Author: Tiffany Mayer
Follow her on Instagram: @eatingniagara
It’s been dubbed the most important meal of the day for good reason. A hearty and balanced breakfast can make the difference between just another day, and a candidate for the Best Day Ever. We polled the local masses to learn who fills up their orange juice glasses — and coffee mugs. Here are some of their favourites.
Niagara Falls
Dena’s Home Cookin’ in Niagara Falls is amazing! Great prices, family-run and the food is delish. I love that brekkie is served with fried mushrooms, sliced tomatoes and a slice of fruit. I have never been disappointed.
— Lindsay Mills
Continental Pancake House & Family Restaurant. The prices are very reasonable and you get large portions. The wait staff are so friendly. I like to go there every Sunday for breakfast with my husband.
— Paulette Dubas
Flipped on Montrose Road. It’s a new place, but they are doing everything right.
— Debbie Barnier
IHOP on River Road. Great food and amazing service.
— Maria Lisa Serafini-Bronizewski
Pelham
Pelham Street Grille is a really comfortable gem in Fonthill, and the staff are very charming. Fare is consistently delicious.
— Cathy Thompson
St. Catharines
Sunrise Cafe has always done breakfast right. Get your potatoes on the grill with onions or deep fried. Don’t forget to grab some dessert for later. Owner Mira makes it all fresh.
— Matt Cumpson
All you have to do is look at the menu to see why The Diner House 29 is a go-to for breakfast, brunch and lunch-seekers throughout Niagara. Why bother with short or long stacks when you can have one of The DH’s legendary deep-dish pancakes baked in a cast iron skillet? Or omelettes that treat eggs with the respect they deserve. DH classics include the Iron Rice Bowl and Fave Son-in-Law, the latter starring deep-fried poached eggs, and both unlike anything anywhere else. Service is five star, despite the running joke that it is a two-star diner.
The hardest part about going to The District Tapas + Bar for brunch is choosing what to eat. There’s the classic breakfast, which is everything you’d expect it to be — eggs, bacon or sausage and home fries. But then there’s the chocolate avocado pudding, the shakshuka-like baked eggs, lobster grilled cheese and chicken and waffles, among others. We can see why Facebook group member Kate Notwell is obsessed with this place.
Fans of the former Bleu Turtle in West St. Catharines will pick up on a similar vibe at Bistro Mirepoix. That’s because owner Maddy used to serve breakfast and brunch things there before going out on her own to fill a first-meal-of-the-day void in Midtown. Pork belly Benedict is a favourite of Facebook group member Catherine Moyes Martin. Smoked salmon, sourdough waffles, sides of fried cheese — all are on the small but mighty menu that won’t leave you wanting.
Husband and wife team Jason and Nicole Sawatsky make brunch everything it was meant to be. Consistently an Open Table award winner, The Yellow Pear focuses on fresh and seasonal — and the flagship “Benny.” That’s their spin on Eggs Benedict and can include lobster, pork belly, or brisket served atop a decadent Cheese Dots waffle. Facebook group member Catherine Moyes Martin is a big fan of their chicken and waffles.
Vineland
Revalee Brunch Café is in Facebook group member Denise Elliott’s regular breakfast rotation. After all, no brunch eater gets left behind at Revalee Brunch Café. With thoughtful omni and vegan menus that change with the seasons, there’s choice galore for any eater. Maybe it’s the roasted turkey croissant or the fried green tomato, lettuce and tempeh (FGTLT) sandwich on the menu right now that will set your day in motion. Whatever the case, one look at what’s on offer and you’ll want to drop everything and head to Vineland, stat. Service is stellar, too.
Stevensville
The Scuttlebutt Tap & Eatery serves breakfast from 8:30 a.m. until noon on Sundays. Everything about this place boasts small town, neighbourhood charm. It’s comfortable and familiar, serving classics, including three-egg omelettes with tater tots and toast on the side, waffles dressed up with whipped cream and fruit, and a legendary toasted Western sandwich. It’s a favourite of Facebook group member Julie Webb.
Now go forth and eat breakfast, and show this day who’s boss.
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