Is breakfast the most important meal of the day? I haven't a clue. What I do know is too often breakfast gets short shrift.
A piece of toast, a schmear of butter and a cup of joe may get you to lunch, but so will a stack of fluffy red velvet cake pancakes with real maple syrup,a couple of crispy corn fritters with lushavocado salsaor a pair ofpoached eggs in a sweet and pungent tomato sauce with a sprinkling of tangyfeta. Actually they may take you all the way to dinner or at least mid-afternoon snack — and,more importantly, delight your taste buds a whole lot more.
Why not make the first meal of the day asdelicious,exciting and pleasurableas those other two meals thathog our dining-out attention?
It's easy at the following North Jersey restaurants. Theynot only do not overlook the first meal that breaks our fastbut specialize in it. I suppose you can call them the culinary champions of breakfast.
Cafe at Common Lot, Millburn
Common Lot is not a breakfast or lunch spot but an award-winning fine-dine restaurant that serves some nifty gourmet food. However, chef-owner Ehren Ryan introduced a new cafe concept this past fall and given his skill and talent, not including his Sunday-only "Cafe at Common Lot" in this list mightbe a near sin.
Ryan relaunched the cafe on Easter Sunday — it ran from September to December in 2020 — offering all-day brunch that is not "about mimosas and Champagne," he said. (The restaurant had neverbeen open on Sunday before.) It's about a nice leisurely, well-prepared meal of mostly lighter fare (though one would question how light a stack of gluten-freepancakes with wildflower honey and honeycomb butter is) to be enjoyed in a cozy bistro or in fresh airon a small patio. (BTW: Those pancakesare made with acclaimed chef Thomas Keller's Cup4Cup gluten-free flour.)
Want to eat like a sultan? Try the 15th-century cilbireggs (it's what those powerful dudes apparently enjoyed way back when)with garlic-infused labneh.
Or, if you'd rather take a quick trip to Australia (Ryan is Australian), consider the Sydney-style corn fritters with avocado salsa and poached eggs.
Have a frothy cup of cappuccino — or bring along a bottle of Champagne. One customer did:a bottle of Dom Perignon. When Ryan asked what he was celebrating, the customer said, "Nothing. Just having breakfast."
Perhaps we should take our cues from him.
Go:27 Main St., Millburn;973-467-0494,commonlot.com.
Maywood Pancake House, Maywood, and Rutheford Pancake House, Rutherford
Maywood Pancake House, born in 2012, is the younger near-twin sister of the Rutherford Pancake House (née 2009). The two have the exact same menu, though Rutherford is a much bigger space (it doubled its size two years ago to accommodate around 200 — and that's without consideringits outdoor space).
Both open at 7 a.m. daily (7:30 a.m. Sunday) and close at 3 p.m. The restaurants' most popular dish isthe Irish Benedict that substitutes ham with homemade corned beef hash. A pretty good trade, I'd say.
Don't eat gluten? Averse to eating animal products? No worries. There are almost as many gluten-free and vegan dishes on the menu as there are regular. French toast, pancakes and breads can be ordered gluten-free or vegan.
"We make our own challah bread for our French toast," said Laura Bennett, manager of the Maywood restaurant. "We make a vegan and a gluten-free version of the bread so that we have vegan and gluten-free French toast." She adds, "People come from New York City for our gluten-free pancakes cause they say they can't get the quality we provide in the City."
Outdoor dining available at both locations.
Go:92 W.Pleasant Ave., Maywood;201-880-7842,maywoodpancakehouse.com. 40 Park Ave., Rutherford;201-340-4171,rutherfordpancakehouse.com.
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Dee's Luncheonette,Hawthorne
Early riser? Dee's is there for you. This longtime no-frills luncheonette beginsscrambling eggs, toasting bread, frying bacon and pouring coffee at 5:30 in the morning. It keeps goinguntil 3 p.m. Here's where you can get a platter of two eggs and a heap of hash browns and a couple slices of toast for $4.25. Or a ham, bacon, sausage or Taylor ham omelette with a pile of fries for $7.25.
But Dee's is known for its pancakes. You'll know that right awaywhen you step into the joint and find the staff wearing T-shirts proclaiming, "Best pancakes in town."
Go:318 Diamond Bridge Ave., Hawthorne;973-423-9879,dees-luncheonette.edan.io.
Steve & Andrea's, Rutherford
Steve Spano will tell you that Steve & Andrea's, his 46-year-old modestly priced breakfast and lunch spot in Rutherford, is known for its pancakes ($5.25 for a stack).
"I use my mother's recipe," Spano said. "They are very thin, like crepes. It's a different style pancake from what anyone else does. People come from all over for them."
They also come for Spano's home fries ($3.95). "They are even more popular than the French fries," he said. The home fries are boiled, mashed, seasoned ("the seasonings area secret," he said) and then cooked on agriddle. "They are not like diner potatoes," he said.
They go well with the many choices of omelettes offered, including bestsellers the Mexican that features avocado, black beans, tomatoes, onions and pepper Jack cheese, and the Venetian made witharugula, spinach, tomato and fresh mozzarella (each cost $10.95). Spano said each omelette is made with three extra-large eggs, however, come Saturday and Sunday, when the joint is hopping, they ladle whipped eggs into the skillet, which probably results in a four-egg omelette. "We don't measure," he said.
Go: 298 Park Ave., Rutherford; 201-939-7668,steveandandreas.business.site.
Buddy's, Jersey City
Buddy's is open until 10 p.m. on some nights, so it's fair to say it's not strictly a breakfast joint. But because its pancakes are so, well, different — cereal pancakes...really! — how could I not include it?
For those with a sweet tooth or who just can't decide between cereal or pancakes for breakfast, cereal pancakes are asolution of sorts — pancakes with cereal inside and on top. Captain Crunch, Fruity Pebbles, Reese Puffs — choose your cereal-infused, cereal-topped hotcake. And don't hold back: douse those suckers with as much maple syrup as you'd like. This is no time to think about scales. That can wait a day,though a few extra laps around the track may be wisetomorrow.
Go:247 Washington St., Jersey City; 201-432-2600,buddysjc.com.
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The Daily Treat Restaurant, Ridgewood
As long as its doors are open, The Daily Treat Restaurant, a 61-year-oldfamily-owned spot in Ridgewood, will serve you breakfast — no matter the hour.
"It's breakfast all day," said owner John Skoutakis, whose cousin founded the restaurant which he tookover in 1975. He describes his place as "like a diner, only we're not open 24 hours." There's one other difference: "Everything is made from scratch," he said.
So grab a chair inside — there are 146 seats in the dining room — or on the lovely patio, and dig into a stack of whole grain pancakes, a three-egg Brie omelette served with shredded hash browns, or a Mediterranean burrito with scrambled eggs and tomato salsa. Treat yourself to a tall fruit smoothie or a milk shake. And, what the hey, a slice of carrot cake or lemon raspberry cake.Then go home and take a nap.
Go:177 E.Ridgewood Ave., Ridgewood;201-652-9113,dailytreatrestaurant.com.
Willow & Whisk, Wyckoff
What a concept:a "casual fine-dine" breakfast-brunch restaurant with the goal of elevating what we ingest morningsand noontime. Finda seat in the well-appointed dining room adorned with a — what else — a willow tree that needs no sun or water; it's a faux tree fashioned out of wood and silk, and settle in for a nice, unhurried meal.
If you're in the mood for pancakes, you can choose between classic buttermilk or food-forward lemon ricotta. If it's eggs you're craving, consider the cacio e peppe scramblewith Pecorino-Romano and parmesan and lots of freshly cracked black pepper; the farmhouse omelette with asparagus and grape tomatoes; or my absolute favorite, shakshuka, poached eggs in a pungent tomato sauce flecked with feta cheese.
Had breakfast already? Come in for a brunch-lunch of, say,a good-for-youarugula and pear salad, a gilded BLT with avocado or a turkey clubon a rosemary focaccia.
And as for beverage? May I suggest a Brooklyn Soda -- nitro cold brew and co*ke? Indoor and outdoor seating available.
Go: 319 Franklin Ave., Wyckoff;201-425-9931,willowandwhisk.com.
Salt Pepper Ketchup, Hawthorne
Paterson resident Rey De La Cruz hadn't a clue he was onto a good business idea when he put together what he found in his refrigerator — waffles, bacon, eggs, cheese and ketchup — to make a breakfast sandwich for his then two-year-old son. Soon after he posted a photo of his concoction on social media and began to get requests for the sandwiches, things changed.
So he and his longtime friend Wagner Mateo of Nutley opened Salt Pepper Ketchup.
No surprise, the waffle sandwich is a bestseller — and you can get one with Taylor ham or sausage.So, too, are thechopped cheese sandwich made withchopped meat, melted cheese, onion, tomato and a "secret" house sauce;and the Cuban panino, a crispy pressed sandwich stuffed withshredded pork,ham and Swisscheese. Cook Valerie Agudelo's favorite item, however, is the bacon-chicken wrap, tender chicken breast,crispy bacon and cheddar cheese slathered with creamy ranch dressing. "It has everything I love in it," Agudelo said.
Odds are good you'll find an item that has everything you love in it among the salads, wraps, sandwiches, empanadas, burgers and breakfast foods offered. And come May, you'll be able to enjoy dining outdoors when the restaurant plans to offer al fresco seating. There are three tables inside if you'd prefer to be out of the sun.
Go:230 Central Ave., Hawthorne;973-304-4916,saltpepperketchupnj.com.
The Rolling Pin Cafe, Westwood
Thissweet, cozy cafe is so darling you might be tempted to pinch it.With old rolling pinson its walls and light red toileon its tables, this beloved spot can make you feel as if you've wandered into grandma's kitchen, if, that is, grandma was a skilled cook who made everythingfrom scratch.
The Pin (as some call it) offers two meals: breakfast and lunch. Come for breakfast from8 until 11:30 a.m. weekdays and 12:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and dig into a hefty serving of Pin-Toast, brioche bread dipped ina cinnamon vanilla batter and served with fresh fruit;a cheddar cheese quiche served with a side of greens; or avocado toasttopped by soft scrambled eggs with everything seasoning. And of course fresh-made pancakes, a couple served with blueberry compote.
Go:341 Broadway, Westwood; 201-666-4660,therollingpincafe.com.
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Missy's Main Street, Rockaway
How can you not love a place that wants to serve delicious food and have fun at the same time?
Missy Addison, chef-owner of Missy's Main Street Cafe, has turned her small,near six-year-old spot into a popular,unpretentious, artsy, homeyplace for a heartybreakfast and lunch thatyou can enjoy leisurely — and so can your pooch.
Addison recently hasintroduceda doggymenu for her dog clientele to enjoy at her outdoor space. "It's people-food for dogs served in sanitized dog bowls." People-food like scrambled eggs, hot dogs and grilled chicken. And ice cream, too (perhaps your dog has asweet tooth).
What about doggyparents?
Try the Chubby Chaser, an omelette with pulled pork, cheddar cheese and onions. Or consider The Garden State Gremlin, tortilla shells stuffed withsunny-side-up eggs, tomatoes, peppers, red onions and drizzled with Sparta-based Barnfire green sauce. Or think about The OGThundersnooch, a wrap stuffed with mozzarella, Italian chicken sausage, home fries and, of course, eggs.
"We give our dishes dumb names," Addison said. "It's kind of gimmicky but it's fun."
Beware: Portion sizes are big. "So you better come hungry," Addison said.
Go: 181 E. Main St., Rockaway; 973-625-0552,missysmainstreetcafe.com.
Benny's Luncheonette, Fair Lawn
Fair Lawn and neighboring towns rejoiced when Benny's reopened this past summer after having closed in mid-March due to COVID-19. The reopening came with a new owner,Mila Chacon, who took over the beloved luncheonette from Pamela Stella and Diana Stella, who died in a jet ski accident.
Benny's opens at 6 a.m. and closes by 3. There are egg dishes to be had as well as pancakes, waffles and French toast. If you'd like to have all three, order the triple griddle stack, a carb-rich breakfast of stuffed French toast, waffles and pancakes smeared with Nutella and crowned with whipped cream.If you need a few more calories, however, try one of the oversized milkshakes that seem to defy gravity.
Go:11-04 Saddle River Road,Fair Lawn;201-791-0730,facebook.com/bennysluncheonette201.
Cyndia's,Totowa
Cynthia Pacillo grew up in an Italian-American home, married an Italian-American man and, six years ago, opened Cyndia’s, a popular Italian-American breakfast-and-lunch spot in Totowa. Some of us can't believe we ever lived without this welcoming, down-home joint with some of the best meatballs in North Jersey — and big, delicious breakfasts and lunches too.
It's part of many North Jersey residents' morninggo-to place. And why not?Pacillo, a self-trained cook with a hearty laugh, knows how to cook and how to make her guests feel right at home.
Don't pass up her sublime ricotta pancakes or her Belgian waffles topped with Southern fried chicken or, for that matter, The Christopher, Pacillo's homemade porkbraciola and two eggs over easy. If you find yourself at Cyndia's at lunchtime, you can't go wrong with any of her sandwiches — among the favorites are the Gabriella, grilled chicken with avocado and bacon, Chrissy's Portabello, grilled portobello with roasted peppers and mozzarella, and Nana Gigi's, housemade meatballs, mozzarella and marinara sauce on French bread.
Go: 169 Union Blvd., Totowa; 973-825-7778,cyndias.weebly.com.
Carver's,Denville
It's not oftenthat your findanalum of the prestigious Culinary Institute of America cooking in a diner-like cafe. But Carver Parrish, owner of Carver's in Denville,is indeed a CIAalum, as well as the baker at this quaint 13-year breakfast and lunch spot.
"Everything is homemade," said Parrish."We bake our own breads,do our own pancakemixes and make our own tarts and pies."
The cafe serves multi-grain pancakes with achoice of breakfast meat, a chicken-bacon omelette with ranchdressing cooked right into it and homemade corned beef hash with two eggs and homemade toast. The other weekend as a special Carver's offered bacon French toast, in which the bacon was baked into the bread, topped with caramel pecans.
As for coffee,"it's everyday diner-like coffee," Parris said. "Not a Starbucks kind of thing."
Go:38 1st Ave., Denville;862- 209-1464,carversdenville.com.
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Patisserie Florentine, Englewood, Closter and Hackensack
This charming, light-filled artisan bakery and small bistro opened its doors in Englewood nearly eight years ago. Then it spawned another outpost in Closter, and recently still another in Hackensack.You could safely assume that Patisserie Florentine is cooking stuff that food lovers all around want to eat.
Stuff like croissant oeuf fromage, housemade flaky croissant topped by two sunny-side eggs, avocado spread, gravlax and mozzarellia; Benedict a la Florentine,a housemade brioche served with smoked salmon, poached eggs and Hollandaise sauce; and smashed avocado on sourdough topped by poached eggs sprinkled with olive oil and chili flakes; and crepes served with strawberries and Nutella.
Enjoy a nice cup of latte or espresso — and take home what many say is the best almond croissant this side of the pond.
Go:10 S. Dean St., Englewood; 201-408 4890.242 Closter Dock Road, Closter; 201-660-8296.390 Hackensack Ave., Hackensack,patisserieflorentine.com.
Toast,Montclair
The lines arelong for Toast on Sunday mornings,but the wait is worth it. Owner Any Russo Harrigan knows comfort food and how to make customers feel right at home. The staff too is warm.
Settle in, get a cup of strong coffee and then orderpancakes — they are a must. Harrigan uses her dad'srecipe(he used to own a diner)to make wonderfully fluffy delicious stacks.May I recommend the red velvet pancake, not just for itspleasingtaste, but its artful design: it has a spoon stenciled with powdered sugar on top.
Don't overlook the shredded-carrot pancakes made with coconut and raisins. Neither the Irish eggs Benedict, served with corned beef hash. I'm nokale salad lover,but Harrigan's kale saladwith grape tomatoes, blackcurrants and a poached egg almost turned me into one.
Go:700 Bloomfield Ave.,Montclair; 973-509-8099,montclair.toastcitydiner.com.
Rose's Luncheonette, Kenvil
George Papagelopoulos has owned this cozy luncheonette, a Kenvil staplesince the '50s, for 15 years. Not much has changed over the generations.
"It's one of those places where everybody knows your name,"saidPapagelopoulos, calling his no-frills spot"asmall diner with diner-food but not diner prices."
Like a diner, the menu is extensive. But Papagelopoulossaid Rose's likes to be creative. Among the standout dishes are 12-grain French toast with bananas, walnuts and chocolate chips; a Taylor ham triple decker made on French toast;crab cake eggs Benedict; and tater tots baked with two eggs.
Come summer,Papagelopoulos will bring out chairs, tables and umbrellas for alfresco dining. Otherwise, he's got 60 spots inside (with COVID, he's restricted to using 50% of his dining room's capacity).
As for coffee, nothing fancy, just good old-fashioned brewed coffee that good old-fashioned diners have served for generations. There's something comforting in that, no?
Go:431 Route 46, Kenvil;973-252-4410,facebook.com/rosesluncheonette.
Marcel Bakey & Kitchen, Montclair
Meny Vaknin's MishMish is — sob — no more. But thank the culinary gods that Marcel is still with us. Vaknin's, airy, modern andspacious cafe serves delicious Mediterranean fare and baked goods. The chef'sIsraeli roots are evident in his dishes from theindividual-sized shakshuka focaccia, a poached egg lounging in shakshuka sauce topped withcrumbled feta and za'atar, to the homemade challah French toast with homemade whipped cream, to the Committed Jew sandwich,a sesame bagel schmeared with cream cheese and covered by smoked salmon andpickled onions.
Go:631 Valley Road, Montclair;973-842-4088,marcelbakeryandkitchen.com.
Plus
La Vie en Rose, Wyckoff. Breakfast from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. including frittatas, crepes and quiches.10 W. Prospect St., Waldwick;201-652-8880,lavieenrosebakerycafe.com.
Scram, Jersey City.A new breakfast-brunch spot in Jersey City owned by pastry chef Melanie Durant, who was named in 2013 by Food & Wine magazine as one of the country's best pasty chefs. 61 Erie St., Jersey City.instagram.com/scramjc.
Granny's Pancake House & Grill, Hamburg.Beloved family-run breakfast spot in Sussex County. Outdoor seating available.181 Route 2323, Hamburg; 973- 827-2390,grannyspancakehouseandgrill.com.
Chappy's Cafe, Franklin. A farm-to-table breakfast cafe serving eggs, pancakes, waffles and breakfast sandwiches.3290 Route 94, Franklin;973-827-1363,chappyscafe.godaddysites.com.
Beanbury,Succasunna. A coolcafe serving serious coffee and light eats including yogurt parfait with homemade berry compote and vegan avocado toast.37 Route 10 East, Succasunna;973-970-9330,beanburycoffee.com.
EstherDavidowitzis thefood editor for NorthJersey.com. For more on where to dine and drink, pleasesubscribe todayand sign up forourNorth Jersey Eats newsletter.
Email:davidowitz@northjersey.com
Twitter:@estherdavido
