I did a search and found that breakfast recommendations were scatterered around various threads and posts so I thought I would start a new thread to solicit suggestions. The only place I know is Veselka (great if you lik borsht with your pancakes), but would like to diversify, preferably to places where the waitresses call you honey.

In the West Village, I like Pink Teacup, although there's generally a line. In Tribeca, there's Kitchenette (the website is out of date and they've recently moved around the corner to Chambers St. between W. Bway and Greenwich).

For Upper Westside options, there's Good Enough to Eat (site of a previous FT gettogether), Sarabeth's, Popover Cafe, Barney Greengrass...

Have never done Norma's in the Parker Meridien--it's very popular, but it sounds like an overpriced scene to me.

And while it's not in Manhattan, I'm now in love with Egg. It turns into a different restaurant from noon, though, so you have to get there early.

While we're at it, let's cross-reference some relevant threads:

• Harlem Brunch
• Sunday Brunch Suggestions in New York
• Best diner in Manhattan - esp Upper West Side
• Breakfast -- Upper East Side?

I'm with Calcifer on Norma's: Very popular, but I've never been and find it hard to believe that it could possibly be worth both (1) the hassle of getting a seat and (2) the price. But I've never met anyone who ate there and regretted it.

I'm not a huge Sarabeth's fan for much the same reasons. I think it's overpriced and not worth the wait, but some people love it. I'll take the Metro Diner at 100th and Broadway (which has great value pre-brunch breakfast specials) over Sarabeth's any day.

In general you won't be called "honey" in too many Manhattan breakfast joints. In most places you'll be waited on either by immigrant men who work their tails off but don't know much English and don't take much time for courtesy, or by aspiring actors who speak beautiful English and will give you a dashing smile, but who are too formal to dispense terms of endearment.

You may need to go to the outer boroughs to find waitresses who still call the clientele "honey."

Avoid any restaurants in any tour book. Find a nice local coffee shop and have the quintessential breakfast in the city.

I really like Penelope's near Grand Central. It's a very small charming cafe with great brunch options. It is also reasonably priced. ^ Note that there will be a wait on weekends.

In SoHo go for the Cupping Room on West Broadway. Their caviar and sour cream omelette is awesome!

Getting a table at Norma's actually is not that hard with a little planning: they do accept reservations, including on opentable.com. Is it worth the price? Probably not, but it is a fun place to take out-of-towners to. You ought to try it at least once.


Although I agree with your sentiment, sometimes I want a better breakfast than you find in most coffee shops. It's rare to have a bad coffee shop breakfast, but it's also rare to have a really good one, too. (That said, it's very easy to pay a lot of money in this city for a really bad breakfast -- remember Royal Canadian Pancake House? So I certainly agree that a high price and a line down the block does not guarantee a good meal.)

I've never been to the Royal Canadian Pancake House. For me, I think coffee shops offer the best in city breakfasts. Now, note, I am not into pancakes or french toast so if you're looking for authentic maple syrup, you may be on to something. I like eggs. Coffee shops do them great. Plus I can read my paper and be poured the endless cup of coffee. ^

RCPH is long gone (fortunately). They started in the Village or Soho, and then moved to 53rd and 2nd, serving HUGE portions of really bad food. Apparently the huge portions were a sufficient pull to get people to line up around the block for this place, but in addition to the fact that the portions were obscene, the food was just plain bad.

I'm a pancake and omelet guy, and while most diners do both competently (to go with their usually bad coffee!), I occasionally like a more upscale breakfast. I do agree with you, however, that most of the places people flock to are no better, and always more expensive, than the corner diner.

Worth every one of my 2500 pennies. I had the banana pancakes. Fresh orange juice. Coffee.

At one time, many people thought that Norma's was visited only by Eurotrash.
Don't mean to sound harsh. That was the perception at the time.

mcg1000 , you said 'The only place I know is Veselka (great if you like borsht with your pancakes)'.
Many of us have eaten at Veselka over the years at one of the NY get togethers. I can assure you that their breakfast is a little more upscale than you describe.

For a slightly better breakfast, I'd recommend http://www.restaurantflorent.com/florentindex.html

The best kept secret in NYC is:

Shopsin's

Of course many NYers know about it, but I am surprised how many do not. The family that runs it is very eccentric. The food is amazing b/c not only is it quite good, but it's very hard not to find something to eat that you have never even dreamed of. My breakfast of a Bacon, Egg and Cheeseburger with Egg & Cheese French Fries was superlative! (Im at Shopsins about 2x a week now).

The menu must be seen to be believed...even more amazing is how they make everything taste so good with such a wide range of ingredients. I think their small place and strict rules limiting parties to 4 is what makes that work.

http://www.shopsins.com/media/redshops/shopsiemenu.pdf

Thanks, DrivingRain. I'm one of those NYers who know about it but never have been. I've been inimidated by the place ever since I read Calvin Trillin's wonderful piece about the place in the New Yorker a few years ago.

What else do you recommend? My principal anxiety about the place is going in and not knowing what to order!

Give it a try. We may actually run into each other if you go over a weekend...cross-table conversation is common.

I've never had the same thing twice. 70% of what I have ordered I'd order again if it was not against my personal policy. 20% is good & all, just not worth ordering again. The last 10% is what I've not been happy with. But even on the rare occasion that I dont like something, it's fun to try Ropa Huevos Rancheros (brunch combo D) at a place like this.

So I would recommend:
Sneaky Pete (3 poached eggs on jalapeno/jack garlic baguette with bacon crumbles, tomato and scallion)
1/2 stack of Chocolate Coconut pancakes

These are two original dishes, but not too weird for the first time. And it's worth noting that the jalapeno in the Sneaky Pete is very mild.

Note that coffee and seltzer is self-serve. Just grab a mug from the cabinet and pour it yourself.

Don't get me wrong -- I love Veselka, I'm just staying in Midtown this time and don't want to have to get in a cab to get breakfast (even if my favourite borsht is waiting!)

For Midtown:
-I support that Norma's is very good
-I havent been to the new Sarabeth's on CPS,but if its like the UWS...then it should be good too
-Asiate at the Mandarin Oriental offers incredible views and a good, relatively pricey breakfast
-Amy's Bread on 9th Ave.
-Sullivan St Bakery on 47th b/t 10th and 11th. Not many places to sit there.
-Casa (aka Cupcake Cafe) near Port Authority on 9th Ave. Excellent coffee.
-Does anybody know exactly where Artie Lang gets his panckaes every morning? They look incredible on TV. It must be near Rock Center since Sirius' studio is there.