These Are the City’s Best Breakfast Spots for Early Diners
Pineapple pancake at Snooze A.M. Eatery
Image: Ashley Davis Photography
If breakfast is the most important meal of the day, why does it seem like we’re always rushing through coffeehouse lines or noshing on a granola bar on the way to the office? Plenty of Houston restaurants open their doors before 7 a.m., making it easy to hunker down with a balanced breakfast before starting the ol’ day. Whether it’s a bowl of overnight oats, a three-egg omelet platter, or a child-friendly diner with sky-high pancake stacks you seek, forgo hitting the snooze button and explore Houstonia’s picks of breakfast restaurants that open their doors well before rush hour.
Bravocado Toast
Image: Snooze A.M. Eatery
Snooze A.M. Eatery
Multiple locations
Famously open in the morning and early afternoon only, this popular breakfast hub from Colorado begins slinging imaginative breakfast plates at 6:30 a.m. at its multiple Houston outposts. Find all of the Insta-worthy breakfast plates here, as in Texas-size chocolate chip pancakes and spicy huevos tostadas, plus a number of vegetarian options like the Bravocado Toast and a tofu scramble. But first: coffee. Snooze has a full bar dedicated to wake-me-ups, with hot and cold coffee and teas and espresso drinks. Opening time: 6:30 a.m.
Simos Diner
5004 N Shepherd Dr
This nondescript diner bordering Garden Oaks on North Shepherd Drive is a breakfast gem, and it’s open at 6 a.m. Monday through Saturday. You’ll find all of the breakfast staples here, from chicken fried steak and eggs to buttermilk pancake stacks with hot coffee. Go ahead and eat like a champ—Simos is budget-friendly, with plenty of plates under $10. Opening time: 6 a.m. (closed on Sunday)
Laredo Taqueria
915 Snover St
This iconic Tex-Mex café has a loyal following for its famed breakfast tacos and plates, available from 6 a.m. Monday through Saturday. It’s not uncommon to see a crowd of people waiting in line where trays of eggs, meat, beans, and more entice. Stick to classics like barbacoa or ham and egg tacos, or get adventurous with nopales, a corn or flour tortilla with a cactus filling. Opening time: 6 a.m. (closed on Sunday)
Avalon Diner
2417 Westheimer Rd
What began as a drugstore in the late 1930s has since been transformed into the trusty Avalon Diner we know today, with locations peppered around the city. Open at 6:30 a.m. on weekdays, the old-fashioned restaurant is a foolproof place to find tasty breakfast eats like omelets, waffles, homestyle platters with eggs and bacon, wet and dry cereals, and fresh-brewed coffee. The earlier you visit, the better—the crowds pack in as the day goes on. Opening time: 6:30 a.m. weekdays, 7 a.m. weekends
Image: Shutterstock/AZFOODOGRAPHER
Hot Bagel Shop
2015 S Shepherd Dr #900
No need to wait to satisfy that vicious bagel craving—busy River Oaks breakfast destination the Hot Bagel Shop is open for business at 6 a.m. weekdays and 6:30 a.m. weekends. The shop offers sweet and savory bagel varieties with house-made cream cheese, smoked salmon and deli sandwiches, meat kolaches, and bagel-wrapped smoked sausages. Caffeinate while you wait: Hot Bagel serves hot coffee and tea, too. Opening time: 6 a.m. weekdays, 6:30 a.m. weekends (closed on Monday)
Roast & Brew is a European café and coffeehouse offering specialty coffee, all-day breakfast, local and international beers, and boutique wines. Open daily till midnight.
Image: David "Odiwams" Wright
The café serves freddo cappuccino, a classic Greek drink.
Image: David "Odiwams" Wright
Roast & Brew
931 W 19th St
This European-inspired coffeehouse is new to the Shady Acres neighborhood, and it’s conveniently accessible to guests from 6:30 a.m. until midnight on weekdays. Along with the usual suspects, such as iced chai lattes and hot mochas, the café serves freddo cappuccino, a classic Greek drink. The restaurant’s Hellenic influence spans to food, too, with pastry cases stocked with spanakopita and hearty gyro plates made to order. Opening time: 6:30 a.m. weekdays, 7 a.m. weekends
