The 100 best dishes and drinks in Los Angeles 2014: Breakfast and brunch

In a city that made "brunching" a verb, we list our favorite eggs, pancakes and breakfast burritos that started every day of 2014 off just right

Written by

Time Out contributors

Tuesday November 25 2014

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Show us an Angeleno who doesn't brunch and we'll call your bluff. We brunch in hotels, we brunch with booze, we have dim sum at noon and call it brunch—what of it? For an idea of what you should be ordering this weekend, take a look at our list of the best breakfast and brunch dishes we ate in all of 2014. You're going to want to plan your mid-day meal accordingly.

RECOMMENDED: More best dishes and drinks in Los Angeles

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Photograph: Jakob N. Layman

Bagel with cream cheese and lox at Wexler's Deli

Yes, it sounds simple, and it is, unless you account for the fact that the lox (farm raised and from Sweden) is smoked in house daily, the bagels are made specially for Wexler's at Santa Monica's New York Bagel & Deli, and the pickles ($2 extra, and most definitely necessary to order) are fermented on site. So, pretty much perfection. $8. - Erin Kuschner

Photograph: Jakob N. Layman

Jets to Basil at Donut Friend

The perfect treat for those who prefer savory indulgences, Donut Friend's crown pastry jewel combines strawberry jam, fresh basil and creamy goat cheese inside a donut topped with vanilla glaze and balsamic reduction. We could eat 100 of these. $4. - Kate Wertheimer

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Photograph: Jakob N. Layman

Bacon, egg and cheese sandwich at Eggslut

We pine for a good bacon, egg and cheese sandwich, but we lust for the one at Eggslut. They hit every key taste on the head from the homemade chipotle ketchup to the nether-region-tingling brioche bun. Ohhhhh yeah. $6. - Jakob N. Layman

Photograph: Jakob N. Layman

Moroccan eggs at Café Stella

Stewed tomatoes, za'atar and Merguez sausages are mixed in with soft boiled eggs to create this perfect brunch dish—a sure way to warm up on Café Stella's oudoor patio. $12. - Erin Kuschner

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Photograph: Jakob N. Layman

Omelette at Petit Trois

Ok, so it's not just a breakfast dish—diners come for this omelette for lunch and dinner, often to enjoy alongside a cocktail. Why? Because this fluffy, Boursin-stuffed, buttercup-hued beauty is perfect. Fact. $18. - Erin Kuschner

Photograph: Jakob N. Layman

Salted caramel croissant at Valerie at GCM

Flaky and sporting a sugar glazed coating with salted caramel oozing out of every crack, this is one helluva pastry that'll have you ordering ten more to take home. Dunk that baby in a cup of coffee and you're golden. $3.50. - Erin Kuschner

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Photograph: Courtesy Tanzy

Bacon and eggs ravioli at Tanzy

This dish truly embodies what brunch is all about: a little bit of breakfast (a soft poached egg, bacon vinaigrette), a little bit of lunch (ricotta cheese in heavenly ravioli squares), a lot of scraping the suddenly empty plate. $12. - Erin Kuschner

Photograph: Courtesy Cofax

Chorizo burrito at Cofax Coffee Shop

We might start a mutiny by proclaiming this to be the best breakfast burrito in LA, but it's definitely up there. The key ingredient to this magic in a lightly grilled tortilla is the smoked potatoes, which add seriously bold flavor—along with chorizo, cheese and eggs. $6.50. - Erin Kuschner

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Photograph: Couresy The Harvest Bar

Tropical acai bowl at The Harvest Bar

We know LA is saturated with acai bowls, but the Tropical version from The Harvest Bar is pretty incredible. Even the "mini" size comes packed with a creamy blend of pineapple, mango, acai, coconut milk and banana, then piled high with shreds of coconut, mango and your choice of toppings (go for the granola). $6.50-$8.50. - Erin Kuschner

Photograph: Jakob N. Layman

Crispy rice salad with fried egg at SQIRL

How do we love SQIRL? Let us count the ways. 1. Chef Jessica Koslow's crispy rice bowl is a flavor bomb of lemongrass, ginger, mint and cucumber mixed in with crispy grains of rice. Add an egg on top (and some sausage, if you'd like), and it's arguably one of the best ways to start your day. $8.50. - Erin Kuschner

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Photograph: Jakob N. Layman

Ricotta cheese and fresh blueberry pancakes at Little Dom's

These pancakes are everything you want pancakes to be: a perfect balance of fluffy, creamy and fruity without being so sweet and overpowering that you wish you’d ordered eggs instead. The best part? They’re on Little Dom’s breakfast menu, which is served every day of the week. $10. - Sara Fay

Photograph: Courtesy Bang Bang Brunch

All in one egg at Bang Bang Brunch

Chef Becky Reams launched her phenomenal Bang Bang Brunch this year, and while the menu changes with each event, we hope she'll bring back her "All in one egg"—a spoonful of scrambled eggs atop crunchy granola and bits of maple bacon, all held in a cleaned out eggshell. Sure, it can be eaten in three bites, but we could have had ten more. Brunch prices vary. - Erin Kuschner

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Photograph: JP & Penelope Cordero

Stuffed French toast at The Strand House

It's all about what's inside this indulgent brunch plate. Oozing out of thick slices of challah bread, you'll find creamy, sweet huckleberry mascarpone, along with just the right amount of tartness from the berries. And trust us—while it comes on the side, no syrup is needed here. $15. - Ramona Saviss

Photograph: Erin Kuschner

Chilaquiles at Brilliantshine

Julian Cox's cocktail-centric restaurant, Brilliantshine, has been getting as much attention for its brunch as it has for its cocktails. One reason: the chilaquiles, a hangover remedy of crispy tortilla chips buried beneath a spicy panca sauce and two sunny-side-up eggs. $8. - Erin Kuschner

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Photograph: Jakob N. Layman

Killing Me Softly French Toast at EAT

The line that forms on the weekends at EAT says it all—brunch at this North Hollywood spot is ridiculously good. We'd be hard-pressed to choose a favorite here, but the Killing Me Softly French toast—three layers of brioche stuffed with raspberries and nutella, and drizzled in homemade vanilla and raspberry sauce—is out of this world. $10.99. - Erin Kuschner

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