Best Breakfast Restaurants in Upper West Side (10024)
7 hand-picked restaurants, critic-reviewed and ranked
Last Updated: December 2025
Our Top Pick
Barney Greengrass
Century-old sturgeon and lox specialist with true New York character.
Notable Picks
8.9
Barney Greengrass is a 1908-born appetizing counter where sturgeon, Nova, and egg plates anchor classic New York breakfasts. Locals and visitors pack the tight dining room for smoked fish, latkes, and bagels that have earned a James Beard Award and longstanding Upper West Side institution status.
Must-Try Dishes:
Sturgeon and scrambled eggs, Nova Scotia salmon with eggs, Potato latkes with smoked fish
What Makes it Special: Century-old sturgeon and lox specialist with true New York character.
#2
Zabar's
8.5
Zabar's combines a landmark appetizing store with a busy upstairs café where bagels, smoked fish, and coffee fuel classic Upper West Side breakfasts. Regulars treat it as a one-stop morning ritual, grabbing lox sandwiches, blintzes, and baked goods before or after shopping the market downstairs.
Must-Try Dishes:
Toasted bagel with Nova lox, Cheese blintzes with sour cream, Smoked fish platter
What Makes it Special: Iconic appetizing market with an upstairs café for classic lox breakfasts.
8.4
Vibes:
Brunch Bliss Spots
Quick Bites Champions
Cheap Eats Budget Brilliance
Solo Dining Sanctuaries
Daily Provisions is Danny Meyer’s all-day café where mornings start with hot crullers, strong coffee, and egg sandwiches on soft rolls. The UWS location leans into efficient counter service and well-executed basics that make it an easy everyday breakfast stop rather than a once-a-year splurge.
Must-Try Dishes:
Maple cruller, Bacon, egg and cheese sandwich, Sausage, egg and cheese sandwich
What Makes it Special: Modern café focused on crullers, coffee, and upgraded egg sandwiches.
#4
Amelie
8.2
Amelie UWS is a compact French bistro and wine bar with a Bib Gourmand nod where weekend brunch runs on croque monsieur, omelets, and Champagne. Locals use it when they want a slower, more polished breakfast that still feels neighborhood-level rather than formal hotel dining.
8.1
Vibes:
Brunch Bliss Spots
Comfort Food Classics
Family Friendly Favorites
Cheap Eats Budget Brilliance
Good Enough To Eat has been a farmhouse-style brunch fixture since the early 1980s, serving strawberry-butter pancakes, bacon waffles, and biscuits from morning through late night. The dining room feels like a country café dropped on Columbus Avenue, with hearty plates that lean more comforting than fussy.
Must-Try Dishes:
Buttermilk Pancakes, Meatloaf with Mashed Potatoes, Biscuits and Sausage Gravy
What Makes it Special: Long-running neighborhood institution for scratch-made American comfort and brunch.
8.0
Sarabeth's West is a classic Upper West Side brunch destination where smoked salmon Benedict, fluffy pancakes, and pastries anchor polished sit-down breakfasts. It draws a mix of regulars and visitors who want a full-service start to the day near the neighborhood’s museums and parks.
Must-Try Dishes:
Smoked salmon eggs Benedict, Buttermilk pancakes, Pumpkin waffle
What Makes it Special: Longstanding full-service brunch spot known for Benedicts and baked goods.
Worthy Picks
#7
Tiki Chick
7.9
Tiki Chick is a tiki-themed bar from the team behind Jacob’s Pickles where daylight hours skew toward fried chicken sandwiches, breakfast-leaning bites, and frozen coffee drinks. It’s a playful alternative to classic diners when you want something fast, fun, and a little louder than a traditional breakfast spot.