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Breakfast tacos at Onefold
Breakfast tacos at Onefold.
Ruth Tobias

Denver’s Best Breakfasts Worth Waking Up For

From scrambles and skillets to Armenian, Colombian, and Vietnamese treats

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Breakfast tacos at Onefold.
| Ruth Tobias

Maybe it’s because they’re rising at the crack of dawn to go hiking or hit the slopes; maybe they’re facing rush hour en route to the DTC or navigating the endless construction on I-70 to get to the airport on time. Maybe, still, it’s because they’ve got the wake-and-bake munchies. Whatever the reason, Denverites sure do love a big breakfast. So bring on the Benedicts, burritos, bagels, and bloodies: These 26 daytime destinations, organized from north to south, make a meal worth getting out of bed for.

Note: While this map includes a couple of bakeries with more substantial sit-down offerings, the city abounds in top-notch pastry purveyors for those on the go: To name a few not yet listed here, check out Funky Flame, GetRight’s, Bakery Four, and Black Box.

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Eater maps are curated by editors and aim to reflect a diversity of neighborhoods, cuisines, and prices. Learn more about our editorial process.

Sunny's

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This Sunnyside nook is a bit of an open secret among its neighbors for its warm and friendly vibe as well as its creative takes on morning fare. Roasted vegetable latkes, for instance, are drizzled with scallion sour cream alongside eggs any style; the Aji Benedict comes with homemade chorizo on Peruvian-style potato cakes; and the BELT sandwich substitutes coffee-cured pork belly for bacon while throwing eggs, pickles, and cherry-pepper sauce into the bargain.

Eggs, chorizo, tomato, avocado, and Boursin stuffed between two grilled cheese sandwiches
The Good Night at Sunny’s features eggs, chorizo, tomato, avocado, and Boursin stuffed between two grilled cheese sandwiches.
Ruth Tobias

Call Your Mother

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Since opening its first Denver outlet in Berkeley last May, this D.C. deli transplant has proven such a smash hit with locals that it has already opened two other locations in Cap Hill and Hilltop. That’s a testament to both the quality of the bagels and the creativity of the sandwiches that showcase them: Try, for example, the Whisper Walk with Cheez-It–infused cream cheese, bacon, jalapeño, and Fritos on a cheddar bagel or the Fiddler’s Creek with apple pie–flavored cream cheese, apples, dulce de leche, and Apple Jacks on an apple-cinnamon bagel.

The Grand Villa with peanut butter, jam,and granola on a cinnamon-raisin bagel
The Grand Villa with peanut butter, jam,and granola on a cinnamon-raisin bagel.
Tim Casey

Opening at 8 a.m. Monday through Saturday and 9 a.m. on Sundays, this Sunnyside sandwich shop has become a citywide sensation for the love and energy it puts into the simple things — be it a BEC or a breakfast burrito — even as it whips up specials like fried chicken on a biscuit with ham gravy and chile honey or French toast with peanut butter mousse and strawberry preserves. Liquid eye-openers, meanwhile, extend beyond coffee drinks to hot spiked cider and green chile bloody marys.

Bodega’s vegan breakfast sandwich
Bodega’s vegan breakfast sandwich.
Anna Regan

Sassafras American Eatery

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Against a quaint Victorian backdrop, this Southern fixture strikes a nifty balance between the down-home and the extravagant in dishes like eggs Benedict with fried green tomatoes, goat cheese, and jalapeño cornbread; the breakfast mac and cheese with bacon, sausage, and a poached egg; and fried chicken and waffles with both duck-fat gravy and bourbon-pecan syrup. Equally elaborate coffee drinks and bloody marys start the day off right.

The chicken fried eggs and buffalo hash with free-range buffalo smoked over pecan wood, six-minute eggs, and jalapeno cornbread all topped with a Fresno chili Hollandaise at Sassafras.
Bison hash and chicken-fried eggs at Sassafras.
Jonathan Phillips

Fox and the Hen

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“Fancy toasts” graced with delicata squash and pomegranate seeds or caramelized onions and Gruyere may be chef Carrie Baird’s claim to fame, but at this hopping daytime joint in LoHi, she’s becoming just as well known for her Big Mac–inspired omelet, biscuits in sausage gravy, and other morning-time munchies, made all the merrier by the array of hot sauces on display. Don’t sleep on the “animal-style” hash browns (in fact, wake up with them).

A tablescape at Fox and the Hen
A tablescape at Fox and the Hen.
Culinary Creative Group

The Bindery

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Tuesday through Friday, this all-day LoHi favorite begins breakfast service at 8 a.m., when staples like stone-cut oatmeal with blueberries and whiskey butter; duck–sweet potato hash; and avocado toast with heirloom tomatoes, smoked-paprika aioli, and lime-curry oil are supplemented by all manner of baked goods from the market. Weekend brunch, meanwhile, also starts at a relatively early 8 a.m. with an even more elaborate menu featuring the likes of vanilla-rum Dutch babies and the Hestan, a three-egg cheese omelet with black beans, plantains, shishito peppers, and poblano-cilantro charmoula.

Veggie hash with a sunny egg and quinoa
Seasonal hash at The Bindery.
Ruth Tobias

HashTAG

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At Troy Guard’s rise-and-shine cafe (with a second location in Highlands Ranch), bubbly yellow decor sets the mood for a feast that, by all accounts, must start with the cast-iron cinnamon roll. Balance it out with the relatively healthful hangover pho or smoked salmon–avocado toast — or go for the gusto and get the French’wich (bacon, ham, and jack cheddar on French toast with syrup and powdered sugar) and Tijuana Benedict with adobo pork shoulder and chipotle Hollandaise. Either way, a cocktail like the Fro J with vodka, OJ, Sunny D, and Galliano will help it go down easy.

Overhead shot of several breakfast plates and drinks
A spread at HashTAG.
Rachel Adams Photography

Stowaway Kitchen

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This cozy, artsy RiNo cafe gathers inspiration from all over the world — Japan, the Eastern Mediterranean, Colorado farms — to build a menu that’s as eclectic as could be. Think oyako-don (chicken and eggs over rice); heirloom sourdough waffles with kabocha mousse, salted pepitas, and candied walnuts; and mushroom–herb hummus tartine with pomegranate and pistachio za’atar, plus daily baked goods like orange-vanilla-honey crullers and spinach-cheddar-mustard scones.

Mushroom tartine with a poached egg and beet hummus
A seasonal dish of mushroom tartine with a poached egg and beet hummus at Stowaway Kitchen.
Ruth Tobias

Rosenberg's Bagels & Delicatessen

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At this Five Points fixture — which also has a branch in Aurora’s Stanley Marketplace — lox, sable, sturgeon, schmears, and all the fixings make the most of bagels that are themselves made with water whose mineral content replicates that of New York; the same goes for sandwich combos like the Jersey Boy with Taylor ham, fried eggs, American cheese, and ketchup or the Heebster with whitefish salad, wasabi-flavored roe, and scallion cream cheese.

Bagel with gravlax, cream cheese, tomato, red onion, and capers
The Standard with gravlax, cream cheese, tomato, red onion, and capers at Rosenberg’s.
Ruth Tobias

Café Miriam

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This charming little French-inspired cafe at the edge of City Park is known for crepes both savory and sweet. The royale with cheese contains prosciutto, Brie, fig spread, and balsamic vinegar, for instance, while the dulce de leche combines its namesake ingredient with Nutella, caramel, and French vanilla ice cream. Pastries, croissant sandwiches, hot chocolate, and a full espresso bar also await.

Crêpe with powdered sugar and a cappuccino
Savory and sweet crêpes dominate the daytime menu at Café Miriam.
Café Miriam

Onefold

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Duck-confit congee and fried rice with lap cheong and eggs on the one hand, breakfast tacos on homemade tortillas and loco moco on the other, plus Vietnamese coffee and screwdrivers to wash it all down: That’s Onefold in an East-West nutshell. Long waits have been a given at the tiny Uptown flagship since it opened; in response, the owners debuted a more spacious Union Station satellite a few years back.

Savory rice porridge with egg
Onefold’s signature congee.
Ruth Tobias

La Machaca de Mi Amá

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The enormous menu at this all-day Mexican joint in Aurora covers all the basics — burritos, chilaquiles, menudo — but its highlights hail from the owners’ home state of Sinaloa, so start with a plate of huevos scrambled with machaca (dried beef) or chilorio (pork in chile sauce) to get a true feel for the place. The cheesy, bean-slathered open-faced sandwich called molletes is another treat to savor, too.

Eggs scrambled with beef on a plate with refried beans and fried potatoes
Se hizo la machaca at La Machaca de Mi Amá.
Ruth Tobias

Denver Biscuit Co.

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Anything with fried chicken is a sure bet at this homegrown chain — and it’s even better alongside an oatmeal stout–infused bloody mary or breakfast sangria. Waits are inevitable, but the Instagram shots of towering biscuit sandwiches make the time well spent. (For other locations, click visit its website.)

Biscuit sandwich with a sausage patty, a fried egg, apple butter, and maple syrup
The Dahlia comes with a sausage patty, a fried egg, apple butter, and maple syrup.
From The Hip Photo

Fox Run Cafe

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No gimmicks, no fuss — just skilled and thoughtful cooking at this East Colfax daytime darling. Not a detail goes overlooked, be it the honey butter accompanying the griddled banana bread, the peanut dukkah on the avocado toast, or the juicy carnitas gracing the breakfast sandwich. The waitstaff is equally attentive amid the bustle, too.

Fox Run’s lemon-ricotta pancakes with mixed-berry jam, brown sugar–oat streusel, and maple butter on a wooden table with orange juice, coffee, and an assortment of other breakfast dishes.
Fox Run’s lemon-ricotta pancakes with mixed-berry jam, brown sugar–oat streusel, and maple butter.
Hard Knoch PR

La Fillette Bakery

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Having expanded her business from a tiny takeout shop into a full-service daytime hot spot in the Montclair neighborhood in 2023, Keturah Fleming still proffers pastries aplenty — raspberry–brown butter pop tarts, green chile–cheddar croissants, sticky buns and all — while also turning out composed plates to linger over. The hollandaise-topped corned beef hash with crispy brussels sprouts is a favorite, as are the build-your-own breakfast sandwiches with ingredients ranging from duck confit and goat cheese to caramelized onions and tomato jam.

Table with hash, breakfast sandwich, brunch cocktails, and coffee
A full spread at La Fillette.
La Fillette Bakery

El Taco de México

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Three words: chile relleno burritos. They’re the ultimate hangover cure at this beloved taqueria, which also serves up huevos rancheros, “special breakfast” with all the fixings, and more from 7 a.m. onward — not to mention menudo on weekends.

Burrito stuffed with rice, beans, and a chile rellno
El Taco de Mexico’s famous chile relleno burrito.
Ruth Tobias

Snooze: An A.M. Eatery

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While proliferating around the West, this local chain has become a hall-of-famer on the Denver daytime-dining scene. The pineapple upside-down pancakes and the Bella! Bella! Benny with prosciutto, cream cheese hollandaise, and balsamic glaze count among the most famous signatures on its extensive menu, but seasonal and daily specials keep regulars’ interest (as does an array of bloody marys and coffee cocktails).

A close-up of a plate of pancakes with butter and syrup next to a cup of coffee at Snooze
Snooze built its regional empire on pancakes.
Snooze: An A.M. Eatery

Moxie Eatery

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It’s all about the egg sandwiches at this cute little Baker counter, which opens at 9 a.m. daily: Served on English muffins, the creative combos range from the Lamb I Am with lamb sausage, feta, red onion, and cumin yogurt to the breakfast torta with sharp cheddar, black beans, avocado, and pico de gallo.

Two different egg sandwiches on English muffins
Moxie Eatery’s Breakfast Torta (front) and Lamb I Am sandwiches.
Ruth Tobias

Olive & Finch

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Like its snug Uptown sibling, this sunny, more spacious Cherry Creek cafe has perfected the art of fast-casual breakfast, turning out skillet hashes, tartines, composed plates like shakshuka and huevos rancheros, and sandwiches like the Broseph —  scrambled eggs, pastrami, Swiss, caramelized onions, jalapeños, and horseradish aioli on a brioche bun — all day long. The display case, meanwhile, is chock-full of muffins, croissants, sticky buns, and more (including tarts and cakes for those who live by the credo “life is short, eat dessert first thing in the morning”). Downtown denizens can also stock up on those sweet and savory pastries along with drinks from the coffee bar at the new Little Finch.

Olive & Finch’s housemade pop tarts
Olive & Finch’s housemade pop tarts.
Olive & Finch

El Borrego Negro at Re:Vision

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And now for something completely different: In preparation for his Sunday morning pop-up, chef Jose Avila sources meat from a local sheep ranch and tends overnight to the outdoor pit that yields his extraordinary barbacoa (a weekend breakfast tradition in parts of Mexico). Then he sells it by the pound with all the fixings — tortillas, onions, cilantro, green and red salsa, lime wedges, and, best of all, bone broth with chickpeas — for a feast unlike any in town. Follow him on Instagram for details and prepare to show up at 9 a.m. sharp.

Takeout barbacoa accompanied by consommé, tortillas, onions, cilantro, and green and red salsa
El Borrego Negro’s barbacoa by the pound comes with consommé, tortillas, onions, cilantro, green and red salsa, and horchata.
Ruth Tobias

Zaidy's Deli & Bakery

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This local institution issues happy, hearty wake-up calls in the form of latkes with sour cream and applesauce; cheese blintzes topped with fruit compote; challah French toast with caramelized bananas; Reuben-inspired omelets with corned beef, Swiss, sauerkraut, and Russian dressing; and much more — all with a free side of nostalgia for old-school deli culture.

An onion bagel with whitefish salad at Zaidy’s
An onion bagel with whitefish salad at Zaidy’s.
Ruth Tobias

Istanbul Café and Bakery

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Here’s one way to zhuzh up scrambled eggs and toast: Hit this casual cafe in Washington Virginia Vale (with siblings in University Park and LoHi), where Turkish breakfast comes on a platter centered around a sausage omelet that’s accompanied with marinated olives and vegetables, cheeses, and at least one type of bread plus jam, honey, and Nutella.

Dad’s Plate at Istanbul Café and Bakery
Dad’s Plate at Istanbul Café and Bakery.
Ruth Tobias

Now Phở

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While it plans to throw pastries into the mix, this cheery Vietnamese spot opens at 9 a.m. to offer up its regular menu — which, after all, includes many items one might be as likely to eat for breakfast in Vietnam as for lunch or dinner. Phở, bún bò, and other soups; vermicelli bowls and rice plates; and even bánh mì are all on the table (and a glass of honeydew or jasmine milk tea isn’t out of line either).

Now Pho’s rice cake omelet
Now Pho’s rice cake omelet.
Ruth Tobias

In a picture-perfect space on Old South Pearl, this vegetarian-friendly cafe conjures the modern Southwest through its menu as well as its decor. Among its bestsellers is the giant, slaw-topped farmer’s burrito stuffed with scrambled tofu, fried potatoes, green chile, and more; other top hits include the pozole rojo and the quesadilla with jackfruit barbacoa. Pair it all with the creamy cafe de olla (or a guava mimosa for kicks).

Enchiladas in bean sauce with coffee drink
Enfrijoladas with café de olla at Hoja.
Ruth Tobias

LaTinto Café

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This cozy Southwest cafe specializes in the breakfast staples of Colombia, serving soups like short rib and potato-based caldo do costilla or the milk-and-egg concoction called changua, not to mention its egg- and chorizo-stuffed arepas, ideally accompanied by the signature coffee sweetened with panela and cinnamon. Those in the know will grab a few guava empanadas to go, too.

In addition to its breakfast menu, LaTinto makes a wide range of Latin American pastries.
In addition to its breakfast menu, LaTinto makes a wide range of Latin American pastries.
Ruth Tobias

House of Bread

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This lovely Armenian bakery-cafe is a must-visit for the ajarski khachapuri alone: A bread boat filled with eggs, feta, and, optionally, the cured beef called basturma, it’s a bang-up way to start the day. But there’s so much more to try, including pastries like ponchik, custard- or jam-stuffed doughnuts, and luscious coffee drinks to seal the deal.

Bread boat filled with egg and cheese center
House of Bread’s ajarski.
Ruth Tobias

Sunny's

This Sunnyside nook is a bit of an open secret among its neighbors for its warm and friendly vibe as well as its creative takes on morning fare. Roasted vegetable latkes, for instance, are drizzled with scallion sour cream alongside eggs any style; the Aji Benedict comes with homemade chorizo on Peruvian-style potato cakes; and the BELT sandwich substitutes coffee-cured pork belly for bacon while throwing eggs, pickles, and cherry-pepper sauce into the bargain.

Eggs, chorizo, tomato, avocado, and Boursin stuffed between two grilled cheese sandwiches
The Good Night at Sunny’s features eggs, chorizo, tomato, avocado, and Boursin stuffed between two grilled cheese sandwiches.
Ruth Tobias

Call Your Mother

Since opening its first Denver outlet in Berkeley last May, this D.C. deli transplant has proven such a smash hit with locals that it has already opened two other locations in Cap Hill and Hilltop. That’s a testament to both the quality of the bagels and the creativity of the sandwiches that showcase them: Try, for example, the Whisper Walk with Cheez-It–infused cream cheese, bacon, jalapeño, and Fritos on a cheddar bagel or the Fiddler’s Creek with apple pie–flavored cream cheese, apples, dulce de leche, and Apple Jacks on an apple-cinnamon bagel.

The Grand Villa with peanut butter, jam,and granola on a cinnamon-raisin bagel
The Grand Villa with peanut butter, jam,and granola on a cinnamon-raisin bagel.
Tim Casey

Bodega

Opening at 8 a.m. Monday through Saturday and 9 a.m. on Sundays, this Sunnyside sandwich shop has become a citywide sensation for the love and energy it puts into the simple things — be it a BEC or a breakfast burrito — even as it whips up specials like fried chicken on a biscuit with ham gravy and chile honey or French toast with peanut butter mousse and strawberry preserves. Liquid eye-openers, meanwhile, extend beyond coffee drinks to hot spiked cider and green chile bloody marys.

Bodega’s vegan breakfast sandwich
Bodega’s vegan breakfast sandwich.
Anna Regan

Sassafras American Eatery

Against a quaint Victorian backdrop, this Southern fixture strikes a nifty balance between the down-home and the extravagant in dishes like eggs Benedict with fried green tomatoes, goat cheese, and jalapeño cornbread; the breakfast mac and cheese with bacon, sausage, and a poached egg; and fried chicken and waffles with both duck-fat gravy and bourbon-pecan syrup. Equally elaborate coffee drinks and bloody marys start the day off right.

The chicken fried eggs and buffalo hash with free-range buffalo smoked over pecan wood, six-minute eggs, and jalapeno cornbread all topped with a Fresno chili Hollandaise at Sassafras.
Bison hash and chicken-fried eggs at Sassafras.
Jonathan Phillips

Fox and the Hen

“Fancy toasts” graced with delicata squash and pomegranate seeds or caramelized onions and Gruyere may be chef Carrie Baird’s claim to fame, but at this hopping daytime joint in LoHi, she’s becoming just as well known for her Big Mac–inspired omelet, biscuits in sausage gravy, and other morning-time munchies, made all the merrier by the array of hot sauces on display. Don’t sleep on the “animal-style” hash browns (in fact, wake up with them).

A tablescape at Fox and the Hen
A tablescape at Fox and the Hen.
Culinary Creative Group

The Bindery

Tuesday through Friday, this all-day LoHi favorite begins breakfast service at 8 a.m., when staples like stone-cut oatmeal with blueberries and whiskey butter; duck–sweet potato hash; and avocado toast with heirloom tomatoes, smoked-paprika aioli, and lime-curry oil are supplemented by all manner of baked goods from the market. Weekend brunch, meanwhile, also starts at a relatively early 8 a.m. with an even more elaborate menu featuring the likes of vanilla-rum Dutch babies and the Hestan, a three-egg cheese omelet with black beans, plantains, shishito peppers, and poblano-cilantro charmoula.

Veggie hash with a sunny egg and quinoa
Seasonal hash at The Bindery.
Ruth Tobias

HashTAG

At Troy Guard’s rise-and-shine cafe (with a second location in Highlands Ranch), bubbly yellow decor sets the mood for a feast that, by all accounts, must start with the cast-iron cinnamon roll. Balance it out with the relatively healthful hangover pho or smoked salmon–avocado toast — or go for the gusto and get the French’wich (bacon, ham, and jack cheddar on French toast with syrup and powdered sugar) and Tijuana Benedict with adobo pork shoulder and chipotle Hollandaise. Either way, a cocktail like the Fro J with vodka, OJ, Sunny D, and Galliano will help it go down easy.

Overhead shot of several breakfast plates and drinks
A spread at HashTAG.
Rachel Adams Photography

Stowaway Kitchen

This cozy, artsy RiNo cafe gathers inspiration from all over the world — Japan, the Eastern Mediterranean, Colorado farms — to build a menu that’s as eclectic as could be. Think oyako-don (chicken and eggs over rice); heirloom sourdough waffles with kabocha mousse, salted pepitas, and candied walnuts; and mushroom–herb hummus tartine with pomegranate and pistachio za’atar, plus daily baked goods like orange-vanilla-honey crullers and spinach-cheddar-mustard scones.

Mushroom tartine with a poached egg and beet hummus
A seasonal dish of mushroom tartine with a poached egg and beet hummus at Stowaway Kitchen.
Ruth Tobias

Rosenberg's Bagels & Delicatessen

At this Five Points fixture — which also has a branch in Aurora’s Stanley Marketplace — lox, sable, sturgeon, schmears, and all the fixings make the most of bagels that are themselves made with water whose mineral content replicates that of New York; the same goes for sandwich combos like the Jersey Boy with Taylor ham, fried eggs, American cheese, and ketchup or the Heebster with whitefish salad, wasabi-flavored roe, and scallion cream cheese.

Bagel with gravlax, cream cheese, tomato, red onion, and capers
The Standard with gravlax, cream cheese, tomato, red onion, and capers at Rosenberg’s.
Ruth Tobias

Café Miriam

This charming little French-inspired cafe at the edge of City Park is known for crepes both savory and sweet. The royale with cheese contains prosciutto, Brie, fig spread, and balsamic vinegar, for instance, while the dulce de leche combines its namesake ingredient with Nutella, caramel, and French vanilla ice cream. Pastries, croissant sandwiches, hot chocolate, and a full espresso bar also await.

Crêpe with powdered sugar and a cappuccino
Savory and sweet crêpes dominate the daytime menu at Café Miriam.
Café Miriam

Onefold

Duck-confit congee and fried rice with lap cheong and eggs on the one hand, breakfast tacos on homemade tortillas and loco moco on the other, plus Vietnamese coffee and screwdrivers to wash it all down: That’s Onefold in an East-West nutshell. Long waits have been a given at the tiny Uptown flagship since it opened; in response, the owners debuted a more spacious Union Station satellite a few years back.

Savory rice porridge with egg
Onefold’s signature congee.
Ruth Tobias

La Machaca de Mi Amá

The enormous menu at this all-day Mexican joint in Aurora covers all the basics — burritos, chilaquiles, menudo — but its highlights hail from the owners’ home state of Sinaloa, so start with a plate of huevos scrambled with machaca (dried beef) or chilorio (pork in chile sauce) to get a true feel for the place. The cheesy, bean-slathered open-faced sandwich called molletes is another treat to savor, too.

Eggs scrambled with beef on a plate with refried beans and fried potatoes
Se hizo la machaca at La Machaca de Mi Amá.
Ruth Tobias

Denver Biscuit Co.

Anything with fried chicken is a sure bet at this homegrown chain — and it’s even better alongside an oatmeal stout–infused bloody mary or breakfast sangria. Waits are inevitable, but the Instagram shots of towering biscuit sandwiches make the time well spent. (For other locations, click visit its website.)

Biscuit sandwich with a sausage patty, a fried egg, apple butter, and maple syrup
The Dahlia comes with a sausage patty, a fried egg, apple butter, and maple syrup.
From The Hip Photo

Fox Run Cafe

No gimmicks, no fuss — just skilled and thoughtful cooking at this East Colfax daytime darling. Not a detail goes overlooked, be it the honey butter accompanying the griddled banana bread, the peanut dukkah on the avocado toast, or the juicy carnitas gracing the breakfast sandwich. The waitstaff is equally attentive amid the bustle, too.

Fox Run’s lemon-ricotta pancakes with mixed-berry jam, brown sugar–oat streusel, and maple butter on a wooden table with orange juice, coffee, and an assortment of other breakfast dishes.
Fox Run’s lemon-ricotta pancakes with mixed-berry jam, brown sugar–oat streusel, and maple butter.
Hard Knoch PR

La Fillette Bakery

Having expanded her business from a tiny takeout shop into a full-service daytime hot spot in the Montclair neighborhood in 2023, Keturah Fleming still proffers pastries aplenty — raspberry–brown butter pop tarts, green chile–cheddar croissants, sticky buns and all — while also turning out composed plates to linger over. The hollandaise-topped corned beef hash with crispy brussels sprouts is a favorite, as are the build-your-own breakfast sandwiches with ingredients ranging from duck confit and goat cheese to caramelized onions and tomato jam.

Table with hash, breakfast sandwich, brunch cocktails, and coffee
A full spread at La Fillette.
La Fillette Bakery

Related Maps

El Taco de México

Three words: chile relleno burritos. They’re the ultimate hangover cure at this beloved taqueria, which also serves up huevos rancheros, “special breakfast” with all the fixings, and more from 7 a.m. onward — not to mention menudo on weekends.

Burrito stuffed with rice, beans, and a chile rellno
El Taco de Mexico’s famous chile relleno burrito.
Ruth Tobias

Snooze: An A.M. Eatery

While proliferating around the West, this local chain has become a hall-of-famer on the Denver daytime-dining scene. The pineapple upside-down pancakes and the Bella! Bella! Benny with prosciutto, cream cheese hollandaise, and balsamic glaze count among the most famous signatures on its extensive menu, but seasonal and daily specials keep regulars’ interest (as does an array of bloody marys and coffee cocktails).

A close-up of a plate of pancakes with butter and syrup next to a cup of coffee at Snooze
Snooze built its regional empire on pancakes.
Snooze: An A.M. Eatery

Moxie Eatery

It’s all about the egg sandwiches at this cute little Baker counter, which opens at 9 a.m. daily: Served on English muffins, the creative combos range from the Lamb I Am with lamb sausage, feta, red onion, and cumin yogurt to the breakfast torta with sharp cheddar, black beans, avocado, and pico de gallo.

Two different egg sandwiches on English muffins
Moxie Eatery’s Breakfast Torta (front) and Lamb I Am sandwiches.
Ruth Tobias

Olive & Finch

Like its snug Uptown sibling, this sunny, more spacious Cherry Creek cafe has perfected the art of fast-casual breakfast, turning out skillet hashes, tartines, composed plates like shakshuka and huevos rancheros, and sandwiches like the Broseph —  scrambled eggs, pastrami, Swiss, caramelized onions, jalapeños, and horseradish aioli on a brioche bun — all day long. The display case, meanwhile, is chock-full of muffins, croissants, sticky buns, and more (including tarts and cakes for those who live by the credo “life is short, eat dessert first thing in the morning”). Downtown denizens can also stock up on those sweet and savory pastries along with drinks from the coffee bar at the new Little Finch.

Olive & Finch’s housemade pop tarts
Olive & Finch’s housemade pop tarts.
Olive & Finch

El Borrego Negro at Re:Vision

And now for something completely different: In preparation for his Sunday morning pop-up, chef Jose Avila sources meat from a local sheep ranch and tends overnight to the outdoor pit that yields his extraordinary barbacoa (a weekend breakfast tradition in parts of Mexico). Then he sells it by the pound with all the fixings — tortillas, onions, cilantro, green and red salsa, lime wedges, and, best of all, bone broth with chickpeas — for a feast unlike any in town. Follow him on Instagram for details and prepare to show up at 9 a.m. sharp.

Takeout barbacoa accompanied by consommé, tortillas, onions, cilantro, and green and red salsa
El Borrego Negro’s barbacoa by the pound comes with consommé, tortillas, onions, cilantro, green and red salsa, and horchata.
Ruth Tobias

Zaidy's Deli & Bakery

This local institution issues happy, hearty wake-up calls in the form of latkes with sour cream and applesauce; cheese blintzes topped with fruit compote; challah French toast with caramelized bananas; Reuben-inspired omelets with corned beef, Swiss, sauerkraut, and Russian dressing; and much more — all with a free side of nostalgia for old-school deli culture.

An onion bagel with whitefish salad at Zaidy’s
An onion bagel with whitefish salad at Zaidy’s.
Ruth Tobias

Istanbul Café and Bakery

Here’s one way to zhuzh up scrambled eggs and toast: Hit this casual cafe in Washington Virginia Vale (with siblings in University Park and LoHi), where Turkish breakfast comes on a platter centered around a sausage omelet that’s accompanied with marinated olives and vegetables, cheeses, and at least one type of bread plus jam, honey, and Nutella.

Dad’s Plate at Istanbul Café and Bakery
Dad’s Plate at Istanbul Café and Bakery.
Ruth Tobias

Now Phở

While it plans to throw pastries into the mix, this cheery Vietnamese spot opens at 9 a.m. to offer up its regular menu — which, after all, includes many items one might be as likely to eat for breakfast in Vietnam as for lunch or dinner. Phở, bún bò, and other soups; vermicelli bowls and rice plates; and even bánh mì are all on the table (and a glass of honeydew or jasmine milk tea isn’t out of line either).

Now Pho’s rice cake omelet
Now Pho’s rice cake omelet.
Ruth Tobias

HOJA

In a picture-perfect space on Old South Pearl, this vegetarian-friendly cafe conjures the modern Southwest through its menu as well as its decor. Among its bestsellers is the giant, slaw-topped farmer’s burrito stuffed with scrambled tofu, fried potatoes, green chile, and more; other top hits include the pozole rojo and the quesadilla with jackfruit barbacoa. Pair it all with the creamy cafe de olla (or a guava mimosa for kicks).

Enchiladas in bean sauce with coffee drink
Enfrijoladas with café de olla at Hoja.
Ruth Tobias

LaTinto Café

This cozy Southwest cafe specializes in the breakfast staples of Colombia, serving soups like short rib and potato-based caldo do costilla or the milk-and-egg concoction called changua, not to mention its egg- and chorizo-stuffed arepas, ideally accompanied by the signature coffee sweetened with panela and cinnamon. Those in the know will grab a few guava empanadas to go, too.

In addition to its breakfast menu, LaTinto makes a wide range of Latin American pastries.
In addition to its breakfast menu, LaTinto makes a wide range of Latin American pastries.
Ruth Tobias

House of Bread

This lovely Armenian bakery-cafe is a must-visit for the ajarski khachapuri alone: A bread boat filled with eggs, feta, and, optionally, the cured beef called basturma, it’s a bang-up way to start the day. But there’s so much more to try, including pastries like ponchik, custard- or jam-stuffed doughnuts, and luscious coffee drinks to seal the deal.

Bread boat filled with egg and cheese center
House of Bread’s ajarski.
Ruth Tobias

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