Photo by Laura Moss Calamari at Andreoli Italian Grocer

WHERE TO Eat Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Brunch & Happy Hour.

BEST BREAKFASTS
BEST BRUNCHES
BEST LUNCHES
BEST HAPPY HOURS
BEST DINNERS


BEST BREAKFAST
Amuse Bouche
Consider yourself lucky if you live in the West Valley, because it’s home to the best breakfast in town. On Sundays only, BYOB bistro Amuse Bouche presents a five-star feast fit for royalty but priced for commoners. Pair hot, fluffy beignets buried in a cloud of powdered sugar with dark, rich coffee. The eggs Benedict, served with an angelic hollandaise, is an absolute must no matter what the weekly special is, but cross your fingers it’s the phenomenal house-made corned beef hash. Parisian crêpes are divine, as is light-as-a-feather quiche. Bring a bottle of bubbly and make it a celebration. 17058 W. Bell Rd., Surprise, 623-322-8881, amusebouche.biz. Breakfast 8 a.m.-1 p.m Su; lunch and dinner Tu-Sa. $-$$$$

Photo by Jason Koster Bertha’s Café’s waffles with bananas, strawberries and candied almonds.

Bertha’s Café
Baked goods are the stars at this hidden gem, and at breakfast, that means huge, moist muffins and buttery, crumbly scones. Bertha’s bakes eggs, too, in several delectable iterations, including a bacon, arugula, pesto and parmesan cheese brioche toast egg sandwich. Try the breakfast torta, a wedge-shaped pie layered with eggs, cheese, ham, salami, spinach and roasted peppers. For something light, slip a spoon into the parfait with seasonal fruit, nonfat vanilla yogurt and coconut-flecked granola. 3134 E. Indian School Rd., Phoenix, 602-955-1022, berthascafe.com. Breakfast 7:30-11 a.m. M-F, 8 a.m.-1 p.m Sa; lunch M-Sa. $

BLD
A drive-up window for smoothies and lattes, a dog-friendly patio and a creative menu that features breakfast meatloaf – what’s not to like? Cork owners Robert and Danielle Morris and partner/chef Brian Peterson hit the spot with BLD (breakfast, lunch, dinner), especially at breakfast. Sweet and savory play nice in the Monte Cristo, the green chile pork tostada is tangy and tasty, and get over the dubious mauve-colored red wine hollandaise spooned over eggs Benedict with short ribs, because the dish is a knockout. 1920 W. Germann Rd., Chandler, 480-779-8646, bldchandler.com. Breakfast 7 a.m.-4 p.m. M-F, 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Sa-Su; lunch and dinner daily. $-$$

The Breakfast Club
Even with the new expansion, short waits are common at this Scottsdale hotspot. Maybe it’s the new breakfast libations, or maybe it’s because The Breakfast Club’s deep, interesting menu keeps drawing repeat visitors like a magnet.  “The Bird” omelet, stuffed with roast turkey, avocado, mushrooms and boursin cheese, is soul satisfying; Harris Ranch filet mignon Benedict with sautéed spinach could be served in a steakhouse. Downtown Phoenicians can get their Club fix at the new CityScape location. 4400 N. Scottsdale Rd., Scottsdale, 480-222-2582, thebreakfastclub.us. Breakfast 6 a.m.-3 p.m. M-F, 7 a.m.-3 p.m. Sa-Su; lunch daily. Other location: Phoenix. $

Carolina’s
Everyone knows Carolina’s makes the best tortillas, and when they’re wrapped around hefty brekkie fixings, no one leaves hungry – or broke. Eggs, potatoes, beans, beef chorizo and beef machaca, combined in seven variations, are all less than $4 each. We’re partial to the juicy machaca, loaded with pinto beans, scrambled eggs and potatoes. Top it off with red or green salsa; neither will set your lips on fire, but both get a savory kick from cumin and garlic. 1202 E. Mohave St., Phoenix, 602-252-1503, carolinasnorth.com. Breakfast 7-10:30 a.m. M-Sa; lunch and dinner M-Sa. Other locations: Phoenix (602-275-8231); Peoria (623-487-1400) $

Photo by Laura Moss Heart & Soul Cafe

Heart & Soul Café
Don’t go to Heart & Soul Café if, a) you’re not hungry, or b) you’re on a diet. Sure, they have a “fitness frittata,” but there are platters of far more glorious calories to consider. To wit: bacon-studded blueberry pancakes as big as the plate, or terrific green chile pork chilaquiles, or jalapeño beef tenderloin hash. If you have three burly-but-famished friends, attack the 13-layer suicide stack (don’t even ask – it’s insane). The “crazy” split biscuit – one half topped with creamy, thyme-scented pork and sausage gravy and the other with rich, green chile pork verde, served with eggs and roasted potatoes – seems tame by comparison. 4705 E. Carefree Highway, Cave Creek, 480-595-7300, heartandsoulcafeaz.com. Breakfast 7-11 a.m. M-Sa, 7 a.m.-2 p.m. Su; lunch M-Sa; dinner Tu-Sa. $-$$

Chloe’s Corner
It’s tough to beat a 50-cent cup of coffee, especially one this solid. The rest of the breakfast menu in this busy café in chic Kierland Commons (and Downtown Phoenix at CityScape) is not that cheap, but it’s surprisingly affordable, topping out at eight bucks. If dining solo, sit at the counter, people-watch at a sidewalk table, or grab-and-go from the chilled case. Try the steel-cut oatmeal or “Chloe’s favorite” – two scrambled eggs with bacon, toast and fruit. 15215 N. Kierland Blvd., Scottsdale, 480-998-0202, chloescorneraz.com. Breakfast 7-10:30 a.m. M-F, 8-11:30 a.m. Sa-Su; lunch daily. $

The Coffee Shop
Surrounded by Gilbert’s bucolic Agritopia, The Coffee Shop feels sleek, urban and hip. You can get a tasty, all-American breakfast with eggs, bacon and toast, or an outrageous potato, bacon and cheddar cheese burrito (with a Carolina’s tortilla), but the pastry display case is just as impressive as the farmhand fare. The owners won an episode of the Food Network’s Cupcake Wars in 2010, and had there been a scone or muffin contest, their buttery toffee rum raisin scone or raspberry vanilla muffin might have won, too. 3000 E. Ray Rd., Gilbert, 480-279-3144, thecoffeeshopaz.com. Breakfast 7 a.m.-noon M-Sa, 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Su; lunch daily; dinner M-Sa. $

Photo by Diana Elizabeth Orange Table

Orange Table
No doubt about it, the Orange Table has mastered the art of making pancakes. With crisp edges and fluffy, tender interiors, the hotcakes come in eight flavors, including banana pecan, strawberry, jalapeño-pecan, and monkey – filled with bananas, almonds and coconut. As good as the griddlecakes are, Orange Table slings some terrific hash platters, too, especially the green flannel hash with corned beef, green chiles and jalapeños sautéed with potatoes and topped with sour cream. Vegetarians will dig the beets, artichoke, olive and potato hash, and everyone will crave the garlic mushroom omelet smothered in creamy mushroom sherry sauce – and the strong cup of joe. 7373 E. Scottsdale Mall, Scottsdale, 480-424-6819, orangetableaz.com. Breakfast 7 a.m.-2 p.m. daily; lunch daily. $

Daily Dose
It could take weeks of daily pilgrimages to work through the lengthy breakfast menu at Daily Dose. From overstuffed omelets to protein pancakes, all the bases are covered. Sure, you can order eggs, bacon and toast, but it’s hard to resist gingerbread pancakes paired with poached peaches and crème anglaise. Even if you didn’t over-indulge the night before, try the hangover sandwich, a grilled sourdough monster sporting a hyperactive combination of fried egg, bacon, turkey sausage, cheddar cheese, grilled jalapeños, caramelized onions, and harissa aioli. 4020 N. Scottsdale Rd., Scottsdale, 480-994-3673, dailydosegrill.com. Breakfast 7 a.m.-4 p.m. daily; lunch and dinner daily. $-$$$

Gallo Blanco
At Gallo Blanco, “breakfast all day” means you don’t have to drag yourself out of bed at the crack of noon. Start with a cinnamon-kissed horchata or a feisty Bloody Mary, then dive into green chile chilaquiles (chicken or vegetarian) or grilled flatiron steak served with fried eggs, ranchero sauce and guacamole. The egg and spicy chorizo torta or the delightfully messy huevos rancheros will wake up any sleep-deprived taste buds. Craving something sweet? Lick-the-plate-clean cajeta y platano crepas (caramel and banana crêpes) has your name on it. 401 W. Clarendon Ave., Phoenix, 602-327-0880, galloblancocafe.com. Breakfast 7:30 a.m.-10 p.m. Su-Th, 7:30 a.m.-11 p.m. F-Sa; lunch and dinner daily. $

Photo by Mark Lipczynski Sausage crêpe, a Jobot special of the day

Jobot
Set in a rickety old house, Jobot is more artsy coffeehouse than café, and breakfast consists of a dozen or so sweet and savory crêpes. Some fillings are wild – case in point: root beer-braised pork topped with pineapple slaw and fresh jalapeños. You can also get the fillings on a bed of greens, or mounded on three corn tortillas instead of a crêpe. We love the oven-roasted turkey with mozzarella, spinach and garlicky pesto, and the banana-stuffed crêpe smeared with Nutella. 918 N. Fifth St., Phoenix, 602-228-7373, jobot-coffee.com. Breakfast 7 a.m.-midnight M-Th and Su, 24 hours F-Sa. $

La Grande Orange Grocery
Fashionable LGO is so popular that even if they didn’t serve mouthwatering breakfasts, they’d still be packed. Fortunately, they do dish out some of the tastiest fare in town. Go light with an egg-white omelet or grain-packed birchermüesli, or splurge with the English muffin commuter sandwich with scrambled eggs, tomato and choice of salty bacon, ham, or avocado. Glide your fork through pancakes served with honey syrup and crème fraîche, and don’t overlook the bakery case of fresh muffins and scones. 4410 N. 40th St., Phoenix, 602-840-7777, lagrandeorangegrocery.com. Breakfast 6:30 a.m.-5 p.m. daily; lunch and dinner daily. $

Matt’s Big Breakfast
Fans endure the queues at this tiny brick eatery because Matt’s Big Breakfast is worth the wait. Sure, Matt and Erenia Poole could expand their restaurant and double their business, but they’re fanatic about delivering a top-notch breakfast made from quality (often local) ingredients. Controlling how many dishes they crank out ensures they’re serving only the best. When you order the cheese omelet, oozing with cheddar and provolone melted into three fluffy eggs, or a salami scramble with crisp hash browns, or a perfect Belgian waffle, you’ll forget how long you waited. 801 N. First St., Phoenix, 602-254-1074, mattsbigbreakfast.com. Breakfast 6:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Tu-Su; lunch Tu-Su. $

Morning Glory Café
You know breakfast is farm-fresh when you’re dining at the very place that farmed it. Maya’s Farm nestles up to the picture-perfect patio at Morning Glory Café at the Farm at South Mountain. Help yourself to coffee at the self-serve stand and soak up the view while you wait for a skillet of roasted vegetables and truffle-scented scrambled eggs with grilled bread, or the robust cowboy plate with chili made from local beef and native tepary beans topped with two fried eggs. On weekends, the menu also includes omelets and a light and crunchy blueberry Belgian waffle with vanilla cream. 6106 S. 32nd St., Phoenix, 602-276-6360, thefarmatsouthmountain.com. Breakfast Tu-F 8-11 a.m., Sa-Su 8 a.m.-1 p.m. $-$$

Over Easy
We tend to skip over the lengthy healthy portion of the menu at this family oriented breakfast joint and go straight to the entrées. Chilaquiles – fried chips smothered with tender chicken, ranchero sauce and cheese – is as comforting as a hug. And the sandwich-like Wolfpack is over-the-top: The “bread” is two layers of crisp hash browns, filled with two eggs any way (over easy for us), bacon and cheese (American, Swiss, cheddar, feta or goat). Next time we’ll order the egg white and spinach scramble. Yeah, right. 4730 E. Indian School Rd., Phoenix, 602-468-3447, eatatovereasy.com. Breakfast 6:30 a.m.-1 p.m. M-F, 6:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Sa-Su; and 9375 E. Bell Rd., Scottsdale, 480-270-3447. Breakfast 6:30 a.m.-1 p.m daily. $-$$

Perk Eatery
Soft, tender pancakes rule the roost at Perk Eatery, from the award-winning, caramelized banana pecan pancakes to weekend specials including pumpkin pecan or lemon ricotta cakes. Hotcakes aren’t the only reason to visit this bright, busy café in a strip center west of Kierland Commons. Hearty egg scrambles include the Outlaw, loaded with ham, bacon and sausage, and nine plate-hogging omelets ranging from the spicy chorizo Border Patrol to the garlicky vegetarian with roasted tomatoes and red peppers, onions, mushrooms and Swiss cheese. 6501 E. Greenway Pkwy., Scottsdale, 480-998-6026, perkeatery.com. Breakfast and lunch 6:30 a.m.-3 p.m. daily. $

Pomegranate Café
You don’t have to be vegetarian or vegan to enjoy the crunchy berry pepita French toast or the Anasazi bean and seasonal vegetable breakfast burrito at this cheery Ahwatukee café. Mother-daughter duo Marlene and Cassie Tolman have a knack for cooking with nourishing greens and grains without skimping on flavor. Check the chalkboard for daily specials, such as black bean and tomatillo soup or sweet potato tamales. Marlene has a certificate in patisserie and baking, so her vegan pastries taste as good as they look. 4025 E. Chandler Blvd., Phoenix, 480-706-7472, pomegranatecafe.com. Breakfast 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Tu-Su; lunch Tu-Su; brunch Su. $

Scramble
It’s a good thing breakfast is served all day at Scramble, because it’s hard to resist the Santa Fe eggs Benedict at any hour. The poached eggs are perched atop ham and jalapeño corn bread, smothered in kicky chipotle hollandaise and served with a side of rosemary-scented spuds. The two “scramble” plates – Meat Lovers, with more breakfast meat than a pork butchery, and Veggie Lovers, with squashes, peppers and sun-dried tomatoes – both live up to their names. It’s hit or miss on the gigantic cinnamon roll, but when it’s a hit, it’s swoon-worthy. 9832 N. Seventh St., Phoenix, 602-374-2294, azscramble.com. Breakfast 6 a.m.-2 p.m. daily; lunch daily. $

Tryst Café
Tryst has a solid lineup of omelets, pancakes and waffles, but don’t miss the Hawaiian breakfast: Tender, juicy, slow-roasted pork layered with sautéed cabbage and fragrant jasmine rice, then topped with two fried eggs and syrupy soy sauce. Leave off the soy sauce and the dish is gluten free. In fact, about half the menu is either naturally or easily modified to be gluten free, including a three egg omelet with buffalo mozzarella, pesto and roasted tomatoes. Several dishes come with sweet potato tots, but if they don’t, request them. 21050 N. Tatum Blvd., Phoenix, 480-585-7978, trystcafe.com. Breakfast 7 a.m.-2:30 p.m. daily; lunch and dinner daily. $-$$

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