Depending of where I am in the world...

In the US, either Eggs Benedict, or biscuicts and gravy, with eggs over-easy. A mimosa or Bloody Mary is always nice.

In Northern Europe, I'll take the cold cuts and cheese and nice fresh bread, with tea.

In Italy, where I grew up, just a simple cornetto or ciambella (basically, croissants and donuts) with a caffe-latte or cappuccino.

I also enjoy the occasional curry for breakfast, but I have to be *reall* hungry for that, and in the right place.

Along with endorsing much of the above, I'll add breakfasts we enjoyed for a special treat at the original Original Pancake House in Portland Oregon in the late 70s. I was engaged in graduate work in summer school and we and our young children eventually dined our way through the menu over a couple of summers.

On one occasion, we even spotted one of the founders, Les Highet, eating breakfast at an adjacent table.

We returned there a few years ago and it still seemed as good as ever. On our long list of favorites are the Apple Pancake, the Dutch Baby, and the Danish Kijafa Cherry Crepes. :)

Fūl medammis (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ful_medames), a simple breakfast of fava beans and chick peas boiled, mashed and served in olive oil, is a wonderful way to start a lazy day out on the patio with friends. Especially when you have fresh mint, radish, dandelion and other greens on the side from your garden.

In Thailand we had boiled rice with shrimp for breakfast. Although it sounds plain, it can be very tasty and matches the Thai spices well. In fact, I think a boiled-rice station would be a nice addition to a hotel's fancy Sunday brunch. Some shrimp, other seafood selection, beef, pork, vegetables and broth poured over rice would make a nice presentation; and make the hotel stand out over the typical omelet and carving stations that you see.

THIS!!! YES!!!

And while I am not generally a fan of sweet breakfast, I also vote for the entire menu at Chez Cora, a French Canadian breakfast chain/institution. http://www.chezcora.com/our-menu/bre...samira-wake-up

Most of the time I'd rather eat leftover dinner food than breakfast food, but of the breakfast food options...

#1 eggs benny - best I ever had was at Snooze in Denver. Followed closely by the Park Hyatt Vendome

#2 French Toast - best I ever had was the Cinnamon Challah French toast at the Breakfast Club in Scottsdale

#3 Full Irish - definitely with mushrooms, and minus the black pudding.

#4 Corned beef hash and eggs.

Eggs Benedict all the way. If a breakfast place has it, I'm going to order it! I like it when it's not too runny and I don't make a terrific mess eating it. Plus I'd like it served with some crispy breakfast potatoes with ketchup and some fruit.

This place in Carmel, CA is my favorite for it. I love their lobster Benedict:

http://www.katysplacecarmel.com/

Next time you're out that way, try the Highway 29 Cafe between Vallejo and Napa. Been a while, but I think it's still open.

Nice menu. A bit pricey, but worth it IMO if they can consistently do it right.

give me an italian style omelette and a side of fruit and ill be one happy guy. they do this perfect at a spot called the little cafe in encino, california


or some home made shakshuka when i have someone to cook for me...

Hotel: Renaissance Wailea buffet. Man, that was good...wish that property was still there... :(

Local: My little neighborhood bagel shop. It's where runners gather on Saturdays and Sundays to replace carbs after a long run...it's always fun to go in there and find a bunch of old friends and learn what races they're training for, etc.

Barney's Greengrass does a great sturgeon, onion and scrambled eggs served with a great NY bagel. Sheer heaven.:)

It was pricey but the atmosphere is great and so is the food and service. Plus Carmel is an extremely ritzy town so you know going in it's going to be pricey.

I'm usually not a fan of chain restaurants, but I love the breakfast at Crack Barrels. Eggs, english muffin, homefries, bacon, sausage gravey...the works! Also another thing that's great about Cracker Barrel is their store. You can rent books on tape from one Cracker Barrel and return it to another. I did this when I drove cross country.

I've been a loyal fan of the German brekkie since we first lived in Frankfurt with my parents and brother in the late 1970's. However, I've never really learned to eat quark in the morning, more as a light lunch with potatoes.

Still no place like this in Shanghai or environs?

I would add smoked salmon, whitefish or kippers but otherwise sounds really tasty...

I was on the hunt recently - I think that we have talked about the dearth of decent German places there before. Lind Bakery is relatively new on the scene but I haven't been there yet. http://www.lind.com.cn/ They are promoting themselves quite a bit on the internet and I definitely hope to give them a try soon (this month's trip was postponed) But I don't think that Lind is doing full breakfast like South German Bakery does.

Another vote for Barney Greengrass from up thread - it was there that I realized that the 'black and white' that I heard about on Seinfeld is what we call an 'American' in German.