Sundays.

1751 Saint Charles Ave, New Orleans, LA

Outside Please-U on St. Charles Avenue.

Surrey's Café & Juice Bar

A favorite for breakfast and brunch, this funky little gem was serving specialty juices before it became popular. Surrey’s Cafe makes a mean migas and Costa Rican breakfast, though lots of New Orleans flavor can be found on the menu. Open Thursday through Monday 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.; expect a small line on weekends.

Open in Google Maps

1418 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA 70130

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Surrey’s on Magazine St.

Also featured in:

Where to Savor Some of New Orleans’s Best Shrimp and Grits

Bearcat Cafe

This friendly neighborhood cafe first opened Uptown in 2017, offering what was at the time a rare vegan-friendly menu for breakfast and lunch. It’s since expanded with another location downtown, and both are a local favorite for vegan and non-vegan dining — the latter is satisfied by dishes like the Couyon Daddy with fried chicken, crab dip, and sunny egg on a biscuit, and everything from vegan breakfast potatoes and vegan huevos rancheros to paleo pancakes make up the vast menu.

Open in Google Maps

2521 Jena St, New Orleans, LA 70115

Visit Website

Vegan breakfast potatoes from Bearcat.

Also featured in:

Molly's Rise and Shine

Turns out the follow-up to nationally buzzed-about Turkey and the Wolf is not to be missed, also — it offers a similarly unexpected approach but this time for breakfast. Dishes range from an on-brand Grand Slam McMuffin (pork patties, hashbrown, onions, American cheese), to less expected options, like the carrot yogurt, a light and delicious bowl of yogurt, granola, fruit, carrot marmalade, herbs, and lemon zest. Both are customer favorites that have stayed on the menu, but expect swaps and specials here.

Open in Google Maps

2368 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA 70130

Visit Website

Carrot yogurt from Molly’s Rise and Shine.

Also featured in:

Slim Goodies Diner

Magazine Street’s quirky, always-slammed diner is known for their Slammer options, a hangover-helper made with hashbrowns and scrambles of various sort (eggs, chili, tofu, etc.). Slim Goodie’s also offers “slammers” for the starving, huge portions of breakfast goodness.

3322 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA 70115

Visit Website

Slim Goodies

Also featured in:

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Russell's Marina Grill

8555 Pontchartrain Blvd, New Orleans, LA 70124

Lakeview’s diner institution, Russell’s, has been legendary for breakfast and bloody Mary’s for most of its 25-year run. The breakfast options are completely satisfying, from fried chicken and waffles to a slew of egg specialties. Try the restaurant’s staple, the Egg Saints #33 with a grilled biscuit, alligator sausage, grilled tomatoes, poached eggs, and homemade country gravy, and save room for the housemade pies.

8555 Pontchartrain Blvd, New Orleans, LA 70124

Visit Website

The Egg Saints #33 Benedict from Russell’s Marina Grill.

Buttermilk Drop Bakery

1781 N Dorgenois St, New Orleans, LA 70119

Buttermilk Drop Bakery isn’t just a bakery. It’s been a Treme favorite for around 15 years now, and while it’s known for its buttermilk drop — a fried and crispy sweet treat akin to a donut hole but different — it also serves a succinct menu of affordable breakfast items to a non-stop line of regulars. Expect the straightforward classics: grits, hash browns, omelets, meats, and pancakes.

Open in Google Maps

1781 N Dorgenois St, New Orleans, LA 70119

Visit Website

Pagoda Café

1430 N Dorgenois St, New Orleans, LA 70119

Arguably the top breakfast taco destination in town, this beloved 7th Ward stand makes theirs with potatoes, egg, and cheese on a Mawi tortilla — with either house-refried beans, bacon, turkey bacon, or tofu — and served with green hot sauce.

1430 N Dorgenois St, New Orleans, LA 70119

Visit Website

Pagoda Cafe

Wakin' Bakin'

4408 Banks St, New Orleans, LA

Cozy Mid City charmer Wakin’ Bakin’ cranks out incredible breakfast options everyday from biscuits and gravy to numerous morning sandwiches and a queso burrito (get it with gravy) starting at 7 a.m. Options in Uptown and the most recent, in the French Quarter, are welcome expansions.

4408 Banks St, New Orleans, LA

Visit Website

Wakin’ Bakin’ Mid City.

Biscuits & Buns on Banks

4337 Banks St, New Orleans, LA 70119

A huge menu of breakfast options at this Mid City spot includes classics and specials, from hearty servings of fruit-covered French toast to house-made fried andouille hash cakes. The biscuits at Biscuits & Buns really are outstanding. Oh, and that wafflewich is a mighty fine riff on a breakfast sandwich.

Open in Google Maps

4337 Banks St, New Orleans, LA 70119

Visit Website

Outside Biscuits & Buns on Banks.

Who Dat Cafe

2401 Burgundy St, New Orleans, LA 70117

Who Dat Cafe is a quaint locals’ joint on a pretty Marigny corner that serves the wonderful meal of breakfast Friday through Tuesday from 7 a.m. until 3 p.m. Here find perfectly cooked eggs, friendly service, and excellent coffee alongside omelets named Da Mandeville and Da Cajun, soft shell crab eggs Benedict, and specials like blueberry croissant French Toast and crab pie. It’s all pretty much as good as breakfast gets, and the setting is as pleasant as it comes.

Open in Google Maps

2401 Burgundy St, New Orleans, LA 70117

Visit Website

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Who Dat Coffee Cafe (@who_dat_coffee_cafe)

Nonno’s Cajun Cuisine and Pastries

1940 Dauphine St, New Orleans, LA 70116

Chef Shermond Esteen Jr.’s delightful homestyle restaurant is in a new Marigny home, the former location of longtime breakfast haunt Horn’s. It’s better than ever with new digs, serving fluffy French toast, fragrant with cinnamon, steak and eggs, shrimp and grits, breakfast burritos and more. Also, that’s turkey or beef sausage on the plate; no pork is served at this friendly spot. Bottomless mimosas on Sundays.

Open in Google Maps

1940 Dauphine St, New Orleans, LA 70116

Alma Cafe

800 Louisa St, New Orleans, LA 70117

Melissa Araujo’s Honduran heritage informs every aspect of Alma Cafe in Bywater, from the photos on the walls to the coffee beans, sweets, and savory offerings on the menu. Traditional treats might include buñuelo macheteadas, a deep fried pancake topped with syrup, and cookie-like rosquillas. For breakfast, starting at 8 a.m., the Alma includes eggs, refried beans, plantains, avocado, homemade crema, and queso fresco. Avocado toast, biscuits, and omelets are also served.

Open in Google Maps

800 Louisa St, New Orleans, LA 70117

Visit Website

Campechano breakfast from Alma

Elizabeth's

601 Gallier St, New Orleans, LA

Home of praline bacon and some of the best bloody Marys in town, this Bywater breakfast icon does morning comfort food right — from fried chicken livers and eggs to breakfast po-boys. It also serves breakfast calas, a New Orleans specialty of deep fried rice balls. Elizabeth’s is open Thursday through Monday and there’s generally a wait on the weekends.

601 Gallier St, New Orleans, LA

Visit Website

Elizabeth’s.

Clover Grill

900 Bourbon St, New Orleans, LA 70130

Depending on who you ask, this French Quarter locals spot is best for a burger, late-night snack, or even later-night breakfast, all served 24/7. Sit at the counter for a view of Bourbon Street shenanigans and order breakfast anytime at this old-school divey diner.

900 Bourbon St, New Orleans, LA 70130

Visit Website

Stanley Restaurant

547 St Ann St, New Orleans, LA 70116

Breakfast is served from 8 a.m. through the afternoon Thursday through Monday at this creative French Quarter gem off Jackson Square. Chef and owner Scott Boswell makes an eggs Benedict with fried oysters or house-made boudin, pancakes served with Louisiana cane syrup, and omelets sandwiched into a po’boy. Ask for a side of bacon and cheese grits no matter what the order.

Open in Google Maps

547 St Ann St, New Orleans, LA 70116

Visit Website

Brennan's

417 Royal St, New Orleans, LA

Good lucking finding another French Quarter white tablecloth restaurant open at 9 a.m. for breakfast. Brennan’s has been doing it up for more than 70 years, and its Creole menu includes eggs Hussarde, eggs Sardou, ricotta pancakes, and so much more. Please don’t forget to order a brandy milk punch. Serving Thursday through Sunday, with courtyard tables available.

417 Royal St, New Orleans, LA

Visit Website

A plate of eggs Hussarde is carried by a waiter during breakfast t Brennan’s in 2016 — Eggs Hussarde from Brennan’s.

Commerce Restaurant

300 Camp St, New Orleans, LA 70130

There’s one solid bet for a local breakfast in the heart of the Central Business District, and that’s Commerce, a classic daytime diner that’s been in the same Sicilian immigrant family for more than 50 years. It’s a true mom-and-pop spot, serving Southern morning-time specialties with a Cajun influence that are served all day. While not much has changed here over the years, since the pandemic Commerce has added weekend hours, bloody marys, mimosas, and alternative milks.

Open in Google Maps

300 Camp St, New Orleans, LA 70130

Visit Website

The Camellia Grill

626 S Carrollton Ave, New Orleans, LA

This iconic Uptown greasy spoon, which opened in 1946, is known for waits out the door and a slew of diner-fare. That includes a huge breakfast menu with a focus on omelets, as well as grilled pecan pie, the orange Julius, and cheeseburgers. The inside of this legendary Carrollton Avenue diner has a counter with seating that winds through the restaurant.

626 S Carrollton Ave, New Orleans, LA

Two Chicks Cafe

901 Convention Center Blvd #109, New Orleans, LA 70130

Stay or work by the Convention Center? Even if you don’t, Two Chicks is worth going out of the way for, and if you do, it should be a regular destination for breakfast or lunch. It’s a sunny, spacious spot serving up a simple but high quality menu of sweet and savory crepes, omelets and egg Benedict dishes, pancakes and parfaits, healthy juices and necessary bloody Marys. The restaurant recently expanded with a second location in the CBD.

Open in Google Maps

901 Convention Center Blvd #109, New Orleans, LA 70130

Visit Website

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Two Chicks Cafe (@2chickscafe)

Related Maps

Cafe Porche & Snowbar

1625 Baronne St, New Orleans, LA 70113

A cozy cafe known for its French toast, Cafe Porche combines two New Orleans pastimes: breakfast and sno-balls. It’s only open on weekends, making it a hot ticket, but a visit to this spot is a memorable one — speak to anyone who’s been for breakfast or brunch and they’ll gush about the restaurant’s warmth, friendliness, and overall quality. Choose from a few breakfast classics with the choice of bacon or smoked sausage, and keep an eye out for specials. Beyond the service, the super-thick, fluffy French toast topped with strawberries, bananas, and blueberries keeps people coming back weekend after weekend.

Open in Google Maps

1625 Baronne St, New Orleans, LA 70113

Visit Website

Please-U Restaurant

1751 Saint Charles Ave, New Orleans, LA

This well-worn breakfast joint lives up to its name, earning a loyal following for straightforward platters of rib-sticking fare. Expect reliably good breakfasts that don’t break the bank, served all day. Open most days at 7 a.m.; closed Sundays.

1751 Saint Charles Ave, New Orleans, LA

Outside Please-U on St. Charles Avenue.

Surrey's Café & Juice Bar

1418 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA 70130

A favorite for breakfast and brunch, this funky little gem was serving specialty juices before it became popular. Surrey’s Cafe makes a mean migas and Costa Rican breakfast, though lots of New Orleans flavor can be found on the menu. Open Thursday through Monday 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.; expect a small line on weekends.

Open in Google Maps

1418 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA 70130

Visit Website

Surrey’s on Magazine St.

Bearcat Cafe

2521 Jena St, New Orleans, LA 70115

This friendly neighborhood cafe first opened Uptown in 2017, offering what was at the time a rare vegan-friendly menu for breakfast and lunch. It’s since expanded with another location downtown, and both are a local favorite for vegan and non-vegan dining — the latter is satisfied by dishes like the Couyon Daddy with fried chicken, crab dip, and sunny egg on a biscuit, and everything from vegan breakfast potatoes and vegan huevos rancheros to paleo pancakes make up the vast menu.

Open in Google Maps

2521 Jena St, New Orleans, LA 70115

Visit Website

Vegan breakfast potatoes from Bearcat.

Molly's Rise and Shine

2368 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA 70130

Turns out the follow-up to nationally buzzed-about Turkey and the Wolf is not to be missed, also — it offers a similarly unexpected approach but this time for breakfast. Dishes range from an on-brand Grand Slam McMuffin (pork patties, hashbrown, onions, American cheese), to less expected options, like the carrot yogurt, a light and delicious bowl of yogurt, granola, fruit, carrot marmalade, herbs, and lemon zest. Both are customer favorites that have stayed on the menu, but expect swaps and specials here.

Open in Google Maps

2368 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA 70130

Visit Website

Carrot yogurt from Molly’s Rise and Shine.

Slim Goodies Diner

3322 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA 70115

Magazine Street’s quirky, always-slammed diner is known for their Slammer options, a hangover-helper made with hashbrowns and scrambles of various sort (eggs, chili, tofu, etc.). Slim Goodie’s also offers “slammers” for the starving, huge portions of breakfast goodness.

3322 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA 70115

Visit Website

Slim Goodies

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