Hello and welcome to this post on the best places to eat breakfast in Chicago. By the time you finish reading this you will be ready to rush out the door to eat a tasty meal.
Our opening section will discuss the best all-around brunch and breakfast restaurants in Chicago. Whether you are searching for eggs, omelets, waffles, pancakes, cinnamon rolls, sandwiches, wraps, bacon, sausage, or any other delicious morning meal somewhere on that list should have you covered.
Contents
Then we will talk about healthy vegan and vegetarian breakfast options. Donuts, bagels, and bakeries will round out our next few topics.
After all of that is out of the way we will pivot to drinks and discuss local cafes to get your coffee as well as some more healthy stuff like smoothies and juices. Our final section will tell you about the best all day breakfast restaurants near you because this food tastes so great it shouldn’t only be limited to the morning hours.
Throughout the post any time a brunch buffet is available we will try to point that out, and you can also expect there to be a map for your area towards the end to help you find the closest spot. Anyone that is interested is welcome to check out our other posts on this area of the world right there.
Best Breakfast & Brunch Restaurants In Chicago
If you are searching for places to eat your bacon, eggs, waffles, pancakes, omelets, or any early morning delight the best Chicago breakfast and brunch restaurants are a good place to look:
- Yolk at 340 N State St
- Lula Café at 2537 N Kedzie Blvd
- Sunny Side Up at 42 E Superior St
- Double Yolk Pancake House at 1555 Butterfield Rd St, Aurora
- Ozzie’s Diner at 2290 Ogden Ave, Aurora
- Old Fashioned Pancake at 2022 W Jefferson St, Joliet
- Big Apple Pancake House at 106 N Larkin Ave, Joliet
- Buttermilk at 1715 Freedom Dr, Naperville
- EggCited at 2728 Hassert Blvd #160, Naperville
- Alexander’s Café at 1725 N State St, Elgin
- Lark & Owl Eatery at 219 Walnut Ave, Elgin
Yolk prepares early local breakfasts and sandwiches daily from 7am to 2:30pm.
Lula Café sells vegan, vegetarian, nondairy, and gluten free breakfast items from 9am to 3pm every day except on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Classic American breakfasts, coffees, and desserts are made every day from 8am to 2pm at Sunny Side Up.
Double Yolk provides waffles, omelets, sandwiches, and burgers daily from 7am to 2pm.
Old Fashioned Pancake offers early breakfasts in your area from 6am to 4pm daily.
Big Apple Pancake House makes breakfast and lunch dishes every day from 6am to 2pm.
Delectable omelets, pancakes, and breakfast favorites are available daily from 7am to 2:30pm at Buttermilk in Naperville.
EggCited cooks a wide selection of breakfast and lunch meals every day from 6:15am to 3pm. Traditional American breakfasts, sandwiches, steaks, and burgers are prepared daily from 7am to 3pm.
Homemade breakfasts in Elgin are served from 7am to 2pm every day at Lark and Owl Eatery.
Vegan & Vegetarian Breakfasts
Want to feel your best throughout the day? Then have your first meal at one of these healthy vegan or vegetarian breakfast spots:
- Lucy’s Café at 2100 W Roscoe St
- LYFE Kitchen at 270 E Ontario St
- Blueberry Hill Pancake House at 405 N Eola Rd, Aurora
- Nature’s Best Café at 1904 Brookdale Rd, Naperville
- Lucky Penny Diner at 1224 W Ogden Ave G, Naperville
Lucy’s Café provides a variety of healthy breakfast items near you like omelets, pancakes, and waffles from 10am to 2pm Wednesday through Friday and from 9am to 3pm on weekends.
LYFE Kitchen cooks locally sourced ingredients and healthy foods daily from 8am to 9pm on weekdays and from 8am to 8pm on weekends.
Breakfasts, sandwiches, and burgers are served every day from 7am to 2pm at Blueberry Hill Pancake House.
Nature’s Best Café makes basic breakfast fare, sandwiches, and salads with gluten free and vegan alternatives from 7am to 3pm Monday through Thursday, from 7am to 7pm on Friday, and from 9am to 3pm on Saturday.
Delectable pancakes, French toast, salads, sandwiches, and more are prepared daily from 7am to 2:30pm at Lucky Penny Diner in Naperville.
Donuts Shops In Chicago
On the other hand if you just want something that tastes delicious one of these local donut shops should suffice:
- Stan’s Donuts at 535 N Michigan Ave
- Firecakes Donuts at 68 W Hubbard St
- Dat Donut at 8251 S Cottage Grove Ave
- La Chicanita Bakery at 700 E New York St #110, Aurora
- Donut Den at 3043 Theodore St, Joliet
- Home Cut Donuts at1317 E Washington St, Joliet
- Country Donuts at 3091 US-20 #101, Elgin
Stan’s Donuts prepares breakfasts, milkshakes, coffees, and more daily from 7am to 7pm.
Tasty donuts made with locally produced ingredients are offered from 7am to 11pm at Firecakes.
Dat Donut provides a wide variety of flavors such as buttermilk and apple fritters for an early Chicago breakfast from 5:30am to 10pm Monday through Saturday and from 6:30am to 5pm on Sunday.
Freshly baked items and coffee are available every day even earlier from 5am to 1am at Donut House.
Donut Den serves daily specials and delicacies from 4am to 4pm Monday through Saturday and from 5am to 1pm on Sunday making it one of the earliest breakfast spots near you.
Handcrafted baked favorites are freshly prepared at Home Cut Donuts from 5am to 12pm Monday through Saturday and from 6am to 12pm on Sunday.
Country Donuts offers a numerous assortment of flavors and daily specials all day.
Bagel Shops Near You
You should be able to find a wide variety of bagels and probably some breakfast sandwiches at:
- The Bagelers at 2461 N Lincoln Ave
- Corey’s at 515 N Dearborn St
- Great American Bagel at 1154 W Madison St
- Big Apple Bagels at 2616 Ogden Ave, Aurora
- Jake’s Bagels & Deli at 220 N Broadway, Aurora
- Big Apple Bagels at 561 N McLean Blvd, Elgin
Fresh kettle boiled bagels, homemade cheeses and spreads, breakfast sandwiches, croissants, and coffees are served every weekday from 7am to 3pm and on weekends from 8am to 3pm at The Bagelers.
Corey’s offers fine local bagels, sandwiches, and pizzas daily from 6am to 3pm.
A wide variety of breads, sandwiches, and salads are provided at Great American Bagel every day from 6am to 3pm.
Big Apple Bagels sells gourmet muffins, cakes, coffees, and more daily from 6am to 2pm.
Bakeries
Bakeries will have many different types of foods that can kick your day off right:
- Magnolia Bakery at 108 N State St
- Sweet Mandy at 1208 W Webster Ave
- Dinkel’s Bakery at3329 N Lincoln Ave
- The Cakery at 937 Oak St, Aurora
- Katich Breads at 605 Plum St, Aurora
- Milano Bakery at 427 S Chicago St, Joliet
- DeEtta’s Bakery at 428 W 5th Ave, Naperville
- Fiene’s Bakery at 1603 N Aurora Rd #101, Naperville
- Pastigel Bakery at 154 E Chicago St, Elgin
Sweet Mandy serves cupcakes, pies, cookies, and breakfast delights daily from 9am to 6pm.
Dinkel’s Bakery sells breads, pretzels, cakes, and cookies from 7am to 5pm Tuesday through Saturday and from 8am to 4pm on Sunday.
Scrumptious bread rolls, coffees, cakes, and more are available early from 5:30am to 1pm on weekdays and from 5:30am to 12pm on Saturday at Milano Bakery.
DeEtta’s Bakery offers specialty cookies, cakes, and other baked delights every weekday from 6:30am to 6pm, from 6:30am to 2pm on Saturday, and from 7am to 12pm on Sunday.
Sweet and savory delicacies and baked items are provided from 6am to 6pm Tuesday through Friday, from 6am to 3pm on Saturday, and from 7am to 2pm on Sunday at Fiene’s Bakery.
Pastigel Bakery provides handcrafted breads, cakes, flans, gelatins, cheesecakes, and pan dulces daily from 7am to 9pm.
Cafes In Your Area
Get your caffeine boost when you pick up your coffee at one of these cafes in town:
- The Wormhole at 1462 N Milwaukee Ave
- Oromo Café at 1912 N Western Ave
- Gaslight at 2385 N Milwaukee Ave
- Endiro Coffee at 29 W New York St, Aurora
- Blue Box Café at 176 E Chicago St, Elgin
Locally roasted coffees and a wide selection of pastries are served every weekday for an early morning meal option in your area from 7am to 7pm and from 8am to 7pm on weekends at The Wormhole.
Oromo Café offers barista coffees, baked items, and light fare from 7am to 5pm Monday through Friday and from 8am to 5pm on weekends.
Specialty coffees, teas, and pastries are available every day from 8am to 3pm at Gaslight.
Blue Box Café makes early breakfasts, sandwiches, and coffees from 7am to 7pm Monday through Friday and from 8am to 8pm on Saturday.
Handcrafted pastries, breads, sandwiches, and espressos are provided from 7:30am to 3pm Tuesday through Friday and from 8am to 2pm on weekends.
Smoothies & Juice Bars
Usually these smoothie and juice bars will also sell some wraps, sandwiches, bowls, and other healthy food for your morning:
- Hi-Vibe at 160 W Kinzie St
- JuiceRx at 1880 N Damen Ave
- Tropical Smoothie Cafe at 1535 Butterfield Rd, Aurora
- Surf City Squeeze at 140 Fox Valley Center Dr # 296, Aurora
- Flourish Juice at 3000 W Jefferson St, Joliet
- Robeks Fresh Juices & Smoothies at 2936 Showplace Dr, Naperville
- Gooses Natural Juices at 19 Ziegler Ct, Elgin
Organic juices, smoothies, acai bowls, and coffee are served daily from 8am to 4pm at Hi-Vibe.
Various drinks and healthy bowls with vegan and gluten free options are offered every day from 8am to 4pm at JuiceRx.
Flourish Juice sells high quality smoothies, lemonades, coffees, kombuchas, and snacks starting early from 4:30am to 9pm Monday through Friday and from 6am to 4pm on weekends.
Robeks makes palatable blended juices, protein shakes, smoothies, acai almond butter toast, and avocado toast.
Gooses Natural Juices serves smoothies and light refreshments with no added sugar from 9am to 7:30pm on weekdays, from 9am to 6pm on Saturday, and from 11am to 3pm on Sunday.
All Day Breakfast Restaurants
When you want your bacon and eggs later in the day head to an all day breakfast restaurant in Chicago:
- Eleven City Diner at 1112 S Wabash Ave
- Wildberry at 130 E Randolph St
- Lou Mitchell’s at 565 W Jackson Blvd
- Nikarry’s Restaurant at 1055 N Lake St, Aurora
- Pomegranate Restaurant at 55 S Commons Dr, Aurora
- Silver Spoon at 1601 W Jefferson St, Joliet
- Honey-Jam at 1504 N Naper Blvd, Naperville
- Egg Harbor at 175 Jackson Ave, Naperville
- Burnt Toast at 2492 N Randall Rd, Elgin
- Big Skillet at 90 Tyler Creek Plaza, Elgin
Tasty egg dishes, bagels, waffles, pancakes, French toast, and breakfast plates are served all day in your area from 9am to 3pm on weekdays and from 8:30am to 3:30pm on weekends at Eleven City Diner.
Wildberry makes breakfast tacos, wraps, omelets, espressos, smoothies, lemonades, and more every day from 7am to 2pm.
Lou Mitchell’s prepares a variety of eggs Benedict, cereals, pancakes, waffles, bagels, donuts, and specialty coffees from 6am to 2pm Wednesday through Friday and from 7am to 2pm Saturday through Sunday.
Silver Spoon cooks early breakfast every day from 7am to 2pm.
Honey-Jam offers classic breakfast favorites in Chicago all day from 6:30am to 3pm Monday through Friday and from 6am to 3pm Saturday through Sunday.
Egg Harbor provides a wide selection of natural, organic, and gluten free breakfast alternatives every day from 7am to 2pm.
Burnt Toast serves scrumptious French toast, eggs, hash browns, crepes, pancakes, and more with vegan and gluten free options.
Early breakfast items like pancakes, omelets, French toast, and more are prepared daily starting at 7am at Big Skillet.
You are also welcome to read our posts on the:
- Best Pancakes & Waffles in Milwaukee
- Best Pancakes & Waffles in Indianapolis
- Best Pancakes & Waffles in St. Louis
- Best Pancakes & Waffles in Detroit
Enjoy Your Breakfast In Chicago
Well, we wish we had more to share but for now that is all we’ve got. After reading about all of those local breakfast spots to get your eggs, omelets, bacon, pancakes, or waffles as well as buffets, healthy vegetarian and vegan options, donut and bagel shops near you, cafes, smoothie and juice bars, and all day restaurants you should be ready for your next meal.
Do us and our future readers a favor by mentioning if we got anything incorrect in the comments, and feel free to share any early morning meal tips for your area that you may have too. Now go have fun enjoying your breakfast in Chicago.