There's always something new to try at Breadbelly, the bakery and cafe in the Richmond where Asian-inspired pastries and sandwiches change often. Sweet and savory pastries will call to you, like the soft milk bun exploding with silky coconut pandan cream, and a macadamia nut croissant tart with caramelized edges. You can choose anything here and never go wrong. One non-negotiable is the kaya toast—a slice of milk bread with a squiggle of green coconut pandan jam finished with sea salt flakes.

When you just want to walk up, devour a plate of chicken and waffles and leave, drop everything and get to Tastebuds. The soul food-inspired counter-service spot in the Richmond makes some of our favorite chicken and waffles in the city—the golden tenders and fluffy buttermilk waffles strike the ideal balance between sweet and salty. The portions are hearty, but you miraculously won't need to be rolled off the premises after.

For a lovely casual weekday breakfast that'll stretch into lunch, head to El Mil Amores in the Mission. This Mexican spot’s massive plates will take you more time to finish than running a marathon, but that’s okay because the food is so excellent. You’ll also hang out for a while because this place embodies friendly diner vibes. The breakfast burrito, Yulis breakfast sandwich, and the huevos en ahogada are graduate-level classes in egg making, but you can’t go wrong with anything.

Town’s End Brunch looks like your typical get-in-get-out breakfast joint serving American classics, with plenty of tables and a laid-back vibe. That may be true, but this spot delivers some extras. Omelets are served in large cast iron skillets. A full-on juice bar with made-to-order green drinks is up front. And standard build-your-own benedicts go alongside a Warriors Breakfast with hash brown-topped biscuits and chicken fried steak (how it relates to the actual Warriors is a mystery to us).

The New York-style fried egg sandwiches from this counter-service spot in the Mission are what dreams are made of—if those dreams included the BEC. The hand-held concoction comes with american cheese, bacon, and a fried egg on a poppy seed roll. Words that come to mind when we think about it: gooey, incredible, order this. The other nine fried egg sandwiches on the menu are also worthwhile, like the one with hash browns and smoked bacon on a toasted French roll.

This cheery NoPa spot is decked out with colorful murals, mosaic tables, and tapestries of El Salvador hanging overhead. Go for the plato típico, a leftovers-guaranteed plate of gorgeously fried plantains, a chorizo scramble, and tortillas to wrap everything up. Or the breakfast burrito, which is nearly overflowing with bacon, chorizo, avocado, and potatoes. They also have things like pupusas, birria, and “hella spicy” chilaquiles if you’re after something even heartier.

Whenever we have a free morning, our first instinct is to spend it working our way through a box of treats from this Chinese bakery in the Sunset. As you might guess from the name, Pineapple King specializes in pineapple buns, and theirs have perfectly crackly toppings and a variety of fillings. We never leave without the ones with gooey mango custard and slabs of guava butter—or a hot dog bun swaddled in golden-brown milk bread.

If you’re not at Plow when they open (7am on weekdays and 8am on weekends), you’ll be waiting in line for a while. But this is one of the best breakfasts in town, so the wait is worth it. The menu is breakfast classics, so think of things that come with sides of maple syrup, bacon, and potatoes. Go for the Plow Plate, which includes two eggs, their amazing lemon ricotta pancakes, breakfast potatoes, and a required nap afterward.

Breakfast Little is a counter-service spot in the Mission that’s mobbed by loyal fans of the breakfast burrito king. These big boys come in five different varieties, all loaded up with tater tots, eggs, and a side of red or green salsa. Go for The OG with a choice of bacon or sausage (plus cheese and garlic aioli), or try the Tia Maria with fried plantains and queso fresco for a slightly sweet taste that pairs with the charred red salsa about as well as a beer and a sunny day.

Eddie’s Cafe is a palace of pancakes, eggs, and nostalgia in NoPa. The very casual diner is where we go when the urge to eat buttered toast and ketchup-covered hash browns strikes. Once you’re sitting at the counter or in one of the booths, be prepared to sip piping hot coffee from one of their well-worn, mismatched mugs, and drench a stack of pancakes in syrup. Another reason to get here: you’ll spend less on a full entrée than you would on a single mimosa at other breakfast spots around town.