DINING: Bacon Filled Brunches from St. Pete to Clearwater

Breakfast, Brunch & Bacon! By Nanette Wiser

Breakfast should be eggs-actly how you like it, whether you prefer fancy (eggs benedict) or simple (two eggs, easy, bacon extra crispy).  So many options, from kitschy coffeehouses with morning glory muffins and breakfast delights to weekend brunch, some with unlimited mimosas.  Rise and shine at our breakfast faves in downtown St. Pete, the beaches and beyond.

COFFEEHOUSES: Java joints feature artsy drinks like lavender lattes and salted caramel cold brew with a pastry or avo toast and a welcome break from the morning muddle. We like Kahwa, Coffee Grounds, Kraft Café, The Coffee Mill, Gulf Perk Coffee Bar, Black Crow Coffee, Gypsy Soul, La Casa del Pane, SumitrA Espresso Lounge+ and Banyan Café. 

BRUNCH: Sadly, the breakfast buffet is off the menu, but happily unlimited mimosas and other drink specials spark up a weekend brunch. Downtown, we like Nueva Cantina, Cassis, Tropez, Stillwaters Tavern, The Left Bank Bistro, Parkshore Grill, Oak & Stone Brick & Mortar and The Mill. In Tierra Verde, Alsace serves a lovely French weekend brunch as does St. Pete’s Noble Crust, Southern style. In Pass-A-Grille, linger over breakfast at Sea Porch Café or weekend brunch at The Dewey Beach Bar & Grill. 

BREAKFAST: Our hall of famers below are just the top of the stack. We also like Trip’s Diner, First Watch, KeKe’s Café, Maple Street Biscuit Company, Maggie Mae’s, Bob Evans, Mickey’s Café & Organic and The Happy Place.

Annex: Stop by for savory breakfast sandwiches, egg soufflés, gluten-free oatmeal, yummy waffles, a healthy acai or fruit bowl. Sip a citrus carrot yogurt smoothie, mimosa, kombucha, Kahwa coffee or Mighty Leaf organic teas, then browse the nifty gifties. DTSP

Belleair Café: Next to Antique Alley, relax under tiki umbrellas and the patio while nibbling bagel-lox-cream cheese, cherry smoked bacon, silver dollar pancakes, savory corned beef hash and mouth-watering omelets. Belleair Bluffs

Clear Sky On Cleveland: Dine al fresco on the closed street with a view of the bay for outstanding cocktails and breakfast, especially the rib eye steak and eggs, huevos rancheros, barbacoa breakfast tacos, maple glazed chicken and waffles, short rib Benedict, banana French toast or a lobster brie bennie. Downtown Clearwater

Chill Restaurant & Bar: Breakfast and the Sunday Corey Market is always fun, as are the mimosas. St. Pete Beach

Datz St. Pete: One of the best on both sides of the bay, especially the Cubano breakfast sandwich (fried egg, pulled pork, Compart® ham, pickle and Swiss cheese piled on a Wolferman’s® English muffin), Popeye’s Rise N’ Shiner (fried egg, bacon, fresh spinach and smoked gouda. Served on an artisan challah bun), pork belly breakfast burrito, salted caramel donut waffle, cheddar crusted breakfast tacos and the best BACON! DTSP

Flying With Jerome: Tues.-Sun. 7:30am-2pm, enjoy French-ified dishes (Croque Croissant, Swiss ham and cheese crepe, brie and salmon omelet, goat cheese mushroom quiche) and elegant pastries (pistachio cherry tart, macarons, hazelnut éclair) in this delightful bistro. Largo

Frog Pond: Huge omelets, quiche Lorraine, fruit-topped waffles, Benedicts and breakfast burritos, seasonally updated. Kitschy frog décor and great service. North Redington, St. Pete Beach, DTSP

The Galley: Weekend brunch with a Caesar Bloody Mary, breakfast poutine or The Frenchy (tavern ham, Havarti on 7-grain, smothered in creamy bechamel, topped with a fried egg) is a hang-over cure. DTSP

The Hangar: Enjoy breakfast on the fly with biscuits and country gravy, eggs Florentine, Belgium waffles with toasted Georgia pecans or chicken on a buttermilk biscuit with goat cheese. DTSP

The Library: The coffee bar is open daily, but weekend brunch is the big draw for the egg white and quinoa scramble, apple and pecan spiced pancakes, hickory smoked salmon and house chips. DTSP

Metro Diner: Croissant French toast, huevos rancheros, steak and scramble bowl drizzled with hollandaise sauce, fried chicken Benedict and cinnamon roll pancakes. St. Petersburg

Brunch at Metro Diner

2nd and Second: A gourmet diner serving spirits, the kooky menu features hash many ways, old-fashioned donut French toast, Chicken Artichoke Florentine or Cowboy Omelet (ham, caramelized onion, roasted peppers, chipotle bbq), Dutch Benedict with scrapple, bacon bleu hash browns, mimosa samplers and a morning mojito. DTSP

Skidders Restaurant: Lots of healthy options plus the most delicious chocolate chip pancakes, cheese blintzes, Black Angus chicken-fried steak and eggs, feta and gyro omelette and Florentine Benedict. St. Pete Beach

Skyway Jack Restaurant: A local icon where Humpty Dumpty and Rooster sculptures greet you. Enjoy old-fashioned favorites (Philadelphia scrapple with eggs, S.O.S., creamed chipped beef), iconic omelets (Tex-Mex, pizza), chicken and waffles, pancakes (Nutella) and some of the best biscuits and gravy in town. St. Petersburg

Stella’s: So delicious we went twice in one week for the crab cake benedict (lox or green tomato versions rock), the chorizo, breakfast burrito, banana nut bread French toast and Southern shrimp and grits. Try a mimosa flight (Bellini and Hawaiian with coconut rum) or the kooky Bloody Mary concoctions (Italian, Asian or Mexican). Gulfport

Sweet Sage Cafe & Boutique: The quirky garden gnomes and décor beckon, as do the sensational crepes (peaches/pecans), waffles, apple crisp French toast, Benedicts (salmon, California style), scramblers (Italian, roast beef/blue cheese or turkey/spinach) and homemade muffins served with a Bloody Mary or mimosa. Dog-friendly, too. North Redington

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