Los Angeles knows how to roll out the red carpet, but when it comes to meals that steal the show, breakfast and brunch are the true stars. Along palm-lined boulevards and breezy coastal neighborhoods, L.A.’s restaurants and cafés serve up everything from fluffy pancakes to globally inspired brunch plates. In a city where presentation is everything, these morning meals come with flair, creativity, and plenty of applause.
Whether you’re craving doughnuts with a twist, a Mexican-style brunch feast, or vegan delights, L.A. delivers. Here’s your guide to the best breakfast and brunch spots in Los Angeles.
🌊 Coastal Brunch with a View: Santa Monica
For a brunch with ocean breezes, Marelle at Sandbourne Santa Monica is a must. Daily breakfast leans light and veggie-forward (don’t miss the creamy polenta with eggs), but on weekends, the menu shines with lemon ricotta pancakes, steak and eggs, and a salmon niçoise salad. Pair it all with a crafted cocktail and the sound of the waves.
🎭 Historic & Glamorous Brunch: Mid-City & Downtown
Step into Hollywood’s past at a 1929 building once owned by Charlie Chaplin. The Mid-City café and bakery serves croissants, shakshuka, and bacon-and-eggs on weekdays. But brunch steals the show with indulgent dishes like a Maine lobster omelet or fried chicken and waffles.
Another showstopper awaits downtown inside a former 19th-century rectory. The cathedral-like space is perfect for a celebratory brunch, where shrimp and grits and duck confit chilaquiles pair beautifully with creative cocktails.
🌮 Mexican Flavors at Brunch
In Los Angeles, Mexican food = comfort food. At a stylish Los Feliz hideaway, brunch classics get a makeover with carne asada and eggs, cochinita pibil Benedict, and blue masa sourdough avocado toast.
For a more traditional vibe, head to Monrovia, where you’ll find tres leches French toast, five variations of chilaquiles, and molettes — toasted baguettes topped with refried beans, cheese, and salsa.
🌱 Plant-Based & Vegan Favorites
From West Hollywood’s plant-based patios serving jackfruit tacos and mushroom fajitas, to Venice’s sunny brunch cafés with lemon lavender waffles and brunch pizza topped with impossible sausage — L.A. is heaven for vegans and vegetarians.
Don’t miss the Melrose original vegan café, a cult favorite since 2013, where the weekend brunch features BLTs with plant-based bacon and stuffed zucchini blossoms.
🥐 Classic Bakeries & Coffee Stops
Who says you need Paris for a perfect croissant? In Santa Monica, a local bakery sells out by 10 a.m. daily, offering buttery croissants, pain au chocolat, and quiche that rivals anything in the City of Light.
Bagel lovers flock to a Santa Monica sourdough bagel shop, serving onion, everything, and pumpernickel rings — with sandwiches perfect for a picnic.
And if you’re after something sweet, swing by Grand Central Market for strawberry-stuffed doughnuts that will make you the star of any morning meeting.
🥞 Pancakes, Diners & Old-School Classics
Breakfast in L.A. is never boring. In Burbank, pancakes come in flavors like Oreo cookie, Thai tea, and cornbread with salted honey butter.
For nostalgic vibes, the Westside’s family-owned diner (two generations strong) still serves melt-in-your-mouth buttermilk pancakes and crispy bacon-cheddar waffles. Or head to Culver City’s old-school cash-only diner, where you can build your own egg dishes and pancakes just the way you like.
🌴 Poolside & Relaxed Settings
For a chic, laid-back vibe, the poolside restaurant at a Beverly Hills hotel is perfect. Think acai bowls, berry smoothies, and signature egg dishes during the week, with salads, sandwiches, and cocktails on weekends.
⭐ Final Bite
In Los Angeles, breakfast isn’t just a meal — it’s a stage. From oceanfront patios to glamorous historic venues, from Mexican comfort food to vegan innovations, brunch in L.A. is always dressed to impress.
So whether you’re an early riser or a late bruncher, this city serves mornings with a side of sunshine and creativity. 🌞
